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helio
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 2:20 pm    Post subject: Which installation iso has atheros ar8161 driver? [Solved] Reply with quote

Hello, I am trying to install gentoo to a new desktop with an Atheros AR8161 ethernet card. However, the installation iso file I found does not have a driver for the AR8161 ethernet card. Is there a place I can find an installation iso that does include the atheros ar8161 linux driver?

I can download the driver using a different computer that has an internet connection. The other question is, in case I have to install the gentoo linux on this new desktop without the ethernet card yet working, what would be a proper way that I can install the atheros ar8161 linux driver that is downloaded elsewhere to this desktop later?


Last edited by helio on Wed Aug 01, 2012 12:57 pm; edited 3 times in total
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Gusar
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 3:04 pm    Post subject: Re: Which installation iso has atheros ar8161 linux driver? Reply with quote

helio wrote:
The other question is, in case I have to install the gentoo linux on this new desktop without the ethernet card yet working, what would be a proper way that I can install the atheros ar8161 linux driver that is downloaded elsewhere to this desktop later?

Install compat-wireless. Yeah, it says "wireless" in there, but it also contains ethernet drivers, including the one needed for the ar8161 card. If the regular compat-wireless package won't do it, there's this: http://www.linuxfoundation.org/collaborate/workgroups/networking/alx


Last edited by Gusar on Fri Jul 27, 2012 3:31 pm; edited 1 time in total
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helio
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 3:29 pm    Post subject: Re: Which installation iso has atheros ar8161 linux driver? Reply with quote

Gusar wrote:
helio wrote:
The other question is, in case I have to install the gentoo linux on this new desktop without the ethernet card yet working, what would be a proper way that I can install the atheros ar8161 linux driver that is downloaded elsewhere to this desktop later?

Install compat-wireless. Yeah, it says "wireless" in there, but it also contains ethernet drivers, including the one needed for the ar8161 card.


Is compat-wireless a gentoo package? If so, how would I install the package on this new desktop before the ethernet card becomes working yet? I guess I would have to transfer "compat-wireless" from another computer and manually install the package on the new desktop, but I am not sure about the installation details. I would appreciate if anyone can elaborate on this more.
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Gusar
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 3:33 pm    Post subject: Re: Which installation iso has atheros ar8161 linux driver? Reply with quote

helio wrote:
Is compat-wireless a gentoo package?

No idea.

helio wrote:
I guess I would have to transfer "compat-wireless" from another computer and manually install the package on the new desktop

Exactly this.

helio wrote:
but I am not sure about the installation details. I would appreciate if anyone can elaborate on this more.

Google is your friend. I also edited my post above, added a link that might be useful.
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helio
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 3:45 pm    Post subject: Re: Which installation iso has atheros ar8161 linux driver? Reply with quote

Thanks, Gusar. I guess there is not an easy way doing this. May have to install the gentoo basics off-line and search for the manual installation procedure for the ar8161 driver.

Wish someone can include that driver into a gentoo installation iso soon. Lately installing and maintaining gentoo has really become pains instead of the fun it used to be.


Last edited by helio on Fri Jul 27, 2012 3:50 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Gusar
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 3:49 pm    Post subject: Re: Which installation iso has atheros ar8161 linux driver? Reply with quote

helio wrote:
Wish someone can include that driver into a gentoo installation iso soon.

That will only happen once the driver is part of the mainline kernel. Who knows when this will happen. The thing is, this driver has an "interesting" history. If you're interested: http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.linux.kernel/1259698 <- I've just now started reading that.
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John R. Graham
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 4:10 pm    Post subject: Re: Which installation iso has atheros ar8161 linux driver? Reply with quote

helio wrote:
Lately installing and maintaining gentoo has really become pains instead of the fun it used to be.
This isn't really Gentoo's fault. You have an Ethernet chipset for which there's not yet mainstream kernel support. Simplest path might be to get a supported chipset on an expansion card. I keep an old Tulip card around for this very reason.

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khayyam
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 5:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

helio ...

I can't say for certain that it supports the AR8161 but you might try sysrescuecd beta.

best ... khay
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 5:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I looked at the SystemRescueCD package list before posting: it doesn't appear to be there. I think the chipset is just too new and furthermore, as Gusar pointed out, the kernel maintainers are currently having an argument with Atheros / Qualcom.

