Guest dkathrens77 Posted July 9, 2005 Report Share Posted July 9, 2005 Hello, here's another newbie with questions. I have an HP zd8000us laptop that came with Windows XP installed. It is a 3.2 GHz P4 machine with 512 Mb RAM. A real kicka$$ laptop! I have installed Mandrake Official 10.1 and turned this into a dual boot machine. Now I'm trying to get the built in modem working (under Linux), and "in my travels" I've learned a whole lot more than I thought I'd need to learn. Basically, I've identified my modem as an HSF modem, controlled somehow by AC-97. I've downloaded the free (crippled) Linuxant HSF modem driver for testing. I have no problem paying $15 for the uncrippled driver IF IT WILL WORK. I downloaded and installed my kernel source as instructed kernel-source-2.6-2.6.8.1-12mdk.i586.rpm (BUT is this the right one?) but when I tried installing the RPM package for the Linuxant driver, I get an error message that says: "No prebuilt modules for Mandrake-10.1 linux-2.6.8.1-12mdksmp-i686" uname tells me I have "2.6.8.1-12mdk.i586" This isn't the complete response, just all I can remember right now. Mandrakes's HardDrak (or is it DrakConf?) tells me I have TWO processors! Can that be true? So, what did I do wrong? Did I download and install the wrong kernel source? Does Pentium 4 have two processors on the same chip? Is Pentum 4 i586 or i686? I have searched for kernel source for "2.6.8.1-12mdksnp.i686" but can't seem to find it. Oh please help this flailing newbie!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devries Posted July 9, 2005 Report Share Posted July 9, 2005 The error means that the prebuild modules (drivers) are not for your kernel. That means you have to build the modules (drivers) yourself and you can't use the rpm. Check if you can download the sourcecode from linuxant for your drivers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonMage Posted July 10, 2005 Report Share Posted July 10, 2005 That two processors thingie means that Mandrake detected (rightly I think) that the P4 you have is HyperThreading capable. Since what HyperThreading does basically tricks your computer into thinking that it has two processors (just check it in MS Windows), Mandrake install the smp kernel for it. Anyway, to install your modem, first check your kernel version by typing uname -r The result will be something like this (this if for Mandriva 2005 LE in my case) 2.6.11-12mdk Then install the exact same version of the kernel source (in my case it's kernel-source-2.6-2.6.11-12mdk). Then download the source rpm version of the HSF driver http://www.linuxant.com/drivers/hsf/full/a...-1.i386.rpm.zip Unzip that file, and type this rpmbuild --rebuild hsfmodem<blahblahblah>.rpm There should be a line somewhere that the resulting rpm can be found somewhere in /usr/src/RPM/RPMS/i586/ or something like that. Go to that directory, then install the RPM by typing urpmi <resulting rpm> Then finish up by typing hsfconfig Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarecrow Posted July 10, 2005 Report Share Posted July 10, 2005 You might also try using a non-SMP kernel. While the SMP kernel itself is OK on HT CPU's, some modules fail to compile cleanly, and a few programs run very slowly, or eat your RAM slowly and surely (e.g. Vmware Workstation). The performance gain of a smp enabled kernel over a plain one for machines that don't have two physical CPU's ain't great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dkathrens77 Posted July 10, 2005 Report Share Posted July 10, 2005 uname -r outputs: 2.6.8.1-12mdksmp rpmbuild -- command not found. Yes I was in Konsole as root. I have the rpm command, can I use rpm -i or rpm -u instead? On the topic of downloading, there is a difference between "kernel" and "kernel-source", right? I can't seem to find a download for 2.6.8.1-12mdksmp that has the word "source" and "i586" in the filename. Also, the file you provided a link for has "i386" in the filename. Shouldn't the file I need have "i586" instead? You've got to expect questions like this from a newbie, sorry if I don't get it just yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dkathrens77 Posted July 10, 2005 Report Share Posted July 10, 2005 uname -a outputs: (I formatted it for my own understanding) Kernel-name: Linux Node Name: localhost Kernel Release: 2.6.8.1-12mdksmp Kernel Version: #1 SMP Fri Oct 1 11:24:45 CEST 2004 Machine: i686 Processor: Intel® Pentium® 4 CPU 3.20GHz Platform: unknown Operating System: GNU/Linux I'm getting a bit confused by all the ix86 stuff, sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dkathrens77 Posted July 10, 2005 Report Share Posted July 10, 2005 You probably realize that I didn't SELECT the SMP kernel. In fact, I don't recall being given the option by the installer program. And I SURELY don't know enough yet to select & install a DIFFERENT kernel. I'd be happy to give it a shot (as a learning experience) however. Would you like to point me in the right direction? I haven't got the hang of all these bells, buttons and whistles for composing messages here either. Bear with me.... Thanks everyone for your kind attention to my silly little problems. Kernel-name: Linux Node Name: localhost Kernel Release: 2.6.8.1-12mdksmp Kernel Version: #1 SMP Fri Oct 1 11:24:45 CEST 2004 Machine: i686 Processor: Intel® Pentium® 4 CPU 3.20GHz Platform: unknown Operating System: GNU/Linux Kernel-name: Linux Node Name: localhost Kernel Release: 2.6.8.1-12mdksmp Kernel Version: #1 SMP Fri Oct 1 11:24:45 CEST 2004 Machine: i686 Processor: Intel® Pentium® 4 CPU 3.20GHz Platform: unknown Operating System: GNU/Linux If you'd like to point me in the right direction, I'd be happy to give it a shot.... Than Kernel-name: Linux Node Name: localhost Kernel Release: 2.6.8.1-12mdksmp Kernel Version: #1 SMP Fri Oct 1 11:24:45 CEST 2004 Machine: i686 Processor: Intel® Pentium® 4 CPU 3.20GHz Platform: unknown Operating System: GNU/Linux You might also try using a non-SMP kernel. While the SMP kernel itself is OK on HT CPU's, some modules fail to compile cleanly, and a few programs run very slowly, or eat your RAM slowly and surely (e.g. Vmware Workstation).The performance gain of a smp enabled kernel over a plain one for machines that don't have two physical CPU's ain't great. