Hello,

I've been using ubuntu for a while and I've come down with ubuntu migration syndrome. I want to simplify my linux system a bit, so I can learn more about it and the underlying unix fundamentals.

I'd like to install slackware, but my only network access is through my centrino 3945abg wireless card. The installer won't support my card, I have to build the module, right? I have built kernel modules before, and got monitor mode and injection working with the ipwraw driver, but I've never built a driver against a kernel I am not running, is that what I have to do?

Or should I just copy my ubuntu kernel and headers and the wireless driver and run that as a first boot after the slack install? I am using the ipw3945 driver under gutsy which I understand needs a regulatory daemon as well. There is another driver, iwlwifi I think.

Does anyone know the best way to do this?

Thanks in advance for any tips

You can copy the Slackware install files/packages to a partition on that computer and then tell the installer that you want to use a pre-mounted directory as the SOURCE for the package tree.
You still need to boot that installer though - you have the option of using USB boot, or a CD/DVD. A mini-ISO image (only the installer and basic network support - no packages included) can be downloaded from http://www.slackware.com/~alien/slackboot/mini/12.0/ .

Eric

Hey--thanks for the quick response!

Well I got slack 12 installed ok, except wireless support. (I can't tell you how aggrevating it is type this on my wife's powerbook from dubai...)

I followed the directions here:
http://www.intellinuxwireless.org/?p...howto-mac80211

but I wasn't sure how to do this:
NOTE: As of mac80211-2.0.0 you must also enable CONFIG_CFG80211 and rebuild your main kernel image. This is because the latest mac80211 changes re-implement the kernel built-in from net/core/wireless.c as part of the net/wireless/ sources.

So I did the make menuconfig, etc., it built the kernel, then upon reboot I see only one kernel in Lilo, "Linux". It was there before but its been overwritten, I get a kernel panic "VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(8,2)"

After make menuconfig, it appeared the kernel config already supported the 80211 stuff, so I exited but it still built the new one.

The fs is ext3.

How do I get a working kernel with my wireless driver?

Thanks in advance