Networking :: 'configuring network interfaces... : failed

Hi, I am new and just burned the DSL ISO image to a CD.
I want to use DSL on an old 486 PC with 32 MB, 3c900b and serial mouse.
Because my PC/BIOS does not support booting from CD, and have put smartbootmanager (http://btmgr.sourceforge.net) on a floppy. I boot from this floppy and then choose 'boot from CD'. This works fine.

Except that my ethernetcard 3c900b is not working.
During booting I get the following messages:

network device eth detected

and somewhat later on

configuring network interfaces... : failed

When I run 'netcardconfig' and choose DHCP (my ADSL router/switch supports DHCP) is doesn't get an IP address, but replies with "operation failed".

Who can help me?

I don't know about the 3c900b, but I have used a 3c509 which had two ports and if the card was set up to use the not connected port, it of course wouldn't work. I don't know if this applies to your card, but if it does, then 3com has some dos utility to switch the port (at least they had for the 3c509).

I just found the solutions for my problem

$sudo ifdown eth0
$sudo rmmod 3c59x
$sudo insmod 3c59x options=0 --means 10BaseT
$netcardconfig --use DHCP
$ifconfig --shows that I have received an IP address

Now I can start X with
$startx

So, it seems necessary to include option=0 during loading this module.

Of course I want to automate this task, but I have no functional hard disk, so I have to modify DSL itself;
ANy idea how to do that?

Grab 0.6 and make /opt/bootlocal.sh with things to do...backup to floppy and then run DSL with > boot: knoppix restore=/dev/fd0 < parameters
do not forget to modify filetool.1st in /home/damnsmall/ before backuping

------------EDIT-----------
You need to do this before 1st backup
$ sudo su
# echo "/opt/bootlocal.sh" >> /home/damnsmall/filetool.1st

If you want to modify after bad backup please mount floppy with mount.app and do
$sudo su
# echo "/opt/bootlocal.sh" >> /mnt/auto/floppy

original here.