Sometime ago I tried installing Wireless on my Fedora Core 3 system on a Dell Inspiron 8600. Well, that failed (but the driver files are still hanging around there) and upon booting I started to often get "Kernel panic" messages and had to switch the system off and back on again. That seemed to revive it.

Then due to a business trip, I had to readjust my network settings. Perhaps I didn't do everything right while using the system-config-network gui, but then booting started being really slow. It seemed to linger on things like network, hsf, iptables...

Now I'm back, tried to readjust network settings and had the "bright" idea of changing configuration files manually. And now if I try running the system-config-network gui or tui, the system slows down enormously, after a few minutes the screen flashes and the gui never works. The funny thing is that those manual adjustments work just fine and the system is properly connected. Though it is annoying not to have the gui to change network settings, my major concern is the very slow boot. Is it trying to see the wireless card and fails for some reason?

This is extremely annoying! I don't care about wireless any longer, I just want my old fast boot back! I would be very greatful to anyone that might have any useful ideas!

I think that you've already worked out the answer

If the drivers are still there and associated with the interface then Fedora will try to load the drivers and activate the interface on every boot. As drivers = kernel modules, a bad driver can cause many problems with the system. The first step has to be to remove the drivers, and then look at any remaining problems one-by-one.

You can probably disable the drivers by removing the relevant "alias" lines from /etc/modprobe.conf and /etc/modules.conf. Removing the drivers means undoing the steps that you took to configure them...unfortunately I can't be more specific than that without knowing what the install process was.

Thank you for your suggestions Hob!

I tried unistalling the drivers (or so I think!) but the problem persisted in exactly the same way! 6 minutes for booting, and the system-config-network command unusable (system slows down and I have to kill the process).

Another thing is that, thanks to your suggestions, I then noticed that modprobe.conf was HUGE (see below).
I couldn't locate the aliases you are talking about (definitely not an expert in such Linux aspects!) so I dared using a modprobe.conf backup (below) which magically improved the situation: Fast boot and the system-config-network command now works normally. However, upon booting I am getting the warning that the line /sbin/modprobe is ignored a number of times! Haven't got a clue.

I am copying my notes from the installation/unistallation of the wireless drivers in case that provides some insight:

=============
WIRELESS
=============
[can't post website address]

into /usr/local/ipw
tar -zxvf ipw2200-1.1.0.tgz

[can't post website address]

into /usr/locall/ipw
tar -zxvf ipw2200-fw-1.2.tgz

cd ipw2200-1.1.0

make [now have done make uninstall]

- -- -
ERROR: ieee80211.h not found in '/lib/modules/2.6.9-1.667/include'.

You need to install the ieee80211 subsystem from [can't post website address]
and point this build to the location where you installed those sources, eg.:

% make IEEE80211_INC=/usr/src/ieee80211/

will look for ieee80211.h in /usr/src/ieee80211/net/
- - - -

OK, download the thing in /usr/local/ipw

tar -zxvf ieee80211-1.1.14.tgz
cd ieee80211-1.1.14
make IEEE80211_INC=/usr/include [now done make uninstall IEEE80211_INC=/usr/include]

[installed the ieee80211.h headers into /usr/include/net]

cd ../ipw2200-1.1.0
make IEEE80211_INC=/usr/local/ipw/ieee80211-1.1.14/


[now done make uninstall IEEE80211_INC=/usr/local/ipw/ieee80211-1.1.14]



/usr/local/ipw
mv ipw2200-fw-1.2.tgz /lib/firmware
cd /lib/firmware
tar -zxf ipw2200-fw-1.2.tgz

cd /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts
emacs ifcfg-eth1
[put lines in there, hopefully useful]



- - - well, still fails
trying instruction from

[can't post website address of Clemson]


nope, no help either!
========================


Note that I've now removed ifcfg-eth1 and ifup-wireless from /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts. (At some point I edited files here manually, which seems inappropriate, as I've found out. I wonder if this has anything to do with the system-config-network command failing to start.)

