PXE Booting and PCMCIA issue

[jesaipa]

Hi all,

I've an old tablet PC (fujitsu Point 1600) without network interface and no boot PCMCIA option in bios.
I've add PCMCIA network card (3c589) and I've tryed this : http://howto.gumph.org/content/pxe-boot-a-laptop/
With little time I've succeed to boot in PXE mode so my tablet PC download the initrd image and my tablet PC start configuration but at a time I've this error :
ipconfig: no devices to configure
/init: .: 1: Can't open /tmp/net-eth0.conf
Kernel Panic

So I've searched and find this "Unrecognized NIC" article into the wiki.
I'd add the 3c589_cs module (I see it in /lib/modules/2.2.22-.../kernel/drivers/net/pcmcia) in my modules's file but it don't work
I've thinked that is maybe my pcmcia controler (ti pci1220) who isn't load so I've add module that is in /lib/modules/2.2.22-.../kernel/drivers/pcmcia one after one but nothing to do

Any body have an idea please ?

Thank's a lot and sorry for my bad english

[colinjones]

You need to follow that article very carefully, there are a few gotchas!

Essentially, you need to update both initrd images. The first one is the "first boot" image. This is the boot image sent to a new Media Director that is brand new and has never been seen before. This image is used to run the setup process to create a new MD, and so of course needs to have proper access to the network. If you already have a valid driver on your core for that NIC, then edit the modules file, run "depmod" to create the dependencies list. Then recreate the initrd image.

That should recreate the initial/first-time boot image to include the NIC driver you want. Now the MD should boot correctly the first time, and start building the new MD. Once complete, it should reboot, but fail again. This is because it is now using the MD-specific initrd boot image, which doesn't include your driver again. Continuing to follow that article, you can now "chroot" into the MD image (from your core), and use similar commands again to recreate the MD-specific initrd boot image. Then you should be able to reboot and it work....

[jesaipa]

Thank you very much for this reply.

You talk about this article ? http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/R8168
If I edit the modules file I've a a file seem to be binary ... What do you mean for "then edit the modules file" = edit : I'm stuppid ! I find a way and I continue to learn

Sorry, I'm Linux's beginner

[colinjones]

No, the unrecognised NIC article. By editing the modules file, I mean the same as you meant in your first post!

I'd add the 3c589_cs module (I see it in /lib/modules/2.2.22-.../kernel/drivers/net/pcmcia) in my modules's file

[hari]

you need to run a pcmcia cardmanager for that card to work in linux. Our default initrd does not include one.

best regards,
Hari

[jesaipa]

No, the unrecognised NIC article. By editing the modules file, I mean the same as you meant in your first post!

I'd add the 3c589_cs module (I see it in /lib/modules/2.2.22-.../kernel/drivers/net/pcmcia) in my modules's file

Ok, so I've add 3c589_cs in my module file and run depmod.
After I've rebuild initrd with this script : /usr/pluto/bin/Diskless_BuildDefaultImage.sh  but nothing to do It doesn't work

you need to run a pcmcia cardmanager for that card to work in linux. Our default initrd does not include one.

I've thinked to that ...
The .ko files in /lib/modules/2.2.22-.../kernel/drivers/pcmcia isn't pcmcia cardmanager ?


Just another question.
I've this parameter by default in my initramfs.conf :
MODULES=most  (It should be not "netboot ?)
Boot=local (It should be not "nfs" ?)

Thank's a lot

[jesaipa]

OK so I've add necessary modules in the /etc/initramfs-tools/modules file, run depmod and rebuild image but it don't work

I've unpackage the intrd file in /tftpboot/defaut/initrd and I don't find any modules that I've defined in my /etc/initramfs-tools/modules. I think that I've problem with the mkinitramfs

Have you an idea please ?

Thank's

[jesaipa]

Humm I'm so stupid, I was into /etc/initramfs-tools/ but it's /etc/initramfs-tools-interactor folder !
So if I add module, I see it when i'm unzip initrd.
But with the good modules it doesn't work.

I'v installed a DSL on my old tablet pc for see the configuration. My nic work with DSL and lsmod tell me that I've this module for my NIC : pcmcia_core, yenta_socket and ds.
I've find pcmcia_core and yenta_socket in my /lib/modules/2.2.22-.../kernel/drivers folder but not ds
I'm searching in the web but don't find informations about this.

So more, this module in dsl are .o because it's a 2.4.26 kernel and in 2.6.22 it's .ko

I think that I'm in good way but little help will be precious
Thank's

[jesaipa]

Hummm ... I find the ds.c source but I can't built it in .ko
With " make M=`pwd`/drivers/pcmcia modules " I've a .o file (my source is 2.6.22 so I don't understand)

I've searched and all people tell to execute this " make -C /lib/modules/$(shell uname -r)/build M=$(PWD) modules " but it doesn't work

Any idea please ?

[jesaipa]

you need to run a pcmcia cardmanager for that card to work in linux. Our default initrd does not include one.

best regards,
Hari

Have you an idea about how can I do that please ?

Thank's a lot

[hari]

not ad-hoc..

I've not used that card for ages, in fact I was surprised that it even does PXE :-)

It depends on your controller, is it cardbus or pcmcia? The card is a 16bit pcmcia card, so I assume you need the userspace pcmcia utils (cardservices), too. I've not messed with PCMCIA for years. Recent cardbus cards show up as pci devices, that makes handling much easier.

br, Hari

[jesaipa]

It's a pcmcia slot.
I'll search cardeservices for it

My old 3c589 boot in PXE after make this : http://howto.gumph.org/content/pxe-boot-a-laptop/

Do you know a solution to log what is displaying in my tablet pc when booting ?

Thank's Hari
Sorry for my bad english

[jesaipa]

Hummm ... if I understand I should add cardmanager to the kernel that take my tablet by PXE ? (my english is so poor so I hope that you know what I mean)

Have you an idea about how modify it please ?

[jesaipa]

I find a way ...
The files used to make the initrd are into /usr/share/initramfs-tools

I'm continue to search a solution but I think that I'm  progress

[jesaipa]

Hummm ... I've a way
I think that is cardmanager is in 32 bits but my old nic run in 16 bit and don't run on 32bits.

I've made lot of things to try to desactivate 32 bits support but I can't

Any one have an idea (same little) please

Thank's