Odd message on booting a new install

Micronaut · 2019-07-04 01:25:11

Currently I am trying to learn enough about Devuan to replace old installs of Mint (the last version that did not rely on systemd), which replaced the last version of Debian that didn't rely on systemd...

Anyway, since the installer is so similar to Debian, there was not much trouble, but I am seeing something strange when the system starts up. It stops for quite a long time in the middle of booting with a message "ifup: waiting for lock on /run/network/ifstate.eth1". I think it's not getting the "lock" at all but just timing out. Why would it be doing this? Could it be a problem caused by this motherboard having two ethernet ports? Or could there just be a compatibility problem with a very old board? This is a EVGA 680i, yes, an nForce board. Are there Linux compatibility issues with nForce?

Dutch_Master · 2019-07-04 04:05:46

If the eth1 port isn't connected to anything, then yes, it would wait for the timeout before proceeding the boot process. You may want to investigate /etc/network/interfaces to see if you can disable eth1 there. (I should too, as I too have a dual-ethernet port mainboard but haven't paid much attention to it as it's not in my main desktop )

As for nForce: it's reasonably well supported in the kernel because it exists for a fair while now: I bought my first nForce board way back in the mid 2000's.

Geoff 42 · 2019-07-04 08:28:56

There is discussion of the delay in boot-up when the ethernet cable is not plugged in, in this thread :-

https://dev1galaxy.org/viewtopic.php?id=1688

Geoff

Micronaut · 2019-07-04 16:55:04

Ah, I see. Interesting problem. I also installed Devuan on a laptop a few days ago, but it was plugged into a cable when I did. When I next boot, I wonder what will happen? Might have to tinker with that one also. Thanks for the tip.

Micronaut · 2019-07-05 00:07:28

Unfortunately, now that I have the chance to tinker with the system, I see the same thing described in that other thread. It just waits in another place. This is a completely unacceptable boot problem. It sits there for minutes either way. Why? Other Linux distros have not done this. There must be a config option that doesn't try to setup networking while booting.

fsmithred · 2019-07-05 00:22:18

Which fix did you try?

Micronaut · 2019-07-05 00:44:26

Not only did it not help, it broke my network setup somehow. I cannot get a connection anymore. Meaning I can't even install a network manager to try to fix it. What would changing one single line do to the rest of the network config that it would be completely broken?

fsmithred · 2019-07-05 01:05:50

Micronaut wrote:

What would changing one single line do to the rest of the network config that it would be completely broken?

Depends on what line it was and what you did to it. Tell us exactly what you did, maybe even show us the file you edited. There might be a simple fix.

Micronaut · 2019-07-05 01:20:21

In the thread cited above: https://dev1galaxy.org/viewtopic.php?id=1688 it suggests change "allow-hotplug" to "auto" in etc/network/interfaces to get rid of the delay on boot.

That's what I did, and it sits there trying DHCP instead of on the init. And when I try to use the network, it doesn't work. So I changed it back. It still sits there waiting, but when the system finally comes up, the network does NOT work. Something else broke by simply changing the IF config to "auto". WTF?

Micronaut · 2019-07-05 02:29:02

Not sure what happened, but after fiddling with /etc/network/interfaces a couple times I got network access and used it to install NetworkManager. Then commented out the unnecessary fields in interfaces. Now, I seem to have working dependable network access and no strange delays on boot. Yay!

Question -- where do you find the controls/config for NetworkManager? It doesn't have any entries in the System or Settings menus.

Last edited by Micronaut (2019-07-05 16:34:15)

Dutch_Master · 2019-07-05 04:41:37

man networkmanager

should tell you more, if it exists

Micronaut · 2019-07-05 16:35:04

There is an entry for networkmanager in the man pages, but it's about NetworkManager, the command line program. What happened to the graphical front-end that is still available in Debian? It's very tedious to have to hunt down a bunch of text files to make minor adjustments to your network.

Panopticon · 2019-07-05 16:57:50

NetworkManager has a cli program called "nmtui" type that into a terminal session.

Dutch_Master is correct, have a read of the manual pages for NetworkManager.

