wl module mysteriously disappears

LiteHacker · 2009-01-17 13:16:11

I've got broadcom-wl-5.10.27.11-7-i686 installed from the AUR. It has worked for me all the time with the wl module.
Recently, I reset my computer.
Before I reset the computer, I possibly did "pacman -Syu" ..I don't remember if I did.
What I do remember is that I did:

pacman -Rsn gcc
pacman -Rsn binutils

I did this to try and replace gcc with something else. (Something I was unsuccessful at doing.)
I don't remember what other files it removed. I don't know how where are any logs with that information.
...though I do not think this would affect the driver.

I tried un-installing and re-installing the broadcom-wl-5.10.27.11-7-i686. Unfortunately that didn't get the module to work. If I try "modprobe wl" I get:

FATAL: Module wl not found.

...even though I installed the module.

I installed gcc and binutils again. That didn't help.

Does anybody know what is wrong? Sorry for my vagueness..

Last edited by LiteHacker (2009-01-17 13:17:14)

brodos · 2009-01-17 18:46:20

I have the same problem after upgrading from 2.6.27 to 2.6.28 kernel.
wl module not found.

whitefort · 2009-01-17 20:42:55

Same problem - no wireless after the upgrade, and nothing I've tried has been able to get it back.

Seriously frustrating.

After picking up the bad habit of pacman -Syu-ing several times per day, maybe this will finally teach me: NEVER upgrade unless I have lots of free time to try to fix things if it kills my system...

I've been loving Arch ever since I installed it, but fixing this problem seems to be beyond my ability, so I'm gonna have to swap back to another distro until a fix appears...:(

buttons · 2009-01-17 21:03:55

Just grab the pkgbuild from aur and the source, put it on the laptop, makepkg, and pacman -U the result. Alternatively, downgrade to kernel 2.6.27 (it'll be in the pkg cache) and download it when you have wireless again. Using yaourt, this is "yaourt -G broadcom-wl && makepkg -o"

When you install it, there will be an error. Run "depmod 2.6.28-ARCH" and then you will be able to load the module.

Seriously consider keeping a directory with pkgbuilds and corresponding source files that you may need in an emergency. Wireless drivers should be at the top of this list.

Last edited by buttons (2009-01-17 21:05:41)

Ypsy · 2009-01-18 13:45:21

Just rebuild the package from AUR and edit the .install like so:

post_install() {
KERNEL_VERSION='2.6.28-ARCH'
depmod $KERNEL_VERSION
}
post_upgrade() {
post_install
}
post_remove() {
post_install
}

Then install the package, modprobe wl, restart your network and everything works again No changing distro or downgrading needed.

Last edited by Ypsy (2009-01-18 13:50:34)

LiteHacker · 2009-01-18 15:53:32

Thanks for the quick fix. Worked like a charm.

shining · 2009-01-18 16:36:12

That is exactly the reason why the majority of kernel modules have dependencies of this kind :
depends=("kernel26>=2.6.28" "kernel26<2.6.29")
It avoids bad surprises

piroflip · 2009-01-18 16:40:20

Sorry guys, updated the package. ))

Tel_Janin · 2009-01-18 18:27:06

I've tried the quickfix and the new AUR package, I still get "FATAL: Module wl not found." when I try to modprobe wl.

shining · 2009-01-18 18:34:25

Tel_Janin wrote:

I've tried the quickfix and the new AUR package, I still get "FATAL: Module wl not found." when I try to modprobe wl.

Did you boot on arch 2.6.28 kernel?

Tel_Janin · 2009-01-18 18:41:24

Yes, I'm on 2.6.28 now.

And all because I decided I'd try pacman -Syu for the first time yesterday...

shining · 2009-01-18 18:44:59

Tel_Janin wrote:

Yes, I'm on 2.6.28 now.
And all because I decided I'd try pacman -Syu for the first time yesterday...

Check pacman -Ql broadcom-wl to see if the module is installed.
Then check the package you built, tar tf broadcom-wl*.pkg.tar.gz

Tel_Janin · 2009-01-18 19:05:50

[jamie@mesaana ~]$ pacman -Ql broadcom-wl
broadcom-wl /lib/
broadcom-wl /lib/modules/
broadcom-wl /lib/modules/2.6.27-ARCH/
broadcom-wl /lib/modules/2.6.27-ARCH/kernel/
broadcom-wl /lib/modules/2.6.27-ARCH/kernel/drivers/
broadcom-wl /lib/modules/2.6.27-ARCH/kernel/drivers/net/
broadcom-wl /lib/modules/2.6.27-ARCH/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/
broadcom-wl /lib/modules/2.6.27-ARCH/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/wl.ko

The output of tar tf broadcom*.pkg.tar.gz is the same except for having 2.6.28 in the place of 2.6.27

Leads me to believe the old module is still installed, not the new one.

shining · 2009-01-18 19:09:47

Tel_Janin wrote:

[jamie@mesaana ~]$ pacman -Ql broadcom-wl
broadcom-wl /lib/
broadcom-wl /lib/modules/
broadcom-wl /lib/modules/2.6.27-ARCH/
broadcom-wl /lib/modules/2.6.27-ARCH/kernel/
broadcom-wl /lib/modules/2.6.27-ARCH/kernel/drivers/
broadcom-wl /lib/modules/2.6.27-ARCH/kernel/drivers/net/
broadcom-wl /lib/modules/2.6.27-ARCH/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/
broadcom-wl /lib/modules/2.6.27-ARCH/kernel/drivers/net/wireless/wl.ko
The output of tar tf broadcom*.pkg.tar.gz is the same except for having 2.6.28 in the place of 2.6.27
Leads me to believe the old module is still installed, not the new one.

Maybe you need to actually install the package you just built?
makepkg -i or pacman -U broadcom*.pkg.tar.gz

Tel_Janin · 2009-01-18 19:24:27

That would do it wouldn't it.

all fixed.

trusktr · 2010-11-22 23:26:44

A simple fix would be to simply re-install broadcom-wl from the AUR with yaourt: yaourt -S broadcom-wl
You might end up with an updated version of the driver after this.

Arch Linux

#1 2009-01-17 13:16:11

wl module mysteriously disappears

#2 2009-01-17 18:46:20

Re: wl module mysteriously disappears

#3 2009-01-17 20:42:55

Re: wl module mysteriously disappears

#4 2009-01-17 21:03:55

Re: wl module mysteriously disappears

#5 2009-01-18 13:45:21

Re: wl module mysteriously disappears

#6 2009-01-18 15:53:32

Re: wl module mysteriously disappears

#7 2009-01-18 16:36:12

Re: wl module mysteriously disappears

#8 2009-01-18 16:40:20

Re: wl module mysteriously disappears

#9 2009-01-18 18:27:06

Re: wl module mysteriously disappears

#10 2009-01-18 18:34:25

Re: wl module mysteriously disappears

#11 2009-01-18 18:41:24

Re: wl module mysteriously disappears

#12 2009-01-18 18:44:59

Re: wl module mysteriously disappears

#13 2009-01-18 19:05:50

Re: wl module mysteriously disappears

#14 2009-01-18 19:09:47

Re: wl module mysteriously disappears

#15 2009-01-18 19:24:27

Re: wl module mysteriously disappears

#16 2010-11-22 23:26:44

Re: wl module mysteriously disappears

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