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khayyam
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 27, 2012 7:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

John ...

yes, so did I ... hoping to see net-wireless/compat-wireless ... but their list is incomplete and only updated for their stable release (indeed compat-wireless isn't listed). However, if no other install medium can be found and the other option is sneekernet ... I would give it a try, but then I always have a sysrescuecd to hand, which is probably not the case for the OP.

best ... khay
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helio
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 28, 2012 9:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

John R. Graham wrote:
I looked at the SystemRescueCD package list before posting: it doesn't appear to be there. I think the chipset is just too new and furthermore, as Gusar pointed out, the kernel maintainers are currently having an argument with Atheros / Qualcom.

- John


No, I just tried to boot from the systemrescuecd-3.0.0-beta-004.iso. It didn't work as the driver is not there.

That argument with Atheros/Qualcom seems to be at least half year old but the driver has still not been included in any installation iso.

The current installation guide assumes one has a working internet connection. I would have to find a recent live CD image that has also the stage-3 tar ball on it.
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 28, 2012 12:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Not really. You can go get the stage3 tarball and portage snapshot on another computer and move them to the install computer via removable media (a USB thumb drive, for example). Then, the first time the Handbook tells you to emerge something, add the --fetchonly and --pretend options (short form -pf) and you will get a list of URLs from which to fetch the required source. Go do that on the other machine and put the fetched files in /usr/portage/distfiles on the install computer. Tedious? Yes. But it works.

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Gusar
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 28, 2012 1:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

helio wrote:
That argument with Atheros/Qualcom seems to be at least half year old but the driver has still not been included in any installation iso.

Distros don't generally add random drivers to their kernels. The age of the argument is irrelevant, what's relevant is that it has not been resolved yet.

That said, give this a try. It's my own little LiveUSB, I added the alx driver to it. To install, unzip it to an usb stick, adjust usblabel in syslinux/syslinux.cfg to whatever label your stick has, then install syslinux onto the stick:
Code:
cat /usr/share/syslinux/mbr.bin > /dev/sdb
sfdisk -A 1 /dev/sdb
syslinux -i -d /syslinux /dev/sdb1

That assumes your usb stick is /dev/sdb, adjust accordingly if it isn't. Careful with the first command, it overwrites the MBR, so make extra sure you've typed the correct device name. Then boot the thing. To connect to the internet, right-click on the desktop, there's a Network menu there.

Edit: sfdisk is being stupid :), the command should be
Code:
sfdisk -A1 /dev/sdb


Last edited by Gusar on Tue Aug 21, 2012 1:58 pm; edited 2 times in total
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helio
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 28, 2012 2:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Gusar for making the liveUSB. I would reserve it as the last resort. I have already transferred the stage3 and portage tar balls downloaded to another computer to the new desktop which has been running on a minimal install liveCD off-line. Right now I am trying to download/transfer the alx driver as well. At this point of the off-line installation process, I wonder if there is a way to install the alx driver and make the ethernet card work for the rest of the installation.
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helio
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 28, 2012 3:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

John R. Graham wrote:
Not really. You can go get the stage3 tarball and portage snapshot on another computer and move them to the install computer via removable media (a USB thumb drive, for example). Then, the first time the Handbook tells you to emerge something, add the --fetchonly and --pretend options (short form -pf) and you will get a list of URLs from which to fetch the required source. Go do that on the other machine and put the fetched files in /usr/portage/distfiles on the install computer. Tedious? Yes. But it works.

- John


Indeed it turned out that no livecd image had stage3 tarball included.
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helio
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 30, 2012 2:59 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Code:
cat /usr/lib/syslinux/mbr.bin > /dev/sdb
sfdisk -A 1 /dev/sdb
syslinux -i -d /syslinux /dev/sdb1


Ok Gusar, I found the mbr.bin file in /usr/share/syslinux/. I assume it's the same file as /usr/lib/syslinux/mbr.bin in your system.

Then I got this error message from the second command: sfdisk -A 1 /dev/sdb

1: No such file or directory

sfdisk: cannot open 1 read-write
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Gusar
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 30, 2012 10:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bah, stupid sfdisk. You can't use a space between the option and it's value, so
Code:
sfdisk -A1 /dev/sdb
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helio
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 30, 2012 1:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Gusar wrote:
Bah, stupid sfdisk. You can't use a space between the option and it's value, so
Code:
sfdisk -A1 /dev/sdb


Indeed I felt stupid too. Thanks, Gusar, the desktop is able to boot on your liveUSB now. The graphic desktop doesn't work (startx failed) but I can log into the basic console. The command "modprobe alx" seems to work, but after I typed "ifconfig" I still didn't see the ethernet card. Any suggestion how to proceed from here?
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Gusar
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 30, 2012 1:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

helio wrote:
The graphic desktop doesn't work (startx failed) but I can log into the basic console.

