Clarence Verge wrote:
>
> In DOS all is obvious to me. I got a new card. I got a new disk.
> Disk has directory PKTDRVR. The packet driver is a binary.
> What more do I need except to know that I have to load it ?
Linux has a directory /lib/modules/2.x.xx/net. The module
is a binary. What more do you need?
> In Linux one gets the IMPRESSION that the system should
> know all.
Sorry, mate, MSwindows is the system that knows all.
Just leave all those messy decisions to Billig --
he knows what's best for you.
Perhaps RedHat is trying to be the Billig of the Linux
world. Perhaps RedHat wants you to think that RedHat
knows all. But RedHat is not Linux and McDonalds is
not restaurant. (I just had to get that one in again.)
> After all, during bootup it tells me all these things
> about my hardware that I might not have known, and am
> certainly surprised when it describes my HD in terms
> that I have to go to MAXTOR to find.
Information is good. Information is power.
Embrace the power.
> But even then the impression is mixed. There is
> always this stupid message re: creating 16 4meg Ramdisks.
The kernel has created the structure to accommodate up
to 16 4meg ramdisks. Memory is not actually allocated
to these (potential) ramdisks. You may choose to have
one ramdisk or two ramdisks or no ramdisks. But you
cannot have seventeen ramdisks. The size and number
of potential ramdisks is configurable when the kernel
is compiled.
> Didn't try the NE driver as I had a proper one for
> this new PCI 10/100 card. Isn't the NE driver old ?
An oldie, but a goodie.
> I'm reluctant to try to run it with say a DE600 driver.
If it works, it will tell you that eth0 is activated.
If it doesn't, you will probably just get an error message.
It won't damage your computer.
> I know the address of my card.
That will make things easier.
> Are you saying I could do:
> modprobe de io=0x320 and be done,
modprobe ne io=0x320 will work if:
(1) your card is ne2000 compatible
(2) the address of the card is 0x320
(3) your Linux uses modprobe
The Dlink modules have a number as part of the
name (eg. de4x5, de600, de600). You'll need
to choose the correct version for your card.
Also, these drivers have differing parameters.
However, my cursory reading of the Dlink info
leads me to believe that there is a good
chance it is ne2000 compatible. So I would
try that one first and see what it says.
Cheers,
Steven