The gui i think is only available through the gnome package, https://pkginfo.devuan.org/stage/ascii/ … po9+1.html

I use wicd though, but have used network manager in the past.

Last edited by Panopticon (2019-07-05 16:58:13)

fsmithred · 2019-07-05 18:47:39

There are different ways of hunting. I prefer the command line, but searching in synaptic should work, too.

~$ apt-cache policy network-manager
network-manager:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 1.6.2-3+devuan1.1
  Version table:
     1.6.2-3+devuan1.1 500
        500 http://deb.devuan.org/merged ascii/main amd64 Packages

Dutch_Master · 2019-07-05 19:17:01

@fsmithred: I don't think the quest here was about finding a program, but finding the config files of a program. Slight, but important nuance

I'm aware of mntui, used it several times even, but it's still a graphical front-end (be it console-based). Its man-page is rather limited in informational value though

Micronaut · 2019-07-05 20:49:15

Well, both. I want to find a widget for the systray like I have had on both Windows and every other Debian distro I've ever used. And I want to find the settings, either the text files (if necessary) or a more comprehensive graphical interface. If the widget can be clicked, that's fine. If it's on a menu, that's fine also.

I thought wicd was for Wifi only, but I've also been struggling with a laptop and when I set wicd up, it does watch both the cable connection and the wifi. And it puts a widget on the task bar! At last resort, I may just use wicd even on my desktop systems. I don't plan to put wifi on them, but oh well... it manages direct cable connections, too.

dxrobertson · 2019-07-05 21:26:48

The "main" Network Manager package name is network-manager (apt install network-manager). This will provide a panel app, or interface for one, that works in XFCE, LXQT, and KDE. Dont remember but XFCE might like network-manager-gnome better. The panel apps are full featured, like what Windows provides. Handles ethernet and wifi of course.

As @panopticon mentions, there is the nice nmtui console interface. There is also the nmcli commandline interface.

The config connections for NM are in /etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/. But the panel apps provide full config in themselves.

Marjorie · 2019-07-05 21:44:41

As you were coming from Mint (as I did - I was previously using ROSA which EOLed in April) I would have expected you to have gone with Cinammon as your DM - I'm not clear from your post what you've chosen), in which case you should have got a full Network Manager install as part of the package, including a panel notification icon (network@cinnamon.org). Clicking on the icon gets me into the configuration and it correctly shows my single ethernet port as unplugged. With the wireless there are 2 SSID shown and they are configurable there and there's also a toggle to switch the WiFi off completely.

Of course, that may not fix your boot problem as you say it may be an specific issue with your motherboard or its twin ethernet ports: mine's a Gigabyte board of 2011 vintage.

Last edited by Marjorie (2019-07-05 21:45:41)

dxrobertson · 2019-07-05 21:46:00

Micronaut wrote:

Question -- where do you find the controls/config for NetworkManager? It doesn't have any entries in the System or Settings menus.

To be more specific, they are generally in the panel/system tray app. After installing NM, you may need to add the network panel app to the panel/system tray. This all depends on what desktop env you are using. What are you using; XFCE, LXQT, KDE, MATE....?

dxrobertson · 2019-07-05 21:56:20

And to clarify on /etc/network/interfaces. Once NM is installed, it is my understanding that it will handle all eth0 and wlan0 network interface. I had the delays as you experienced on my installs and modifying the interfaces file fixed it once NM was installed.

/etc/network/interfaces should be this:

# This file describes the network interfaces available on your system
# and how to activate them. For more information, see interfaces(5).

source /etc/network/interfaces.d/*

# The loopback network interface
auto lo
iface lo inet loopback

Micronaut · 2019-07-05 23:28:47

Well, I was using Mint 17.3 (Rosa) also, but it was the XFCE edition, and that is the default in Devuan anyway. I like XFCE, it's been my default Linux desktop for some time. I do have to admit that I was often borrowing things from Gnome to finish out my XFCE environment, at least until Gnome began to require systemd. Even used Nautilus as a file manager when Thunnar was too raw and undeveloped. I guess I should have tried Mate and Cinnamon. Maybe the accessories like the network manager widget are more complete in those.

