2 questions how to add a network driver & how to add a windows 7 or 8 domain

[Peter Polz]

Hi!

Congratultion of the work of your team, i find that this is a perfect
os for the future.

my questions:

1. how to i add a windows 7 or 8 domain
i looked at http://wiki.qubes-os.org/trac/wiki/SoftwareUpdateVM
but i to not find any info about that

2. how to i add a zotac networkcard driver, the internet connection
did not work, so i could not add/remove a software,
i have the ZOTAC ZBOX ID41
http://www.zotac.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage_images-SRW.tpl&product_id=335&category_id=118&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=100170&lang=en

Regards
Peter

[Joanna Rutkowska]

On 06/06/12 06:10, Peter Polz wrote:
> Hi!
>
> Congratultion of the work of your team, i find that this is a perfect
> os for the future.
>
> my questions:
>
> 1. how to i add a windows 7 or 8 domain
> i looked at http://wiki.qubes-os.org/trac/wiki/SoftwareUpdateVM
> but i to not find any info about that

Support for HVM domains (fully virtualized) is currently not supported
in version 1.0. It will be part of the next version of Qubes:

http://theinvisiblethings.blogspot.com/2012/03/windows-support-coming-to-qubes.html


joanna.

[Marek Marczykowski]

On 06.06.2012 06:10, Peter Polz wrote:
> 2. how to i add a zotac networkcard driver, the internet connection
> did not work, so i could not add/remove a software,
> i have the ZOTAC ZBOX ID41
> http://www.zotac.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage_images-SRW.tpl&product_id=335&category_id=118&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=100170&lang=en

You need kernel-devel package for your kernel plus make, gcc etc. If you
cannot download them directly, you can use "yumdownloader --resolve --urls"
and download them on another machine, then copy using usb stick.

You can also compile drivers on any other machine and transfer ready modules.
You need kernel-devel matching kernel in VM:
http://yum.qubes-os.org/r1-beta2/current/vm/fc14/rpm/kernel-devel-3.0.4-2.pvops.qubes.x86_64.rpm
It should be 3.0.4-3, but haven't found it in our yum repo... 3.0.4-2 should
also be enough, but if no - let me know, I will upload correct package version.

To use compiled modules, you need to setup netvm to use "custom" kernel,
otherwise /lib/modules is read-only. The easiest way is to create new netvm as
StandaloneVM:
qvm-create -l red --net --standalone netvm2
# set "custom" kernel:
qvm-prefs -s netvm2 kernel none
# connect firewallvm to it:
qvm-prefs -s firewallvm netvm netvm2

Then you have writable /lib/modules in your netvm (now named netvm2), and can
copy required modules there.
It might be also possible to use custom kernel in standard netvm, but with
some issues in beta3 release (already fixed, will be shipped with next release).

--
Best Regards / Pozdrawiam,
Marek Marczykowski
Invisible Things Lab

[inf...@gmail.com]

On Wednesday, 6 June 2012 13:37:39 UTC+1, Marek Marczykowski wrote:

On 06.06.2012 06:10, Peter Polz wrote:
> 2. how to i add a zotac networkcard driver, the internet connection
> did not work, so i could not add/remove a software,

I have similar problem (with a Zotac ID90) to fix the notorious RTL8111/8168 issues with Linux

• switching off auto-neg fixes network freezing but caps Gigabit chip at 100Mb/s
• http://adam.rosi-kessel.org/weblog/2008/06/21/a-much-simpler-fix-for-the-r8169-link-down-problem
• https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=990757
• other relevant discussion
• http://www.foxhop.net/realtek-dropping-packets-on-linux-ubuntu-and-fedora
• http://nosemaj.org/hardy-r8168
• http://www.dividebyzero.co.za/blog/2012/02/how-to-fix-rtl8168b-ethernet-connectivity-issues-in-linux/
• http://unixblogger.wordpress.com/2011/10/18/the-pain-of-an-realtek-rtl8111rtl8168-ethernet-card/

..

You need kernel-devel package for your kernel plus make, gcc etc.

...

