6.7 ISO Missing e1000e Driver to Support Intel 8086:15bb

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CaveDann
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6.7 ISO Missing e1000e Driver to Support Intel 8086:15bb

Post by CaveDann » 2018/12/14 15:19:06

I'm trying to install CentOS 6.7 via cobbler and kickstart to a new machine. The machine has an Intel 8086:15bb Ethernet Controller. Whilst I'm able to retrieve the vmlinuz and initrd.img over the network, it fails to download the kickstart file due to the driver.

Currently, the e1000e driver provided by the iso is 3.2.5-k. I've burned a 6.7 DVD and performed an install this way. I'm able to update the driver post-installation to 3.4.2.1 via USB stick with the .tar.gz download provided by Intel.

However, I really need to be able to use kickstart here. Does anyone know how to properly prepare a dd.iso file for the e1000e driver so that I can use the inst.dd= option here? If not, any way to work around this problem such that the kernel has access to the needed driver version?

Cheers,
CD

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avij
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Re: 6.7 ISO Missing e1000e Driver to Support Intel 8086:15bb

Post by avij » 2018/12/14 15:38:09

Have you tried this with the currently supported version, 6.10?

CaveDann
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Re: 6.7 ISO Missing e1000e Driver to Support Intel 8086:15bb

Post by CaveDann » 2018/12/14 15:48:28

Yeah, it presents with the same issue.

Even using a graphical install, the Network Configuration button is greyed out since it hasn't detected an applicable driver for the NIC.

I know elrepo currently provides version 3.3.5 of the driver for CentOS 6, but obviously, without an already active network card I can't download this either during install or in %post.

Cheers,
CD
Last edited by CaveDann on 2018/12/14 15:54:55, edited 2 times in total.

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TrevorH
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Re: 6.7 ISO Missing e1000e Driver to Support Intel 8086:15bb

Post by TrevorH » 2018/12/14 15:50:59

It's not supported by 6.10 either according to grep -i 8086 /lib/modules/2.6.32-754.6.3.el6.x86_64/modules.* | grep -i 15bb. It's also not supported by ELRepo's kmod-e1000e. You might try asking them if they would rebase their kmod-e1000e to a newer version and I believe it's then just a matter of putting that rpm on media that inst.dd= can understand (though it may need a specific directory layout).

It is supported by CentOS 7.6 and that's probably the version you should be installing at this late stage in CentOS 6's lifetime. It came out in 2010 and has less than 2 years life left in it before it goes EOL. It's already on "critical security fixes only" maintenance.
The future appears to be RHEL or Debian. I think I'm going Debian.
Info for USB installs on http://wiki.centos.org/HowTos/InstallFromUSBkey
CentOS 5 and 6 are deadest, do not use them.
Use the FAQ Luke

CaveDann
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Re: 6.7 ISO Missing e1000e Driver to Support Intel 8086:15bb

Post by CaveDann » 2018/12/14 15:54:46

Thanks for the response TH. I agree that 7 would be the way to go, but right now I promise it isn't possible for me to just switch over to that.

I'll try contacting elrepo then I guess. I did attempt to build an RPM myself of the 3.4.2.1.tar.gz file provided by Intel using RPMBuild, but it's not been a success.

Cheers,
CD

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TrevorH
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Re: 6.7 ISO Missing e1000e Driver to Support Intel 8086:15bb

Post by TrevorH » 2018/12/14 16:00:13

The future appears to be RHEL or Debian. I think I'm going Debian.
Info for USB installs on http://wiki.centos.org/HowTos/InstallFromUSBkey
CentOS 5 and 6 are deadest, do not use them.
Use the FAQ Luke

CaveDann
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Joined: 2018/12/14 15:05:27
Location: U.K.

Re: 6.7 ISO Missing e1000e Driver to Support Intel 8086:15bb

Post by CaveDann » 2018/12/14 17:04:37

Cheers, I'll have a look.

I've just tried following the e1000e README instructions for building a Binary RPM in an attempt to then build an ISO from that.

> rpmbuild -tb e1000e.3.4.2.1.tar.gz
> genisoimage -o dd.iso e1000e.3.4.2.1-1.x86_64.rpm

However, it fails when the RPM is provided to the dd command at boot, and it unexpectedly exits the dd.iso file at this stage too.

CaveDann
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Re: 6.7 ISO Missing e1000e Driver to Support Intel 8086:15bb

Post by CaveDann » 2018/12/14 17:16:40

For what it's worth, I've had a response from elrepo too saying that an update to the kmod-e1000e.x86_64.rpm is in the plan, coming soon.

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TrevorH
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Re: 6.7 ISO Missing e1000e Driver to Support Intel 8086:15bb

Post by TrevorH » 2018/12/14 17:29:45

The link I posted has a reference to the paths required and I don't think you used them on your dd.iso.
The future appears to be RHEL or Debian. I think I'm going Debian.
Info for USB installs on http://wiki.centos.org/HowTos/InstallFromUSBkey
CentOS 5 and 6 are deadest, do not use them.
Use the FAQ Luke

CaveDann
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Joined: 2018/12/14 15:05:27
Location: U.K.

Re: 6.7 ISO Missing e1000e Driver to Support Intel 8086:15bb

Post by CaveDann » 2018/12/17 13:45:16

Hey Trevor,

Again, that link is super useful. However, now I'm missing the repomd.xml files for the RPM package. Not sure how to generate them or where to find them. I'll keep this updated with any progress I make.

Cheers,
CD

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