Crashdamage

Sorry for the long delay, work is **really** keeping me hoppin' right now, just very limited time to fool with this. I'm not sure where you found that driver and the link you gave didn't work. But I just searched dell.com again and they list 2 available drivers for my Broadcom 1390 WLAN mini-card (built-in wifi): R140747.exe (this is the apparently the same as the factory pre-loaded one) and: R151517.exe (latest update) I've tried both plus copying the original R140747 driver from the WinXP Pro install. Using any of the 3 always results in: # ndiswrapper -l bcmwl5 invalid driver I blacklisted it to prevent it from loading at boot. # lsmod shows the bcm43xx module is not loading and that ndiswrapper is, but then it fails loading the driver: # dmesg | grep ndiswrapper ndiswrapper version 1.21 loaded (preempt=no,smp=yes) loadndisdriver: load_driver(361): couldn't load driver bcmwl5 I'm still really stuck on this. Tried various stuff found from Google searches but no joy. Maybe the sensible thing to do would be to get an Intel-based mini-card and trash the friggin' Broadcom, but I haven't found a source for one.

I'm having a lot of trouble getting the same (well at least similar, uses the bcm43xx module or bcmw15 drivers) card going. Came as the built-in WiFi on my Dell D-420, running 2007 Spring. It is recognized, as: Dell Wireless 1390 WLAN Mini-PCI Card Vendor ID: 0x14e4 Device ID: 0x4311 Basically, so far I have: Installed the 'bcm43xx-fwcutter' package and successfully downloaded and extracted the firmware files to /lib/firmware. I also copied the .fw files to a /lib/hotplug/firmware directory as Mystified suggested. Did 'modprobe bcm43xx' OK. I also setup the 'bcm43xx' module to load at boot. Either way, 'lsmod' says it loads sucessfully. But: # iwconfig lo no wireless extensions. sit0 no wireless extensions. eth0 no wireless extensions. eth1 no wireless extensions. Setup using MCC of course fails as soon as I click on 'Wireless Connection' with: "Unable to find network interface for selected device (using bcm43xx driver). So I installed ndiswrapper, went to Dell.com and downloaded the bcmw15 drivers, both the latest version and an earlier one. Installed everything (apparently successfully) but with either driver version: # ndiswrapper -l bcmw15 invalid driver Again, of course setup using MCC fails. I'm open to suggestions. WiFi is the only thing on this laptop that has me beat. Bluetooth, 3G wireless, SD card reader, sound, display, ethernet, mouse pointer & touchpad - all the hardware works fine except the friggin' WiFi. Help????

JonEberger: ndiswrapper-1.21 is the version that comes with 2007.1 so using the KISS rule, I just installed it. I may get the later source from the website and install it with checkinstall and see if that helps. But before I do that... adamw: I found a good source for 'firmware wl_apsta.o' dowloaded it and sucessfully ran: # bcm43xx-fwcutter -w /lib/firmware wl_apsta.o Then reloaded the bcm43xx module, but 'iwconfig' stil returns 'no wireless extensions' for all listed interfaces. I'll play around with this some more later, I'm outta time right now. I'd rather not have to use ndiswrapper if a simple module will do.

