Suse Linux 5.1 under Virtualbox ( Unable to make the network card work)

Viktor Madarasz

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Jun 13, 2021, 4:26:31 AM6/13/21

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Hi

Im trying to make S.u.s.e Linux 5.1 work under Virtualbox.

I got X Windows and Gnome2 work 800x600 with decent color depth

The only thing I can not make it to work is the network interface card:

- it shows up as dummy0 interface ( i set static IP for it )
- i tried autoload kernel modules for network card with the boot disk
but none of them seem to recognize it or load correctly
- in virtualbox I selected PCNet-FAST III (Am79C973)

I also tried to install Virtualbox guest addition tools under Suse 5.1
but for the moment it complains for missing bzip2 ( i tried a few
versions 1.0 , 1.2, etc. but they either give a lot of dependency
requirements ( packages i again do not have on the install iso like
bzip2-libs libc.so.6 libbz2.s0.1 rpmlib or simply says Only Packages
with major numbers < = 3 are supported by this version of RPM

I can not seem to find manuals or admin docs for this version of suse
linux 5.1 either and packages are hard-er to find as well Vs what I thought.

Thanks

Viktor

Carlos E.R.

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Jun 13, 2021, 6:16:08 AM6/13/21

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On 13/06/2021 10.26, Viktor Madarasz wrote:
> Hi
>
> Im trying to make S.u.s.e Linux 5.1 work under Virtualbox.

Wow :-D

I have 5.3 "working" under Vmware Player.

This moment I don't remember what is working on it and what not. I have
not tried to boot it since I migrated my desktop from Intel to AMD, so
it might not work.

I don't have the books (paper) because that version I got from a
magazine (two CDs). The next one I purchased and I have the paper books.

There are some servers out there (gwdg?) that have the old versions on ftp.

--
Cheers, Carlos.

Viktor Madarasz

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Jun 13, 2021, 7:12:28 AM6/13/21

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Thanks Carlos

I look around those ftp sites.. maybe some did not remove everything
below 6.x

Regards

Viktor

Bernd Mayer

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Jun 13, 2021, 9:20:53 AM6/13/21

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Am 13.06.21 um 13:12 schrieb Viktor Madarasz:

>
> I look around those ftp sites.. maybe some did not remove everything
> below 6.x

Hallo,

siehe:
https://archive.org/details/SUSELinux5.1I386

Bernd Mayer

Andrew

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Jun 13, 2021, 11:06:54 AM6/13/21

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I have most SUSE levels from around then, but my oldest one was 5.2 and
that particular manual is in German. Are you sure that network card
existed back then? The AMD documentation PDF I found online is from
1999 and SUSE 5.2 was from 1998.
There is nothing in the manuals (5.2, 5.3, 6.1, 6.2, 6.4) about that
network card but that could simply mean it worked without being configured.

David W. Hodgins

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Jun 13, 2021, 1:01:09 PM6/13/21

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On Sun, 13 Jun 2021 04:26:26 -0400, Viktor Madarasz <viktor.ma...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Im trying to make S.u.s.e Linux 5.1 work under Virtualbox.

Why? Getting ready for 25th anniversary?

> I got X Windows and Gnome2 work 800x600 with decent color depth
>
> The only thing I can not make it to work is the network interface card:

Probably not impossible, not definitely not going to be easy and won't work
with vb without hacking it.

According to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SUSE_Linux version 5.1 was release
in 1997.

The virtualbox guest additions have to work in concert with the version of vb
running on the host.

According to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VirtualBox the very first release of
vb was in 2007, a decade later.

As a kernel from 1997 likely did not support dynamic device creation, you'd have to
have the appropriate files in /dev, and a hacked version of the vb guest kernel
modules that work with the 1997 suse linux kernel, or a hacked version of that
kernel to work with the vb guest modules.

Unless you have experience with kernel development, I wouldn't even consider trying
to do it.

Regards, Dave Hodgins

--
Change dwho...@nomail.afraid.org to davidw...@teksavvy.com for
email replies.

Viktor Madarasz

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Jun 13, 2021, 1:40:57 PM6/13/21

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Thanks.. Thats the one I used as installer tough it contains no bzip2
package for Suse 5.1 unfortunatelly

Viktor Madarasz

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Jun 13, 2021, 1:43:58 PM6/13/21

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No not for the 25th anniversary .. tough it could be
I wanted to try out Applixware Office Suite ( i had on a separate ISO
came bundled with the same Suse 5.1 release .. I did install and
Applixware office indeed works correctly under 5.1 ( I think the
Applixware 4.7.3 documentation said Suse <= 5.1 hence me trying the Suse
5.1 in Virtualbox )

No, no experience with kernel development at all unfortunatelly ... I
guess networking will be a problem then .. Well I can always install it
on an IBM S50 I have laying here to run it on Bare Metal for a change

Viktor

David W. Hodgins

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Jun 13, 2021, 2:51:48 PM6/13/21

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On Sun, 13 Jun 2021 13:43:55 -0400, Viktor Madarasz <viktor.ma...@gmail.com> wrote:
> No, no experience with kernel development at all unfortunatelly ... I
> guess networking will be a problem then .. Well I can always install it
> on an IBM S50 I have laying here to run it on Bare Metal for a change

Given the age of the os, make very sure it's well protected from outside access
and uses only fully trusted sites on the internet.

You can be guaranteed that ipv6 only sites will not be accessible. Changes in how
dns works may also mean using /etc/hosts (or whatever suse uses) inside the guest
for all name resolution. Likely only http with no https too, due to incompatible
rootcerts, etc.

I have no experience with suse.

Viktor Madarasz

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Jun 14, 2021, 3:43:01 AM6/14/21

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You are right.
I do have to put a separate pfsense virtual appliance to shield it away
from all evil.

No suse experience here either.. Im more of a Red
Hat/Centos/Fedora/Almalinux person myself

R

Viktor