This is about an Asus EEE 901 Netbook that cannot connect to the internet by wifi.

I can boot from a Mint 19.3 flashdrive plugged into a netbook and get on-line via wifi.

What I want to do is reinstall the necessary drivers to the system on the hard drive.

Can it be done?

--
Mint 20.2, kernel 5.4.0-88-generic, Cinnamon 5.0.5
running on an AMD Phenom II X4 Black edition processor with 16GB of DRAM.

pinnerite wrote:
> This is about an Asus EEE 901 Netbook that cannot connect to the internet by wifi.
>
> I can boot from a Mint 19.3 flashdrive plugged into a netbook and get on-line via wifi.
>
Do so and report:

inxi -Nn

> What I want to do is reinstall the necessary drivers to the system on the hard drive.
>
> Can it be done?

Sure.

--
Mike Easter

Mike Easter wrote:
> pinnerite wrote:
>> This is about an Asus EEE 901 Netbook that cannot connect to the
>> internet by wifi.
>>
>> I can boot from a Mint 19.3 flashdrive plugged into a netbook and get
>> on-line via wifi.
>>
> Do so and report:
>
> inxi -Nn
>
>> What I want to do is reinstall the necessary drivers to the system on
>> the hard drive.
>>
>> Can it be done?
>
> Sure.
>
I'm reading that this Atom powered netbook only has 1G ram.

It is going to have some resource problems w/ some linux OS.

--
Mike Easter

On Mon, 29 Nov 2021 10:16:15 -0800
Mike Easter <MikeE@ster.invalid> wrote:

> Mike Easter wrote:
> > pinnerite wrote:
> >> This is about an Asus EEE 901 Netbook that cannot connect to the
> >> internet by wifi.
> >>
> >> I can boot from a Mint 19.3 flashdrive plugged into a netbook and get
> >> on-line via wifi.
> >>
> > Do so and report:
> >
> > inxi -Nn
> >
> >> What I want to do is reinstall the necessary drivers to the system on
> >> the hard drive.
> >>
> >> Can it be done?
> >
> > Sure.
> >
> I'm reading that this Atom powered netbook only has 1G ram.
>
> It is going to have some resource problems w/ some linux OS.
>
>
> --
> Mike Easter

No mine was upgraded a few years ago. It has 2GB of RAM and 40GB of SSD.

$inxi -Nn

returns:

Device-1: Qualcomm Atheros AR541B Wireless Network Adapter [AR5008E 802.11bgn]
driver: ath9k
IF: wlp1s0 state: up mac:00:1d:7d:45:51:11

Alan

--
Mint 20.2, kernel 5.4.0-88-generic, Cinnamon 5.0.5
running on an AMD Phenom II X4 Black edition processor with 16GB of DRAM.

pinnerite wrote:
> It has 2GB of RAM and 40GB of SSD.
>
Good. That is a lot better.

> $inxi -Nn
>
> returns:
>
> Device-1: Qualcomm Atheros AR541B Wireless Network Adapter [AR5008E 802.11bgn]
> driver: ath9k
> IF: wlp1s0 state: up mac:00:1d:7d:45:51:11

> AR541B

I think you mean AR5418 for the AR5008E 802.11bgn

That ath9k driver should be loaded when you boot the SSD system. What
are you getting on that one?

--
Mike Easter

On Mon, 29 Nov 2021 11:40:58 -0800
Mike Easter <MikeE@ster.invalid> wrote:

> pinnerite wrote:
> > It has 2GB of RAM and 40GB of SSD.
> >
> Good. That is a lot better.
>
> > $inxi -Nn
> >
> > returns:
> >
> > Device-1: Qualcomm Atheros AR541B Wireless Network Adapter [AR5008E 802.11bgn]
> > driver: ath9k
> > IF: wlp1s0 state: up mac:00:1d:7d:45:51:11
>
> > AR541B
>
> I think you mean AR5418 for the AR5008E 802.11bgn
>
> That ath9k driver should be loaded when you boot the SSD system. What
> are you getting on that one?
>
>
> --
> Mike Easter

The driver doesn't load on bootup.

Alan

--
Mint 20.2, kernel 5.4.0-88-generic, Cinnamon 5.0.5
running on an AMD Phenom II X4 Black edition processor with 16GB of DRAM.

pinnerite wrote:
> The driver doesn't load on bootup.

Once when I had a broadcom problem, I was able to use a boot parameter
to fix it on boot up, but I can't remember how I did that.

After boot up, you can use modprobe commands to install the ath9k driver.

Will just using

sudo modprobe ath9k

do it?

Sometimes you have to remove something first.

--
Mike Easter

Mike Easter wrote:
> pinnerite wrote:
>> The driver doesn't load on bootup.
>
> Once when I had a broadcom problem, I was able to use a boot parameter
> to fix it on boot up, but I can't remember how I did that.
>
I'm also reading that you can edit the file etc/modules and add ath9k.

That file is owned by root so you would have to do it by opening the dir
as root by R clicking for the context menu there and then opening the
file in an editor.

--
Mike Easter

On Mon, 29 Nov 2021 14:49:17 -0800
Mike Easter <MikeE@ster.invalid> wrote:

> Mike Easter wrote:
> > pinnerite wrote:
> >> The driver doesn't load on bootup.
> >
> > Once when I had a broadcom problem, I was able to use a boot parameter
> > to fix it on boot up, but I can't remember how I did that.
> >
> I'm also reading that you can edit the file etc/modules and add ath9k.
>
> That file is owned by root so you would have to do it by opening the dir
> as root by R clicking for the context menu there and then opening the
> file in an editor.
>
>
> --
> Mike Easter

Even when I tried a wired connection it refused to play.
I gave in and reinstalled from the flash drive.
I refused reformatting the drive.

