I am now working with etherboot ver 5.1.9.........my NIC is still not booting but I was able to program it with the new version of etherboot...using cromutil. at least I think it succeeded .. because it didn't hang this time.
I am trying to make sure that I have the correct pc id.. 1. Is the pci id going to be the same in different pc's? ( I program on one and put the card in another to use (only one linux box)) 2. I run cat /proc/pci and I get I/O at 0x1000 [0x107f] do I use 0x1000 or 0x107f when I program? someday before I retire I hope to have this working! thanks,, Marty Connor wrote: > On Wednesday, July 23, 2003, at 01:31 PM, Brian Delaney wrote: > > ok, this is in response to Marty's gracious help for me... > > I'm glad to help. > > > I am using a 3c905c-tpo NIC not an integrated chipset > > I have tried the following: > > Downloaded a lzrom and lzpxe image from rom-o-matic > > Just for completeness, could you try using 5.1.8 and getting a .zpxe > and a .zrom (new file endings starting with 5.1+) > > I'm trying to recall, does floppy Etherboot work? > > > I installed the etherboot source and the vortex-diag stuff on my linux > > server... > > I ran the make commands on the directories to get the utilities. > > using cromutil: > > it sees the NIC and can backup the image and erase them but cannot > > program > > them. After the erase it leaves the ROM blank...useless for me. > > Interesting. Have you checked with your motherboard manufacturer to see > if there are any BIOS updates for your computer? They are usually > downloadable, and I've sometimes found they fix all sorts of issues. If > you have another Linux machine (or access to one) you could try doing > the etherboot flashing run on that machine. > > > using vortex-diag: > > it sees the NIC and can read, id , erase and program the ROM > > chips..so > > this looks good and was verified with a vortex-diag -B...the etherboot > > code > > shows up..all good right? no > > I install the NIC in the pc, set the the bios to boot from network and > > let > > it go..well nothing happens, it just boots from the first available > > device.. > > This is interesting also. I wonder if there is a conflicting piece of > hardware. Try turning off things like Legacy USB keyboard support in > the BIOS (unless you require it). If there is something called A20 gate > fast switching, try changing the setting for that. > > When you run the diagnostic program for the 3COM card, does it say the > ROM is enabled? Normally, as long as the PCI IDs match, the BIOS will > find it and execute it. Unless there is something corrupt about the > code that was downloaded, or how it was written, it should be > recognized. Perhaps you have a friend with another computer on which > you can try this? > > > using pxe to etherboot: > > ok, I just tested this by reflashing the NIC with the 3com MBA > > code and > > using the mbaconfig utility I set the NIC to use PXE and make the nic > > the > > first boot device... > > Because I just wanted to test this I put the lzpxe image in the tftp > > server > > in the tftproot directory and I use win2k DHCP so I changed the image > > file > > to the 3c905.lzpxe file. > > I think this link may be helpful: > > http://diet-pc.sourceforge.net/windows/etherboot-w2k.html > > It discusses using a Win2K server to do DHCP and TFTP. I didn't notice > before that you were using a Win2K DHCP server. You might want to use a > Linux DHCP Server (ISC 3.0 or later). You can easily set it up so that > it only answers requests from your thin clients. It seems you can't do > conditional execution on the Win2K server, so PXE->Etherboot chaining > (.lzpxe, .zpxe) is out, because it figures out whether PXE or Etherboot > is talking to it and gives a different file depending out who asks. > > > I boot the pc and it boots from the NIC and displays the PXE boot code > > then > > pulls the dhcp info..then it just stops....does not load the image > > from the > > tftp server...doesn't even look like its getting the tftp info.. > > Why not try using the PXELINUX solution I recommended earlier? Is the > thinstation.nbi file a netbootable image (the kind that Etherboot > loads)? Or is it a regular kernel? If a regular kernel, you can > possibly do PXELINUX. > > > ltsp > > I am not using ltsp I am using the thinstation.nbi code because it > > works > > great from floppy and requires very little setup...I read the setup > > stuff > > and thought if my nic would pull the code from the tftp server and > > just load > > the lzpxe file then I would config a unix dhcp server and test the next > > step. but since I can't get tpast the first part, I am stuck again... > > any ideas? > > am I just not getting this or am I trying to make these > > 3c905c-tpo cards work and they won't? thanks, Brian > > I think maybe you should try a simple LTSP setup to get started. Maybe > find a cheap RTL8139 card, or you could buy one pre-programmed from > DisklessWorkstations.com. Or floppy boot for now. > > When in a complex domain and things aren't working, I generally find > simplifying