Bug#352758: -- installation: etch installer fails to detect/configure PC card NIC - FIXED
Hi, Chris Jones cjns1...@gmail.com wrote: I booted the squeeeze netinst again and after being prompted for the .cis file and inserting the vfat floppy, after a long hesitation, I saw some dhcp messages flash by and the green light on the dongle of my NIC came on. I switched to a shell and proceeded to wget http://www.debian.org just to be on the safe side and that worked like a charm. So I think that we now have evidence that the installer is able to initialize the NIC and bring up up the network, provided you have the .cis file somewhere on external media. If it turns out that the .cis file cannot be packaged with the installer, a help button, or even precise info directly on the screen that prompts you to to load the .cis file would be worth considering. I've lived with this problem for a couple of years so I know what's going on, but this might not be the case for other users. So, this bug is fixed and should be closed. This leaves me with the question, if the firmware files from the firmware-linux-free package could be contained in the installer isos. I will file a new bug on this. Holger -- = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Created with Sylpheed 2.5.0 under DEBIAN GNU/LINUX 5.0.0 - L e n n y Registered LinuxUser #311290 - http://counter.li.org/ = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-bugs-dist-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org
Bug#352758: -- installation: etch installer fails to detect/configure PC card NIC
On Monday 18 January 2010, Chris Jones wrote: Since I have the hardware available and you probably don't, would you need me to download and test an unstable or experimental install in this respect? There is no version of the installer based on the 2.6.32 kernel available yet. -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-bugs-dist-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org
Bug#352758: -- installation: etch installer fails to detect/configure PC card NIC
On Monday 18 January 2010, Chris Jones wrote: First of all, why are you gentlmen replying to me directly instead of posting to the list? We are replying to the *bug report* and CCing you as the submitter of the bug report. Most submitters of bug reports are not subscribed to the mailing list, so we need CC them to make sure they see replies. Because the reply to the BR itself gets sent to the list, you also see it there. Please keep *all* replies to the bug report because that is where the history should be kept. -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-bugs-dist-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org
Bug#352758: -- installation: etch installer fails to detect/configure PC card NIC
On Mon, Jan 18, 2010 at 11:08:46AM EST, Frans Pop wrote: On Monday 18 January 2010, Chris Jones wrote: First of all, why are you gentlmen replying to me directly instead of posting to the list? We are replying to the *bug report* and CCing you as the submitter of the bug report. Most submitters of bug reports are not subscribed to the mailing list, so we need CC them to make sure they see replies. Because the reply to the BR itself gets sent to the list, you also see it there. Please keep *all* replies to the bug report because that is where the history should be kept. OK, I get it. Although it's embarrassing all this OT of mine should have gone to the bug report. Otherwise, let me know if you need me to run more tests -- either now or at a later time. Thanks, CJ -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-bugs-dist-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org
Bug#352758: -- installation: etch installer fails to detect/configure PC card NIC
Hi, Chris Jones cjns1...@gmail.com wrote: On Sun, Jan 17, 2010 at 08:43:59AM EST, Frans Pop wrote: On Sunday 17 January 2010, Holger Wansing wrote: Could you try to find out if the firmware is non-free? Could it be included in the debian-archive? In unstable it looks to be included in the firmware-linux-free package, but with a changed extension: http://packages.debian.org/search?searchon=contentskeywords=3CCFEM556mode=filenamesuite=unstablearch=any Note that that file is based on the 2.6.32 kernel, not on the 2.6.30 kernel used in current versions of the installer for Squeeze. The fact that it does not exist in testing or stable could mean that the firmware is included in the module, but maybe not. Since I have the hardware available and you probably don't, would you need me to download and test an unstable or experimental install in this respect? If so, please provide a link where I could download an installer that might provide the firmware in one form of another. Now, that Frans pointed me to the firmware-linux-free package: this package contains the firmware file 3CCFEM556.cis, which is binary identically to the file 3CCFEM556.dat, which was included in the etch-version of pcmcia-cs. So, I think, the firmware could be independent from the kernel version. Chris: could you try the daily build of the squeeze installer (you had already downloaded and tested it, but with no luck) and if you come to the point where firmware is needed, provide the 3CCFEM556.cis from here http://ftp.ee.debian.org/debian/pool/main/l/linux-2.6/firmware-linux-free_2.6.32-5_all.deb via an usb-stick or something like that? (unpack the deb file with dpkg -x filename, to get the 3CCFEM556.cis file) Question is: could the firmware from the firmware-linux-free package be included in the installer by default? This firmware is DFSG free, and the contained firmware needs only 76KB of space. Holger -- = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Created with Sylpheed 2.5.0 under DEBIAN GNU/LINUX 5.0.0 - L e n n y Registered LinuxUser #311290 - http://counter.li.org/ = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-bugs-dist-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org