You need kernel-devel matching kernel in VM: 

..

To use compiled modules, you need to setup netvm to use "custom" kernel,
otherwise /lib/modules is read-only. The easiest way is to create new netvm as
StandaloneVM:
qvm-create -l red --net --standalone netvm2
# set "custom" kernel:
qvm-prefs -s netvm2 kernel none
# connect firewallvm to it:
qvm-prefs -s firewallvm netvm netvm2

Then you have writable /lib/modules in your netvm (now named netvm2), and can
copy required modules there.

I am about to try above recipe with latest Realtek drivers (8.037), but had two questions:

1) Is F18 compatible with RHEL repos? If so there is pre-built kmod-r8168 at Elrepo
 

It might be also possible to use custom kernel in standard netvm, but with
some issues in beta3 release (already fixed, will be shipped with next release).

2) Is it now possible to use standard netvm in R2B3 (and how?)

In general looking for simplest way to keep new kernels patched as automatically as possible

v. grateful explicit recipes, as still newbie at compiling such patches

CB
(Merry Xmas)

[inf...@gmail.com]

On Wednesday, 25 December 2013 12:34:20 UTC, inf...@gmail.com wrote:

On Wednesday, 6 June 2012 13:37:39 UTC+1, Marek Marczykowski wrote:

I have similar problem (with a Zotac ID90) to fix the notorious RTL8111/8168 issues with Linux

..
You need kernel-devel package for your kernel plus make, gcc etc.

...
You need kernel-devel matching kernel in VM: 

..
To use compiled modules, you need to setup netvm to use "custom" kernel,
otherwise /lib/modules is read-only. The easiest way is to create new netvm as
StandaloneVM:
qvm-create -l red --net --standalone netvm2
# set "custom" kernel:
qvm-prefs -s netvm2 kernel none
# connect firewallvm to it:
qvm-prefs -s firewallvm netvm netvm2

Then you have writable /lib/modules in your netvm (now named netvm2), and can
copy required modules there.

I am about to try above recipe with latest Realtek drivers (8.037),

Now tried and get this error:

] sudo yum install kernel-headers kernel-devel make gcc
] tar xfvj r8168-8.037.00.tar.bz2
] sudo rmmod r8169
] cd r8168-8.037.00
] sudo make
make -C src/ clean
make[1]: Entering directory `/home/user/r8168-8.037.00/src'
make -C /lib/modules/3.11.1-2.pvops.qubes.x86_64/build SUBDIRS=/home/user/r8168-8.037.00/src clean
make: Entering an unknown directory
make: *** /lib/modules/3.11.1-2.pvops.qubes.x86_64/build: No such file or directory.  Stop.
make: Leaving an unknown directory
make[1]: *** [clean] Error 2
make[1]: Leaving directory `/home/user/r8168-8.037.00/src'
make: *** [clean] Error 2

I am guessing I need (not uploaded)
http://yum.qubes-os.org/r2-beta3/current/vm/fc18/rpm/kernel-devel-3.11.1-2.pvops.qubes.x86_64.rpm

..rather than the regular kernel-headers (but maybe have misunderstood)?

[FWIW am attempting compilation in a standalone netvvm made as above, with kernel set to None]

--
CB

[Marek Marczykowski-Górecki]

On 25.12.2013 16:50, inf...@gmail.com wrote:
> On Wednesday, 25 December 2013 12:34:20 UTC, inf...@gmail.com wrote:
>>
>> On Wednesday, 6 June 2012 13:37:39 UTC+1, Marek Marczykowski wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>> I have similar problem (with a Zotac ID90) to fix the notorious
>> RTL8111/8168 issues with Linux
>>
>> ..
>>> You need kernel-devel package for your kernel plus make, gcc etc.
>>
>> ...
>>> You need kernel-devel matching kernel in VM:
>>
>> ..
>>> To use compiled modules, you need to setup netvm to use "custom" kernel,
>>> otherwise /lib/modules is read-only. The easiest way is to create new
>>> netvm as
>>> StandaloneVM:
>>> qvm-create -l red --net --standalone netvm2
>>> # set "custom" kernel:
>>> qvm-prefs -s netvm2 kernel none
>>> # connect firewallvm to it:
>>> qvm-prefs -s firewallvm netvm netvm2
>>>
>>> Then you have writable /lib/modules in your netvm (now named netvm2), and
>>> can
>>> copy required modules there.
>>>
>>

