Elive

Went back to the last known working development version (0.5-pre-stable date-build: 2006-09-07) which contained kernel 2.6.15, and 0.5.2 contains kernel 2.6.18. Thenatermesis and I deduced that the kernel make be the root of the issue. I installed the old version of the distro and the verified that the laptop shutdown correctly. Then I installed the 2.6.18 kernel and added it to my grub menu. I booted to the 2.6.18 kernel and found two things:
1. My WiFi D-Link DWL-G630 card was no longer recognized
2. The laptop would not shut down properly. (screen would blank but not turn off; HD would power off, but laptop was still powered on)

What exact driver (linux name) is your wifi ?

Sorry about the ambiguity. The driver is atheros.

I did not have an issue with the wifi card when I installed the 0.5.2 version or used it in live mode, only when I upgraded the kernel while in install mode on an older version. Could be a fluke, but thought I would mention it just in case.

I reinstalled the older version of the distro and verified that shutdown and the wifi card worked. Only upgraded the kernel to 2.6.18 and noticed the following messages during setup:

Hmm. There is a symbolic link /lib/modules/2.6.18/build
However, I can not read it: No such file or directory
Therefore, I am deleting /lib/modules/2.6.18/build

Hmm. Package shipped with a symbolic link /lib/modules/2.6.18/source
However, I can not read it: No such file or directory
Therefore, I am deleting /lib/modules/2.6.18/source

I am not sure that this makes a difference, but the laptop still will not shutdown properly and the wifi card is not detected under the 2.6.18 kernel. Was there any 2.6.18 modules or sources that need to be upgraded as well? I could not find any during my search.

Well, i remember now to the wifi driver is in a separed package, this is why not works when you install only the kernel

The problem stills with apm, and aparently this kernel don’t like’s to make apm working, i have a new 2.6.18 updated for you try it, if not works, time to try a 2.6.17 one

The version that I have installed today is elive.01, is the one that you have for me a newer version or is this that version? If there is a newer version how do I get it?

Enter on IRC and I send you this kernel, is not actually on the repositories

The new kernel version elive.02 did not work either. Whick 2.6.17 version do you want me to try?

The elive.02 version does not blank the screen like the elive.01 version, it only “eats up” the splash screen and shows that the System is halted. I can run the kernel, just as I can run the other kernels; I just cannot shut the laptop down properly.

Well, I see a important diference now on the 2.6.18 kernel of Elive in comparation to the 2.6.15 one... its a 686 model based and no a 386 based how in 2.6.15, what kind of processor you have ? We can make a better test:

• You have both type versions of those kernels on debian, please install this two kernels from debian:
  • linux-image-2.6.17-2-486
  • linux-image-2.6.17-2-686

See if those kernels shutdown the computer correctly or not

Sorry it has taken so long. I built my own 2.6.17 and I was able to shut down properly with it. I built it as a 386, but My processor is a 686. I pulled the source for a 2.6.19 rc5 and 2.6.18.2 to see if I could build those to test. What was the version of the 2.6.18 in the 5.2 dev release? I will install your 2.6.17-2-686 image and try that one as well, since mine did not have the bootsplash patch in it.

I installed the 686 version of the 2.6.17 kernel located on the repository, but the laptop would not shut down properly. I find it strange that I can compile my own 2.6.17 kernel and the laptop will shutdown and the repository image will not. Any ideas? What else can we try?

Tried compiling 2.6.19-rc5. Got it to compile successfully and to install, but I could not get it to boot up (it would hang when waiting for the root system).

very curious (2.6.17-686), looks similar to your laptop is not very compatible with the 686 mode kernel... try the 2.6.17 of the same repositories but the version 386 (or 486, i think to 386 not exist anymore), you can see it with “apt-cache search linux image 2.6.17”

About the kernel compilation, make a look to http://wiki.elivecd.org/index.php/Kernel%2C_drivers_and_stuff

I installed the 2.6.17-2-486 image and the laptop shutdown successfully. It is strange that my laptop has an Intel PII 266 chip, but does not like a 686 build. What do you recommend next?

ok, try to install this one (kernel for the next dev. version build):

wget http://www.vobcopy.org/mirror/elive/pool/tests/l/linux-source-2.6.18.2/linux-image-2.6.18.2_elive.03_i386.deb

I loaded it and my laptop did not shutdown properly. The screen did not turn off and still showed the shutdown sequence. I am going to build a 2.6.18.2 kernel on my own and see if that makes a difference, but I am not sure that it will.

Well, basically this kernel has added the “generic 386 compatibility”, but is optimized for 686 machines and no 386 (are 2 diferents options), I think to its the only thing different to makes your machine not shutdowns correctly

The question is, how much persons are affected by this problem on Elive if Elive uses now a 686 kernel ?

Not sure. If you are aiming to reach people like me with legacy equipment who do not have the power to run hungry KDE and Gnome, then we still have a problem. I would be let down to see Elive move forward with only a 686 kernel and leave us legacy users behind, but at the same time, I understand that it limits the offerings of the project. Whatever is the case, I still support the cause, but may have to upgrade my equipment.

I’ve this problem on my Toshiba L30-134 laptop. When the system runs shutdown procedure it hangs afret trying umount all drives.

Only of this version of course ?

Ok, well, i think to its better to turn back to the 386 mode, anyways the optimizations are not apreciable

Should we maybe look into seeing how far we can optimize before we see issues? I know I did not see issues with 486 optimization. If you build me a 586 kernel, I will try that.

Well, 486 is the new kernel standards of debian, don’t use anymore 386 but 486 now... i think to 486 is a good option

Installed 0.5.5 and found that APM is not installed in both live and install mode either. If I do a modprobe in livemode, the laptop will not shutdown correctly. When I install 0.5.5, apm will modprobe and laptop will shutdown correctly only after all intital setup operations have been performed. After adding apm to /etc/modules all works fine. We are one step closer, now we just need to figure out why install and live is not loading apm automatically.

Well, better to try with the next development version then, with the new 2.6.18 optimized and with the 386 full compatibility and then look exactly what fails

Any news ?