Ndiswrapper Installation Problem with Fedora 5

cybercullen · 03-23-2006, 05:27 PM

I have a built-in wireless card that I'd like to use on my laptop. I have just installed Fedora Core 5 and am attempting to install the ndiswrapper software (v1.10).

I'm following the wiki instructions at http://ndiswrapper.sourceforge.net/m...p/Installation but am having trouble pretty much at the beginning. When I download the ndiswrapper software and try to install I get the following:

Code:

[stroh@localhost ndiswrapper-1.10]# make install
make -C driver install
make[1]: Entering directory `/home/stroh/Desktop/ndiswrapper-1.10/driver'
Can't find kernel sources in /lib/modules/2.6.15-1.2054_FC5/build;
  give the path to kernel sources with KSRC=<path> argument to make
make[1]: *** [prereq_check] Error 1
make[1]: Leaving directory `/home/stroh/Desktop/ndiswrapper-1.10/driver'
make: *** [install] Error 2

I have downloaded kernel-2.6.15-1.2054_FC5.src.rpm (which I assume to be the kernel source that is needed) and have installed it.

Per the ndiswrapper advice, they say that I should create a symlink using

Code:

ln -s /usr/src/linux-<kernel-version> /lib/modules/VERSION/build

However, the kernel source that I am using seems to install these files to /usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/ instead of the above directory. I have tried using their method as well as replacing /usr/src/linux-<kernel-version> with /usr/src/redhat/SOURCES/linux-2.6.15-1.2054_FC5 but I still get the same error.

I'm a linux newb so I'm sure this is probably something really stupid that I'm missing here.

Thanks in advance!
Michael

Caeda · 03-23-2006, 06:18 PM

Have you tried just moving the folder it creates into /usr/src/linux so it's in the right spot?

soze · 03-25-2006, 04:12 PM

I have the exact same problem as cybercullen..
Please let me know if you find the answer to this.

Isnt the source installed with the fedora installation ?

cybercullen · 03-25-2006, 07:20 PM

According to the release notes for Fedora Core 5, the kernel source is not included with the Fedora installation http://fedora.redhat.com/docs/releas...fc5/#id3126937

I have tried moving the source files into the directory and have followed instructions on the Fedora website (same section as link given above) which tells how to install the files into a folder called rpmbuild/linux-<version>/kernel-<version> (or something along those lines).

From there I have tried creating a symlink to that directory and have also tried copying the entire directory to the ones that ndiswrapper looks for.

Still stuck...

soze · 03-26-2006, 05:13 AM

Ill try some more recipes today.. The steps you have mentioned above, have been tried here to..

Someone told me that i could boot up the install cd's and choose upgrade of the system, and install the source from the package list...
I dont know if that works, but ill give it a try..

Ill let you know if i make a breakthrough..

Also i read someone made ndiswrapper work through installing this rpm version :
http://rpm.livna.org/fedora/5/i386/

Youll find ndiswrapper for Core 5 down the list there..

nigel_1820 · 03-26-2006, 04:14 PM

Have you tried to install the kernel-devel packages available from the fedora site? That fixed my kernel module building problems.

Nigel MacPherson

soze · 03-26-2006, 05:15 PM

Hey..

I haven tried that.. I'm going to try that as well..
Was that all you had to do ?
install those, and then ndiswrapper ?

Where they in rpm format ?
thanks for your tip.

nigel_1820 · 03-26-2006, 06:07 PM

Actually, I wasn't trying to compile the ndiswrapper kernel module from source, I was trying to compile the RT2500 driver source, but it came up with basically the same error message and directory (actually, by default, it's a broken symbolic link).

You can get the kernel-devel rpm from download.fedora.redhat.com/pub/fedora/linux/core/5/i386/os/Fedora/RPMS/kernel-devel-2.6.15-1.2054_FC5.i686.rpm
(sorry that it's not a link...I can't post links yet...)

soze · 03-27-2006, 07:13 AM

when you have installed this rpm, do you have to create a new symbolic link ?
or will everything set up itself..?

Sorry for the newbie questions.. but i have really been trying everything for this to work..

nigel_1820 · 03-27-2006, 09:55 PM

Newbie questions are just fine! (I'm not much more than one myself...) On mine, the link did not need to be re-linked; I think it just keeps pointing it at that path, which now exists, so there shouldn't be an error now (I'm pretty sure).

soze · 03-28-2006, 05:35 AM

Ok.. thanks

Ill try it later today..

Btw.. the difference between i586 and i686, is that the cpu type ?
Will an i686 rpm, work on a i586 installation ?

nigel_1820 · 03-28-2006, 07:59 AM

The difference between an i586 and an i686 is the architecture of the processor, I think. I'm never quite sure which one to get, and I'm not sure whether an i586 rpm will work on an i686 computer.

soze · 03-28-2006, 02:12 PM

Hmm..
I finally got ndiswrapper installed.. make and make install works fine.

So im doing ndiswrapper -i rt2500.inf, works fine
ndiswrapper -m , works fine..

But when i do : modprobe ndiswrapper ... i get the following error message :
FATAL: Error inserting ndiswrapper (/lib/modules/2.6.15-1.2054_FC5/misc/ndiswrapper.ko): Invalid module format

Any suggestions ?.. I am so sick and tired of this linux stuff now

nigel_1820 · 03-28-2006, 09:21 PM

Don't give up yet!

I don't know much about ndiswrapper, so what you said doesn't tell me much. Are you sure that your kernel and your kernel-devel package are matched in the way of versions? If they aren't, then that could happen.

Also, are you using an RT2500 based chipset? I could help with that more easily because that's what I use and I got it to work on FC5.

soze · 03-29-2006, 02:33 AM

hehe.. Ok.. ill hang in there..

Yes the kernel packages match in versions. I have double checked now.

Regarding the RT2500 chipset, if you now are referring to the WLAN card, so yes. That is the drivers that is supplied with my card. Linksys WPMG54 or something G is the name of the card..

Have you got this working without using ndiswrapper?

I have used ndiswrapper before and it worked fine.. But not under Fedora

But how did you get this working without ndiswrapper ?