OK, here's where I am to this point... Got my Bluetooth printer going. No big deal, just had to learn a little about hcitool and do some minor configuration. For power control I'm using laptop-mode, a nice simple tool that seems effective. The default settings look reasonable, and I've left them alone at least for now. WiFi has been the only thing that's taken much effort and I STILL don't have it working. adamw - the link you kindly gave to download the firmware to use the bcm43xx module is not a working link. I installed 'bcm43xx-fwcutter-006-1mdv-2007.1 but of course without the other files from the link I get a failure: # bcm43xx-fwcutter -w /lib/firmware wl_apsta.o Cannot open input file wl_apsta.o Just for grins, to see what would happen, I did: # modprobe bcm43xx ...no errors. But then... # iwconfig ...returns 'no wireless extensions' for all interfaces. Result: Unable to configure manually or the GUI way in MCC either. Obviously, I need a good link for the required files, I can't find one. Oh well, on to trying ndiswrapper...first remove the bcm43xx module to avoid any weird conflicts: # rmmod bcm43xx OK, went to dell.com and downloaded the latest driver for my Dell/Broadcom 1390 internal, package name 'R151517.exe'. Unpacked file, copied 'bcmwl5.inf' and 'bcmwl5.sys' to a folder created on my /usr/local partition. Did: # cd /usr/local/Dell1390_Drivers/151517 ...installed the driver: # ndiswrapper -i bcmw15.inf installing bcmwl5 OK, but then a check of ndiswrapper fails: # ndiswrapper -l ncmwl5 invalid driver So I tried a somewhat earlier version of the bcmwl5 driver, from the package 'R149747.exe'. Same result. Time to dig a little deeper... # dmesg | grep ndiswrapper ndiswrapper version 1.21 loaded (preempt=no,smp=yes) ndiswrapper (load_wrap_driver:113): loadndiswrapper failed (65280); check system log for messages from 'loadndisdriver' Log message basically says "It failed." no real useful information. Result: I'm stuck here and would appreciate any help. Never fooled with ndiswrapper before and not real sure I know what I'm doing, right or wrong. Everything else works, I don't want to let a friggin' WiFi card beat me now!

adamw wrote: "There's nothing useful related to bcm43xx in Club repos." Well, when I tried to configure wireless networking in MCC (yeah, I tried the quick'n dirty method) it popped up a message that claimed there is. I'll work more on WiFi later and try your advice. I only spent a few minutes fooling with WiFi, it's a low priority for me, but I'll get to it. JonEberger wrote: "For powermanagement, are you going to define the acpi commands in the events directory, or are you going to use a tool such as kpowersave?" I haven't started fooling around on power stuff yet. I never used Linux much on a laptop before, never got into the power stuff when I did, so I don't know what I'm doing yet. But I imagine I'll define the commands. I don't have anything KDE installed and don't intend to. I'm not much of a GUI kinda guy anymore. Otherwise... I still don't have Bluetooth working quite right yet. Installed a battery-powered Bluetooth-enabled HP 460 portable printer hooked up via USB no problem. But even though it's detected through Bluetooth it won't print via Bluetooth. So Bluetooth seems (only slightly) broken, no doubt just needs some configuration. I tried some quickie config tools but I can't get the Gnome config tool to work and if I try to config via MCC it keeps insisting on installing kbluetooth (or something like that) and I'm not gonna do it. Time to use a more basic method. I only spent a few minutes on Bluetooth so far also, but it's next up to fix. Now the really GOOD news... Of course, getting Verizon broadband working was my #1 priority among the wireless options on this machine, and I got the built-in Verizon Wireless broadband Mini PCI card working perfectly. Runs just as fast as in Windows and is just as easy to use. Actually was fairly easy, just installed wvdial and used this post by LinuxCruiser for a rough basis: http://www.dellcommunity.com/supportforums...id=31642#M31642 I made a lot of changes from that info, but it gave me a good starting point. Anyone wants to know exactly what I did can just ask. Now I can move on to Bluetooth, WiFi and power settings, in that order. I fully intend to get everything working perfectly and I'm sure I'll win those, they don't seem too tough. I have no doubt at all now that this little Dell is gonna make a nice Mandriva Linux portable! But if anyone else reading this wants to try, they should keep in mind while all the basic stuff works nice out-of-the-box, the wireless hardware will require some Linux expertise.