>> I am about to try above recipe with latest Realtek drivers<http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/downloadsView.aspx?Langid=1&PNid=13&PFid=5&Level=5&Conn=4&DownTypeID=3&GetDown=false#2>(8.037),

>>
>
> Now tried and get this error:
>
> ] sudo yum install kernel-headers kernel-devel make gcc
> ] tar xfvj r8168-8.037.00.tar.bz2
> ] sudo rmmod r8169
> ] cd r8168-8.037.00
> ] sudo make
> make -C src/ clean
> make[1]: Entering directory `/home/user/r8168-8.037.00/src'
> make -C /lib/modules/3.11.1-2.pvops.qubes.x86_64/build
> SUBDIRS=/home/user/r8168-8.037.00/src clean
> make: Entering an unknown directory
> make: *** /lib/modules/3.11.1-2.pvops.qubes.x86_64/build: No such file or
> directory. Stop.
> make: Leaving an unknown directory
> make[1]: *** [clean] Error 2
> make[1]: Leaving directory `/home/user/r8168-8.037.00/src'
> make: *** [clean] Error 2
>
> I am guessing I need (not uploaded)
> http://yum.qubes-os.org/r2-beta3/current/vm/fc18/rpm/kernel-devel-3.11.1-2.pvops.qubes.x86_64.rpm

> ..rather than the regular kernel-headers (but maybe have misunderstood)?

Yes, exactly.
Joanna, could you upload this package?

>
> [FWIW am attempting compilation in a standalone netvvm made as above, with
> kernel set to None]

Correct - this is still the only option to have custom kernel modules in netvm.

--
Best Regards,
Marek Marczykowski-Górecki
Invisible Things Lab
A: Because it messes up the order in which people normally read text.
Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing?

[Joanna Rutkowska]

Done.

>>
>> [FWIW am attempting compilation in a standalone netvvm made as above, with
>> kernel set to None]
>
> Correct - this is still the only option to have custom kernel modules in netvm.
>

j.

[inf...@gmail.com]

Thanks!

So the compilation worked, and the new driver r8168 loads fine, but FYI anyone with similar snags, I probably should have said exactly what the problem was..

Problem: with 1 machine (with the RTL8111/8168 chip) connected to a Wifi AP/Gigabit router by RJ45 cable (Cat5e - swapped out cable to ensure that not the prob), and 1 machine connected by Wifi, if one starts a large (~1GB) LAN file transfer on the Wifi (sic) connected machine, then BOTH the cable connection and the Wifi connection hangs within a few seconds (the Wifi connection looks OK but no connectivity, and the cable connection drops irreversibly). It is impossible to reconnect the Wifi machine or the cable machine without a router reboot

This was established by disconnecting the cable machine, and large file transfers on the Wifi connected machine work fine i.e. the standard r8169 driver hangs the router somehow over the cable connection (see links earlier in thread for saga of why Linux loads the wrong - r8169 - driver).

So...the fairly good news is that the newly compiled r8168 driver definitely improves stability, and large file transfers (on the Wifi connected machine) do not hang the router almost immediately. The less good news is that it still seemed prone to hanging somewhat.

However...since the router was really old (Linksys WRT350N), I decided to reflash with the only compatible alt. firmware (DD-WRT), which worked. With the new firmware, the Wifi connected machine (actually Qubes R2B2) connects at a faster speed, and there don't seem to be any hanging problems.

And, in case wondering, trying the original netvm (with the r8169 standard driver) with the new reflashed router, the problem is still there - i.e. the hanging with large file transfers.

So problem solved, but it needed the new compiled Realtek 8.037 driver, and the router reflash

Another chapter added to the fun-with-RTL8111/8168 literature

CB