/etc/modules.conf:

alias /dev/ttySHSF[0-9]* /dev/ttySHSF
alias /dev/modem /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-240 /dev/ttySHSF
alias /dev/cuaHSF[0-9]* /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-241 /dev/ttySHSF
options hsfserial serialmajor=240 calloutmajor=241
alias char-major-242 hsfosspec
alias /dev/hsfdiag hsfosspec
alias /dev/hsfdiag* /dev/hsfdiag
alias char-major-243 /dev/hsfdiag
options hsfosspec dcpmajor=242 diagmajor=243
probeall /dev/ttySHSF hsfpcibasic2 hsfmc97ich hsfmc97via hsfmc97ali hsfmc97ati h
sfmc97sis hsfusbcd2 snd_hda_intel

/etc/modprobe.conf: [The huge version, now inactive]


alias eth0 b44
alias snd-card-0 snd-intel8x0
options snd-card-0 index=0
install snd-intel8x0 /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install snd-intel8x0 && /usr/sbin/a
lsactl restore >/dev/null 2>&1 || :
remove snd-intel8x0 { /usr/sbin/alsactl store >/dev/null 2>&1 || : ; }; /sbin/mo
dprobe -r --ignore-remove snd-intel8x0
alias usb-controller ehci-hcd
alias usb-controller1 uhci-hcd
alias ieee1394-controller ohci1394
alias char-major-195* nvidia
alias char-major-195* nvidia
alias char-major-195* nvidia
alias char-major-195* nvidia
alias char-major-195* nvidia
alias char-major-195* nvidia
alias char-major-195* nvidia
alias char-major-195* nvidia
alias char-major-195* nvidia
alias char-major-195* nvidia
alias char-major-195* nvidia
alias char-major-195* nvidia
alias char-major-195* nvidia
install snd-intel8x0m /bin/true # temporarily disabled by hsf - conflicts with h
sfmc97ich hsfmc97sis # temporarily disabled by hsf - conflicts with hsfmc97ich h
sfmc97sis # temporarily disabled by hsf - conflicts with hsfmc97ich hsfmc97sis #
temporarily disabled by hsf - conflicts with hsfmc97ich hsfmc97sis # temporaril
y disabled by hsf - conflicts with hsfmc97ich hsfmc97sis # temporarily disabled
by hsf - conflicts with hsfmc97ich hsfmc97sis # temporarily disabled by hsf - co
nflicts with hsfmc97ich hsfmc97sis # temporarily disabled by hsf - conflicts wit
h hsfmc97ich hsfmc97sis # temporarily disabled by hsf - conflicts with hsfmc97ic
h hsfmc97sis # temporarily disabled by hsf - conflicts with hsfmc97ich hsfmc97si
s # temporarily disabled by hsf - conflicts with hsfmc97ich hsfmc97sis # tempora
rily disabled by hsf - conflicts with hsfmc97ich hsfmc97sis # temporarily disabl
ed by hsf - conflicts with hsfmc97ich hsfmc97sis # temporarily disabled by hsf -
conflicts with hsfmc97ich hsfmc97sis # temporarily disabled by hsf - conflicts
with hsfmc97ich hsfmc97sis # temporarily disabled by hsf - conflicts with hsfmc9
7ich hsfmc97sis # temporarily disabled by hsf - conflicts with hsfmc97ich hsfmc9
7sis # temporarily disabled by hsf - conflicts with hsfmc97ich hsfmc97sis # temp
orarily disabled by hsf - conflicts with hsfmc97ich hsfmc97sis # temporarily dis
abled by hsf - conflicts with hsfmc97ich hsfmc97sis # temporarily disabled by hs
f - conflicts with hsfmc97ich hsfmc97sis # temporarily disabled by hsf - conflic


[ and so on... Then with tail -132 modprobe.conf:]


