ethernet nic install

DISCUSSION Andrew 2 participants 5 messages Aug 3, 2004 – Aug 5, 2004

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Andrew

author

2004-08-03 10:30 UTC #0 lore raw

Hello,
I am having trouble trying to install an rtl8139 nic on a 486 running Slackware 9.0.

From dmesg:
8139too Fast Ethernet driver 0.9.26
PCI: Enabling device 00:03.0 (0000 -> 0003)
PCI: No IRQ known for interrupt pin A of device 00:03.0. Please try using pci=biosirq.
eth1: RealTek RTL8139 Fast Ethernet at 0xc1821000, (hw address), IRQ 0
eth1: Identified 8139 chip type 'RTL-8139C'
...
8139cp: 10/100 PCI Ethernet driver v0.3.0 (Sep 29, 2002)
8139cp: 10/100 PCI Ethernet driver v0.3.0 (Sep 29, 2002)
8139cp: 10/100 PCI Ethernet driver v0.3.0 (Sep 29, 2002)
8139cp: 10/100 PCI Ethernet driver v0.3.0 (Sep 29, 2002)

lspci lists the nic OK. The module is loaded OK. ifconfig -a shows the interface exists, hw addresss is correct, but no ip address. Trying to bring it up or give it an ip address with ifconfig gets the reply:

SIOCSIFFLAGS: Device or resource busy

I've never heard of this pci=biosirq business. If I thought it might help I would be delighted to 'use it', but where and how? BTW, this same nic works fine in other machines.

Google turns up about 3,000 people asking what pci=biosirq means. One reply pointed me to the kernel-documentation. It seems I should add append="pci=biosirq" in lilo.conf. This has made no difference except that I now get the following message in dmesg:

PCI: Error b1 when fetching IRQ routing table.

Any insights?
TIA,
Andrew

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pa3gcu

2004-08-03 19:20 UTC #1 lore raw

Quoted 3 lines · Andrew

Hello,
I am having trouble trying to install an rtl8139 nic on a 486 running Slackware 9.0.

Firstly, you said "486" that means your bios needs to be setup in a completly different way that presant day BIOS's are, we have today whats called plug-and-play, you have an old motherboard which only supports plug-and-pray. That meaning if you set your BIOS to (if i remember correctly) "user define" then i can imagen why you are having so many problems as PCI cards cannot get an IRQ because you have set them all aside for ISA cards.

Now secondly, why i ask are you using the 8139cp driver when your type of card needs the 8139too driver.?????

If i was you i would setup my BIOS to have at least one IRQ for PCI, that way you get automatic allocation of IRQ's for PCI cards, i am convinced that you have set your BIOS to something other than what i stated.

I would place into /etc/rc.d/rc.netdevice the following;

/sbin/modprobe 8139too

Another thing here is that you state "eth1" is the interface concerned, that means its the second ethernet device in your system, do you have a working eth0 device and if so what is it and is it working.???

Quoted 13 lines

From dmesg:
8139too Fast Ethernet driver 0.9.26
PCI: Enabling device 00:03.0 (0000 -> 0003)
PCI: No IRQ known for interrupt pin A of device 00:03.0. Please try using pci=biosirq.
eth1: RealTek RTL8139 Fast Ethernet at 0xc1821000, (hw address), IRQ 0
eth1: Identified 8139 chip type 'RTL-8139C'
...
8139cp: 10/100 PCI Ethernet driver v0.3.0 (Sep 29, 2002) 8139cp: 10/100 PCI Ethernet driver v0.3.0 (Sep 29, 2002) 8139cp: 10/100 PCI Ethernet driver v0.3.0 (Sep 29, 2002) 8139cp: 10/100 PCI Ethernet driver v0.3.0 (Sep 29, 2002)

Quoted 5 lines

lspci lists the nic OK. The module is loaded OK. ifconfig -a shows the interface exists, hw addresss is correct, but no ip address. Trying to bring it up or give it an ip address with ifconfig gets the reply:
SIOCSIFFLAGS: Device or resource busy

Possably, but it is saying, i am here but i am having many problems due to misconfiguration.
The error in itself is unexplanatry, possably due to what i have written above.

Quoted 4 lines

I've never heard of this pci=biosirq business. If I thought it might help I would be delighted to 'use it', but where and how? BTW, this same nic works fine in other machines.

Ok if it works fine in another machine, what is the other machine and how is the BIOS setup to detect the card.???

It means set the IRQ to what i set aside in my BIOS, but you have not (if i am wrong correct me) done that.

