Tiny Core Linux

Tiny Core Base => CorePlus => Topic started by: Soe on April 15, 2025, 04:38:12 AM

Title: Ethernet does not work
Post by: Soe on April 15, 2025, 04:38:12 AM
Despite having used Tiny Core before successfully (many years ago) on an old Toshiba laptop I am a beginner, so please forgive my ignorance.  My computer died a few weeks back.   I have 'borrowed' my wife's work laptop to help me with my task - she is not thrilled with this.  I have no administrator access to her machine.

Now I am trying to set up Linux on a Dell Inspiron 530. I managed to put Windows XP on its and I would like to set up dual boot eventually.  I have made a live Coreplus USB which I can boot to.   However the ethernet card is not working.  I have no wifi hardware.  I do not really know what I am doing and I do not know how to add components to Coreplus.

From researching I have found out how to get this info: 
cpuinfo:   Intel(R) Core(TM)2 quad CPU Q6600 @ 2400GHz. 
lspci :  Ethernet controller: Intel Corporation 82562V-2 10/100 Network Connector (rev 02)
 
Can anyone help me with this please? 

Thankyou. 
Title: Re: Ethernet does not work
Post by: Juanito on April 15, 2025, 04:49:21 AM
If you check dmesg is there an error about missing firmware?

Code: [Select]
dmesg | grep -i firmware
Title: Re: Ethernet does not work
Post by: Soe on April 15, 2025, 05:04:51 AM
Hello Juanito.  Thanks for the reply.     

Over the past few days I've typed dmseg a number of times and always got the same response - "not found" and I assumed it was not in this version of Linux.
But now I see it is supposed to be dmesg.     doh....

So if I type the correct command I do get back this
   ACPI:  OSL:  Resource conflict; ACPI support missing from driver? 
 so maybe that is a hint?   
Title: Re: Ethernet does not work
Post by: Juanito on April 15, 2025, 05:27:00 AM
Does lsmod show that the e1000 driver is loaded?

If not, try sudo modprobe e1000
Title: Re: Ethernet does not work
Post by: Soe on April 15, 2025, 05:44:36 AM
lsmod reports (amongst other things)

Code: [Select]
module            size       used  by      Not tainted 
    ...
acpi_cpufreq      12280
e1000e           122880    0.     
ptp               29489    1 e1000e
    ...
I assume that means it is not used?

    [Edit] Added code tags.  Rich

sudo modprobe e1000 returns nothing.
   
Title: Re: Ethernet does not work
Post by: Soe on April 15, 2025, 06:25:01 AM
Hi - Sorry, I was fixing/editing my reply but got timed out...

after the    sudo modprobe e1000 the result of lsmod is unchanged.    and ping 8.8.8.8 returns  "network is unreachable"


 
Title: Re: Ethernet does not work
Post by: Juanito on April 15, 2025, 06:29:57 AM
How about ifconfig?
Title: Re: Ethernet does not work
Post by: Soe on April 15, 2025, 07:08:46 AM
Ifconfig returns :

Link encap:Local Loopback
inet addr:127.0.0.1 Mask 255.0.0.0
UP LOOPBACK RUNNING MTU:65536 Metric:1
RX packets:28 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
TX packets:28 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
RX bytes:2168 (2.1KiB) TX bytes:2168 (2.1 KiB)

?  all gibberish to me.....
Title: Re: Ethernet does not work
Post by: Rich on April 15, 2025, 09:00:05 AM
Hi Soe
Welcome to the forum.

Please use  Code Tags  when posting commands and responses seen in a terminal. To use  Code Tags  click on the  #  icon
above the reply box and paste your text between the  Code Tags  as shown in this example:

Quote
[code][   36.176529] pcm512x 1-004d: Failed to get supply 'AVDD': -517
[   36.176536] pcm512x 1-004d: Failed to get supplies: -517
[   36.191753] pcm512x 1-004d: Failed to get supply 'AVDD': -517[/code]

It will appear like this in your post:
Code: [Select]
[   36.176529] pcm512x 1-004d: Failed to get supply 'AVDD': -517
[   36.176536] pcm512x 1-004d: Failed to get supplies: -517
[   36.191753] pcm512x 1-004d: Failed to get supply 'AVDD': -517
Code Tags  serve as visual markers between what you are trying to say and the information you are posting. They also preserve
spacing so column aligned data displays properly. Code tags also automatically add horizontal and or vertical scrollbars
to accommodate long lines and listings.
Title: Re: Ethernet does not work
Post by: Rich on April 15, 2025, 09:00:45 AM
Hi Soe
Let's try configuring your network card:
Code: [Select]
sudo ifconfig eth0 192.168.1.188 netmask 255.255.255.0 broadcast 192.168.1.255 up
sudo route add default gw 192.168.1.1
sudo echo nameserver 192.168.1.1 > /etc/resolv.confThis assumes your routers address is 192.168.1.1 and your
network card is eth0.

