Arch Linux

ArchNewb

Member

Registered: 2008-08-29

Posts: 2

Can't Get passed "Configure System" in Beginners guide

Hey guys, as my name might suggest, I'm a newb to Arch Linux. I've had ubuntu for about 8 months, and while that was a significant improvement for my laptop (I had XP before), its started to really bog my system down.

Anywho, I've had some problems when I've tried installing the distro. I downloaded the iso and whatnot and I followed the first steps. Now after I partitioned the harddrive, I tried to install the packages. Now, I don't know if its important for me to point this out, but I only have the option for Base packages (if thats normal, I apologize).

When I try to configure my system, I completely and utterly fail. For some reason, hwdetect doesn't fill in the necessary drivers, so is there a way for me add them to the modules?  Obviously I can't continue, because I can't get on the internet

So here is a reiteration of my problems:

--the only packages I can install are Base packages (the other three options don't show up; like I said, i           don't know if that is standard procedure)
--hwdetect doesn't fill in drivers for my stuff. I'm also not really sure what drivers I need.
--I just got FiOS, but I know nothing about the Network (DCHP, gateway, they mean nothing to me). Heck I can't even go on the internet with an ethernet cable

if you guys can help, it'd be greatly appreciated. Oh, this is my laptop, a toshiba satellite a75-s211http://reviews.cnet.com/laptops/toshiba … mncol;psum

Thanks,
-The ArchNewb

nick

Member

From: Canada

Registered: 2008-08-22

Posts: 21

Re: Can't Get passed "Configure System" in Beginners guide

I also had one package category but I found all the packages in the guide listed under it, so I'm assuming this is standard.    As for the internet setup, "DHCP" is a protocol to automatically detect your connection settings, if they're provided by your ISP.

Do:

ifconfig -a

To list your network interfaces.  You may have more than one but you should be able to see which is actively transferring packets, this is the interface you should activate.  If you have DHCP you can automatically set up the network:

dhcpcd eth0

with "eth0" being the label of your network interface, but like I said there could be more than one so the numbering could vary.  Ex. eth1, eth2...  If in doubt, try dhcpcd with all the interfaces just in case.

Finally you can test if the network is actually configured.  As in the newbie guide:

ping -c 3 www.google.com

You will know the network is set up if you get response packets.  If it's not properly configured you'll get an "unknown host" error.  Unfortunately if your ISP doesn't use DHCP this process will be more complicated, as you'll have to request and manually input the IP/gateway/subnet.  Try this first and see if it works, it's a simpler solution.

I don't know how to help with your hardware issue, sorry.  I have some module problems myself.  But someone else will probably cover that.  Post back if you need any more help.

Last edited by nick (2008-08-30 00:45:45)

nick

Member

From: Canada

Registered: 2008-08-22

Posts: 21

Re: Can't Get passed "Configure System" in Beginners guide

Also, I'm not sure if you've had a look at the beginner's guide located here, but it's definitely recommended reading to help out with some issues that may arise.  Has some handy post-installation tips too.

Last edited by nick (2008-08-30 00:49:34)

ArchNewb

Member

Registered: 2008-08-29

Posts: 2

Re: Can't Get passed "Configure System" in Beginners guide

Oh yeah, I've been looking at the beginners guide all day. I guess i'm such a beginner that some needs to write a Beginner Beginner's guide.

When I did ifconfig, it would list a bunch of things, but i could only see 1 or 2 things (the ones at the bottom of the list). I don't know how to scroll up to view the other parts of the list.

um.... and yeah, it wouldn't automatically detect my hardware. when I did hwdetect, some stuff would show up with the option to "add HOOK", and then at the bottom it would say something like

/etc/rc.conf

--net       "blah blah blah"
--sound(i think)
--some other thing

EDIT: I've tried connecting to my router with an ethernet cable. Are you suggesting that I connect the two, then do the whole DHCP/ifconfig thing?

Last edited by ArchNewb (2008-08-30 00:57:34)

nick

Member

From: Canada

Registered: 2008-08-22

Posts: 21

Re: Can't Get passed "Configure System" in Beginners guide

Oh, a router?  Were you using wireless earlier?  eth* is the ethernet interface, wireless setup is different.  It's in the guide as well, I think.  If you're using the FTP iso there's an additional step during the text installation to configure the network.  I don't have much experience with wireless, although there is a lot more variation in the interface names.

Last edited by nick (2008-08-30 01:08:27)

voteforpedro36

Member

Registered: 2008-08-06

Posts: 99

Re: Can't Get passed "Configure System" in Beginners guide

In order to do wired networks, you should be able to run:

ifconfig | less

, then Pg Up and Pg Dn to scroll, q to quit. This will show you all your interfaces. If it's wired, it will be eth*, either 0 or 1 in my experience. Wireless could be wlan*, or even an eth* possibly. But for wired, all you should have to do is run

ifconfig eth* up

where eth* is whatever you found earlier when you looked at all your interfaces. Now run

dhcpcd eth*

. Now your network -should- be configured, test with

ping -c 3 google.com

Hope I helped.

methuselah

Member

Registered: 2007-10-02

Posts: 570

Re: Can't Get passed "Configure System" in Beginners guide

If your internet is already connected, I like to use the ftp method of installing. That way, it installs the base packages, and then it does a complete install with the newest packages so you don't have to repeat anything.

I also use the dhcp which is easier for a beginner.

This is an OLD guide for installing ARCH. It is a good read because it explains it in a step by step way with pictures for most every important step: http://www.raiden.net/?cat=2&aid=276

This is the page about dhcp: http://www.raiden.net/?cat=2&aid=276&pid=5

This is the page about configuring for your xorg.conf: http://www.raiden.net/?cat=2&aid=276&pid=8

this is a paragraph from that guide:

... The monitor section above is pretty sparse.  When Arch boots up, udev utilizes hwdetect to determine what hardware you have, and it is pretty good at detected and setting up monitors.  So the above works fine for me.  Most of the time, if the Xorg -configure command filled in the VendorName field and the ModelName field correctly, then what is there will work.  Try it like this first, then if you have problems getting Xorg going, you may need to add more configuration information in this section.  You may have to add the following lines to the Section "Monitor" :...

... for filling in any sections on your own, I found that it might be a good idea to have a copy of your old ubuntu's "xorg.conf" that was already working with Linux and your computer... just as a back up to compare with in case you run into any troubles and have to write in a few settings that don't get detected for some reason.

Last edited by methuselah (2008-08-30 18:44:08)

methuselah

Member

Registered: 2007-10-02

Posts: 570

Re: Can't Get passed "Configure System" in Beginners guide

Oh, a router?  Were you using wireless earlier?  eth* is the ethernet interface, wireless setup is different.  It's in the guide as well, I think.  If you're using the FTP iso there's an additional step during the text installation to configure the network.  I don't have much experience with wireless, although there is a lot more variation in the interface names.

In the ftp install, one of the first steps it does is to make sure it has a working Internet connection, so it does an automatic scan of your computer for a working Ethernet or Wireless... if you already had an eth0 Ethernet plugged in and connected with Ubuntu, then it should easily detect the same ip/gateway using dhcp and eth0.

If it has trouble connecting you to the Internet, it will tell you that it can't connect (then you can either mess around with loading your proper modules for eth0 and wlan0... or attempting to configure your network). Wireless connection should also be able to work if your router and wireless card already worked with Ubuntu, and worked out the box without any special configuring like ndiswrapper.....

Last edited by methuselah (2008-08-30 19:03:30)