Frozen on 'bringing up eth0 interface'

[Josh Estelle]

hi folks,

i'm running linux mandrake 6.0, kernel 2.2.9.
i want to recompile my kernel mainly to add sound support, but also to
use the lastest kernel (2.2.12)
after recompiling my machine boots to the 'brining up eth0 interface'
line and freezes there.  Nothing will break out of the freeze,
ultimately I have to do a power reset.

I tried compiling the eepro100 driver as a module rather than directly
into the kernel, when this booted it gives a 'delaying eth0
initialization' error, then when i use 'insmod' and 'modprobe', and
'ifconfig' to bring up the module and then the interface it freezes on
the 'ifconfig eth0 up' step.

I thought perhaps the problem related to the following which is
mentioned on the website:
http://cesdis.gsfc.nasa.gov/linux/drivers/eepro100.html

START QUOTE:
The EEPro100 board always uses the same IRQ as an Adaptec 2940
The preferred solution is to put each device on its own IRQ line. But
some motherboards, notably the Intel PR440FX, don't permit this. To use
both at the same
time requires a slight modification of the 2940 driver: remove the
SA_INTERRUPT flag to the request_irq() call. This is required whenever
the 2940 driver must
share an IRQ with any other device.
END QUOTE.

I then tried compiling the kenrel without SCSI support but still the
same problem.  I still have a lot of things to try but I can't seem to
pin poitn where exactly th eproblem is.  perhaps it isn't even
specifically related with the eepro100 card/driver.  this was my next
place to look so... if anyone can help boy would it be appreciated.

thanks again,
sincerley,
josh estelle