Unable to use wireless in LxXenial 17.11

[ozsouth]

@JASpup - yes to both.

[JASpup]

@ozsouth I came under the understanding LXDE is in zdrv.

Ergo, I put the 4.9.13 kernel and corresponding zdrv on a Mainline Xenial device thinking it might boot LXDE.

It boots JWM.

ath9k is there without a manual specification.

Seems both solutions work, but I didn't test if the archive zdrv was required or just vmlinuz, and don't know if the archive zdrv and 'dirty hack' version are the same file you just happened to add to the archive.

Maybe both aren't needed?

I also don't understand why the kernel is a superior solution to the dirty hack zdrv.

I would have to test LxXenialPup for a verdict, but strong suspicion it would work.

[ozsouth]

@JASpup - you need both kernel-modules.sfs (renamed to zdrv) & vmlinuz for swapped kernels, as they are always a matching pair. My hacked zdrv matched LxX's default vmlinuz and contained ath9k, whereas LxX's default zdrv didn't have ath9k. The kernels are very different versions - can't mix them. I picked that 4.9.13 as it suited your LxXenial well.
EDIT - LXDE is in puppy_...sfs. That would be the case for most lxde puppies (if not all).

[JASpup]

OK. I have two 32bit laptops, one using the driver needing the hack, and one not.

I've endeavored to make two LxX versions of the OS on the same boot medium, one with your dirty hack, the other as distributed.

I'll keep the kernel swap on disk, but if there's no other ostensible need for it and the dirty hack runs unproblematic, the plan seems to make sense.

I think there was also advice on a printing challenge I'll get to as well.

[ozsouth]

@JASpup - Initially, I saw 2 options for you. Simplest was to download a kernel that had what you needed & swap it in.
Other was the hack, which required me to download LxXenial, hack it & upload the hack for you to download. It will always load ath9k, even if not needed, which can occasionally conflict with needed drivers, as it loads it's own dependent modules & uses ram unnecessarily. Note zdrvs only contain kernel, aufs & firmware files - recent puppies have firmware in an fdrv instead.

[ozsouth]

@JASpup - Although I recommend kernel swaps, since you prefer the hack, I've made hack2, which discovers the ath9k but doesn't load it if not needed. If it works on your problematic system, could use it on any system, & only need a single install.
Just rename the first hack to zdrv_xenialpup_7.5.sfs.hack1, remove the .hack2 from the zdrv linked below & try it.
.LINK EXPIRED.

[JASpup]

Thanks for your efforts. I think you're writing that it's possible I can use one LxXenial installation with only the zdrv hack (sans kernel), as no unneeded driver would be loaded in the installation that doesn't use it. If so that would definitely be a better solution.

@JASpup - Although I recommend kernel swaps, since you prefer the hack, I've made hack2, which discovers the ath9k but doesn't load it if not needed. If it works on your problematic system, could use it on any system, & only need a single install.
Just rename the first hack to zdrv_xenialpup_7.5.sfs.hack1, remove the .hack2 from the zdrv linked below & try it.
Is here: http://www.filepup.net/files/f8d374471607378380.html

[ozsouth]

@JASpup - yes you wouldn't need to swap in another kernel, only zdrv...hack2
Need to test hack2 as I'm not sure if depmod in it is run early enough in bootup for ath9k auto detection.