Re: Problems with 3C905 and Linux

Peter Enderborg (pme@abnamro-software.com)
Tue, 28 Oct 1997 12:31:10 +0100

Troels Arvin wrote:
>
> At 22:42 22-10-97 +0100, I wrote:
> >Now, this Monday, when the University's network started getting busy, the
> >Linux box quickly went down. No messages in the message log, no console
> >messages; just a freezed Linux box. CTRL-ScrollLock and SHIFT-ScrollLock
> >worked, but I didn't have time to write down the info - I quickly
> >re-installed the old 10mbit NE2000 card and the server went back online
> >without further problems.
> >
> >The driver-version of the 3c59x.c file in kernel 2.0.31 is "0.44 9/9/97".
> >On http://cesdis.gsfc.nasa.gov/linux/drivers/vortex.html I saw that there
> >is now a version "0.46C 10/14/97".
> >
> >Has anyone tried version 0.46C with a 3C Boomerang card running 100 mbit?
>
> I have now tried version 0.46C of 3c59x.c (dated 10/14/97) - without luck.
> The server freezed in the same manner after about 20 minutes. No obvious
> specific action trigged the freeze.
>
> :-(
>
> Summary: Server freezes with clean kernel 2.0.31 (and - I have now
> discovered - also with an updated version of 3c59x.c). Network support
> compiled staticly into kernel; no support for other network devices.
> Network card: 3Com Fast EtherLink XL PCI (alias Boomerang) (3C905-TX rev.
> B) running at 100Mbit. Computer: Pentium, HX-motherboard, 32MB RAM.
>
> Greetings from Troels Arvin, Copenhagen, Denmark
> http://www.mdb.ku.dk/tarvin/

Try this patch: (in linux/drivers/net/3c59x.c)

797,801c797,798
< /* pme patch */
< /* vp->full_bus_master_tx = 1; */
< vp->full_bus_master_tx = 0;
< /* end patch */
< printk(" Enabling bus-master (not transmits) but %s
receives.\n",

---
>           vp->full_bus_master_tx = 1;
>           printk("  Enabling bus-master transmits and %s receives.\n",


Works for me on a Dell Pentium II.
Eg do not use full bus master tx.
This is not an real patch, is only a workaround. 
Good luck!