alias /dev/ttySHSF[0-9]* /dev/ttySHSF
alias /dev/modem /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-240-* /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-240-* /dev/ttySHSF
options hsfserial serialmajor=240
alias char-major-242-* hsfosspec
alias char-major-242-* hsfosspec
alias /dev/hsfdiag* /dev/hsfdiag
alias /dev/hsfdiag* /dev/hsfdiag
alias char-major-243-* /dev/hsfdiag
alias char-major-243-* /dev/hsfdiag
options hsfosspec dcpmajor=242 diagmajor=243
alias symbol:cnxthwhda_probe hsfhda
alias symbol:cnxthwhda_resume hsfhda
alias symbol:cnxthwhda_suspend hsfhda
alias char-major-195* nvidia
alias /dev/ttySHSF[0-9]* /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-195* nvidia
alias /dev/ttySHSF[0-9]* /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-240-* /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-242-* hsfosspec
alias /dev/hsfdiag* /dev/hsfdiag
alias char-major-243-* /dev/hsfdiag
alias char-major-195* nvidia
alias /dev/ttySHSF[0-9]* /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-240-* /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-242-* hsfosspec
alias /dev/hsfdiag* /dev/hsfdiag
alias char-major-243-* /dev/hsfdiag
alias char-major-195* nvidia
alias /dev/ttySHSF[0-9]* /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-240-* /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-242-* hsfosspec
alias /dev/hsfdiag* /dev/hsfdiag
alias char-major-243-* /dev/hsfdiag
alias char-major-195* nvidia
alias /dev/ttySHSF[0-9]* /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-240-* /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-242-* hsfosspec
alias /dev/hsfdiag* /dev/hsfdiag
alias char-major-243-* /dev/hsfdiag
alias char-major-195* nvidia
alias /dev/ttySHSF[0-9]* /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-240-* /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-242-* hsfosspec
alias /dev/hsfdiag* /dev/hsfdiag
alias char-major-243-* /dev/hsfdiag
alias char-major-195* nvidia
alias /dev/ttySHSF[0-9]* /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-240-* /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-242-* hsfosspec
alias /dev/hsfdiag* /dev/hsfdiag
alias char-major-243-* /dev/hsfdiag
alias char-major-195* nvidia
alias /dev/ttySHSF[0-9]* /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-240-* /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-242-* hsfosspec
alias /dev/hsfdiag* /dev/hsfdiag
alias char-major-243-* /dev/hsfdiag
alias char-major-195* nvidia
alias /dev/ttySHSF[0-9]* /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-240-* /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-242-* hsfosspec
alias /dev/hsfdiag* /dev/hsfdiag
alias char-major-243-* /dev/hsfdiag
alias char-major-195* nvidia
alias /dev/ttySHSF[0-9]* /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-240-* /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-242-* hsfosspec
alias /dev/hsfdiag* /dev/hsfdiag
alias char-major-243-* /dev/hsfdiag
alias char-major-195* nvidia
alias /dev/ttySHSF[0-9]* /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-240-* /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-242-* hsfosspec
alias /dev/hsfdiag* /dev/hsfdiag
alias char-major-243-* /dev/hsfdiag
alias char-major-195* nvidia
alias /dev/ttySHSF[0-9]* /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-240-* /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-242-* hsfosspec
alias /dev/hsfdiag* /dev/hsfdiag
alias char-major-243-* /dev/hsfdiag
alias char-major-195* nvidia
alias /dev/ttySHSF[0-9]* /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-240-* /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-242-* hsfosspec
alias /dev/hsfdiag* /dev/hsfdiag
alias char-major-243-* /dev/hsfdiag
alias char-major-195* nvidia
alias /dev/ttySHSF[0-9]* /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-240-* /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-242-* hsfosspec
alias /dev/hsfdiag* /dev/hsfdiag
alias char-major-243-* /dev/hsfdiag
alias char-major-195* nvidia
alias /dev/ttySHSF[0-9]* /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-240-* /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-242-* hsfosspec
alias /dev/hsfdiag* /dev/hsfdiag
alias char-major-243-* /dev/hsfdiag
alias char-major-195* nvidia
alias /dev/ttySHSF[0-9]* /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-240-* /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-242-* hsfosspec
alias /dev/hsfdiag* /dev/hsfdiag
alias char-major-243-* /dev/hsfdiag
alias char-major-195* nvidia
alias /dev/ttySHSF[0-9]* /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-240-* /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-242-* hsfosspec
alias /dev/hsfdiag* /dev/hsfdiag
alias char-major-243-* /dev/hsfdiag
alias char-major-195* nvidia
alias /dev/ttySHSF[0-9]* /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-240-* /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-242-* hsfosspec
alias /dev/hsfdiag* /dev/hsfdiag
alias char-major-243-* /dev/hsfdiag
alias char-major-195* nvidia
alias /dev/ttySHSF[0-9]* /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-240-* /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-242-* hsfosspec
alias /dev/hsfdiag* /dev/hsfdiag
alias char-major-243-* /dev/hsfdiag
alias char-major-195* nvidia
alias /dev/ttySHSF[0-9]* /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-240-* /dev/ttySHSF
alias char-major-242-* hsfosspec
alias /dev/hsfdiag* /dev/hsfdiag
alias char-major-243-* /dev/hsfdiag
install /dev/ttySHSF /sbin/modprobe hsfpcibasic2; /sbin/modprobe hsfmc97ich; /sbin/modprobe hsfmc97via; /sbin/modprobe hsfmc97ali; /sbin/modprobe hsfmc97ati; /sbin/modprobe hsfmc97sis; [ -e /lib/modules/`uname -r`/extra/hsfusbcd2.ko ] && /sbin/modprobe hsfusbcd2; /sbin/modprobe snd_hda_intel; /bin/true


