[SOLVED] No Network Manager? Solution here.

[Simon]

Yesterday, I installed something (I really don't know what did this) but I lost my NetworkManager. When I got to work I used the laptop to research. Later that evening, working with a Linux Live CD, I got access to the internet.

ifconfig showed me this without the CD

$ ifconfig
lo        Link encap:Local Loopback  
          inet addr:127.0.0.1  Mask:255.0.0.0
          inet6 addr: ::1/128 Scope:Host
          UP LOOPBACK RUNNING  MTU:16436  Metric:1
          RX packets:118 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:118 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:0 
          RX bytes:10458 (10.4 KB)  TX bytes:10458 (10.4 KB)

and $sudo lshw -c network replied; *-network Disabled

$sudo NetworkManager

Told me the program network-manager wasn't installed.

So I returned to the Live CD, and got an old deb file download of the Network Manager and saved it to my HDD.
Rebooted and got the network back! Finally I used update to update the manager.

I don't know what blew off my Network Manager, but if it happens again I will know how to get it back.

Linux prevails!

[oshunluvr]

Good job sleuthing and repairing!

Is this a laptop? I ask because if not, you don't really need NM at all. You can configure networking without it.

Whatever, though - good job!

[Simon]

No it is my old clunky desktop machine. I used the laptop at work to do the "sleuthing". I just wanted this posted somewhere people can find it and use the info to their benefit too. Also I am not 100% sure as to why it disappeared but it might have been anything from me installing something new or uninstalling the wrong program.

Thanks!

[SteveRiley]

What's the output of

grep -C 6 'network-manager' /var/log/apt/history.log

Let's see if any recent package management actions might have removed Network Manager.

[Simon]

I am afraid not, posted below is the log in its entirety. I recently upgraded my laptop from 12.04 to 14.04, maybe it is time I should do the same to old Mr. Clunky here? LOL I fear the machine would melt.

Start-Date: 2015-02-04  17:31:20
Install: gce-daemon:i386 (1.1.8-0ubuntu2~12.04.0), ssh-import-id:i386 (2.10-0ubuntu1, automatic), python-boto:i386 (2.2.2-0ubuntu3, automatic), openssh-server:i386 (5.9p1-5ubuntu1.4, automatic)
Upgrade: openssh-client:i386 (5.9p1-5ubuntu1.1, 5.9p1-5ubuntu1.4)
Remove: network-manager:i386 (0.9.4.0-0ubuntu4.3), plasma-widget-networkmanagement:i386 (0.9.0.1-0ubuntu2.1)
End-Date: 2015-02-04  17:31:52

Start-Date: 2015-02-05  00:38:17
Install: network-manager:i386 (0.9.4.0-0ubuntu4.4.1, automatic), libnm-gtk0:i386 (0.9.4.1-0ubuntu2.3), humanity-icon-theme:i386 (0.5.3.11, automatic), network-manager-gnome:i386 (0.9.4.1-0ubuntu2.3, automatic), libgnome-bluetooth8:i386 (3.2.2-0ubuntu5.1), gnome-icon-theme:i386 (3.4.0-0ubuntu1.1), libnm-gtk-common:i386 (0.9.4.1-0ubuntu2.3)
End-Date: 2015-02-05  00:38:17

Start-Date: 2015-02-05  07:31:41
Install: gce-daemon:i386 (1.1.8-0ubuntu2~12.04.0)
End-Date: 2015-02-05  07:31:41

Start-Date: 2015-02-05  07:38:00
Upgrade: network-manager:i386 (0.9.4.0-0ubuntu3, 0.9.4.0-0ubuntu4.4.1)
End-Date: 2015-02-05  07:38:15

As you can see, the activity of the whole month has been getting the network back online.

[kubicle]

I am afraid not, posted below is the log in its entirety. I recently upgraded my laptop from 12.04 to 14.04, maybe it is time I should do the same to old Mr. Clunky here? LOL I fear the machine would melt.

Start-Date: 2015-02-04 17:31:20
Install: gce-daemon:i386 (1.1.8-0ubuntu2~12.04.0), ssh-import-id:i386 (2.10-0ubuntu1, automatic), python-boto:i386 (2.2.2-0ubuntu3, automatic), openssh-server:i386 (5.9p1-5ubuntu1.4, automatic)
Upgrade: openssh-client:i386 (5.9p1-5ubuntu1.1, 5.9p1-5ubuntu1.4)
Remove: network-manager:i386 (0.9.4.0-0ubuntu4.3), plasma-widget-networkmanagement:i386 (0.9.0.1-0ubuntu2.1)
End-Date: 2015-02-04 17:31:52

Start-Date: 2015-02-05 00:38:17
Install: network-manager:i386 (0.9.4.0-0ubuntu4.4.1, automatic), libnm-gtk0:i386 (0.9.4.1-0ubuntu2.3), humanity-icon-theme:i386 (0.5.3.11, automatic), network-manager-gnome:i386 (0.9.4.1-0ubuntu2.3, automatic), libgnome-bluetooth8:i386 (3.2.2-0ubuntu5.1), gnome-icon-theme:i386 (3.4.0-0ubuntu1.1), libnm-gtk-common:i386 (0.9.4.1-0ubuntu2.3)
End-Date: 2015-02-05 00:38:17

Start-Date: 2015-02-05 07:31:41
Install: gce-daemon:i386 (1.1.8-0ubuntu2~12.04.0)
End-Date: 2015-02-05 07:31:41

Start-Date: 2015-02-05 07:38:00
Upgrade: network-manager:i386 (0.9.4.0-0ubuntu3, 0.9.4.0-0ubuntu4.4.1)
End-Date: 2015-02-05 07:38:15

As you can see, the activity of the whole month has been getting the network back online.

The first entry logs the removal of network-manager backend and the plasma widget (probably because of dependency issues with the installation of new package gce-daemon)...always check if anything essential is going to be removed before proceeding with installation/dist-upgrades of packages.

You seem to have also installed gnome's network-manager frontend on 5th?