Bug#352758: -- installation: etch installer fails to detect/configure PC card NIC
Hi, Chris Jones cjns1...@gmail.com wrote: On Fri, Jan 15, 2010 at 03:58:03PM EST, Holger Wansing wrote: To investigate, if this problem still exists in the recent installer and to help fixing it (if it still exists), you could try a daily build of the installer for squeeze: http://www.debian.org/devel/debian-installer/ Downloaded the netinst and it behaves the same, with a screen that prompts for external media to provide the non-free firmware. I'm speculating that for some reason, since the firmware is non-free it does not ship with the installation media. I was under the impression that I had found this particular firmware in the pcmcia package, which as far as I know is not in the non-free repos, so I'm a bit confused. Or is it the renaming from 3CCFEM556.dat to 3CCFEM556.cis? This whole problem can be splitted in two parts: 1. the debian-installer cannot use the device since the needed firmware is not provided. 2. why is the firmware not in the current debian archive while it was contained in the archive in the past? To 1. Non-free firmware is not included in the installer iso! The installer provides the possibility to use such firmware, but you have to provide the particular file by hand. The process is documented in the debian installer manual. See http://d-i.alioth.debian.org/manual/ for the development version of the manual. Chapter 6.4 is what you need. You get a link there, where a file with several firmwares can be downloaded. Try if the needed firmware is contained in that archive file. (There is one firmware file for 3Com included, it is named typphon.bin or something like that. Maybe this file works for you?) If no firmware from this archive file is working for you: do you have the needed 3CCFEM556.dat file somewhere at your harddrive or similar? Then copy it to a usb stick and provide it to the debian installer that way. Try if the debian-installer can use the network device then. If you don't have the 3CCFEM556.dat file anymore, you can download an old version of the pcmcia-cs package from a debian mirror (for example here: http://ftp.ee.debian.org/debian/pool/main/p/pcmcia-cs/pcmcia-cs_3.2.8-9_i386.deb). It contains the needed file (as you already wrote). Try if you can get the network device to work with debian-installer. To 2. Could you try to find out if the firmware is non-free? Could it be included in the debian-archive? It was included in the past, but maybe that was indeed not correct from the DFSG point of view. The pcmcia-cs package is no more available in the debian archive. Maybe some firmware that was included in pcmcia-cs can still be included in debian, but was simply forgotten and removed with the whole pcmcia-cs package? Holger -- = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Created with Sylpheed 2.5.0 under DEBIAN GNU/LINUX 5.0.0 - L e n n y Registered LinuxUser #311290 - http://counter.li.org/ = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-bugs-dist-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org
Bug#352758: -- installation: etch installer fails to detect/configure PC card NIC
On Sunday 17 January 2010, Holger Wansing wrote: Could you try to find out if the firmware is non-free? Could it be included in the debian-archive? In unstable it looks to be included in the firmware-linux-free package, but with a changed extension: http://packages.debian.org/search?searchon=contentskeywords=3CCFEM556mode=filenamesuite=unstablearch=any Note that that file is based on the 2.6.32 kernel, not on the 2.6.30 kernel used in current versions of the installer for Squeeze. The fact that it does not exist in testing or stable could mean that the firmware is included in the module, but maybe not. -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-bugs-dist-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org
Bug#352758: -- installation: etch installer fails to detect/configure PC card NIC
