Yet Another eth0 Problem

[rev138]

Hi,

I've read through many threads concering this, and have followed all the advice, but I still can't get eth0 to load properly.

My NIC is a 3Com 905 PCI card. Booting from the install CD shows the correct module as '3c59x', which I have compiled and listed in 'modules.autoload'.

On boot-up, I see the following errors:

"Failed to calculate dependencies"
"Failed to load module 3c59x"
"Failed to bring eth0 up"
"ERROR: Problem starting needed services
netmount not started"

A 'modprobe 3c59x' reveals the following:
"/lib/modules/2.4.20-gentoo-r5/kernel/drivers/net/3c59x.o: unresolved symbol EISA_bus"

"/lib/modules/2.4.20-gentoo-r5/kernel/drivers/net/3c59x.o: insmod /lib/modules/2.4.20-gentoo-r5/kernel/drivers/net/3c59x failed"

"/lib/modules/2.4.20-gentoo-r5/kernel/drivers/net/3c59x.o: insmod 3c59x failed"

I am pretty much a linux newbie, and I have very little idea what any of this means. Help and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Also, I noticed that the install CD autodetects the NIC beautifully. Is there some way to install this feature to linux to avoid this entire headache?

Thanks in Advance,
-B

[xcable]

Looks like you need to recompile your kernel and make sure you have the right hardware included in your kernel (not just the nic but the chipset).

Maybe look at the PCI and EISA sections. You compile a whole bunch of stuff and let the kernel load what it needs (this is how the live cds work).

heath

[paranode]

You might try backing up your /usr/src/linux/.config and then doing 'make mrproper'. Then copy back your .config file, check it with 'make menuconfig', and recompile it. Then make appropriate changes to your bootloader and reboot into it. Sometimes doing this will clear up unresolved symbols.
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Meh.

[rev138]

Thanks for the tips. I tried them both.

Looking into the menuconfig options, I did notice that it was set for a PIII chipset, and I have a PII, so I fixed that. Everything else looked OK. I have all relevant PCI and ISA options enabled.

Now, when I boot, I get the same results except:

It no longer fails to calculate dependencies.

When I run 'modprobe 3c95x' I get the same message, but on the first line, instead of saying "EISA_bus" it says "EISA_bus_Rsmp_7413793a"

Ideas?

Thanks,
-B

[Bar]

you could try compiling the support for your card into the kernel, rather then a module, although if you prefer a module for size, then compile it into the kernel and if it works you know that is the correct support and it can work, and you can mess around with module support more.

[rev138]

Thanks Bar, but I've already tried that. It didn't work.

[rev138]

Ok,

I recomplied the kernel with the 3c59x driver built in. Now I get the following errors:

Failed to bring up eth0
ERROR: Problem starting needed services. "netmount" was not started.

If I try to start netmount manually, I get pretty much the same results.

Attempts to run 'ifconfig eth0' yeild a "device not found" message.

Any further ideas?

And again, is it possible to somehow install the Live CD's autodetection functionality?

Thanks in advance,
-B

[linux_weenie]

did you mount your /boot directory when you copied over the new bzImage? also if you are running lilo remember to run /sbin/lilo or it won't register the new kernel properly. hope this helps some.

-Will

[jay]

when compiling the kernel did you make sure that
1. /usr/src/linux is pointing to the kernel you just compiled
2. you mounted /boot before copying bzImage over
3. you also did a make modules modules_install
?

Hope that helps....
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