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Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: jefnvk on June 08, 2005, 03:44:21 PM

Title: Network card help
Post by: jefnvk on June 08, 2005, 03:44:21 PM
OK, I just swapped out cases on my computer.  Old one was too cramped and overheated.  I have everything back together and working, save one thing.

Any network card I try cannot be started.  I have tried my onboard Realtek 8139, a PCI Wireless G, and a PCI 10/100 wired card, and they all give me the same error.  Cannot be started.

The rest of my comp is here:
MSI Neo2-V (IIRC) Intel 865PE Mobo
Windows XP Pro SP2 (I don't need the helpful solution that Windows is my problem, thank you very much)
Intel P4 2.4C
Asus 9600XT
1G Geil Golden Dragon Ram
Vantec AeroCool Heatsink
30G Maxtor 5400 ATA-133
80G Western Digital 7200 ATA-100
Lite-On DVD-/+RW
Antec 350W Smart Power supply

Don't know if any of that will help, but it can't hurt.  Like I said, everything worked when I started taking it apart.  Only the network doesn't work now.

One other potentially helpful hint.  When I removed the heatsink, the thermal grease kinda glued to the processor, and pulled it out still stuck to the heatsink.  While the lever was down to hold the processor in.

Also, as I said, any network card gives me the same error.  One network card, a Belkin freebie, freezes the Windows boot when it is installed.

So, any helpful hints?
Title: Network card help
Post by: jefnvk on June 08, 2005, 04:27:32 PM
OK, scratch that.  It won't let me boot with any network card now.

OK, scratch that too.  My PCI sound card cannot be started either.

Maybe it is a sign that I should go ahead and buy those new parts.
Title: Network card help
Post by: Sindawe on June 08, 2005, 04:44:53 PM
I'd wager that there is a random short someplace.  Maybe the MB is grounding out ot the case, or during the transfer process to the new case the MB got flexed too far and there is now a hairline crack in one of the circuit traces.  Being able to yank the CPU while the retention lever was in the down position is not a good thing.

Have you looked at the devices under Device Manger to see if the OS/Hardware is seeing the stuff it should?
Title: Network card help
Post by: jefnvk on June 08, 2005, 05:12:11 PM
The device manager sees it, it just can't use it.

I am thinking more and more it is hardware.  I am in the process of trying to reinstall windows, same thing.  Dies on boot if there is a network card.  Going way too slow without a nic.  Maybe here in a bit I can find that old mobo and put it in, give that a shot.  Or, try sticking in a PCI video card, and see if it reacts the same way.
Title: Network card help
Post by: Phyphor on June 08, 2005, 05:17:53 PM
It's defintely hardware,

sounds like the PCI bus controller is either shorted, or blown.  Make sure that mobo is properly mounted (I.E, no traces / pins touching the case, ) and see if you can see any blown / broken traces (the little metal spaghetti lines) on the motherboard,
Title: Network card help
Post by: jefnvk on June 08, 2005, 05:34:48 PM
Now, is the onboard NIC still run off PCI?
Title: Network card help
Post by: Sindawe on June 08, 2005, 05:44:24 PM
Is the onboard NIC enabled in BIOS? If so, its 'prolly the MB toasted.  It can be REALLY flaky to track those down.  Example:  I had a machine set up about two years ago as a test bed.  Loaded Windows 2003 server just fine, ran just fine.  Trying to promote it to DC would result in a correpted AD database.  The MB was hosed just enough.
Title: Network card help
Post by: Sylvilagus Aquaticus on June 08, 2005, 05:52:29 PM
just out of curiosity, did you reload the MB drivers of the installation CD which came with the MB? Or, as an alternative, check the manufacturer's website for an updated driver. My (current) Albatron board will not init the onboard 3-Com ent without loading the driver in W2k, which does, incidentally see the (additional) PCI Realtek 10mb card without an external driver.

...just a thought.

Regards,
Rabbit.
Title: Network card help
Post by: jefnvk on June 08, 2005, 05:57:02 PM
Boots without onboard NIC, does same thing as PCI NIC when onboard is enabled.

Just tried the PCI video card, and nothing, even at the boot screen.  

I'll give the spare mobo a shot.  Although, the spare won't work with my current video card, so if this mobo is gone, and all else works fine with the spare, I might have to upgrade (dang, dang, dang) to a whole new system.  Not going to buy a replacement mobo for $100, when I can upgrade to a new Athlon 64 with a new video card for about $400.

EDIT: rabbit, I did give that a try.  No go Sad
Title: Network card help
Post by: jefnvk on June 08, 2005, 07:26:55 PM
OK, got everything back in the original case.  It works fine undecided

Don't know what went wrong.  Must have been some connection problems with the new case or something.  All I know is that the system is back to being louder than a jet airliner.  At least reapplying the thermal grease dropped the temp some.