When it came up the desktop and task bar were intact.
Wifi was working without further effort.

I will test the wired connection in two days time.
It may be the lead on this occasion.
The "switch" is in my loft and all the cables leading from it are new and some are yet to be tested.

Thank you for all your efforts. They are really appreciated.

Regards, Alan

I

--
Mint 20.2, kernel 5.4.0-88-generic, Cinnamon 5.0.5
running on an AMD Phenom II X4 Black edition processor with 16GB of DRAM.

pinnerite wrote:
> I gave in and reinstalled from the flash drive.
> I refused reformatting the drive.
>
> When it came up the desktop and task bar were intact.
> Wifi was working without further effort.

Some problems are too difficult for those of us w/ limited skills to try
to repair, so it is easier to start afresh than to work on a problem
which requires knowing our way around the unknown involved file structures.

I think it is worthwhile to try to research how to try to fix something
and to attempt to do such repairs for the education it provides, but
bailing out when it gets too tedious and the rewards are slow in coming
is always another strategy.

--
Mike Easter

Mike Easter <MikeE@ster.invalid> writes:

> pinnerite wrote:
>> I gave in and reinstalled from the flash drive.
>> I refused reformatting the drive.
>> When it came up the desktop and task bar were intact.
>> Wifi was working without further effort.
>
> Some problems are too difficult for those of us w/ limited skills to
> try to repair, so it is easier to start afresh than to work on a
> problem which requires knowing our way around the unknown involved
> file structures.
>
> I think it is worthwhile to try to research how to try to fix
> something and to attempt to do such repairs for the education it
> provides, but bailing out when it gets too tedious and the rewards are
> slow in coming is always another strategy.

If you always give up, you'll never really learn.

Everyone here started out as newbies and didn't have a lot of
knowledge. Some of us persisted and some didn't.

Maybe you'd be better off with a Chromebook where everything is done for
you?

On Mon, 06 Dec 2021 05:12:40 -0500
Bud Frede <frede@mouse-potato.com> wrote:

> Mike Easter <MikeE@ster.invalid> writes:
>
> > pinnerite wrote:
> >> I gave in and reinstalled from the flash drive.
> >> I refused reformatting the drive.
> >> When it came up the desktop and task bar were intact.
> >> Wifi was working without further effort.
> >
> > Some problems are too difficult for those of us w/ limited skills to
> > try to repair, so it is easier to start afresh than to work on a
> > problem which requires knowing our way around the unknown involved
> > file structures.
> >
> > I think it is worthwhile to try to research how to try to fix
> > something and to attempt to do such repairs for the education it
> > provides, but bailing out when it gets too tedious and the rewards are
> > slow in coming is always another strategy.
>
> If you always give up, you'll never really learn.
>
> Everyone here started out as newbies and didn't have a lot of
> knowledge. Some of us persisted and some didn't.
>
> Maybe you'd be better off with a Chromebook where everything is done for
> you?
>

I could have carried on but with my limited time on this planet bowed to the law of diminishing returns.

A chromebook is inappropriate for me. I like to dabble and for the last 18 years I have preferred Linux to other systems, even though I am compelled to use them too.

Anyway, this was about a ten year old tiny machine that I bought solely to keep in touch while I visited the Antipodes. Over the years I have installed numerous distros and even a hypervisor with Windows on top (purely for fun). Now it only serves as a tool. It no longer has any other value.

Thank you for your concern.

Alan

--
Mint 20.2, kernel 5.4.0-88-generic, Cinnamon 5.0.5
running on an AMD Phenom II X4 Black edition processor with 16GB of DRAM.

pinnerite <pinnerite@gmail.com> writes:

> On Mon, 06 Dec 2021 05:12:40 -0500
> Bud Frede <frede@mouse-potato.com> wrote:
>
>> Mike Easter <MikeE@ster.invalid> writes:
>>
>> > pinnerite wrote:
>> >> I gave in and reinstalled from the flash drive.
>> >> I refused reformatting the drive.
>> >> When it came up the desktop and task bar were intact.
>> >> Wifi was working without further effort.
>> >
>> > Some problems are too difficult for those of us w/ limited skills to
>> > try to repair, so it is easier to start afresh than to work on a
>> > problem which requires knowing our way around the unknown involved
>> > file structures.
>> >
>> > I think it is worthwhile to try to research how to try to fix
>> > something and to attempt to do such repairs for the education it
>> > provides, but bailing out when it gets too tedious and the rewards are
>> > slow in coming is always another strategy.
>>
>> If you always give up, you'll never really learn.
>>
>> Everyone here started out as newbies and didn't have a lot of
>> knowledge. Some of us persisted and some didn't.
>>
>> Maybe you'd be better off with a Chromebook where everything is done for
>> you?
>>
>
> I could have carried on but with my limited time on this planet bowed to the law of diminishing returns.
>
> A chromebook is inappropriate for me. I like to dabble and for the last 18 years I have preferred Linux to other systems, even though I am compelled to use them too.
>
> Anyway, this was about a ten year old tiny machine that I bought
> solely to keep in touch while I visited the Antipodes. Over the years
> I have installed numerous distros and even a hypervisor with Windows
> on top (purely for fun). Now it only serves as a tool. It no longer
> has any other value.
>
> Thank you for your concern.
>
> Alan

My comments weren't meant for you.