OK, this weekend I did an install of 2007 Spring from the Mini CD version. So far mostly OK. My existing Win XPee Pro install was unscathed by the experience and 2007.1 found and configured almost everything fine. Both the mouse pointer and pad work perfectly right off, the display is good without doing a thing, ethernet no problem, etc. Got the generic Open Office and Firefox/Mozilla.org rpms installed and Flash 9 and Java going. But there are a few hang-ups. Here's my (very early) impressions so far: 1. Bluetooth works - apparently anyway. It says it's waiting for file transfers, but I haven't actually used it yet. 2. WiFi a no-go. I need a BCM43xx driver rpm available from Official or Club depositories but not free or PLF. So I may re-join the Club to get it and offer some support for Mandriva again. 3. Verizon wireless broadband also a no-go, but I knew that would take some work. Should be do-able. 4. Haven't messed with hibernate, laptop power settings, etc. yet. Hoping for good news when I do. 5. Even though I carefully hand-picked the packages I wanted so as to install only what I needed, 2007.1 still stubbornly installed piles of friggin' KDE crap. Had to manually remove it all later. Kinda defeated the purpose of using the 2007.1 Mini CD, but the ftp install went fine otherwise. 6. Of all things, Midnight Commander works but looks like hell. Never would have expected a text-based app to display incorrectly. This has GOT to be fixed - gotta have MC! Oddly, other text-based stuff, including my favorite browser, LInks, work fine. I'm using it on the D-420 to write this. 7. Haven't installed any 3D stuff - I have no serious interest - so I can't speak to how they may or may not work on a D-420, but I expect there would be no significant problem. I may play around with Metisse just for grins after I get more pressing issues resolved. Still got a lot of stuff to do to get it all working, some more of my favorite apps installed, etc. I skipped anything KDE altogether but installed Gnome and logged into it for the first time in several years. Jeez, I'd forgotten how much I hate both KDE and Gnome. What a complicated mess to configure...uuuggghhh...and I'm so spoiled now by the speed of working with a simple WM. I wanted to do a nice configuration of Gnome for giving Linux demos to poor Win-slaves, but I don't know if it's gonna be worth all the trouble. Maybe instead of showing Linux Win-clones to Win-slaves I should just show them something completely different? Fortunately, Fluxbox is still there and my custom menu and hotkey configuration files (copied from my main box, still on Mandrake 10.1) work fine with the newer version of Flux, so I feel fairly at home with Linux on the D-420 now - if I can just get MC straightened up! All in all, 2007.1 seems like a very good release, attractive, fairly polished and stable. But there's really nothing new in it I need, so my main everyday desktop box will keep running Mandrake 10.1 'til I build a new box in a year or two. No reason to change. I'll post again after I sort out the hardware a little better, maybe even with a little how-to, assuming I can figure out how-to.

scarecrow...I don't know why drag-n-drop is messed up for you, but it works fine for me. I'm not gonna get into a war over the best burner, nothign productive in that, but I my perfect burner certainly wouldn't be like Nero or k3b. Both suck in their own way. As I've stated here before, I use Nero for a little consistency between Win/Linux, for a couple of features not in k3b, becasue I don't have any KDE stuff installed, and to give some support to a company trying to support Linux. I don't think $25 is that much for all that. Add Blu Ray and HD-DVD support, which I don't think k3b has yet, and the choice was clear for me.

Yeah, if Nero makes a good disc I'd just ignore the messages. FWIW, I've been using Nerolinux since v1.0 and v3 since the first beta release. NeroLinux 3.0 is nice, and will even do BluRay or HD-DVD. A BluRay burner is on my wish list, so that may come in handy soon and really make it worth the $25.

Sorry, but I've been REALLY busy with work, like 13-15 hrs/day 7 days a week. Just haven't had time to play with this since I got it. Work looks like it's finally going to ease up some and hopefully I'll have some time to work on this. I didn't want to start in 'til 2007 Spring had been out for a bit anyway so the inevitable initial bugs could be addressed. I'll be doing an install pretty soon, maybe in the next week or two. I promise to post back with a little info on the experience. BTW, I really like the little D-420, it's been a nice unit so far. As I said in my original post I got mine fully loaded, I even ended up going for the built-in Verizon 3G broadband wireless so I could blow-off the PCMIA card once some checking showed I could get the built-in broadband card working in Linux. Seems everything will work fine, it just remains to be seen how much tweaking it will take. From what I've learned so far researching similar hardware I feel very optimistic about a good outcome with minimal hassle.

scarecrow said: I've never needed any of that stuff (except audio ripping - Grip works) and probably won't 'til pigs fly. But if you do... the YinYeti Said: I agree, a really nice burner. I've played around with it some and I like it better than the last version of kb3 I used. But like I said before, I haven't had KDE installed for a long time. dexter11 said: Yup. We've gotta vote with our wallets at some point.