Oh well.  Thanks for the help, though.
Title: Network card help
Post by: Vodka7 on June 08, 2005, 09:10:11 PM
Very odd that everything works in the old case.  I would strongly second Blackburn's suggestion.
Title: Network card help
Post by: jefnvk on June 08, 2005, 09:30:37 PM
Eh, I'll probably not mess with it.  I'll just get some new fans from NewEgg.  I just find that incredibly odd, I've never seen that before.
Title: Network card help
Post by: jefnvk on June 08, 2005, 09:58:03 PM
It was actually my old case, that I was going to go back to.  A $30 special.  Always worked before, but I never had this particular mobo in it.  The one I was going to switch from was an Antec LanBoy, the Aluminum was just too flimsy, rattles around a lot.  Not a good case for heavy cooling, but nice and light to carry around.
Title: Network card help
Post by: BryanP on June 09, 2005, 06:54:11 AM
As others have said I'd guess the PCI bus itself is at fault.  If you have one try plugging in a USB ethernet adapter.  If that works it's almost certainly the PCI bus.  Take it all apart, check for cracked traces and put it back together very carefully.  There isn't any chance that a mounting screw is touching something it shouldn't, is there?
Title: Network card help
Post by: jefnvk on June 09, 2005, 09:26:02 AM
Quote
There isn't any chance that a mounting screw is touching something it shouldn't, is there?
That is what I think, I have it back in the old case, and all is working fine now.
Title: Network card help
Post by: InfidelSerf on June 09, 2005, 02:56:42 PM
Did the new case have the MB risers already installed?  If so you may have missed one that your MB doesn't use... and its shorting out on it.. just a guess.   good luck
Title: Network card help
Post by: jefnvk on June 09, 2005, 03:55:50 PM
Yeah, it had them in from the previous MB that I had in it.  I'll have to give these suggetsions a try some day when I got some time to play around.
Title: Network card help
Post by: charby on June 10, 2005, 05:28:37 AM



Charby
Title: Network card help
Post by: jefnvk on June 10, 2005, 08:21:26 AM
Quote
Knew a guy who killed 3 mainboards in a row that way. Ouch.
Ouch is right!  Good thing for NewEgg's No Questions Asked return policy Cheesy
Title: Network card help
Post by: Darrin on June 11, 2005, 04:48:07 PM
Quote from: GRD
Quote
Did the new case have the MB risers already installed?  If so you may have missed one that your MB doesn't use... and its shorting out on it.. just a guess.   good luck
I'd bet money this is exactly what the problem was.  And if it was the problem, it's an absolute miracle your board still works at all.  Miracle.

Take a look at the holes in your mainboard and compare them to the standoffs in the other case.  I'll bet there's a standoff in that case without a corresponding hole in your board...probably towards the lower left quarter of the board...

Knew a guy who killed 3 mainboards in a row that way. Ouch.  Smiley
I'll bet my money the power supply in the old case isn't big enough (watts) for the newer motherboard.

I knew a network admin who killed 3 days building a server that way... Smiley
Title: Network card help
Post by: InfidelSerf on June 12, 2005, 06:42:23 AM
Quote
The rest of my comp is here:
MSI Neo2-V (IIRC) Intel 865PE Mobo
Windows XP Pro SP2 (I don't need the helpful solution that Windows is my problem, thank you very much)
Intel P4 2.4C
Asus 9600XT
1G Geil Golden Dragon Ram
Vantec AeroCool Heatsink
30G Maxtor 5400 ATA-133
80G Western Digital 7200 ATA-100
Lite-On DVD-/+RW
Antec 350W Smart Power supply
Darrin that's a good point... but I'm assuming from the specs he listed that the PS was moved with the rest of the parts.
Title: Network card help
Post by: Darrin on June 12, 2005, 12:54:43 PM
Quote from: veloce851
Quote
The rest of my comp is here:
MSI Neo2-V (IIRC) Intel 865PE Mobo
Windows XP Pro SP2 (I don't need the helpful solution that Windows is my problem, thank you very much)
Intel P4 2.4C
Asus 9600XT
1G Geil Golden Dragon Ram
Vantec AeroCool Heatsink
30G Maxtor 5400 ATA-133
80G Western Digital 7200 ATA-100
Lite-On DVD-/+RW
Antec 350W Smart Power supply
Darrin that's a good point... but I'm assuming from the specs he listed that the PS was moved with the rest of the parts.
In that case, the metal risers very well could be the problem.  (Glad I didn't bet any real money...)

You don't know how bad I wish I could blame this problem on Windoze, but it looks like not even the mighty penguin can help this one.
Title: Network card help
Post by: jefnvk on June 12, 2005, 01:23:51 PM
Yeah, PS went with it.  I'd rather have the 350W Antec than the 300W TigerPro that came with the case.  Only change was the case itself.
Title: Network card help
Post by: Sylvilagus Aquaticus on June 12, 2005, 03:14:58 PM
Dang, I hadn't thought of that- I've seen power supplies do really weird things as far as mobos.

Glad you've found a workaround.


Regards,
Rabbit.
Title: Network card help
Post by: lee n. field on June 12, 2005, 03:23:59 PM
Quote
Windows XP Pro SP2 (I don't need the helpful solution that Windows is my problem, thank you very much)
Fine, I won't say it.  

But -- it can sometimes be hard to disentangle genuine hardware problems from Windows being buttheaded about hardware and drivers.  For diagnostic purposes, snag a copy of Knoppix (http://www.knoppix.org).  Boot off that and see what hardware it sees and what works.
Title: Network card help
Post by: Sylvilagus Aquaticus on June 12, 2005, 03:37:28 PM
Is that like the old joke, Lee? "It said 'Must install with Windows 98 or better', so I fdisked and installed Linux"?

Cheesy Regards,
Rabbit.
Title: Network card help
Post by: jefnvk on June 12, 2005, 03:50:03 PM
I like Linux enough, but for the amount of gaming I do, Linux is simply out of the question.  The fact that I have yet to find a 9600XT driver that works is the biggest snag, and then there is the lack of games.  I could do the Wine thing, but I like spending time playing games, not setting up games.  

I actually have a seperate Linux box (well, I did till the HD went out, need a new one) and Sparc Solaris box.   They get used for occasional server things and communicating with other Solaris and Linux machines, when I am working on my programming projects.