Oh? I'm interested in what went wrong. Check /var/log/Xorg.0.log. What's your graphic card?

helio wrote:
The command "modprobe alx" seems to work, but after I typed "ifconfig" I still didn't see the ethernet card. Any suggestion how to proceed from here?

"ifconfig" only shows active cards, those that are up. To see all of them, use "ifconfig -a". If not even that shows it, check dmesg output.

One important thing, since you don't have X and therefore can't use the Network menu - the dhcp client installed is udhcpc. So to connect to the internet:
Code:
ifconfig eth0 up
udhcpc -n -R -i eth0
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helio
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 30, 2012 2:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks, Gusar, the ethernet connection is working now with your liveUSB and advice.

The graphic card is AMD Radeon HD 7450. I originally posted the entire Xorg.0.log file but found it too long to read, so I only leave the two relevant error lines identified by Gusar here for reference:

[ 10.548] (EE) RADEON(0): failed to initialise surface manager
[ 10.548] (EE) RADEON(0): radeon_setup_kernel_mem failed


Last edited by helio on Tue Jul 31, 2012 2:18 pm; edited 1 time in total
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 30, 2012 3:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

This is the error:
Code:
[ 10.548] (EE) RADEON(0): failed to initialise surface manager
[ 10.548] (EE) RADEON(0): radeon_setup_kernel_mem failed

And googling for it, I already found the reason - the libdrm in my LiveUSB is too old. I made an update, same link, but it's a new file.
Edit: I did another update, I noticed hal wasn't working (the installed pcmanfm uses it for storage devices). Though I didn't bother setting the locale and keymap to English, so they're set to Slovenian. But setxkbmap is there, you can use it to switch the keyboard to US.

Edit2: Another update, now you can add keymap=us to the APPEND line in syslinux.cfg to get the us layout. Edit3: The keymap setting now affects both console and X, available layouts are de, fr, si, us

Note: X will start automatically, you don't need to log in and type startx.


Last edited by Gusar on Wed Oct 24, 2012 7:02 pm; edited 4 times in total
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helio
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 31, 2012 2:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Gusar wrote:
This is the error:
Code:
[ 10.548] (EE) RADEON(0): failed to initialise surface manager
[ 10.548] (EE) RADEON(0): radeon_setup_kernel_mem failed

And googling for it, I already found the reason - the libdrm in my LiveUSB is too old. I made an update, same link, but it's a new file, it's md5sum is 1010af5e7b33f29b7802ff206e6be18b.

Note: X will start automatically, you don't need to log in and type startx.


Gusar, the graphic desktop and the internet has worked like a charm from your liveUSB. I love the neat ArchLinux running from the USB. Thanks so much.

This new desktop comes with an MS Windows 7 installed on one hard drive with the UEFI. There is another hard drive currently unallocated. Now I need to figure out how to install gentoo while keeping the original Windows 7 installation and be able to dual boot the desktop to either Windows 7 or the gentoo linux. That sounds complicated but I would mark this thread as solved, and ask questions on the dual boot with UEFI in a new thread.
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 03, 2012 1:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Gusar, I tried to chroot from your liveUSB during the installation. I got this error

chroot: can't execute '/bin/bash': Exec format error

The reason is probably due to a mismatch between your liveUSB built for 32-bit i686 and my 64-bit x86-64 (amd64) system. If so, can I ask your favor of building an x86-64 (amd64) version of liveUSB? Thanks.
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 03, 2012 2:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Not everything needs to be 64bit, only the kernel. Which makes my life a lot easier, as I don't have a 64bit installation :).

Download from the same link. Then, when you boot, select 64bit from the syslinux menu. I haven't tested it at all, but it should work in theory :).
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PostPosted: Fri Aug 03, 2012 3:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Gusar. I just tried the new version, and at the syslinux menu, I selected 64bit, but then the boot process stopped after the following messages:

Loading Kernel64....
Loading initrd ... ready.
Waiting 10 seconds for device usbdrive (my usb label) ............
:: Something went wrong or break requested. Launching shell.
[ramfs /] #

so it got stuck there. Is it possible for you to test the new version on your machine? Or is it something I didn't get right?
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