I've had Nero Linux 3 installed for a few days now and this beta has been solid so far I like it just fine. I don't care about looks, but I use Nero on Win and I like having a consistent UI. I don't have KDE installed anymore and I don't know of anything kb3 does that NL3 doesn't anyway (though I haven't used kb3 for quite a while). Besides, if we want companies to support Linux with software, drivers, etc. at some point we have to buy from those companies who try to support Linux. Everything can't be free if we want everything. At some point we have to give some incentive, make our vote for choice of OS noticed - with our $$$. And I only paid $20 for Nero Linux.

I just ordered a Dell D-420 ultraportable, I should have it a couple of days. I never thought I'd ever buy anything from Dell, but it was the best combination of everything I need and little that I don't. Plus I got a good deal on a 'scratch & dent' one configured just right. Anyway, it'll have to run the friggin' XPee Pro SP2 it comes with most of the time for work, but I do intend to at least try to use Linux in a dual-boot, preferrably 2007.1 as soon as it's released. The D-420 has been out a while now and it's actually a fairly standard Intel Core Duo 1660 machine. Video is just integrated Intel 950, no SATA HD, etc. So I would think this would be a good candidate for running Linux (another reason I choose it). Mine has built-in WiFi standard of course, lus the Bluetooth option and is stuffed with 2G of memory to keep XPee happy. I don't care if the WiFi-catcher feature or card works - I'll never use the WiFi 'cause I have a Verizon PC5740 PCMCIA broadband card (so I skipped the optional Dell built-in broadband card). But I do badly need the wireless broadband and Bluetooth to work. I've never tried before to get either working under Linux. I'm not even gonna install KDE, and only the basic Gnome libraries so all the software I use will run. Fluxbox will be the WM. I've found little info on Linux installs on the D-420, some about Unbuntu but virtually nothing about using Mandriva. Does anyone know of any info about a Mandriva/D-420 combination? Thanks!

But what about the subdirectory /.mozilla/firefox ??

Like scarecrow, you have me confused. You asked about installing Firefox 2.0, but you post included (part of) the installation instructions for Java. Make sure you are trying to follow the correct instructions. Also, depending on the version of Mandriva you're using, you might be able to install Firefox 2.0 from the Software Manager in MCC instead of downloding and installing the generic rpm from the Firefox website. For several reasons, for new users using the Software Manager would be the better method.

madri said: I got that part... ...but I missed that part. Sorry, I really gotta be more careful when I read. Your idea of having a terminal open with "rpm -iv" will not work. The terminal must have root priviledges, and you must be in the directory where the rpm to be installed is located. So the full sequence to install would be: $ su Password: (enter root password) # cd /mysavedrpm/ishere # rpm -ivh <full.packagename.rpm> Be aware that the old basic rpm commands do nothing to download and satisfy dependencies like urpmi or apt-get do. Unlike those (and other) more advanced systems, basic rpm leaves that up to you. And, as you said, none of this has anything to do with double-clicking on a file to install. While we're talking about double-clicking on a file to install software, I see questions like this all the time but I guess I just don't see the point. Why try to emulate Windoze? Does Linux have to work just like Windows to be "correct" for windows converts? I think the biggest mistake new users make (I know I did) is expecting Linux to work in the same ways Windows does, particularly software installation. Fortunately, Linux does not. It's OK, even better, to be different from M$. Anyway, software installation in Linux is very easy using various distro's software management systems or even from the CLI as above.

Really, it shouldn't. That kind of behavior is much too insecure, too Windoze-like. It worked because either: 1. You are logged in as root. VERY bad, one should never run as root. 2. It installed in your home directory. This is fine, kinda sorta, but could be bad because: a. It will only run for the user who was logged in when it was installed and not for other users, and b. Because if you are not running as root, your security settings should not allow running executables from your home directory without prompting for a root password. Installing anything should always require knowing the root password. This is why Linux is not prone to viruses, etc. Viruses are not impossible in Linux, but they are if Linux is run properly (i.e. not as root and with proper security settings).

