OT : Knoppix / usb networking ?

[Adrian Brentnall]

HI Folks Recent discussions about recovering files from broken Windows installs reminded me that I _always_ meant to take a look at Linux....

Downloaded Knoppix and created a bootable USB 'pendisk'. So far, so good. Actually boots as well!

Unfortunately, Knoppix seems unable to find my lan card - and googling around the problem only adds to the confusion as folks start bandying around all kinds of techie stuff - I was hoping for a 'windows-like' install (as in, it finds the hardware & runs it) rather than delving about in the pc's innards.

PC is Dell Vostro 200, netcard is on the motherboard but Knoppix couldn't find a USB wireless card either...

Is Linux still the preserve of geeks - or is there a "plug'n'play" live distro available?

Thanks Adrian

[Bernard Peek]

Knoppix hardware detection is about as good as it gets, it's significantly better than Windows XP. I'm surprised that it failed to identify the network card, less surprised about the WiFi card.

It's possible that one of the other distros has included drivers for your hardware but I don't know which one is more likely to work. If the hardware manufacturer hasn't released technical information then it's entirely possible that there are no drivers available.

[Adrian Brentnall]

HI Bernard Thanks for your comments. Windows thinks that the netcard is an Intel 82562V-2 10/100 Network Connection (and who am I to argue? )

Whatever it is - it's built onto the motherboard.... Is there an easy way forward for me ?

Thanks Adrian

[Jethro]

Buy a new network card ?

I must admit to being a little surprised too. IME Ubuntu has detected every network *card* (whether PCI or motherboard) and a fair few USB wi-fi sticks - certain all the belkin ones I've had.

Can you confirm it's a lack of drivers ? Sure the card is enabled in the BIOS and actually works ?

If you have windows on the machine already, does it find and use the network ?

I'd always advise anyone installing Linux on a machine which has windows on *already* to do a side-by-side (dual boot) install. That way you can always boot back to windows in the event of hardware not working to eliminate the hardware, and confirm it as a Linux issue. Especially since any post on a Linux forum will result it loads of answers telling you your problem can't be Linux .....

[Man at B&Q]

I would try Unbuntu from a CD or USB stick. I found the Ubutu forums to be very helpful, not at all as you describe.

MBQ

[Adrian C]

That chipset is part of the Intel PRO/1000 family of adapters (though it doesn't do Gigabit). The driver file is e1000.ko

You might have it?

Start from doing

modprobe e1000

and then

ifconfig -a

or look at the output of the dmesg command to find if it loads.

[TheScullster]

"Adrian Brentnall" wrote

Hi Adrian

I've used Ubuntu 8.10 Live CD either for boot and file recovery or as an installed OS.

So far this has worked on: Sony laptop for file recovery to USB stick - don't know about network didn't check IBM Thinkpad installed as OS - networked OK (my home internet access is via network) Dell Optiplex desktop - for boot only and play HP PC for file recovery to USB stick - network showed attached devices, but there is some issue with seeing shares on a Windows domain that I didn't resolve.

Having only just completed the HP PC exercise this is fairly fresh - the only further comment would be that I tried booting a Dell laptop with the Ubuntu CD and it threw up a load of errors (I believe it was struggling to read the CD, certainly wasn't a network issue).

HTH

Phil

[Dave Liquorice]

Bzzzzt...

Needs the user to know how to star and use the command line interface.

"Is Linux still the preserve of geeks - or is there a "plug'n'play" live distro available?"

[Adrian Brentnall]

- that's a possibility, but it does work already under Windows.....

Yes - under Windows

- Yes - I'd noticed those attitudes......

Thanks Adrian

[Adrian Brentnall]

Thanks - might try that.... Adrian

[Adrian Brentnall]

Thanks. I've printed that out - and I'll have a try....

I'm not totally opposed to command-line stuff (have been into programming and particularly real-time industrial control systems for about 20 years) - but looking to just 'try' a modern Linux without having to get all down and dirty with the hardware.

Took a few tentative steps along this route about 5 years ago - but backed out fairly quickly when the install did unspeakable things to the c:drive and I ended up with a high-tech doorstop rather than a PC (probably my fault as much as the distro's!)

A 'live' Linux seemed like a good way of dipping a toe in the water - but if it can't see the network then it's not encouraging.

Thanks Adrian

[Adrian Brentnall]

I can probably manage that - it's when the support forums talk gaily of downloading this widget, reassembling it having first translated into Serbo-Croat, and lighting the black candles, that I tend to go a bit 'ooo-er'.....

[Adrian Brentnall]

Hi Phil

Thanks. there's an amount of dark mutterings about Dell hardware in the forums....

but I'll give Knoppix another go & see where it takes me

Adrian

[Tim Watts]

That's a core mainline driver (rather than a 3rd party add on) and definitely will be present in any linux distro from *about* 2004 until well into the future from now.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Only time I couldn't get onboard networking to work with Linux neither could windows. Buggered board.

Intel based onboard Network s**te fully supported by all distros

I haven't seen OP on this. what are the symptoms? You may need to do different with USB.

[The Natural Philosopher]

yes, ubuntu is the nearest to a 'newbie distro' there is.

I use debian for historic reasons. More or less similar.

[Bill]

In message , Adrian C writes

and invest in a lapel mic?

[Tim Watts]

My first thought was "they just reinvented iOS" a few years late...

[Adrian Brentnall]

Some info from doing as you said

modprobe e1000

Knoppix didn't comment (not sure if it should have said something ?)

ifconfig -a

lo Link encap : local loopback inet addr : 127:0:0:1 Mask 255.0.0.0 inet addr6 : ::1/128 Scope host up loopback running mtu : 16434 MTE??(can't read my writing!) :1 rx packets : 12 errors : 0 dropped : 0 overruns : 0 Frame : 0 tx packets : 12 errors : 0 dropped : 0 overruns : 0 carrier : 0 Collisions : 0 Txqueueln : 0 Rxbytes : 600 (600.0 b) Txbyters : 600 (600.0 b)

dmesg

(loadsa log messages - ending in Intel Pro/1000 network driver V7.2.9-K4

Any of this give us a clue ? (doesn't mean a lot to me ....)

Thanks Adrian

[Adrian Brentnall]

So I'm likely to have more luck with that than I'm having with Knoppix ? On a live pendrive 'install' ??

Thanks Adrian