On Sun, Jan 17, 2010 at 07:56:14AM EST, Holger Wansing wrote: Hi, Hello, First of all, why are you gentlmen replying to me directly instead of posting to the list? Do this mean that you would rather discuss this off-list? Or am I misundertanding how this list works? [..] This whole problem can be splitted in two parts: 1. the debian-installer cannot use the device since the needed firmware is not provided. Correct. 2. why is the firmware not in the current debian archive while it was contained in the archive in the past? I have not evidence it was ever provided on the distribution CD's. I was not part of etch, hence my sending in a bug report, and sarge was my first install, and I have fuzzy memories of the install. IIRC, I was running RedHat at the time and followed some debootstrap document I had found online and did not install of a full CD, netinst, etc. To 1. Non-free firmware is not included in the installer iso! The installer provides the possibility to use such firmware, but you have to provide the particular file by hand. The process is documented in the debian installer manual. See http://d-i.alioth.debian.org/manual/ for the development version of the manual. Chapter 6.4 is what you need. You get a link there, where a file with several firmwares can be downloaded. Try if the needed firmware is contained in that archive file. (There is one firmware file for 3Com included, it is named typphon.bin or something like that. Maybe this file works for you?) Thanks, that may come in handy in the event the version of 3CCFEM556.cis I currently use becomes obsolete and I need a new version. OTOH, I have not idea if the firmware is debian-compatible license-wise or not. That was pure speculation on my part and just a fairly legitimate assumption at that. If no firmware from this archive file is working for you: do you have the needed 3CCFEM556.dat file somewhere at your harddrive or similar? Then copy it to a usb stick and provide it to the debian installer that way. Try if the debian-installer can use the network device then. Oh, yes. I've been carrying around for about four years now. ;-) If you don't have the 3CCFEM556.dat file anymore, you can download an old version of the pcmcia-cs package from a debian mirror (for example here: http://ftp.ee.debian.org/debian/pool/main/p/pcmcia-cs/pcmcia-cs_3.2.8-9_i386.deb). It contains the needed file (as you already wrote). Try if you can get the network device to work with debian-installer. I think I'll give that a try as soon as I get a chance. To 2. Could you try to find out if the firmware is non-free? I have no idea how I could go about doing that. I mean, it's really for debian to decide whether a given piece of [soft/firm]ware meets their requirements. Could it be included in the debian-archive? It was included in the past, but maybe that was indeed not correct from the DFSG point of view. Right, although speculation on my part, that's precisely what I was thinking. The pcmcia-cs package is no more available in the debian archive. Maybe some firmware that was included in pcmcia-cs can still be included in debian, but was simply forgotten and removed with the whole pcmcia-cs package? I guess if the former pcmcia-cs debian maintainer would know more about this, possibly the whole story? Holger Thanks, and sorry to bother you about this. At least I do follow up on my bug reports ;-) CJ -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-bugs-dist-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org
Bug#352758: -- installation: etch installer fails to detect/configure PC card NIC
On Sun, Jan 17, 2010 at 08:43:59AM EST, Frans Pop wrote: On Sunday 17 January 2010, Holger Wansing wrote: Could you try to find out if the firmware is non-free? Could it be included in the debian-archive? In unstable it looks to be included in the firmware-linux-free package, but with a changed extension: http://packages.debian.org/search?searchon=contentskeywords=3CCFEM556mode=filenamesuite=unstablearch=any Note that that file is based on the 2.6.32 kernel, not on the 2.6.30 kernel used in current versions of the installer for Squeeze. The fact that it does not exist in testing or stable could mean that the firmware is included in the module, but maybe not. Since I have the hardware available and you probably don't, would you need me to download and test an unstable or experimental install in this respect? If so, please provide a link where I could download an installer that might provide the firmware in one form of another. Thanks, CJ -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-bugs-dist-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org
Bug#352758: -- installation: etch installer fails to detect/configure PC card NIC
Hi, Chris Jones cjns1...@gmail.com wrote: A comment to this bugreport told you, that this is a firmware issue. Sorry, I have little familiarity with the bug reporting system and I did no see this comment. Where can read the comments? I don't see any comments at: http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=352758 All I see are my two entries. Ah, you are right, of course. I didn't saw that the comment I mentioned was from you yourself. Somehow I thought it was from someone else. Support for loading firmware during installation was added to the lenny installer. Please try the lenny installer. I have been running lenny for a couple of years, and am in the process of assessing Squeeze prior to switching. Since I usually upgrade by cloning the current stable to another partition and running a dist-upgrade, I was not aware of this change. Being unfamiliar with the bug reporting system, and not seeing anything on the above-mentioned page, I mistakenly assumed that the problem had not been corrected, especially since it is still present in fairly recent distributions and live CD's that are based on debian. All apologies for the confusion and please let me know where in the debian manuals I can find a description of the debian bug tracking system in order to avoid such problems in the future. As wrote above, you didn't miss anything, and you had was no problem with the bug reporting system. If someone writes a comment to your bugreport (writes a mail to 352...