The software control center only can keep track of the rpm packages that are installed. For example, do: $ rpm -q gdl ...and see what that returns. It will likely be gdl-0.6.1. That doesn't mean gdl-0.7.2 is not installed, just that the package manager is unaware of it, it has no way of knowing what other software you have compiled and installed maually from tarballs. That's why you should always install rpms whenever possible, which really is always, since if a pre-compiled rpm is not available, you can easily make and install a simple rpm from source packages using a very handy little utility called checkinstall. Installing from source directly should be a last resort only. Anyway, did you try installing anjuta after installing gdl-0.7.2? It may find it's dependencies are all there and go. If it fails due to a missing gdl-0.7.2, try to find a gdl-0.7.2 rpm to install or install it using checkinstall to make and install it in rpm form.

Linux file systems never need defragging. That's a Windows thing that's long been solved in the Linux world. Relax and enjoy.

aerogate said: Ignore the error and try it anyway. It may work fine, possible it won't, but well worth a try at least. I got the same error when installing on 10.1, etc. It happens whenever you install Bastille on a system not listed in the file you quoted. And even if the GUI config mode doesn't work it might still work by using the text-based config, whick is really just as easy anyway. ianw1974 said: I seriously doubt it. For reasons I've never understood, Bastille hasn't been included in Mandriva since 8.1 or 8.2.

Read my post again. Do **all 3** of the comands I listed, both without the cap 'M' (amule) and with (aMule) just to be sure. I suspect Neddie is right the correct version will be 'amule'. If 'rpm -q amule' (rpm -q aMule) returns "package amule is not installed" then su to root in a terminal and do: # urpmi -v --test amule ...and see what that says, which if aMule is *not* installed will probably something like (using my machine as example): To satisfy dependencies, the following 3 packages are going to be installed (18 MB): amule-2.1.0-1.1.101plf.i586 libwxgtk2.6-2.6.0-3.1.101plf.i586 wxGTK2.6-2.6.0-3.1.101plf.i586 Is this OK? (Y/n) Just type 'n' to abort or 'y' to continue with the test (nothing will actually be installed). If you want to go ahead and actually install, run the command again without '--test'. If it fails or gives other messages, post them back here.

I understand. When I first came over from the Dark Side (Win98 back then) I had the same frutrated feelings you do. For n00bs sometimes it does seem like everything in Linux requires typing in commands, knowning "tricks", etc. I'd ask how to do something and get an answer that might have well been in Latin. So much of the advice I see given to n00bs fails to realize that often the guy with the problem has no knowledge of what a CLI is, much less how to use the seemingly foreign language commands offered as help. That's ok, I ain't mad at anyone, they're just trying to help as best they can and usually don't know how much or little the person asking knows. But in reality it's fairly rare that more than a few basics are needed. Particularly once you get everything installed and setup, you'll probably find you almost never need to open a terminal unless you get so comfortable with the CLI you just like doing some things that way. Hint: Install and get comfortable with using Midnight Commander. Much more than just a great file manager, MC is a terrific tool that put a GUI-friendly face on many things often done with commands from the CLI like creating links, editing files, etc, etc. Every new user should get famailiar with MC, if for no other reason than even if you trash X and can't run a GUI, since MC is actually a text-based app MC will still run without X so you have a familiar face to help make recovery tasks easy.

In the results of your search I don't see the binary (executable) normally located in /usr/bin. Read my last post again. Then in a terminal do: $ aMule If it doesn't start post any error messages back here. Also give the result of: $ whereis -b aMule ...and: $ rpm -q aMule

