installing modem drivers?

[kamikaze2112]

This may be a silly question, but is it possible to load drivers for my modem. I have used these drivers before, and I know how to configure them (in Mandrake). I guess what i am asking is, since Knoppix can save my configuration to a USB key, can i install the drivers to the system, save the configuration, and when i boot knoppix, pass the argument to look for my configuration on the usbkey? the only reason that this is necessary is that i don't have broadband, and both my computer and my gf's computer have exactly the same modems. It would be nice to have a portable OS that i can dial-up to my ISP on....

Thanks

kamikaze2112

[WSC-fsl]

This question/type of question has been asked several times in this forum. The asnwer is no. This type of configuration is not possible because it is more then a configuration of software on the disk...it is an install of additional software. I do recommend however that you look into remastering knoppix. This allows you to add any software you'd like and have your own unique disk! I have had great luck and great fun remastering KNOPPIX and strongly encourage others to do the same.

Hope this helps,

fsl

[mightydavefish]

The above answer is incorrect. You can compile the modules you need, store them on the usb key, and insmod them when you have booted up. Look at what people are doing to load winmodem drivers in other threads. This is a pretty common question. Mostly you have to compile the modules, then just manually load them when you need them. I did this for a week or so for my office laptop (I wasn't allowed to replace XP with linux). I compiled the modules for my LT winmodem and copied them to my thumb drive. After that I just manually loaded the modules after boot up.

[WSC-fsl]

You know I haven't looked into this problem in a whle but last I knew no one was successful. My original attempt to do this very manuover was using a conexant win-modem using linuxant's driver.
I apologize for giving wrong information. No searching again I see that some people have seen success in this endevour. My Bad!.. and thank you mightydavefish for setting me right!

fsl

[kamikaze2112]

you wouldn't be able to provide some sort of 'how-to' or point me to a spot where i can find one on the process you describe mightydavefish?

thanks

kamikaze2112

[mightydavefish]

Kamikaze,
Try downloading and compiling the drivers for your modem. If you can just compile them as normal without installing them, you are all set. I guess it all depends on whether kernel headers are enough or if you need the full source. I think knoppix has the headers on the cd, but not the full source, so try it anyway to see how far you get. I have the full source on my system now, but I can't remember if I had it then or not. I don't think so, since where could I get it without my modem? Here's what I did:
I downloaded the driver source I needed for my modem from linmodems.org. I untarred the pctel-0.9.7-9.tar.gz file in /tmp, which put the source in /tmp/pctel-0.9.7-9. I then followed the compilation instructions by running ./configure and then make. I now had the ptserial.o and pctel.o drivers sitting in the /tmp/pctel-0.9.7-9/drivers directory. I took the drivers, copied them on a usb key, and loaded them into the kernel when I needed them. It worked fine, as I recall. I do not know how to have this done automatically at boot by reading your persistent home directory on the usb key, I just loaded them manually when I needed them.

I may have forgotten some things here, I only had to use it this way for a little while. The biggest problem will be if you need the full source to compile the modem module. If you need the full source and don't have it, I am not sure how to help.

[kamikaze2112]

Is it maybe easier to install Knoppix to a harddrive, install the drivers i need, and remaster my own cd?

[mightydavefish]

I doubt that would be easier than just compiling the drivers and copying them to your usb drive, but you can certainly do that.
I really would try to just compile the drivers as normal to see if it works. If it does you are all done.

[kamikaze2112]

i'm kinda new at this, so i'm not sure how to compile the drivers...

i downloaded a debian package, and was hoping to install from that, but kpackage errors out due to a read-only filesystem.

I'll download the source, and see if theres' a readme in there to help me. I'm also going to try remastering my cd as well, cause there are a few other things that i want on it too.

I'll be sure to let you all know how it goes.

kamikaze2112

[kamikaze2112]

i did an hdinstall, and tried to load my drivers (after compiling them with the included script). after compiling, it was to use hsfconfig to configure the device (which i have done before, sucessfully i might add, in mandrake) and when it asks me for the kernel source it errors out...

any ideas?