Reinstalling LL after losing wifi due to installing updates

[AZ]

Linux Lite: 2.0
I'm trying to reinstall LL on my hard drive after losing wifi due to installing updates. When I go to install LL using the CD, I have the option to install LL alongside Windows XP. I've already installed LL alongside XP. I don't want two LL operating systems & XP installed. I want to reinstall LL over the existing LL. I believe, I have to delete one of the partitions (number 5) but it won't let me. I need to know which partition to delete. Below are my partitions on my hard drive. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks

AZ

linux@linux:~$ sudo parted -l
Model: ATA WDC WD600UE-22KV (scsi)
Disk /dev/sda: 60.0GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number  Start  End    Size    Type      File system    Flags
1      32.3kB  47.3GB  47.3GB  primary  ntfs            boot
2      47.3GB  60.0GB  12.7GB  extended
5      47.3GB  58.5GB  11.3GB  logical  ext4
6      58.5GB  60.0GB  1473MB  logical  linux-swap(v1)


Warning: Unable to open /dev/sr0 read-write (Read-only file system).  /dev/sr0
has been opened read-only.
Error: Invalid partition table - recursive partition on /dev/sr0.       
Ignore/Cancel?

[N4RPS]

Hello!

If I felt I had to reinstall Linux Lite, I would select 'Something Else', select to format sda5, and install the replacement LL to replace the current one in sda5. However, depending on the wireless card you have, if you can get online another way (LAN cable, tethered phone, etc.), it might be easier to just pull down and reinstall the affected drivers instead - ESPECIALLY if you've installed a lot of software after you installed your current one...

73 DE N4RPS
Rob

[gold_finger]

I agree with N4RPS here.  Think you're better off trying to get wifi working vs. going through a new install again.  Have a feeling that as soon as you run updates after the install you'll just end up back where you are now.

Temporarily use an ethernet cable for now.  Open a terminal and enter following commands one at a time.

Code:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install inxi
inxi -nz

Copy/Paste back here the output of that last command which will show us what kind of network card is on the machine and what driver it's using.

[AZ]

Hi gold_finger,

Here are the results from the last command, inxi -nz.


linux@linux:~$ inxi -nz
Network:  Card-1: Broadcom BCM4318 [AirForce One 54g] 802.11g Wireless LAN Controller driver: b43-pci-bridge
          IF: wlan0 state: up mac: <filter>
          Card-2: Realtek RTL-8100/8101L/8139 PCI Fast Ethernet Adapter driver: 8139too
          IF: eth0 state: down mac: <filter>
linux@linux:~$

Thanks,
AZ

[gold_finger]

Not really an expert on wifi problems, but let's see if we can fix this.

Edit:  If anyone else who is familiar with Broadcom problems wants to jump in, please do.

Go to Menu -> System -> Install/Remove Software to open up the Synaptic Package Manager.  Highlight "All" and "Status" on the left-hand side of Synaptic, then type "broadcom" in the "Quick filter" search box.  (If Quick filter not showing, just use "Search".  Once you do a first search in Synaptic, when you close and re-open the program it will then start showing the "Quick filter" box.)



Try to adjust size of results window so that all of the boxes shown in green show up without you having to scroll.  When you have that done, take a screenshot of the window and post it back here for us to see.  Menu -> Accessories -> Screenshot -> Active window -> OK -> Save -> then change name of screenshot to synaptic.png and save it.  (Use directions in this post for including screenshots in your reply:  https://mityer.khdlhfjijfrupr.tk/forums/index...opic=487.0.)

Also, go to Menu -> Settings -> Install Drivers.  After it finishes loading, take a screenshot of that and post it back here.  Don't change anything with the program -- just take the screenshot, then close the window.

Lastly, open a terminal and post back output from this command:

Code:

apt-cache policy linux-firmware-nonfree bcmwl-kernel-source

[bitsnpcs]

Hello AZ,

Source - 'Varun'

The sta driver won't support your card, the native b43 will. Please purge the sta driver package and install the firmware for b43 instead -

Code:

sudo apt-get purge bcmwl-kernel-source
sudo apt-get install linux-firmware-nonfree

Then unload (if already loaded) and reload the b43 driver-

Code:

sudo modprobe -rv b43
sudo modprobe -v b43

Remove ethernet cable.
Reboot machine.

[N4RPS]

Hello!

Thanks. After all, why 'throw out the baby with the bath water'?

73 DE N4RPS
Rob

[bitsnpcs]

Hello Rob,

yes indeed, an apt phrase  8)

[AZ]

Earlier, I gave the wifi card & driver information when I used the CD to access the internet. I removed the CD and hooked up the ethernet cable and looked at the wifi card & driver information again and came up with a different driver. Below is the new (correct) information when using the ethernet  cable to access the internet.

Network:  Card-1: Broadcom BCM4318 [AirForce One 54g] 802.11g Wireless LAN Controller driver: wl
          IF: N/A state: N/A mac: N/A
          Card-2: Realtek RTL-8100/8101L/8139 PCI Fast Ethernet Adapter driver: 8139too
          IF: eth0 state: unknown speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>

[gold_finger]

Network:  Card-1: Broadcom BCM4318 [AirForce One 54g] 802.11g Wireless LAN Controller driver: wl
          IF: N/A state: N/A mac: N/A

Given that new info, go ahead an follow instructions posted by bitsnpcs a few posts ago.  Boot into installed LL (not live CD) with ethernet cable plugged-in; then open a terminal and enter the four commands in order shown in his post.  When done, reboot computer without ethernet cable attached and hopefully your wifi will be working again.

P.s.  It's entirely possible that when you enter "sudo apt-get install linux-firmware-nonfree" command it will come back saying that it's already installed.  That's fine, just continue on to next steps.