Starfire issues

Hello,

I've been having some trouble with a starfire I have in that it seems to drop packets every once in a while for a little bit and then start up again. Also getting strange kernel messages:

----
eth2: Increasing Tx FIFO threshold to 320 bytes
eth2: Something Wicked happened! 2049001.
eth2: Increasing Tx FIFO threshold to 336 bytes
eth2: Something Wicked happened! 2049001.
eth2: Increasing Tx FIFO threshold to 352 bytes
eth2: Something Wicked happened! 2048101.
eth2: Increasing Tx FIFO threshold to 368 bytes
eth2: Something Wicked happened! 2049001.
eth2: Increasing Tx FIFO threshold to 384 bytes
eth2: Something Wicked happened! 2049001.
eth2: Increasing Tx FIFO threshold to 400 bytes
eth2: Something Wicked happened! 2049001.
eth2: Increasing Tx FIFO threshold to 416 bytes
eth2: Something Wicked happened! 2049001.
eth2: Increasing Tx FIFO threshold to 432 bytes
eth2: Something Wicked happened! 2048101.
eth2: Increasing Tx FIFO threshold to 448 bytes
eth2: Something Wicked happened! 2049001.
eth2: Increasing Tx FIFO threshold to 464 bytes
eth2: Something Wicked happened! 2049001.
eth2: Increasing Tx FIFO threshold to 480 bytes
eth2: Something Wicked happened! 2049001.
eth2: Increasing Tx FIFO threshold to 496 bytes
eth2: Something Wicked happened! 2049001.
----

This happens on other interfaces, not just this one. The kernel being used is stock 2.4.6-ac2. Would the patches you've posted to lkml help? If so I can give them a shot...

Thanks!

Stephen

Well, there are two issues here. First, the "something wicked happened" message is bogus and should not get printed. I have to sit down and analyze all the bits in the status, because somehow it keeps passing my filters when it shouldn't.

The second is that while it's somewhat normal to have the FIFO threshold increased a few times, especially when there is lots of activity on the PCI bus, the value really shouldn't have to go very high. So maybe you have a video card or something else that hogs the bus a lot? A Matrox card runnin XFree4.x, maybe?

Hmm. I'm really unsure of which driver version is in 2.4.6-ac2, but ac3 should have the latest, including all the patches I posted to the list. So if you could give that kernel a whirl, it would be very useful.

Other things of interest, if ac3 still gives you troubles:

- the speed and the duplex mode reported by the driver (dmesg will have them, the syslog logs might not)
- whether you are using Adaptec's firmware (converted from their Novell drivers)

Thanks,
Ion

  It is better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool,
            than to open it and remove all doubt.

I spoke too soon. -ac3 has the same starfire version as 2.4.7pre6, and you need to apply the last patch I sent to the list on top of it. Email me if you don't have it anymore...

Thanks,
Ion

  It is better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool,
            than to open it and remove all doubt.