CrunchBang Linux

michael.h4lios

Member

Registered: 2009-05-24

Posts: 23

Upgrading Kernel/Ethernet & Wireless issues

Hello all,
New CrunchBang user here. I was running Jaunty Jackelope for about a week or two before I got legal editions of Dreamweaver and PS CS4 and decided I didn't want to run them through Wine. I reinstalled Windows XP and got my configurations all set, then decided to install a lightweight speedy distro for when I don't need to use Windows and #! seemed perfectly suited for my purposes. I've installed #! once before to check it out (my laptop has been running like 5-10 different OS's over the past 3-4 weeks) and had the same problem I have now. I've pretty much narrowed it down as best I could, but I need help solving it.

In #! neither my Ethernet NOR my Wifi work. My lspci -v readings give these two for the controllers:

03:00.0 Ethernet controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4401-B0 100Base-TX (rev 02)
Subsystem: Dell Device 01cd
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 64, IRQ 5
Memory at ef9fe00 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=8K]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel modules: b44

...

0c:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4328 802.11a/b/g/n (rev 01)
Subsystem: Dell Device 0009
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 17
Memory at efcfc000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]
Memory at e0000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=1M]
Capabilities: <access denied>
Kernel driver in use: b43-pci-bridge
Kernel modules: wl, ssb

{If you need the Capabilities I can give them to you, just didn't feel like typing them out.}

So my problem seems to be that CrunchBang is running the 2.6.27-9 kernel. In Jaunty (I believe) I was running -10. I've found a few threads that talk about my problem saying that the Kernel needs to be updated for my Network Controller to work. Problem is: I can't just do a simple command in terminal (I think I'd found a few that they said should do it) because I have no internet whatsoever. The drivers I need for my wifi need to be downloaded (though in Jaunty activating the Broadcom STA driver w/o any internet seemed to work, I'm guessing it's because CrunchBang is running 8.10, and thus, -9 Kernel), and I have absolutely NO idea how to upgrade the kernel manually. So... Any help solving this problem would be very appreciated, and probably make me one of the happiest CrunchBang users in history.

P.S. I may sound like I'm far from a *nix-nub, but believe me, I am. I'm just a quick learner. My first time at Linux's hand was about a month ago or so.

Thanks Guys,
Michael Sendker.

Last edited by michael.h4lios (2009-05-24 18:59:54)

michael.h4lios

Member

Registered: 2009-05-24

Posts: 23

Re: Upgrading Kernel/Ethernet & Wireless issues

A clarification or two:

I tried downloading the latest kernel off of softpedia (google search returned it) but the read me was too terse to follow. I've also tried searching for other instructions but typically they're either too terse or require the net.

And my last statement was meant to convey that I am TOTALLY a nub. I just noticed that there was a possible reading of it that sounded incredibly pompous.

Directrix

Member

From: Kalamazoo, MI

Registered: 2009-04-23

Posts: 43

Re: Upgrading Kernel/Ethernet & Wireless issues

For a kernel update, I think "sudo system-update -f" will do the trick.

Edit: I reread your post and realized you don't have internet connection. I'm not sure how to help.

Last edited by Directrix (2009-05-24 23:29:36)

michael.h4lios

Member

Registered: 2009-05-24

Posts: 23

Re: Upgrading Kernel/Ethernet & Wireless issues

For a kernel update, I think "sudo system-update -f" will do the trick.

Edit: I reread your post and realized you don't have internet connection. I'm not sure how to help.

Heh, it's okay. Thanks anyway.

I've got time and patience. I can wait until someone happens to know for whatever random reason.

michael.h4lios

Member

Registered: 2009-05-24

Posts: 23

Re: Upgrading Kernel/Ethernet & Wireless issues

Update Better Late than Never: I got it all working and running. All it took was the unofficial 9.04 release. I actually like it a LOT better than 8.10 irrespective of 8.10. I think the standard window manager settings are beautiful.

Plus now that internet works I've been using it for a while and I've started to get VERY familiar with Linux. I've started messing with configs and what-not, getting used to rc files and the like. I still haven't found the config file for the taskbar (is it lxpanel? I'm still not sure), but I imagine it's only a matter of time. Some searching and I'll find it. (Might want to add a config link to the preferences section in the menu for the official release )

All in all I'd say I'm beginning to fall in love with #!, and Linux in general. I'd like to try BSD eventually, but FreeBSD is frightening, and I've grown complacently curious with Linux as it is.

So I guess this is my official "Hello" to the forum...? Yeah. Hi! I like this community, I think I'm here to stay.

Last edited by michael.h4lios (2009-06-09 02:47:05)

iggykoopa

Script Master

Registered: 2008-12-13

Posts: 1,486

Re: Upgrading Kernel/Ethernet & Wireless issues

for the panel it is bmpanel, and there isn't really a configuration per se. You can change the theme which will change the configuration basically, go into your autostart.sh and the line that starts with bmpanel change to bmpanel themename. If you look up bmpanel themes there are some good ones on the forums. Also if your wanting to look into a unix based distro give opensolaris a try to, it has some neat features (well mainly zfs and zones, but theyre pretty cool)

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I say never be complete, I say stop being perfect, I say lets evolve, let the chips fall where they may.

michael.h4lios

Member

Registered: 2009-05-24

Posts: 23

Re: Upgrading Kernel/Ethernet & Wireless issues

for the panel it is bmpanel, and there isn't really a configuration per se. You can change the theme which will change the configuration basically, go into your autostart.sh and the line that starts with bmpanel change to bmpanel themename. If you look up bmpanel themes there are some good ones on the forums. Also if your wanting to look into a unix based distro give opensolaris a try to, it has some neat features (well mainly zfs and zones, but theyre pretty cool)

Will do. Thanks for the advice. And are bmpanel themes specially compiled or just png images with a theme file (effectively meaning I could create my own theme with some clever gimp and coding - I'm getting pretty good at "code echoing" - just changing lines and mimicking the basic structure of another piece of code)?

anonymous

The Mystery Member

From: Arch Linux Forums

Registered: 2008-11-29

Posts: 9,418

Re: Upgrading Kernel/Ethernet & Wireless issues

Its the latter (PNGs and theme file).

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Note: ** Please read before posting **

michael.h4lios

Member

Registered: 2009-05-24

Posts: 23

Re: Upgrading Kernel/Ethernet & Wireless issues

Its the latter (PNGs and theme file).

Beautiful.