If you enter:
Code: [Select]
ifconfig -ayou should see your network card even if it's not configured.
Title: Re: Ethernet does not work
Post by: patrikg on April 15, 2025, 09:11:09 AM
Don't know if TC busybox has the new kid in town, the command IP.
But if that is true, you can config your Ethernet card as follow.

sudo ip link set eth0 up
sudo ip addr add 192.168.1.188/24 brd + dev eth0
sudo ip route add default via 192.168.1.1
sudo sh -c 'echo nameserver 192.168.1.1 > /etc/resolv.conf'
Title: Re: Ethernet does not work
Post by: Rich on April 15, 2025, 10:07:40 AM
Hi patrikg
Quote from: patrikg on April 15, 2025, 09:11:09 AM
Don't know if TC busybox has the new kid in town, the command IP. ...
No, it doesn't have the command  ip.
Title: Re: Ethernet does not work
Post by: Soe on April 15, 2025, 10:14:16 AM
Replying to Rich:

Thanks very much for the help! 
 
From looking in Windows, I think my routers address is 192.168.100.1.  and I am trying use the code flags.   So..

Code: [Select]
sudo ifconfig eth0 192.168.100.188 netmask 255.255.255.0 broadcast 192.168.100.255 up   :  SIOCSIFADDR: No such device
sudo route add default gw 192.168.100.1     : resolving dafault 
sudo echo nameserver 192.168.100.1 > /etc/resolv.conf     : 

dmesg | grep -i firmware   :   

ifconfig :
lo     Link encap:Local Loopback
        inet addr:127.0.0.1 Mask 255.0.0.0
       UP LOOPBACK RUNNING MTU:65536 Metric:1
       RX packets:8 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
       TX packets:8 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
        collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
       RX bytes: 468 (468.0 B) TX bytes: 468 (468.0 B)


But I still have no network access. 
Title: Re: Ethernet does not work
Post by: Soe on April 15, 2025, 10:16:42 AM
Quote from: patrikg on April 15, 2025, 09:11:09 AM
Don't know if TC busybox has the new kid in town, the command IP.
But if that is true, you can config your Ethernet card as follow.

sudo ip link set eth0 up
sudo ip addr add 192.168.1.188/24 brd + dev eth0
sudo ip route add default via 192.168.1.1
sudo sh -c 'echo nameserver 192.168.1.1 > /etc/resolv.conf'

Thanks Patrickg.   I tried but as Rich says it does not work.  yet?    But thanks for trying to help me!
 
Title: Re: Ethernet does not work
Post by: Rich on April 15, 2025, 10:20:36 AM
Hi Soe
What does this command return?
Code: [Select]
ifconfig -a
Title: Re: Ethernet does not work
Post by: Soe on April 15, 2025, 10:51:22 AM
Hi Rich....

it sends a lot of stuff...   let me copy it out...
Code: [Select]
ifconfig -a

dummy 0      Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 32:41:2a:1a:11:d2
                    BROADCAST NOARP MTU:1500 Metric:1
                   RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
                   TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
                   collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
                   RX bytes: 0 (0.0 B) TX bytes: 0 (0.0 B)

lo     Link encap:Local Loopback
        inet addr:127.0.0.1 Mask 255.0.0.0
       UP LOOPBACK RUNNING MTU:65536 Metric:1
       RX packets:8 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
       TX packets:8 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
        collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
       RX bytes: 468 (468.0 B) TX bytes: 468 (468.0 B)

tunl0         Link encap:UNSPEC HWaddr 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00-00
                  NOARP MTU:1480 Metric:1
                   RX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
                   TX packets:0 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
                   collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
                   RX bytes: 0 (0.0 B) TX bytes: 0 (0.0 B)

and I have probably made mistakes in copying that - sorry if that confuses things.  Thankyou.
Title: Re: Ethernet does not work
Post by: Rich on April 15, 2025, 11:02:09 AM
Hi Soe
I don't see a network card listed there.

OK, we're going to have to dig a little deeper.
Run these commands:
Code: [Select]
dmesg > dmesg.txt
lsmod > lsmod.txt
Attach the dmesg.txt and lsmod.txt files to your next post
using the "Attachments and other options" selection below
the reply box.
Title: Re: Ethernet does not work
Post by: Soe on April 15, 2025, 12:11:05 PM
Rich,

I am going offline for at least 9 hours.  Thankyou for your time today.
The outputs are attached.