Quoted 5 lines

Google turns up about 3,000 people asking what pci=biosirq means. One reply pointed me to the kernel-documentation. It seems I should add append="pci=biosirq" in lilo.conf. This has made no difference except that I now get the following message in dmesg:

google is a wonderfull machine, what it does not tell you is that you sometimes need to read between lines.

Quoted 2 lines

PCI: Error b1 when fetching IRQ routing table.

That is understandable, your BIOS is not setup correctly.

Quoted 1 line

Any insights?

Plenty more if what i have explained is not your answer.
I have a few 486 machines running at remote sites with rtl8139 nic's, take it from me they all work and they use the 8139too driver.

Quoted 8 lines

TIA,
Andrew
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Signature · 13 lines

If the Linux community is a bunch of thieves because they
try to imitate windows programs, then the Windows community
is built on organized crime.

Regards Richard
[email protected]
http://people.zeelandnet.nl/pa3gcu/

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Andrew

author

2004-08-04 16:49 UTC #2 lore raw

Quoted 2 lines · pa3gcu wrote:

Firstly, you said "486"

Sorry. I was suffering from heatstroke. It's a very ancient pentium 60Mhz.

Quoted 1 line

Now secondly, why i ask are you using the 8139cp driver when your type of card needs the 8139too driver.?????

Good question. I'm not. I have only used the 8139too driver and can't figure out why there is any reference at all to the 8139cp (I didn't even know it existed and didn't notice it until after my first post).

Quoted 4 lines

I would place into /etc/rc.d/rc.netdevice the following;
/sbin/modprobe 8139too

So far I have loaded it manually, from /etc.rc.d/rc.modules and with 'netconfig', which detects the nic if I remove the other one (see below).

Quoted 1 line

Another thing here is that you state "eth1" is the interface concerned, that means its the second ethernet device in your system, do you have a working eth0 device and if so what is it and is it working.???

Yes, 3c509 isapnp and yes.

I shall have another go at the BIOS (It is the strangest I have ever seen) and maybe come back to you.

Thanks, anyway,

Andrew

pa3gcu

2004-08-04 18:41 UTC #3 lore raw

Quoted 12 lines · Andrew

Quoted 1 line · pa3gcu wrote:
Firstly, you said "486"
Sorry. I was suffering from heatstroke. It's a very ancient pentium 60Mhz.
Quoted 2 lines
Now secondly, why i ask are you using the 8139cp driver when your type of card needs the 8139too driver.?????
Good question. I'm not. I have only used the 8139too driver and can't figure out why there is any reference at all to the 8139cp (I didn't even know it existed and didn't notice it until after my first post).

Quoted 6 lines

Quoted 3 lines
I would place into /etc/rc.d/rc.netdevice the following;
/sbin/modprobe 8139too
So far I have loaded it manually, from /etc.rc.d/rc.modules and with 'netconfig', which detects the nic if I remove the other one (see below).

Another indication that your BIOS is setup for PnP and NOT PCI or shared.

Quoted 5 lines

Quoted 3 lines
Another thing here is that you state "eth1" is the interface concerned, that means its the second ethernet device in your system, do you have a working eth0 device and if so what is it and is it working.???
Yes, 3c509 isapnp and yes.

Ok i presume you know which IRQ this nic uses, so simply set that IRQ to PnP or ISA in your BIOS, leave the rest to PCI (presuming you only have one ISA card in the machine).

Quoted 2 lines

I shall have another go at the BIOS (It is the strangest I have ever seen) and maybe come back to you.

Yes, they are somewhat differnet to todays BIOS's.

Quoted 5 lines

Thanks, anyway,
Andrew

Signature · 13 lines

If the Linux community is a bunch of thieves because they
try to imitate windows programs, then the Windows community
is built on organized crime.

Regards Richard
[email protected]
http://people.zeelandnet.nl/pa3gcu/

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Andrew

author

2004-08-05 10:49 UTC #4 lore raw

Quoted 7 lines · pa3gcu wrote:

Another indication that your BIOS is setup for PnP and NOT PCI or shared.
Quoted 2 lines
I shall have another go at the BIOS (It is the strangest I have ever seen) and maybe come back to you.
Yes, they are somewhat differnet to todays BIOS's.

Perhaps you could help me with the settings:
PCI Slot Number: I think even I can manage that one. Function Number of Device: Dunno (1-7)
Device Function: Presumably I choose Enabled (Enabled/Disabled)

IRQ Level for INTA Pin and ditto for INTB, INTC, INTD has me thrown.

TIA,

Andrew