[vortex] 3c59x "just stops"

[Scott A. McIntyre]

Hi,

> > The system is a Linux 2.4.x kernel, using either the driver that comes
> > with that, or the driver available at scyld...
> 
> I really doubt this ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^. The drivers available from
> Scyld don't work with the 2.4 kernels.

Fair point; this was during the 2.2.18 kernel -- I forgot to make it
clear that I've tried 2.2 as well as 2.4 kernels and all permutations of
all possible drivers therein.


> > pointed out "LK1.1.3 25 April 2000, Andrew Morton
> > <andrewm@uow.edu.au>"'s version, which also has the problem.
> 
> This is quite an old version (almost a year ago!), try getting the 3c59x
> driver from 2.4.3.

I am now using this one and am having exactly the same problem.  It has
followed me through kernel reveisions quite nicely.

> Is your system SMP ? If so, you can try booting with the "noapic" option.

Yes, SMP, good suggestion on the no apic; will try that.

> For how much time the interface is functioning ?

Anywhere from days to weeks.  The most is about two weeks.  This
suggested to me that it was somehow tied to the number of Rx'd patckets.

> Are there any error messages in the logs around the time when the
> interface stops functioning ?

It will regularly complain about:
kernel: eth1: Too much work in interrupt, status e401.

But the rate of these complaints does not suddenly increase just before
it drops out.

The rate is often like this:

Apr 10 19:36:35 host kernel: eth1: Too much work in interrupt, status e401.
Apr 10 19:37:06 host last message repeated 5 times
Apr 10 19:38:30 host last message repeated 5 times
Apr 10 19:38:40 host last message repeated 2 times

> Can you change the interface connected to the Cisco port ? You can then
> isolate the problem as being with Cisco or with the 3Com card/driver.

Yes, I have done this, and it stays with the 3Com.  

> One other very approximate method is to watch the "Activity" LED on the
> card when you are supposed to be receiving packets from the switch; if
> it's not flashing, there is no packet arriving to the card...

"The lights are on, but nobody is home" -- the Cisco thinks the link is
up, the lights on the Cisco continue to blink, but no traffic is
observed on the 3com side.

Thank you for the ideas and suggestions; I'll run some further
diagnostics.

Regards,

Scott