No way to set up wi-fi during installation?

MewRage · 2014-08-02 14:36:30

So, I am trying to get Arch Linux installed on my Surface Pro 2 and when I tried to set up the wifi, I can't because the only thing listed in ls /sys/class/net is lo@ nothing else. And there is nothing related to internet in lspci -k. So I don't know what to do now, any help?

Last edited by MewRage (2014-08-02 14:37:21)

ewaller · 2014-08-02 15:38:35

There are two ways I would go. First, what is the output of lspci -nn ? Does the machine see its NICs? If it does what are the VID and PID for the network chipsets, they are the two 16 bit hexadecimal separated by a colon in the brackets near the end of the line. Those numbers may help us find what driver you need.

Second, can you connect a USB device that provide wireless? This could even be a phone in wired tether mode.

MewRage · 2014-08-03 23:50:55

Well I know that the drivers are for the 88w8797 Marvell Avastar chipset so how would I go about doing what I need to get it working? Also, I might be able to use my phone, I have an android what app can do exactly what you described there?

ewaller · 2014-08-04 00:04:51

No app. Ensure your phone can see the Internet; 3g, 4G, wifi, it doesn't matter. Plug your phone into your computer through a USB cable. Enable wired tethering on the phone. A wired interface will magically appear on the computer. Run dhcpcd as root. You should have a connection -- good enough to do the install.

MewRage · 2014-08-04 01:51:42

Alright, I'll update once I have any additional problems or if I'm finished. Thank you for your help!

MewRage · 2014-08-04 01:52:51

Oh btw, if you run the live cd/usb and plug it out, will it continue to work properly?

thiagowfx · 2014-08-04 02:13:21

I don't think so. One way to discover this is to google about squashfs (the underlying filesystem used in the Arch Live Media). You could also try to load the whole ISO to RAM (I think I saw this another day).

MewRage · 2014-08-04 02:34:57

How do you do that, since the surface only has one usb port, I won't be able to use the wired tether while installing unless I can get a USB hub.

lucke · 2014-08-04 09:20:58

Try booting with "copytoram" appended to the kernel line.

MewRage · 2014-08-04 14:31:05

How can I add that to my livecd/usb?

Trilby · 2014-08-04 14:34:54

MewRage - please make an effort to look up answers yourself. Your last several posts ammount to "but how do I do that" when if you searched in order to understand the suggestions, you would be able to find your answer and learn a bit.

Your responses are equivalent to the "What's a zentry" response described here:
http://catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html#lesser

(that whole article is worth a read)

MewRage · 2014-08-04 14:38:11

Sorry, thought that I could get my answers quickly in one area so I could just read them at once. I'll search up any other questions I may have before asking if I can't find the answer. But thanks for helping either way.

MewRage · 2014-08-04 18:03:31

So I've looked around and I'm not sure what to do... I don't know if I need to remake the liveUSB using something else than the Linux Live USB Creator to be able to add the kernel boot parameter, or I can modify something in the current liveUSB to append the copytoram parameter. What do I do?

Trilby · 2014-08-04 18:06:36

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Kernel_parameter

MewRage · 2014-08-04 20:45:34

For my fstab, how do I write the line for the /boot which is ef00 partition? Do I even need to mount it at startup because when I tried to boot it didn't boot into rEFInd and it's located in /mnt/boot/rEFInd so how do I write the proper line to mount my boot partition?

Trilby · 2014-08-04 21:06:52

Sorry, you completely lost me. Why are you trying to modify any fstab file? Did you successfully boot and move on?

The page I lined to was for modifying the kernel line in the boot loader. In most cases you would just press 'e' or TAB to show the kernel line, then append the word "copytoram" to that line. No file editing should be needed.

I don't use rEFInd - so I don't know exactly how to do it with that - but the installation iso doesn't use rEFInd, it uses syslinux. So follow the syslinux directions.

Are you not even getting to the syslinux menu anymore?

*completely confused*

MewRage · 2014-08-04 21:10:30

I got everything to install fine that's all good my problem is that when I rebooted, I didn't enter the bootloader and instead entered the Surface's "Setup" where I can disable Secure Boot and whatnot. I can't even boot to windows so I booted back into my usb and I thought that I need to mount my boot partition to be able to load the bootloader and that's why I need to know what to write in fstab only for the /boot since I have the root and swap setup fine with genfstab.