Now the short backup and now active version:
/etc/modprobe.conf:

alias eth0 b44
alias snd-card-0 snd-intel8x0
options snd-card-0 index=0
install snd-intel8x0 /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install snd-intel8x0 && /usr/sbin/a
lsactl restore >/dev/null 2>&1 || :
remove snd-intel8x0 { /usr/sbin/alsactl store >/dev/null 2>&1 || : ; }; /sbin/mo
dprobe -r --ignore-remove snd-intel8x0
alias usb-controller ehci-hcd
alias usb-controller1 uhci-hcd
alias ieee1394-controller ohci1394
alias char-major-195* nvidia
/sbin/modprobe nvidia

Apart from /sbin/modprobe there is a /usr/bin/modprobe executable. Could this be the source of the warning?



Your further comments are most welcome. In any case, you've helped a lot already as my system is almost back to normal working order. I haven't tried the modem yet (must be at home for that) but if it doesn't work I am not sure I should tinker more with new drivers. It is frustrating not to be able to use all the hardware I've payed for, especially the wireless, but it seems too risky! I don't mean to sound Linux unfriendly, but if such common things as wireless and modems are such a big deal to install, how can we seriously recommend Linux as an alternative to Windows?

Thanks again!

I think that what you've posted explains the situation... There are several issues here, which I'll try to break up:

1) The Intel wireless drivers. These consist of two pieces: one is an open source kernel module, which activates the wireless adapter by loading the (closed-source) firmware on to the adapter chip itself at boot-time. The second file contains this firmware.

The good news: Getting this hardware to work on current distributions like Ubuntu 6.06 and FC5 is painless. The open source part is now part of mainstream Linux. Ubuntu also includes the closed-source firmware file, so the adapter works automatically. As a pure Open Source product, Fedora does not include the firmware file so you just download it separately and unzip it into /lib/firmware/, then reboot. Alternatively, third-party repositories provide RPMs that will install the necessary file for you. Install the NetworkManager software for automatically network scanning etc.

Fedora instructions for setting up an IPW adapter and NetworkManager are here:

http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Tools/NetworkManager

2) The error messages. "HSF" relates to modems. Modems are both network devices and audio devices (they output beeps etc.). It looks like you have tried to install modem drivers which are interfering with the existing audio drivers (for the integrated Intel sound card).

3) modprobe.conf and aliases. If you didn't know, config files have man pages just like programs, man modprobe.conf explains the syntax. On Fedora network drivers have aliases that match the name of the interface: "eth0" etc.

4) The modprobe executables. Unfortunately I don't have an FC3 system to check, but I only have /sbin/modprobe on my FC5 system.

To be fair, Linux hardware support often just works. We only notice when there aren't open source drivers available for particular components, and have to manually load whatever proprietary software the hardware vendors chose to offer in lieu of proper support.

Intel generally puts effort into ensuring good Linux support, and the decision to make us jump through hoops with closed-source wireless firmware on the IPW devices is not typical. Supposedly they have to restrict code access in order to comply with FCC regulations on wireless devices.

Some other hardware vendors seem to be generally reluctant, and will probably only change their attitude when Linux attains a bigger share of the desktop market. Or large customers begin to insist on open source drivers as a general principle, which they should for security reasons.