network not working at all -- under any OS, or card

luceroz · 2005-10-10 21:56:12

i have a very wierd issue with a computer i recently aquired from my brother.

the networking capabilities of this computer have died, for lack of a better term.

i have tried the built in VIA_RHINE based ethernet, under knoppix and arch (and even solaris) with no results. since i have had problems with on board ethernet before, i got out my trusty realtek 8139 based NIC and gave it a try. i disabled the onboard etherent on the mobo, and tried arch/knoppix again, NOTHING.

i cannot understand how or why ethernet interfaces will not work on this computer. I am really clueless. If anybody has any tricks or tests i could run to determine the problem, that would be really helpful.

it is an athlon xp 1500+ , with a VIA motherboard, and an nvidia geforce2 agp grapics card.
the chipset is a VIA VT8235 and the board was manufactured by MSI? (is that a company? -- it is what one of the heatsinks reads -- so i assumed)

EDIT: it loads the necessary modules (8139too, via_rhine) just fine

Gullible Jones · 2005-10-10 22:05:22

You sure there's nothing wrong with the Ethernet cable?

luceroz · 2005-10-10 22:15:24

yes, forgot to mention.

i tried the ethernet cable on my laptop and it works just fine.

and i have even tried giving the computer a static ip address to make things move along faster -- no dice.

T-Dawg · 2005-10-10 22:23:17

I'd try flashing the BIOS..

luceroz · 2005-10-10 22:39:53

after searching on MSI's website, i can only find bios updates that are *.exe. does this mean they will only run in a windows environment, or will DOS suffice?

EDIT: what the hell, doesnt anybody else find it rediculous to have BIOS flashes as windows executables?! this is just extremely amazing to me, the last time i had to update a bios, it was a self loading formware on a floppy afair, and it worked beautifully.

T-Dawg · 2005-10-10 22:45:22

What do the procedures say?

They should provide you with a method that allows you to put the files onto a bootable floppy so all you have to do is boot with it, AFIAK.

luceroz · 2005-10-10 22:51:19

ok as it turns out, the procedure is as follows:

download proper bios image,
put said image in C:test,
boot win* boot floppy,
do this: C: (enter)
cdtest (enter)
execute whatever is in said directory

so, could i get away with, booting a winxp boot floppy and having the bios image on the same floppy? or do i have to make an entire FAT32 file system and throw it on there (which i can do, but dont want to)

also, sorry i am pissy, this bios update news is new to me, and its a bit frustrating

T-Dawg · 2005-10-10 22:55:58

yeah try it on the floppy, I guess there's no other way other than partitioning like you say.
Have you tried turning off (or on) plug and play in the BIOS?

luceroz · 2005-10-10 22:57:55

sweet, so far i have found this: bootdisk.com

which is a cool website, BUT,
appearantly a winME bootdisk (which is what is recommended) is the file 'bootme.exe' now what am i supposed to do with that??

do i 'dd' it to a floppy, or what? it isnt a floppy .img or .disk or any of the others i have seen in the past, so what gives?

luceroz · 2005-10-10 23:00:34

yes i have tried with PnP on and off, both equally as useless.

i have also disabled APIC to see what happens, nothing either

i have even taken out the modo battery and let it sit for a while to think about what its done, but that didnt do anything, save for screwing up the clock (which i promptly fixed)

luceroz · 2005-10-10 23:06:17

ok found the boot disk images for 'non windows'

got the winme.img

going to load knoppix and use it to make the floppies (irronically this floppy drive on this screwed up comp, is the only one i have)

Arch Linux

#1 2005-10-10 21:56:12

network not working at all -- under any OS, or card

#2 2005-10-10 22:05:22

Re: network not working at all -- under any OS, or card

#3 2005-10-10 22:15:24

Re: network not working at all -- under any OS, or card

#4 2005-10-10 22:23:17

Re: network not working at all -- under any OS, or card

#5 2005-10-10 22:39:53

Re: network not working at all -- under any OS, or card

#6 2005-10-10 22:45:22

Re: network not working at all -- under any OS, or card

#7 2005-10-10 22:51:19

Re: network not working at all -- under any OS, or card

#8 2005-10-10 22:55:58

Re: network not working at all -- under any OS, or card

#9 2005-10-10 22:57:55

Re: network not working at all -- under any OS, or card

#10 2005-10-10 23:00:34

Re: network not working at all -- under any OS, or card

#11 2005-10-10 23:06:17

Re: network not working at all -- under any OS, or card

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