down to basics helps. I'd suggest starting with a simple > LTSP setup, which has good documentation, and a community of people who > can help you with the specifics. This will eliminate a lot of variables > that are hard to quantify. > > The other thing I would recommend is trying cromutil/ether-diag on > another machine. It could be that your machine is incompatible for > writing to the 3Com card for some reason. Since MBAFLASH seems to work > under DOS, it would seem as though there is either a problem with > cromutil/ether-diag, the ROM code you downloaded, or something else. > Try another 3c905c card, too, while you're at it. > > OK, there are some more suggestions. Keep trying and I'm sure it will > start to make sense and you will be able to make it work. > > Marty > > > Marty Connor wrote: > > > >> On Tuesday, July 22, 2003, at 12:56 PM, brian delaney wrote: > >>> excellent response...thanks...but > >>> when I run cromutil i am able to backup the NIC and erase it. when I > >>> try to program it it just hangs and I donot get any response....so > >>> now > >>> what? > >>> yes, I verified the address using CAT......... > >> > >> Wait a moment. Is this a PCI NIC, or is this an integrated NIC on a > >> motherboard? > >> > >> If this is one of those NICs that is integrated onto a motherboard, > >> then cromutil and ether-diag will likely not work. That is because > >> whereas the PCI card has a piece of flash memory on it that is > >> accessible and programmable, there MBA code for the motherboard is > >> probably in the system BIOS flash, which is a very different thing. If > >> the PXE code is part of the BIOS flash, you probably want to use the > >> PXE->Etherboot chaining method, which was "Door Number 3" in my > >> previous message, or alternatively PXELINUX, which was "Door Number 2" > >> > >> So, what's the deal? Is this a PCI NIC card, or is this one of those > >> "DELL/random-other-vendor deals where the NIC has no flash, but is has > >> the PCI IDs of a card that does have flash, but the actual flash code > >> is in the BIOS because, well we had room there, and we are a large > >> enough vendor to get the special OEM version of the 3COM card, and > >> permission to embed the MBA in our BIOS" kind of situations. > >> > >> You can still use Etherboot, but flashing would require modifying your > >> BIOS, which is harder, and is a different process. We have people on > >> the list who have replaced PXE with Etherboot in various BIOSes, but > >> it's not an easy thing to do, and you might be better off using a > >> different method to achieve the result. Which is what the .lzpxe/.zpxe > >> formats are all about. > >> > >> Anyway, let us know... > >> > >> Marty > >> > >> -- > >> Try: http://rom-o-matic.net/ to make Etherboot images instantly. > >> > >> Name: Marty Connor > >> US Mail: Entity Cyber, Inc.; P.O. Box 391827; > >> Cambridge, MA 02139; USA > >> Voice: (617) 491-6935; Fax: (617) 491-7046 > >> Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >> Web: http://www.etherboot.org/ > > > > > > * > > * > > * > > This message, including any attachments, is intended solely for the > > use of the named recipient(s) and may contain confidential and/or > > priveleged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or > > distribution of this communication(s) is expressly prohibited. If you > > are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply > > e-mail and destroy any and all copies of the original message. > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------- > > This SF.Net email sponsored by: Free pre-built ASP.NET sites including > > Data Reports, E-commerce, Portals, and Forums are available now. > > Download today and enter to win an XBOX or Visual Studio .NET. > > http://aspnet.click-url.com/go/psa00100003ave/ > > direct;at.aspnet_072303_01/01 > > _____________________________________________________________________ > > Ltsp-discuss mailing list. To un-subscribe, or change prefs, goto: > > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/ltsp-discuss > > For additional LTSP help, try #ltsp channel on irc.freenode.net > > * * * This message, including any attachments, is intended solely for the use of the named recipient(s) and may contain confidential and/or priveleged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution of this communication(s) is expressly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy any and all copies of the original message. ------------------------------------------------------- This SF.Net email sponsored by: Free pre-built ASP.NET sites including Data Reports, E-commerce, Portals, and Forums are available now. Download today and enter to win an XBOX or Visual Studio .NET. http://aspnet.click-url.com/go/psa00100003ave/direct;at.aspnet_072303_01/01 _____________________________________________________________________ Ltsp-discuss mailing list. To un-subscribe, or change prefs, goto: https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/ltsp-discuss For additional LTSP help, try #ltsp channel on irc.freenode.net
