Hi,

I'm trying to get Slackware-current (post 9.1) onto my old laptop. It's a P120 without CD-ROM, but it's got PCCard 10/100 Mbps Ethernet.

Unfortunately, other than Slackware 9.0 a few months ago, I don't get it working. I boot with bare.i, install.1 and install.2. Then I log in and type pcmcia with the PCCard adapter plugged in. Following the instructions given by the system I insert the pcmcia supplemental disk, but:

No card is identified and no module is loaded. Thus the card doesn't get an IP address from the DHCP server.

This is a problem as my only option to install Slackware on the laptop is NFS, which won't work when the network card is not detected. What can I do, now?

Has anyone got an idea, if something has changed in PCMCIA support in Slackware-current (post 9.1) with Kernel 2.4.23 over earlier Slackware versions?

Any hint gratefully received!

Best wishes

Alex

Just found out, that my old SuSE Linux 6.2 (Kernel 2.2.20!) can initialize the PCCard Ethernet adapter. When I start the pcmcia service from the modules disk the LED indicates a 100 Mbps connection. And there's a sound (beep) when I remove or insert the card.

However, afterwards the card can't be used, either... The system doesn't know about the card, not even that it's there, although it signals insertion and removal (on SuSE 6.2; on Slackware 9.1 simply nothing happens, at all).

And Tomsrtbt has no driver for the card.

BTW: It's a Fiberline FL-FE2000VX. Somewhere I read that it is Tulip compatible.

Thanks again.

Alex

The problem appears to be caused by a bug in the Slackware-current installation disks. I was able to install the system using the Slackware-9.1 disks.

Is it a bug in Kernel 2.4.23?

Alex

Found a workaround:
Install Slackware-9.1 stable release. The disks work just fine, the PCCard network adapter is detected and activated.
Then upgrade to Slackware-current (or to Kernel 2.4.23, at least).

That's it!

I wonder if this is my problem as well!!! I have been trying to get my old Toshiba Tecra laptop on Linux. The main distro I use is Mandrake. Both Mandrake and SuSE NFS install recognize the PCMCIA interface as well as the D-Link 10/100 card. Slackware-current (I think I did current and not 9.1) does not. The Slackware distro is on my main Mandrake Linux Box and I tried to do a NFS install. I created and used Bare I, Install 1, Install 2, Network, and PCMCIA. But Slackware install obviously doesn't recognize PCMCIA. I tried to make install newest pcmcia-cs 3.2.7 tar.gz, but had no way to make install during the ramdrive install.

So let me get straight what you did. You originally downloaded Slackware current and used the install process. However after realizing this didn't work, you downloaded the Slackware 9.1 version?

Hmmm...I just did a network install of slackware. (In fact, I did several ;-) I installed slackware on a 10 year old Thinkpad 560x, PII with 98 MB of ram and a 4 gig drive by way of a PCMCIA lan card.

I did NOT use the "network" disk. I believe you use the PCMCIA disk INSTEAD OF the network disk.

I used Bare, Install 1, Install 2 & PCMCIA. It recognized my PCMCIA LAN card without a problem.

I used PCMCIA first, then NETWORK second (I had them in the wrong order in my post above). I even re-flashed the PCMCIA dsk in case it was bad. What ver of Slackware did you use (e.g., current, 9.1, etc.)? I think I used current NOT 9.1 and that is the problem (at least that is gargamel's theory). I have been downloading 9.1 and should have some time starting tonight to install 9.1 (not current) to see if this cures the problem. My Lan card is connected through my PCMCIA. I would know better if I need the network dsk if the PCMCIA interface worked.

I used 9.1 ISOs, which should be 9.1 stable. I downloaded the ISOs and burned the first two CDROMs. I used the standard boot disk.

If you are doing a network install, all you need is the "Slackware" directory and the files to build the appropriate boot and root disks.

Which boot and root disks are you using?

Hi,

You have no problem with the pcmcia nfs installation !
You just forgot to read the readme on the pcmcia floppy disk. All you need to install Slack 9.1 via nfs with a pcmcia card network is explain.

Just follow these points :

1 - Dowload the bareacpi.i boot disk and make a floppy disk
2 - Dowload the 2 install. x disks (install.1, install.2) and make floopies disks
3 - Dowload the pcmcia.dsk disk and make a floppy disk

Of course you have the 2 iso of the latest slackware distribution (9.1) on cd or hard-disks

(You can get all files on : ftp://ftp.slackware.at )

After that , all you need, is to :

1 - share a media where you store your iso (cdrom/hard disks) with a file /etc/exports on your server
2 - Power on your laptop with a bareacpi.boot
3 - Just follow the instructions on the laptop screen



See you next.

I got it working using Slackware 9.1 as opposed to Slackware "Current," which did not work. However since them I used Damnsmall Linux, but finally was able to and settled on Mandrake 9.2.

hello guys... I'm planning to install slackware 9.1 to a old laptop PentiumIII 500mhz, 198mb, IBM thinkpad 240x. I would really appreciate it if you could guide me on how to install slackware thru a network since the laptop doesnt have a cdrom, but a floppy connected to a pcmcia card. if you have links of how to's to share to me thanks... ohh yeah.. I am a NEWB when it comes to NFS install. thanks alot in advance