Regards,  Soe.

 
Title: Re: Ethernet does not work
Post by: CentralWare on April 15, 2025, 12:26:36 PM
@Soe:
Title: Re: Ethernet does not work
Post by: Rich on April 15, 2025, 12:54:41 PM
Hi Soe
Well here's the problem:
Code: [Select]
----- Snip -----
e1000e 0000:00:19.0: Invalid MAC Address: ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
e1000e 0000:00:19.0: probe with driver e1000e failed with error -5
 ----- Snip ----- Not yet sure what the fix might be.
Title: Re: Ethernet does not work
Post by: Rich on April 15, 2025, 01:11:02 PM
Hi Soe
It's a long shot, but you can try this on the chance it's
a timing issue:
Code: [Select]
sudo modprobe -r e1000e
sudo modprobe e1000e
dmesg | tailThe character after dmesg is not a lowercase L.
It is a pipe character found on the \ key.

See if that dmesg output ends with the above listed error.
Title: Re: Ethernet does not work
Post by: CentralWare on April 15, 2025, 01:11:54 PM
Quote from: CentralWare on April 15, 2025, 12:26:36 PM
Go into BIOS and make sure you don't have the Ethernet port disabled
Title: Re: Ethernet does not work
Post by: Soe on April 15, 2025, 08:49:21 PM
Quote from: CentralWare on April 15, 2025, 12:26:36 PM
@Soe:
  • Look at the attached photo.  Is your network cable plugged into AREA 4 (above the USB ports?) or is there a CARD plugged into AREA 5 that you're connecting to?
  • Are there ANY cards plugged into AREA 5?  (Possible IRQ CONFLICT)
  • Regardless of #1/#2 above, are the LEDs above the network cable LIT UP?
  • Go into BIOS and make sure you don't have the Ethernet port disabled

Hello CentralWare, thank you for taking the trouble to help me. 

My cable is plugged into the slot next to the USB ports in area4, and it is lit up with a green light that occasionally flashes orange. 

I have an extra card in the area 5, which I think is a graphics card.  It has nothing connected to it.

In the BIOS the only thing I see that is related to the LAN says this:

Code: [Select]

Onboard LAN Controller    [ENABLED]
Onboard LAN Boot ROM    [Disabled]

A quick bit of reading tells me that they are probably set the way they should be.
Thanks for the advice. 

Title: Re: Ethernet does not work
Post by: CentralWare on April 17, 2025, 12:08:12 AM
Quote from: Soe on April 15, 2025, 08:49:21 PM
My cable is plugged into the slot next to the USB ports in area4, and it is lit up with a green light that occasionally flashes orange. 
I cannot speak from personal experience on this specific machine, but if there are TWO lights on the network port, the orange/amber LED normally indicates speed and should not alternate - while the second LED normally indicates activity/traffic/etc.  If there's only ONE light, it's possible this alternating colors was intentional.  I'll do a little digging to see if I can find a determination, but just for sake of trying, if you have another Ethernet cable I would swap this one out and see if there's a difference.

UPDATE: According to the owner's manual, there are two LED lights.  On the RIGHT side of the cable should be a SOLID GREEN LED which indicates a solid connection to the network.  On the LEFT side of the cable should be an amber (orange) LED which flashes according to activity on the network.  This LED should not alternate colors.

Click Here (https://dl.dell.com/manuals/all-products/esuprt_desktop/esuprt_inspiron_desktop/inspiron-530_owner%27s%20manual_en-us.pdf) for the owner's manual

Quote from: Soe on April 15, 2025, 08:49:21 PM
I have an extra card in the area 5, which I think is a graphics card.  It has nothing connected to it.
If you're willing and able, unplug the machine and remove any unused cards from the system to free up Interrupt channels.
Also, in BIOS, disable COM/Serial ports, floppy drives/controllers...  anything you do not NEED to fire up the machine with.
There are multiple Inspiron 530 models, some had ATI video cards, Sound Blaster cards and/or Telco Modems installed at the factory.

Next, go into BIOS and see what VERSION of BIOS is installed.  Their most recent (2009) is v1.0.18

On the Dell website, there's also mention of a RealTek 81xxxx driver which based on the driver information I'm going to speculate it was their "fix" as the Intel chip caused quite a bit of grief back in those days.  If the RealTek was a plug-in card, which it probably was, this won't involve us.

Finally, I need to know what version of Tiny Core you are using for this adventure.
You noted you have WinXP running on it - does Ethernet work under Windows?