MewRage · 2014-08-05 00:32:09

Any help on this?

ewaller · 2014-08-05 02:10:50

I have been watching this thread since my first post. I am, frankly, completely unable to comprehend the state of your machine and what you are presently trying to do, and the steps you have taken to reach this state.

Two moderators have now told you that we are completely lost. I was about to close and bin this thread, but I decided to give you a break and give you a last chance.

Please tell us what you have done, and what your tablet is or is not doing. You should also read the link in my signature. Stop making conjecture as to what will solve your problems and then ask how to proceed based upon that conjecture, and then act confused as to why no one is helping.

Tell us what you want to do. Answer questions directly. Follow advice you are given.

Edit: And do not bump threads

Last edited by ewaller (2014-08-05 02:11:52)

Trilby · 2014-08-05 03:01:58

Also, what may help, is if the problem that initiated this thread is solved (which your last post suggests, though it's not clear) then mark this thread as SOLVED, and start a new one if needed for a new issue.

That way relevant data can be kept in coherent threads and it will be easier for new helpers to join in without getting confused with the backstory of an issue that has been resolved.

We are happy to help you through any bumps you face in installing. But it is important for us to know when one obstacle has been overcome and when we have moved on to another one.

MewRage · 2014-08-05 15:21:20

Alright well I'm up and running on my arch machine and I've overcome the other problems and wasn't sure on what was happening or what to do before so I ask that question which looking at it now made no sense, sorry for that. But, the main problem still remains, I've tried to use ndiswrapper and it didn't load the driver. Now I'm trying to get it working by using http://git.marvell.com/?p=mwifiex-firmw … 585e136376 and right now I don't have the mlan or wlan device. I'm using xfce4 for the meantime and I have networkmanager and the applet installed. What do I do from here?

Last edited by MewRage (2014-08-05 15:28:28)

ewaller · 2014-08-05 15:28:54

Good, I am glad it is (mostly) working

What do I do from here?

Let's bring this thread to an end now. The thread was about not having WiFi during installation. The challenges and solutions during installation are different than those on a running system.

I am going to close this thread. Please start a new thread in which we can explore this different problem. In that thread introduction, please tell us what network you used for the install, and is that network available to you, even though your wireless is still not working. Thanks.

Arch Linux

#1 2014-08-02 14:36:30

No way to set up wi-fi during installation?

#2 2014-08-02 15:38:35

Re: No way to set up wi-fi during installation?

#3 2014-08-03 23:50:55

Re: No way to set up wi-fi during installation?

#4 2014-08-04 00:04:51

Re: No way to set up wi-fi during installation?

#5 2014-08-04 01:51:42

Re: No way to set up wi-fi during installation?

#6 2014-08-04 01:52:51

Re: No way to set up wi-fi during installation?

#7 2014-08-04 02:13:21

Re: No way to set up wi-fi during installation?

#8 2014-08-04 02:34:57

Re: No way to set up wi-fi during installation?

#9 2014-08-04 09:20:58

Re: No way to set up wi-fi during installation?

#10 2014-08-04 14:31:05

Re: No way to set up wi-fi during installation?

#11 2014-08-04 14:34:54

Re: No way to set up wi-fi during installation?

#12 2014-08-04 14:38:11

Re: No way to set up wi-fi during installation?

#13 2014-08-04 18:03:31

Re: No way to set up wi-fi during installation?

#14 2014-08-04 18:06:36

Re: No way to set up wi-fi during installation?

#15 2014-08-04 20:45:34

Re: No way to set up wi-fi during installation?

#16 2014-08-04 21:06:52

Re: No way to set up wi-fi during installation?

#17 2014-08-04 21:10:30

Re: No way to set up wi-fi during installation?

#18 2014-08-05 00:32:09

Re: No way to set up wi-fi during installation?

#19 2014-08-05 02:10:50

Re: No way to set up wi-fi during installation?

#20 2014-08-05 03:01:58

Re: No way to set up wi-fi during installation?

#21 2014-08-05 15:21:20

Re: No way to set up wi-fi during installation?

#22 2014-08-05 15:28:54

Re: No way to set up wi-fi during installation?

Board footer