To jofg: If you just want to "point and click" installs, Mandriva, like most major Linux distros, will pretty much let you do that now *if* you're willing to install everything from the Software Management GUI in Mandriva Control Center. And Firefox 2.0 will be released as an update for MDV2007 soon and will be a click-to-install app when it is. Some other packages from other "outside" 3rd-party sources can be "point and click" installed by checking out the "Easy URPMI" link at the top right of any page of this forum, following the simple instructions and doing a little bit of copy-paste. Yes, some other 3rd-party packages do require some basic Linux knowledge to install and get working. Of course this is true in the Windoze world also. A good example: I just wasted most of yesterday figuring out how to do a pretty tricky registry edit (I still HATE doing registry edits...they always makes me sweat bullets worrying about trashin' the system, no matter how many times I do 'em) on our Win2kPro workstations in order to get a newly installed must-have app working. Seems one of Billy Bob Gates' so-called security updates disabled a couple of necessary (for this app) functions, though it did absolutely zero for security. It was a total joke from a security standpoint, but a total PITA to remedy. Naturally, the software maker's tech support had no clue what the problem was, blamed Microsoft and told me to contact them for the fix. Had I been willing to pay MS tech support's exhorbitant fees (that will NEVER happen) I'd bet my house that they wouldn't have had a clue either, and would've told me to contact the software maufacturer. IOW, I would've been stuck in the old tech-support circle-jerk and if I hadn't been able to do some fairly sophisticated trouble shooting and command line-type (hmmm...Linux-type?) stuff on my own I'd still have non-working - and very expensive - new software. Click-to-install easy though it may have been. Yeah, right. So don't tell me how easy software is to install on Windows - I spend more time fixing mucked-up software installs in Windows than in Linux. And when problems arise, I've found trouble shooting is much easier in Linux than Windoze. Basically, let me put it to you this way: If you want a really good operating system and want to learn at least a little of how to actually use a computer - spend some time to learn some Linux basics. Run the computer instead of it running you. If you want to learn to just use a mouse - stick with Windows, be ready to spend money on a regular basis, put up with whatever Uncle Gates deems as worthy enough to push out the door and shut up and like it whether it works or not.

I go with Floyd on this, in that in this case 'whereis' works much better than 'locate'. The 'locate' command is good if you want to find everything not only in the edonkey (or whatever) package, but also everything that has "edonkey" in it. Using aterm for example, since I don't have edonkey installed: $ locate aterm /usr/share/man/man1/aterm.1.bz2 /usr/share/doc/aterm-0.4.2 /usr/share/doc/aterm-0.4.2/ChangeLog.rxvt /usr/share/doc/aterm-0.4.2/ChangeLog /usr/share/doc/aterm-0.4.2/INSTALL /usr/share/doc/aterm-0.4.2/FAQ /usr/share/doc/aterm-0.4.2/aterm.lsm /usr/share/doc/aterm-0.4.2/TODO /usr/share/doc/aterm-0.4.2/README.Unix98PTY /usr/share/doc/aterm-0.4.2/README.configure /usr/share/doc/aterm-0.4.2/README.greek /usr/share/doc/aterm-0.4.2/README.menu /usr/share/doc/aterm-0.4.2/README.thai /usr/share/doc/aterm-0.4.2/README.xvt /usr/share/pixmaps/gnucash/stock_split_watermark.png /usr/bin/aterm /usr/lib/menu/aterm /data1/Backups/usr/share/man/man1/aterm.1.bz2 /data1/Backups/usr/share/doc/aterm-0.4.2 /data1/Backups/usr/share/doc/aterm-0.4.2/ChangeLog.rxvt /data1/Backups/usr/share/doc/aterm-0.4.2/ChangeLog /data1/Backups/usr/share/doc/aterm-0.4.2/INSTALL ...and on and on. That was only part of the listings the command returned, but you get the idea - picking out the location of the executable is a pain. But the 'whereis' command simplifies and gives more like just the answer the OP was asking, which I took to be "where did the executable go"?: $ whereis aterm aterm: /usr/bin/aterm /usr/share/man/man1/aterm.1.bz2 Using the '-b' switch with 'whereis' limits the search to binaries only, and gives the exact result the OP wanted (I think): $ whereis -b aterm aterm: /usr/bin/aterm The Linux CLI is a wonderful thing...

The legacy kernel is required for a K6-2, that's why the non-legacy kernel would not boot. MDV2007 installed the correct kernel. It's not clear from your message if there's even a security-updated version of the legacy kernel available. Easiest way to tell is just open MCC, go to software management, make sure the updates are updated, and see if a newer replacement for your original kernel shows up. If so, just install it, then reboot the machine and select the new kernel from the LILO menu - the new kernel should be added automatically to the LILO menu when you install the new kernel. If not, just continue to use that originally-installed legacy kernel and don't worry about it.