[PLUG] Fedora Core 6, Realtek, and mousie

[John Jason Jordan]

On Sat, 24 Mar 2007 18:27:08 -0700
"Jason Martin" <nsxfreddy at gmail.com> dijo:

> > I'm sure the whole problem with ethernet and sound is that the live CDs and the Debian Etch that I installed all used later drivers and kernels than FC6. These updates should do the trick, if I can just figure out how to install them from the command line.
> 
> You said above that you installed the amd64 version of FC6, but here
> you downloaded the i686 version of the kernel.  You need to download
> the kernel with x86_64 extension.

I followed the instructions I found on a Fedora forum. The person who
posted the instructions had the same exact motherboard and said the
instructions solved the problem. The kernel I downloaded was exactly
what he listed in his instructions. I'm not doubting you. Just
explaining why I did what I did. But the issue is now moot because I
have nuked the FC6 installation and installed Feisty instead. However,
Feisty has its issues too -- the RAID partition utility in the
Alternate CD is broken. I had to install it on a single partition on
one of the drives. So my next foray into distro-swap world will be F7
test2 amd64. The download will finish in about 20 minutes, then I'll
take it for a spin.

> Most likely the kernel that comes with the FC6 install does not have
> the driver support for your NIC, so you just need to upgrade to the
> latest kernel *that matches your architecture*.

I am positive you are correct. The evidence is overwhelming. Everything
that has a recent kernel has no problem with the network and sound.
Kernel 2.6.18 and earlier do. For example, F7 test2 i386 had no
problem, nor did Knoppix 5.1 or Feisty amd64. But Dapper, Edgy, FC6 and
Knoppix 5.0 did. From that guy's instructions I'm pretty sure it takes
2.6.19 or later.

> Beware of FC7-test2, as that is just starting to stabilize and
> upgrades are not officially supported in FC test images.  I'd stick
> with FC6 unless you're trying to be more bleeding edge and you don't
> mind reinstalling in May (and possibly two other times between now and
> then for test3 and test4).

It won't be a problem installing a new OS every now and then on this
machine. Its purpose is to give me networked space for backups from my
laptop and from my Windows 2000 desktop, and to function as a failsafe
computer to get on the net with when I mess up my laptop again. I want
the two 320 GB SATA II drives with a small swap, a RAID 1 partition of
about 45 GB for the OS, and the remainder (275 GB) as a RAID 1 place
for the backups. So if I have to wipe out the OS on the second
partitiion from time to time, it won't be a problem. Therefore I don't
mind being a little bit bleeding edge. 

I know I will get the network and sound problem fixed. The mouse
problem is more vexing. The mouse cursor continues to work, but the
click function dies anywhere from right after the first click to maybe
15 minutes after booting. Ctrl-Alt-Bkspc and logging back in again
restores it. The mouse is part of a Logitech combo USB keyboard/mouse
deal. But it's not a USB problem because I tried a ten-year old wired
mouse and the same thing happened. And it has happened reliably with
every single OS I have tried, regardless of kernel.

I've mucked around in the BIOS until there's nothing left to try. Right
now I suspect an IRQ conflict and that's what I'm going to fiddle with
next.

I so love breaking brand new computers. :)