Unable to configure Broadcom NetExtreme II network card

dageyra

I was upgrading our server to the latest udev, and did not realize that I needed to emerge linux-firmware first to get our NIC to work. I recall this had to be done on a prior server, but this step skipped my mind. I am able to boot into the machine, but I cannot get the network working. We are using a Dell R310 with Broadcom NetExtreme II, on our last Dell we had to emerge linux-firmware to get the network card functional. Unfortunately when I boot into liveCD, it cannot auto detect the network card, and nothing I do seems to be able to get it working. Without a working network, I have no way of emerging linux-firmware to bring the server back online.

Thoughts on how we can get a working network configuration? Thanks,

TomWij · Retired Dev Joined: 04 Jul 2012 Posts: 1553

SystemRescueCD comes with =sys-kernel/linux-firmware-20131230, as well as has everything needed to get up network for most NICs; consider to use it as your installation and/or repair medium, if you are able to burn a new CD and/or USB.

dageyra · Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2014 10:37 pm Post subject:

TomWij · Retired Dev Joined: 04 Jul 2012 Posts: 1553

You could attempt to move the folder away (`mv /lib/firmware /lib/firmware.bak`) and then emerge the package again; that way, you ensure the folder only contains the files provided by the package. Since the firmware is already loaded into memory, temporarily moving the folder away should be a safe operation; if it is and it succeeds, you can remove /lib/firmware.bak afterwards. A check to see if other packages touch that directory, and thus need to be emerged again; is to run `grep --include='CONTENTS' -rl '^\(dir\|obj\|sym\) /lib/firmware' /var/db/pkg` which will check which packages install into the /lib/firmware directory.