Linux Format forums

Re: Help to Install Mandriva 2006

alpheus — Fri Jan 20, 2006 3:37 am

Author: alpheus

Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 3:37 am

I was able to get out to the net by disabling my ethernet connection and used a dial up modem. Mandriva wants to use my ethernet/router for the primary DNS so Idisabled that as well. My ISP becomes the DNS. Mail; and firefox then respond to my modem connection. My situation is somewhat different as I must us dial up, no DSL out here. However I do have a LAN and want to use my ethernet for that. I just can't seem to do both atthe same time.

Using the system configuration tools/Netwrking let me get this far.
TTFN
Al

Re: Help to Install Mandriva 2006

Rhakios — Sun Nov 27, 2005 11:52 am

Author: Rhakios

Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2005 11:52 am

The only problem with that tactic might be that the contents of /etc/resolv.conf are supposed to be generated dynamically as your network comes up, so whatever you edit out now will only be back after the next boot.

Re: Help to Install Mandriva 2006

Gorky — Sat Nov 26, 2005 10:45 pm

Author: Gorky

Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2005 10:45 pm

I will edit the file and remove the words 'search localhost' and try again. Now it is too late. I must sleep now as I have some plans to go to the gym tomorrow morning.

I have a bad habit of training 3 times a week at the gym.

I will do this tomorrow evening and post here. Thank you for today's support. Your support worth millions to me.

Good Night!

Re: Help to Install Mandriva 2006

Rhakios — Sat Nov 26, 2005 10:31 pm

Author: Rhakios

Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2005 10:31 pm

Indeed they do. It's a mystery to me how you can get an IP and nameservers via DHCP and still not be able to access the internet normally.

The only odd thing looks to me to be the bit that says "Search loclahost". Connecting direct to my router and getting everything via DHCPI just get:

[rhakios@atropos ~]$ cat /etc/resolv.conf
nameserver 195.74.102.146
nameserver 195.74.102.147
nameserver 195.74.113.58

Well, there's something odd going on, it looks as though your network card, while configured, is not acting as the default gateway. I have no idea why and as I'm afraid that I'm not a network guru I can't tell what it is.

Re: Help to Install Mandriva 2006

Gorky — Sat Nov 26, 2005 10:14 pm

Author: Gorky

Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2005 10:14 pm

I checked the 'resolve.conf' file on the 'etc' folder.
-------------------------------------------------------------

# cat resolve.conf

nameserver 83.255.245.10

nameserver 83.255.249.10

Search localhost
-------------------------------------------------------------

The above 3 entries seem fine. What do you think?

Re: Help to Install Mandriva 2006

Gorky — Sat Nov 26, 2005 9:55 pm

Author: Gorky

Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2005 9:55 pm

Rhakios
When the computer starts, LILO comes and starts Mandriva. It gives me 30 seconds to change to Windows XP. So my default is Mandriva Linux.

The shutting down and wait for for 10 minutes option didn't work. I tried it several times.

However, you mentioned resolve.conf file in the 'etc' folder. I will look at it. A friend of mine came with a similar suggestion. He said the problem is in scripts pertaining to network card. I ha ve to do some changes there.
I looked at the 'etc' folder. I couldn't find anything to change there. There should be something related to the NIC. I found nothing.

I will look at the file you mentioned.

Re: Help to Install Mandriva 2006

Rhakios — Sat Nov 26, 2005 9:40 pm

Author: Rhakios

Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2005 9:40 pm

I don't think changing your network card would be likely to make a difference if ifconfig is showing that you have a valid IP address.
I don't know if you reboot straight into Mandriva from Windows, but what you could try is shutting your computer down completely, giving the cable modem a chance to lose its network connection (five minutes should do), then boot up into Mandriva and see if it works. Check with ifconfig that you have a valid IP and check /etc/resolv.conf to see if you have your ISP's nameserver listed there.

Re: Help to Install Mandriva 2006

Gorky — Sat Nov 26, 2005 9:15 pm

Author: Gorky

Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2005 9:15 pm

1. It is a cable modem.

2. I have builtin network card on the motherboard.

Everything works smoothly in Windows XP side.

The only problem in Linux is that I can't go to the Internet.

The Openoffice wordprocessor works fine. I can work with script language on the shell. The GIMP works fine. I can format floppy disks.

[ A friend of mine suggested buying a new NIC card and put it inside. Would you believe changing the NIC? I don't think it will make any difference because things are working smoothly on Windows XP side.]

Re: Help to Install Mandriva 2006

Rhakios — Sat Nov 26, 2005 9:05 pm

Author: Rhakios

Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2005 9:05 pm

Actually, what I was hoping for was a description of the hardware you are using. Otherwise it's guesswork I'm afraid. Are you using an ADSL modem/router or cable modem, or what? Am I correct in surmisng that you connect to it via your network card?

Re: Help to Install Mandriva 2006

Gorky — Sat Nov 26, 2005 3:37 pm

Author: Gorky

Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2005 3:37 pm

Rhakios, thanks for the reply.

In Windows XP, you will write the following at the command prompt:

ipconfig /all

In Linux, you should log on as a root user write the following:

#ifconfig

I compared the values and even talk to the ISP. They are the same.