@bugs.debian.org), as subscriber you normally get a copy of this comment. So, you should not miss any information on this bugreport. To investigate, if this problem still exists in the recent installer and to help fixing it (if it still exists), you could try a daily build of the installer for squeeze: http://www.debian.org/devel/debian-installer/ (You don't need to do a full installation, just start the installer and go through the process until the step where network hardware is detected. No harm to your harddrive will happen, if you stop the installation process when it comes to partitioning the disk.) Holger -- = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Created with Sylpheed 2.5.0 under DEBIAN GNU/LINUX 5.0.0 - L e n n y Registered LinuxUser #311290 - http://counter.li.org/ = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-bugs-dist-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org
Bug#352758: installation: etch installer fails to detect/configure PC card NIC
Package: installation Severity: normal I am trying to do a net install of etch - testing - on a Dell Inspiron 7500 via a 3Com Megahertz LAN+56K pc card combo connected to a Motorola SBV5120 surfboard cable modem provided by Optimum Online. The installer seems to start PC card services successfully but then it does not recognize my Network Interface Card. As a result the network is not configured making installation impossible. -- System Information: Debian Release: etch -testing Architecture: i386 (i686) Kernel: Linux 2.6.12 Locale: LANG=en_US, LC_CTYPE=en_US (charmap=ISO-8859-1) -- Info regarding the hardware obtained from a sarge system running in another partition: $ cardctl ident Socket 0: product info: 3Com, Megahertz 3CCFEM556, LAN + 56k Modem, manfid: 0x0101, 0x0556 function: 0 (multifunction) Socket 1: product info: KME, SCSI-CARD-001, 1 manfid: 0x0032, 0x2604 $ lspci -n :00:00.0 0600: 8086:7190 (rev 03) :00:01.0 0604: 8086:7191 (rev 03) :00:04.0 0607: 104c:ac1c (rev 01) :00:04.1 0607: 104c:ac1c (rev 01) :00:07.0 0680: 8086:7110 (rev 02) :00:07.1 0101: 8086:7111 (rev 01) :00:07.2 0c03: 8086:7112 (rev 01) :00:07.3 0680: 8086:7113 (rev 02) :00:08.0 0401: 125d:1978 (rev 10) :01:00.0 0300: 1002:4c4d (rev 64) $ lspci :00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corp. 440BX/ZX/DX - 82443BX/ZX/DX Host bridge (rev 03) :00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corp. 440BX/ZX/DX - 82443BX/ZX/DX AGP bridge (rev 03) :00:04.0 CardBus bridge: Texas Instruments PCI1225 (rev 01) :00:04.1 CardBus bridge: Texas Instruments PCI1225 (rev 01) :00:07.0 Bridge: Intel Corp. 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 ISA (rev 02) :00:07.1 IDE interface: Intel Corp. 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 IDE (rev 01) :00:07.2 USB Controller: Intel Corp. 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 USB (rev01) :00:07.3 Bridge: Intel Corp. 82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 ACPI (rev 02) :00:08.0 Multimedia audio controller: ESS Technology ES1978 Maestro 2E (rev 10) :01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc Rage Mobility P/M AGP 2x (rev 64) -- Additional remarks: 1. When the installer fails to recognize my NIC it displays a screen asking me whether I plan to connect via the firewire interface. Probably irrelevant since this laptop does not have any firewire port or capability 2. I was eventually able to workaround the problem after some complicated acrobatics that more or less amounted to loading the 3c574_cs module manually.. backing out to the main menu upon reaching the partitioner step, and running the configure the network step manually. At this point I executed a shell and ifconfig revealed that my NIC was correctly configured. I verified I was able to access inet url's by wget-ing a web page. 3. The workaround is not satisfactory since after reboot when I attempted to complete the installation (base-config program) eth0 was not configured (although visible when I did an ifconfig -a) and my attempts to bring it up manually (ifup eth0 ifupdown restart pcmcia restart dhclient.. ) were unsuccessful. 4. On the other hand it would seem that the hardware/pcmcia/cardbus etc. layer(s) are configured correctly since cardctl info/ident/status displays the usual expected output. 5. As far as I can tell lsmod reveals that the correct modules for yenta-socket.. pcmcia.. and the NIC itself have been loaded. 6. I have absolutely no clue what is causing this - hotplug maybe.. since I did not have it with the 2.4 kernel.. but since I still have this interrupted install available I could provide additional info (logs, config files..) and run tests at short notice. -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of unsubscribe. Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
