[joshmia2001]

I have a RedHat 8.0 system that I want to use as the NAT Router / Firewall for a local home network with about 8 PC's all connecting over a cable connection. The default kernel doesn't support NAT anymore so a full recompile (From what I have read) is required and I wanted to do it anyway because it's a dual PII and I wanted that extra boost! So in anyevent I placed 2 network cards in the machine and kudzu set them up (Sorta) but all I wanted to know is that the machine could see them and it did, and they got their DHCP info everytime I would reboot. Now here is where it get's GOOD.
After much fiddling with the Kernel config using "make xconfig" through trial and error I FINALLY got the kernel to recompile. (Finding documentation for that is IMPOSSIBLE) Now I had a real problem on my hands, my network cards were no longer loading with the new kernel that now supported NAT among other cool tricks. Meaning that when it booted it would say "Failed to get ip info" or what ever that message was. When I boot the origional kernel this is not a problem. So I tried and tried without success to make the kernel see the cards with my custom Kernel. Never happened, so I removed the cards and let kudzu remove their configs, hoping that when I placed them back in 1 by one that kudzu would at least tell me what module the kernel wanted to load for them. Never happened, the cards configs were removed but kudzu now rolls right on by them when I stick them back in the machine like they aren't there. So I moved them to different PCI slots, no effect. I then started reading about kudzu and learned that it stores all of the hardware info in a file called hwconf so I open that file up and there was the network card I was trying to set back up. I thought I had the world licked at this point and removed the cards info from this file and rebooted the machine. To my amazement you wouldn't beleive it, nothing, kudzu searched and moved on like nothing happened. I was blasted by this and looked back into that hwconf file and there it was again so I removed it and ran kudzu myself, nothing, but the card was back in the hwconf. I went through the system and systematically moved any files related to eth0 or eth1 and tryed again. Nothing. How can I resolve this issue? Please if anyone can help I would love to know what I can do, this problem which plages me is becoming a bear.
The cards ids as LINUX sees them are
ACCTON:SCM2-1211TX - eth1
-
Realtek:RTL-8139/8139C - eth0

 

[gotissues68]

boot up and type lsmod when you've loaded the new kernel, see if the kernel modules are being loaded.. I doubt they are. Kudzu see's the NIC's but the modules aren't being loaded by the new kernel. Then boot into the old kernel, lsmod again and find the module names.. then boot back into the new kernel and type

insmod <module name for nic1>
assuming all goes well
insmod <module name for nic2>

try that and let us know what happens.

Drew

 

[joshmia2001]

OK I tried that and the weirdest thing happened.

I was already fiddling with things when I had gotten your message. I had removed the cards from the hwconf file and changed the only option in the kudzu config file. I booted to the newest default kernel that came frrom the update and it kicked into kudzu detection mode and said the mouse wasn't there so I told it to do nothing. Then it found the network cards again. This is strange because it wouldn't do it at all under any kernel before. So I did the lsmod and there was only one network driver listed yet both cards are running fine under this default kernel. (I am using this now) That driver is 8139too. I rebooted and checked for the mod and it was compiled into the kernel already because I had done my home work on all the hardware as not to add anything to the kernel that didn't need to be there. I changed the options to module and did a "make modules" then "make modules_install". I then trried to insmod that this is what I Got.
[[email protected] root]# insmod 8139too
Using /lib/modules/2.4.18-18.8.0-smp-router-josh/kernel/drivers/net/8139too.o
/lib/modules/2.4.18-18.8.0-smp-router-josh/kernel/drivers/net/8139too.o: init_module: No such device
Hint: insmod errors can be caused by incorrect module parameters, including invalid IO or IRQ parameters.
You may find more information in syslog or the output from dmesg
[[email protected] root]#
I also tried insmod 8139too.o eth0 and got the same message. I feel that I am closer to solving this though.
Anymore suggestions would be appreciated.

Joshuua:bandit:

 

[joshmia2001]

OK it's the bottom of the 9th..

And I have it narrowed down, now when booting it says the cards don't appear to be present. I am going to attempt to compile Plug And Play support at the bios level.. I will update you on what happens from there.

Joshua

 

[joshmia2001]

That failed with mysery...

The PNP bios which is "Experimental" will not compile, it errors out. There something in my config or missing from my config that is in the default install. If only I could figure it out.

