[PlanetCCRMA] Network driver problem - RH 8.0 fails but RH 7.3 works...

[Fernando Pablo Lopez-Lezcano]

> PROBLEM STATEMENT: Broadcom 4400 driver works under RH 7.3, RH 7.3 with
> 2.4.19-1.ll kernel & RH 8.0, but fails under RH 8.0 + 2.4.19-1.ll
> kernel. Why?

Most probably a compiler version problem... see below...

>    I have a machine with a somewhat complicated setup using both System
> Commander 7 and Grub: At boot time SC7 provides me with 3 choices. (DOS,
> RH 7.3 & RH 8.0) If I choose either of the Linux options, then Grub
> takes over and lets me choose the default RH kernel, or the Planet CCRMA
> kernel.
> 
> SC7	- DOS
> 	- RH 7.3
> 	(grub)
> 		- 2.4.19-1.ll  [NIC works]
> 		- 2.4.18-3     [NIC works]
> 		- DOS
> 	- RH 8.0
> 	(grub)
> 		- 2.4.19-1.ll  [NIC fails]

Probably using a module compiled with gcc3.2 (redhat 8.0's default) with
the planet kernel compiled with gcc2.96...

> 		- 2.4.18-14    [NIC works]
> 		- DOS
>  [MUNCH]
>    The driver does work with 2.4.19-1.ll under RH 7.3, but fails under
> RH 8.0.
> 
>    Any ideas how to get past this would be very appreciated.

Copy the binary compiled driver from the 7.3 partition to the 8.0
partition and try again, it should work... I don't know exactly where
the install process puts it but it should be somewhere in:
  /lib/modules/2.4.19-1.ll/
You could do a:
  find /lib/modules/2.4.19-1.ll/ -name \*bcm4400\*
in the 7.3 partition, and copy the file over to the same place in the
8.0 partition, then do a "depmod -a" and try loading the module again. 

I'll make it a BIG priority to get a kernel compiled under 8.0 into the
repository...

-- Fernando