After installing the network-manager package I have not found any graphical network management utilities of any sort. Not in the menus, and not in the list of available objects when adding things to the XFCE toolbar. Where would I look?

dxrobertson · 2019-07-06 00:03:07

From what I remember, XFCE likes network-manager-gnome package. Install that, it installs ontop of NM, so leave him alone. This *gnome package should provide an app called nm-applet. It will be a panel/sys tray app.

You may need to add the nm-applet to the panel/sys tray. Someone else with XFCE installed should take over from here as I am running on faded memories.

Marjorie · 2019-07-06 11:39:08

dxrobertson wrote:

From what I remember, XFCE likes network-manager-gnome package. Install that, it installs ontop of NM, so leave him alone. This *gnome package should provide an app called nm-applet. It will be a panel/sys tray app.
You may need to add the nm-applet to the panel/sys tray. Someone else with XFCE installed should take over from here as I am running on faded memories.

As Micronaut says they prefer XFCE + selective gnome then, as you suggest, adding the relevant Gnome packages,until it works bits seems sensible. However interestingly the Devuan live CD chooses to uses XFCE with wicd for network management. I had the live CD .iso working and then installed on my setup to prove wireless (and other services) worked OK under Devuan on my system but I then went back and used the installation DVD .iso + advanced install to configure with RAID1 (mirrored drives) and Cinnamon. Cinnamon gives me the same toolkit (such as Rhythmbox for sound, Evolution for mail, Network Manager for WiFi) and interface as I had when I was using Mint (and before that Gnome 2 Ubuntu).

Micronaut · 2019-07-06 14:14:13

Installing the network-manager-gnome package gives me a panel app in the system menu, but not a systray app. But... I went ahead and installed Trinity Desktop and tried it out. That deserves its own thread. When I restarted into XFCE again, the Trinity systray nm app popped up. So now I have a triple-hybrid monstrosity desktop. Maybe I could remove network-manager-gnome and the Trinity panel app would appear?

Head_on_a_Stick · 2019-07-06 20:56:09

The systray application is provided by /usr/bin/nm-applet, which is included in the network-manager-gnome package and should be autostarted by the XFCE desktop (or any other XDG autostart compliant desktop).

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#1 2019-07-04 01:25:11

Odd message on booting a new install

#2 2019-07-04 04:05:46

Re: Odd message on booting a new install

#3 2019-07-04 08:28:56

Re: Odd message on booting a new install

#4 2019-07-04 16:55:04

Re: Odd message on booting a new install

#5 2019-07-05 00:07:28

Re: Odd message on booting a new install

#6 2019-07-05 00:22:18

Re: Odd message on booting a new install

#7 2019-07-05 00:44:26

Re: Odd message on booting a new install

#8 2019-07-05 01:05:50

Re: Odd message on booting a new install

#9 2019-07-05 01:20:21

Re: Odd message on booting a new install

#10 2019-07-05 02:29:02

Re: Odd message on booting a new install

#11 2019-07-05 04:41:37

Re: Odd message on booting a new install

#12 2019-07-05 16:35:04

Re: Odd message on booting a new install

#13 2019-07-05 16:57:50

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#14 2019-07-05 18:47:39

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#15 2019-07-05 19:17:01

Re: Odd message on booting a new install

#16 2019-07-05 20:49:15

Re: Odd message on booting a new install

#17 2019-07-05 21:26:48

Re: Odd message on booting a new install

#18 2019-07-05 21:44:41

Re: Odd message on booting a new install

#19 2019-07-05 21:46:00

Re: Odd message on booting a new install

#20 2019-07-05 21:56:20

Re: Odd message on booting a new install

#21 2019-07-05 23:28:47

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#22 2019-07-06 00:03:07

Re: Odd message on booting a new install

#23 2019-07-06 11:39:08

Re: Odd message on booting a new install

#24 2019-07-06 14:14:13

Re: Odd message on booting a new install

#25 2019-07-06 20:56:09

Re: Odd message on booting a new install

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