The state kidnapped my daughter, wanna read about it?

 

[joshmia2001]

One other thing..

How in gods name do I make this thing STOP booting to X-WIndows? I selected in accident and now it plauges me!

Joshua L. McDowell
The state kidnapped my daughter! Wanna read abou t it? Visit my website!

 

[gotissues68]

You're trying WAY too hard

But thats good Shows you wanna do it yourself.

Ok, so as far as the kernel compile issue goes.... You obviously have the source to atleast the new kernel, if not the old kernel which would be ideal. Check /usr/src/ it should be in there somewhere (old kernel souece that is, the kernel which allows the NIC's to work) If its there, copy over the ".config" to the new kernel source you're working with, then just do a make xconfig or make menuconfig, ect ect.. it "sounds" like the kernel modules aren't being built properly when you recompile, or you're building them statically when you configure your source code for th kernel.

About X Windows:
You're gonna have to do a little research here as I'm not super familiar with Red Hat specifically, however the best hint I can give you is that the commands that do the boot up sequence and by inference boot X Windows graphical login are going to be located in /etc/rc.d/init.d

You're booting into whats called Run Level 4, you're gonna wanna back off one step and boot into Run Level 3 which is a text based login.

 

[joshmia2001]

I fixed the booting to X-WIndows Problem

I found the iinformation about linunx booting to xwindows and how to turn it off.
/etc/inittab contains the script for that, switching the run level to 3 fixes that issue. Now as far as the kernel config I can't do that because I already changed it. I might be able to back it up and then do a make mrproper and it should be set back to defaults. However, I don't think this will change anything because I have tried EVERYTHING that my tiny little mind can come up with. I downloaded the 2.5.9 Kernel source and compiled that to no avail. The message has changed now though to "Unable to get IP information." But if I boot under a regular kernel it works fine. I don't think the config files as far as the system is concerned are "Kernel specific" I am 99.9% sure they are not so this shouldn't be an issue at all. Leaving only that I left some key element for the network cards operation out of the kernel if the default kernels boot. Grrrr. So close yet so far. 2.5.9 Kernel is in NO way support by redhat, I am starting to think I should have installed a very generic platform and then compiled and installed X, windows, Gnome, and what ever else I may or may not neeed.
I am also compiling XFREE 86 but will not attempt to install in untill I get this problem worked out. I am trying to Master Linux so I can help to develop it. I also want everything that runs on the system to be compiled for the system for absolute maximum performance.

Joshuau

 

[gotissues68]

Does the dirty little Slackware Dance

If you want something you need to build from the ground up...

www.slackware.com gives you the freedom of an easy install or customization up the ying.. its what I personally use.

or www.gentoo.org .. try building EVERYTHING from the ground up but be prepared to invest some time to do it =)

If you feel comfortable, PM a user/pass I can use on the machine you're working on and let me take a peek..

Drew

p.s. And yes the scripts aren't kernel specific I wasn't trying to infer that. I think you're missing support in the kernel for your NICS.. and a make mrproper will remove your .config so it'd be of littl help at this stage ...

 

[joshmia2001]

Hmmm.. I remember slackware from a long time ago..

I tried to set up slackware a long time ago when I thought I knew everything. (you know before you relize that you know NOTHING) and I don't recall it being remotely compatable with my personality. I also have IMAP set up and have been sending and recieving my mail on the linux box.. Grrrr I so don't want to do that, so I guess I will pull out the dual pentium machine with the 1/10 speed cdrom drive and install it on there for a test run. I already downloaded the ISO. 1 ISO I couldn't beleive that.

Joshuha
The state kidnapped my daughter! Wanna read about it?
http://geocities.com/joshmia2001/

 

[joshmia2001]

Re: Does the dirty little Slackware Dance

If you feel comfortable, PM a user/pass I can use on the machine you're working on and let me take a peek..

Grrr I am mulling that one over, I mean there really isn't anything to worry about for me anyway, the system will be reformatted and re-installed when I am finished learning it so it can all be done cleanly. (After a back up of course).. Grr I will have to think about that one.

How old are you anyway?

Joshua

 

[gotissues68]

I am 23.. soon to be 24.. I'd be happy to supply you with any incremenating evidence you'd like I'd also give you an account on my box yadda yadda.. trust me.. I'm not one of those freaks who wants to h4x0r your b0x0r that'd be retarded..