interface eth0 missing - RTNETLINK answers: File exists

[gracetodave]

I'm running Fedora 9 in a virtual machine (vmware).
After having had trouble with changing IP-addresses (didn't have a hand in the matter), I stopped the NetworkManager and startet the (for me) well known network-service:
/etc/init.d/NetworkManager stop
/sbin/chkconfig --level 35 NetworkManager off
/etc/init.d/network start
/sbin/chkconfig --level 35 network on.
Everything worked fine.
One or two reboots and now I'm not able to get the two network-interfaces up and running.
The message that I receive says:
interface eth0 missing, initialization delayed (it is in german, so I cannot tell you the exact english version)
RTNETLINK answers: File exists
RTNETLINK answers: File exists
...
System:
Kernel 2.6.25.14-108
/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth1 (excerpt):
BOOTPROTO=static
ONBOOT=yes
DNS=internet (not local)
USERCTL=no
PEERDNS=yes
IPV6INIT=no
IPADDR=192.168.1.21
GATEWAY=192.168.1.1
NETMASK=255.255.255.0

I would appreciate any idea or suggestion.
Thanks.

[SG_01]

How about your /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0?

[gracetodave]

Thanks for the response.
There is no
/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0

I've got two interfaces activated for this virtual machine.
Fedora recognized both and named them eth1 and eth2.
I don't know, why it began with eth1.

I will try to get to an older snapshot, to see if I can restore to it and reproduce what if have done.
If I get an idea, what happend, I will post it here.

[gracetodave]

The status of the fresh installed 'Fedora 9' on the virtual machine, before any modification of the network settings:

#/etc/init.d/NetworkManager status
running

#/etc/init.d/network
configured:
lo eth0
enabled:
lo eth2

#ifconfig eth0
missing

#ifconfig eth1
missing

#ifconfig eth2
mac: 00:0C:29:E0:B7:46

#init 5
#system-config-network

I tried to change the hardware-device to eth0:
(sorry for my dump translation from the german denotation)

Hardware: Edit: Netzwork-Adapter-Konfiguration -> eth0
Device: Edit: Hardware Device: bind to MAC-Address: (Value before applying any changes: 00:0c:29:8c:f3:67)
Get: no device found

The following seems to work:
Hardware: Edit: Netzwork-Adapter-Konfiguration -> eth2
Device: Edit: Hardware Device: bind to MAC-Address: (Value before applying any changes: 00:0c:29:8c:f3:67)
Get: (result 00:0c:29:e0:b7:46)
Nickname: eth2
enable ->ok

#/etc/init.d/network
configured:
lo eth2
enabled:
lo eth2

#ifconfig eth2
mac: 00:0C:29:E0:B7:46

#reboot

#ifconfig
lo
#/etc/init.d/network
configured:
lo eth2
enabled:
lo

#nano /etc/rc.local
-> /sbin/ifup eth2


***
end of the words of gracetodave
I hope that this is of any value to somebody

[Wiren]

ABSTRACT:

file:

/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-$interface

where $interface is your interface, i.e.: eth0, p3p1, etc.

Contains old MAC address of the interface, but the script file exists, therefore conflict in configuration.
ie.: Service tries to use detected setings, but ifcfg script exists, therefore "File exists" error.


SOLUTION:

Fix the MAC address in the script file, with MAC address from:

ifconfig $interface

--> If I find better solution, than fixing by hand, I may update this post.