# [SOLVED] eth0 interface does not exist

## mattive

I'm trying to use an Intel 82566MM ethernet device (Lenovo Thinkpad T61p), but trying to start it up results in 

```
ERROR: interface eth0 does not exist
```

```
lspci -k | grep -A3 net
```

 gives

 *Quote:*   

> 00:19.0 Ethernet controller: Intel Corporation 82566MM Gigabit Network Connection (rev 03)
> 
>   Subsystem: Lenovo ThinkPad T61
> 
> 00:1a.0 ..

  (no driver or kernel module)

According to http://en.gentoo-wiki.com/wiki/Lenovo_Thinkpad_T61p I should use e1000e drivers, so I enabled this in kernel config (as built-in). However, according to 

```
dmesg | grep e1000
```

 it seems that e1000 is loaded, whereas there is no entry of e1000e. Why might this be? How might it be possible to fix my problem?

```
uname -r

3.4.9-gentoo
```

Thanks in advance!Last edited by mattive on Wed Oct 03, 2012 9:35 pm; edited 1 time in total

----------

## NeddySeagoon

mattive,

Welcome to Gentoo.

If you made e1000e built into your kernel, I suspect the issue is that you are not using the kernel you thing you are 

Look at your uname -a output.  here is mine as an example

```
$ uname -a

Linux NeddySeagoon 3.5.2-gentoo #1 SMP PREEMPT Sun Aug 19 12:15:45 BST 2012 x86_64 AMD Phenom(tm) II X6 1090T Processor AuthenticAMD GNU/Linux
```

The date and time here, Sun Aug 19 12:15:45 BST 2012, is the important information.  Its the build time of the running kernel.  From your memory, does that look right for your kernel.

Another indicator is the #1 in Linux NeddySeagoon 3.5.2-gentoo #1, which indicates the first build of this kernel version.  I guess you rebuilt your  3.4.9-gentoo kernel, so you should have #2 or even later.

If it looks wrong, did yo remember to mount /boot before you copied the kernel to /boot?

Did you mistype the /boot/<filename>, so that grub does not seethe new kernel?

There are lots of ways to mess up the kernel install, if thats what your problem is.

----------

## mattive

 *NeddySeagoon wrote:*   

> 
> 
> If you made e1000e built into your kernel, I suspect the issue is that you are not using the kernel you thing you are 
> 
> Look at your uname -a output.

 

This is in fact the case, mine also says #1, and I in fact forgot to mount the boot partition. Thank you for this advice! But now I run into a different problem: I can't mount /dev/sda1 (my boot partition), since my system won't recognise the ext2 filesystem.

```
mount: unknown filesystem type 'ext2'
```

Perhaps I forgot to include this in the kernel as well? Is it even possible that I managed to boot from an ext2 filesystem without ext2 filesystem support enabled in the kernel? Should I just use the LiveUSB to

1) Make sure the newly compiled kernel includes ext2 support

2) Mount the boot partition

3) Copy the new kernel binary

4) Reboot to new system

?

----------

## DONAHUE

redo your menuconfig ensuring that e1000e is the only possible choice as in:

 *Quote:*   

> Device Drivers  --->
> 
> [*]   Ethernet driver support  --->
> 
> [*]   Intel devices 
> ...

  make e1000e as a module so you can use modprobe to examine behavior after recompiling, recopying, and rebooting, if needed.

----------

## mattive

DONAHUE: I already ensured that e1000e is the only Intel ethernet driver included in the config, which is why I wondered why the e1000 got loaded on boot anyways. Now it seems that I've been using the old, first compile kernel. I should see if getting the new one working fixes this, but I just need to get my boot partition mounted.

----------

## DONAHUE

Tell me if I understand the situation:

you have intsalled gentoo to your hard drive.

you can boot an old kernel successfully but it does not provide the e1000e driver.

you compiled a new kernel but cannot mount the boot partition to copy the new kernel to the boot partition.

is your boot partition /dev/sda1?

if so 

```
nano /etc/fstab 
```

should include  *Quote:*   

> /dev/sda1   /boot        ext2    defaults,noatime     1 2

 If your boot partition is not /dev/sda1 use your correct value 

If your boot partition is not /dev/sda1 use your correct value, run:

```
mount /dev/sda1 /boot
```

If your boot partition is not /dev/sda1 use your correct value. post the result.

----------

## mattive

That is correct, my boot partition is /dev/sda1, and I have the same line in my /etc/fstab. When trying to 

```
mount /dev/sda1 /boot
```

it gives me 

```
mount: unknown filesystem type 'ext2'
```

----------

## DONAHUE

the old kernel does not contain ext2 support.

are you using ext4 at all?

----------

## mattive

I have

/dev/sda1, which is ext2

/dev/sda2, swap and

/dev/sda3, ext3. 

I don't use ext4. I've been following the Gentoo installation guide quite closely, since I'm a beginner. Should I now recompile the kernel to include ext2 support, and use the liveusb to mount&copy the new kernel to the boot partition?

----------

## DONAHUE

 *Quote:*   

> and use the liveusb to mount&copy the new kernel to the boot partition?

  this is the cleanest way include e1000e exclude e1000 while you're at it

 older lineup, ok if ext4 not used on root

 *Quote:*   

> <*> Second extended fs support                                        
> 
> [*]   Ext2 extended attributes                                        
> 
> [ ]     Ext2 POSIX Access Control Lists (NEW)                         
> ...

 

 newer, better if ext4 used on root

 *Quote:*   

> < > Second extended fs support                                   
> 
> < > Ext3 journalling file system support                         
> 
> <*> The Extended 4 (ext4) filesystem                             
> ...

 

----------

## NeddySeagoon

mattive,

Boot into your system that can't mount /boot

In menuconfig set the ext2 filesystem option to <M>.  Exit, saving the change.

Now do 

```
make modules && make modules_install
```

```
modprobe ext2
```

should work and allow you to mount /boot

With /boot mounted go back into menuconfig and set ext2 to <*>

Do the whole kernel build and install.

Do not unmount boot until your new kernel build is installed.

----------

## mattive

And I'm online!

Thank you both for your assistance and patience   :Smile: 

----------