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Kernel-name: Linux Node Name: localhost Kernel Release: 2.6.8.1-12mdksmp Kernel Version: #1 SMP Fri Oct 1 11:24:45 CEST 2004 Machine: i686 Processor: Intel® Pentium® 4 CPU 3.20GHz Platform: unknown Operating System: GNU/Linux to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarecrow Posted July 10, 2005 Report Share Posted July 10, 2005 (edited) mcc- go to the software installation module (assuming that your URPMI sources are set already, else set them up say from easyurpmi.zarb.org ). Pick there "2.6.8.1-12mdk" and install- it should suffice, unless you have 1 GB RAM or higher- for exactly 1 GB you may use a kernel with the CK patchset, for more you must use a 4GB enabled kernel. After that, use mcc again (the system/boot module) and set the newly installed kernel as default, and reboot. If something goes wrong, you can still use your old SMP kernel to boot safely. Edited July 10, 2005 by scarecrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dkathrens77 Posted July 10, 2005 Report Share Posted July 10, 2005 OGawd!! URPMI (Urp Me?) I'm already choking on all these new terms! I'd rather not URP right now! My learning curve is pretty steep. It's a good thing I'm so stubborn! Some good news! I downloaded a utility called scanModem (or was it listModem?) from the Conexant website. In it I found something called "cnxtinstall.run". Some sort of script command? Anyway, I'm at an Internet Cafe with my laptop hooked up to an Ethernet cable so I can get Internet access. When I ran this, it took me to Conexant and automatically installed the correct driver. (It had to re-compile uh...something, dammit!) I was able to set up a modem connection with DrakConf, so I guess I'm all set. I'll have to go home and hook up to POTS to find out for sure.... The bad news is: I have no idea what it did, so my quest for KNOWLEDGE (not simply UTILITY) continues! mcc- go to the software installation module (assuming that your URPMI sources are set already, else set them up say from easyurpmi.zarb.org ).Pick there "2.6.8.1-12mdk" and install- it should suffice, unless you have 1 GB RAM or higher- for exactly 1 GB you may use a kernel with the CK patchset, for more you must use a 4GB enabled kernel. After that, use mcc again (the system/boot module) and set the newly installed kernel as default, and reboot. If something goes wrong, you can still use your old SMP kernel to boot safely. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dkathrens77 Posted July 10, 2005 Report Share Posted July 10, 2005 Awwwwww!!! Well, I got back home, hooked up the phone cable and tried KPPP to dial my ISP's access number. "Modem is Busy" Harumpff. I listened to this modem try to dial at the Internet Cafe (while I was online via the ethernet connection, with no phone line attached). Why won't it work here at home? I didn't change anything! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dkathrens77 Posted July 10, 2005 Report Share Posted July 10, 2005 I will answer my own question: tem I used DrakConf to set up my modem connection, and selected /dev/modem as the device In KPPP, however, I notice I selected /dev/ttys3 as the device. I changed that to /dev/modem and it worked. In fact, I'm posting this over a dial-up connection in Konqueror right now! The funny thing is, the phone system's so crappy here that my bit rate of 1.3kbps on the crippled Linuxant (14.4K) modem driver is about equal to what I get using a 56K V92 modem running Windows and Internet Explorer. Maybe it wouldn't serve me well to buy Linuxan'ts non-crippled driver for $15 just yet. But in any case, I still want to know how this all was accomplished by the file I ran (cnxtinstall.run) Is this a script file? Can I open it with an editor and see what it does? Awwwwww!!! Well, I got back home, hooked up the phone cable and tried KPPP to dial my ISP's access number. "Modem is Busy" Harumpff. I listened to this modem try to dial at the Internet Cafe (while I was online via the ethernet connection, with no phone line attached). Why won't it work here at home? I didn't change anything! <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Havin_it Posted July 11, 2005 Report Share Posted July 11, 2005 It's probably a script-file that contains a binary, which it tells itself (or tells the shell, rather) to install. The installer for Crossover Office is like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dkathrens77 Posted July 11, 2005 Report Share Posted July 11, 2005 Hey, you were right! I opened it in vim and while the first part looked like instructions, the last and biggest part was the kind of garbage you get when you open a binary file in a text editor It's probably a script-file that contains a binary, which it tells itself (or tells the shell, rather) to install. The installer for Crossover Office is like that. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Would someone like to walk me through what it actually means when people say "recompile the kernel" or "recompile the package for your kernel". I understand that the kernel and the rest of a Linux distro are written in C or C++, which are compiled languages as opposed to interpreted languages. I understand that you have to use a compiler program to convert the human-understandable "source code" into machine language instructions that a computer can understand and act upon. And from what little I've read of C/C++ compilers, I think I understand you have to have the correct library files to INCLUDE in your source code, and that there are OPTIONS for compiling source code. OK, if I have those parts right, could someone put them together along with whatever other info I might need to conceptualize the process? Thanks for your kind attention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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