As you know the DHCP server gives me a different IP Address every time I log on to the system.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I tried by using the ping command to myself. The following is the result:

[The command 'ifconfig' gave me the IP address.]
# ping -c 3 83.250.88.97

64 bytes from 83.250.88.97: icmp_seq=1 ttl=64 time=0.025ms

64 bytes from 83.250.88.97: icmp_seq=2 ttl=64 time=0.023ms

64 bytes from 83.250.88.97: icmp_seq=3 ttl=64 time=0.021ms

3 packets transmitted, 3 received, 0 packets loss, time 1991 ms
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I open a browser and try to go to a website. It doesn't work. It just struggles to go to the Internet.

I tried to ping my ISP whose IP Address is 194.237.212.165.
It doesn't work.

I tried to ping Google. It didn't work. I tried to ping BBC. It didn't work.
However, all those things work smoothly on Windows XP side.
[By the way, I am writing here using Windows XP side of the computer.]

Opened a browser and tried to go the ISP; it just struggles.
[ http://194.237.212.165] or [ http://www.comhem.se]
{My Swedish ISP is 'comhem'. I live in Stockholm, Sweden.}

I have disabled the builtin firewall and there is no proxy server.
Why can't I go to the Internet? Your thoughts are very welcome.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I tried to ping Google. Please read the following:

# ping -c 3 216.239.39.99 and pressed enter.

The message was:

PING 216.239.39.99 (216.239.39.99 ) 56(84) bytes of data

--- 216.239.39.99

3 packets transmitted, 0 received, 100% packet loss, time 1999ms
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

I opened the Mozilla Firefox browsr and wrote the following:

http:// 216.239.39.99

The message was.

The operation time out when attempting to contact 216.239.39.99

Re: Help to Install Mandriva 2006

Rhakios — Fri Nov 25, 2005 8:46 pm

Author: Rhakios

Posted: Fri Nov 25, 2005 8:46 pm

From what you have written above, I assume you are connecting to the internet through a network card attached to an ADSL router or similar?

You said above that you could ping your ISP's DNS server - do you get your IP and DNS server addresses via DHCP from your router?

Have you set the router as the default gateway?

Really, without knowing details it's hard to make sensible suggestions.

Re: Help to Install Mandriva 2006

Gorky — Fri Nov 25, 2005 5:05 pm

Author: Gorky

Posted: Fri Nov 25, 2005 5:05 pm

Rhakios

I solve the problem of swap partition. I erased the Mandriva Linux and created a swap partition using the Partition Magic program.

Afterwards, I installed the Mandriva again. Now I have a swap partition. The problem is that I can't go to the Internet.

The connection to the ISP is on. There is an icon. It tells me that the computer is connected to the ISP.

I can't go to the Internet. Do you have any idea?

Re: Help to Install Mandriva 2006

Gorky — Thu Nov 24, 2005 3:28 pm

Author: Gorky

Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2005 3:28 pm

Thanks Rakios

Your command works fine.

Re: Help to Install Mandriva 2006

Rhakios — Wed Nov 23, 2005 11:47 pm

Author: Rhakios

Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2005 11:47 pm

A simple command like free will show if you have any swap and what is being used, e.g.

Code:

rhakios@pythia:~> free -tk | grep -i swap
Swap: 1469936 0 1469936

Not sure about your network problem.

Re: Help to Install Mandriva 2006

Gorky — Wed Nov 23, 2005 9:43 pm

Author: Gorky

Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2005 9:43 pm

Now I have created a 50MB of partition of 'ext2' file system and Installed Mandriva 2006 which I downloaded from a FTP site. I made this partition using the Partition Magic program. My Windows XP works; I have installed the Partition Magic on Windows XP.

I can remove it again or reinstall again. It just takes about 20 minutes. I could just use the Partition Magic and format that partition and remove it neatly. It is very simple.

There are a few problems. It didn't ask me about any swap partition. It seems that there is no swap partition. Usually the Partition Magic shows the swap partition. It is not there. On my old computer, I used the Partition Magic to see the partitions.

How do I check whether the swap partiton is there?

The next problem is that I can't go to the Internet. I talked to my ISP. In first place they don't support Linux. They support Bill Gates. However, the man I talk to knew some Linux. He asked me to use the ping command. It was not successful. The ' ifconfig' command didn't work either. I could see their DNS server's ip address. The connection was there. The browsers can't go to the Internet. I am hooked to the ISP; browsers can't go to the Internet. There is an icon to indicate that I am connected to the Internet.

They couldn't do anything. There is a problem with the network card. A friend of mine suggested buying a netword card and see the reaction from the system. The built in network card works fine for Windows XP.

I will struggle a few more hours and buy a network card and try again.

Could you please tell me how to check the existence of the swap file?

Mandriva works fine. The Open Office word processor works. I could work on the shell.

[ I could easily erase and reinstall whenever I want. I could maximize or minimize the partitions. The Windows XP installation takes hours whereas this Mandriva take about 20 minutes. The funny thing is that the �nstallation didn't mention about the swap partition.]

Please tell me how to check the existence of the swap file. I appreciate your comments and thoughts.