enable wireless has disappeared!

[ManofLard]

1st things first I know nothing about linux. I tried out ubuntu on a windows machine and got a laptop with suse installed. Wireless worked fine but has now disappeared as an option. I have trawled these forums and others. I have found a lot of information that I don't really understand. If I try the nm-applet command I get this.

(nm-applet:3453): Gtk-CRITICAL **: gtk_tooltips_set_tip: assertion `widget != NULL' failed

(nm-applet:3453): Gtk-CRITICAL **: gtk_image_set_from_pixbuf: assertion `GTK_IS_IMAGE (image)' failed

Usually words like 'critical' and 'failed' are not good,otherwise this is meaningless to me.Please help a clown whose brain is still running on DOS.

Cheers in advance.

[dijetlo]

See next post

[dijetlo]

(nm-applet:3453): Gtk-CRITICAL **: gtk_tooltips_set_tip: assertion `widget != NULL' failed
(nm-applet:3453): Gtk-CRITICAL **: gtk_image_set_from_pixbuf: assertion `GTK_IS_IMAGE (image)' failed
Usually words like 'critical' and 'failed' are not good,otherwise this is meaningless to me.

It's why you can't spawn the applet, it probably doesn't have anything to do with your wireless problem. Let's save the trials of Gtk for the next question. We need to get the wireless back up.
OK, welcome to linux. You have the worlds most compact, configurable, razor-sharp swiss army knife, mind your fingers.
The absence of the wireless network (if it's really gone) is a big hairy deal to your system. On some systems "root" is getting an email every hour from Inetd, one of the system demons "Why haven't you fixed the wireless you worthless meat-sack?!?!?". If inetd can't spam root, he posts snarky crap about him on a system message board called dmesg. Now consider this...your root.
Let's make this easy. You aren't going to want to type everything that comes out of this next command so let's put it in a text file so you can cut and paste it.
don't type the quotes.
"dmesg | grep wireless>wireless.txt."
"dmesg | grep eth0 >> wireless.txt" ---that's a zero, not a capitol O
"dmesg | grep FAIL >> wireless.txt"
"dmesg | greo fail >> wireless.txt"
BTW this { > } creates a file and { >> } adds to it. Make sure your use {>} on the first command line and { >> } on all subsequent. If you make a mistake start from the first line and do it again.
Now, open wireless.txt in an editor. Is there stuff in there?
Good, post it as a quote and I'll run over it with you.

[ManofLard]

Many thanks for your help unfortunately your idea that,'The absence of the wireless network (if it's really gone) is a big hairy deal to your system.' proved prescient as the system will now not boot at all. I am returning it to the retailer as HP customer support were no help. Nevertheless I would like to thank you for your post which was very clear and struck the right note for a newbie.

[dijetlo]

the system will now not boot at all. I am returning it to the retailer

Get him to reimage it for you.

Many thanks

My pleasure.