[vortex] Re: VP6 + 3c905 -- any working machines?

Sean Tuling stuling@csir.co.za
Mon, 26 Feb 2001 11:49:21 +0200


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hi bogdan,

mmm,  i am unfortunately using intel pentium ii processors and dell =
optiplex gx1 boxes - supposedly good stuff.  would using an isa card be an =
option rather than a pci card (i gather the speed may be a problem =
though).

thanks for your help.

regards
sean

>>> Bogdan Costescu <bogdan.costescu@iwr.uni-heidelberg.de> 4:11:25 PM =
24-Feb-01 >>>
On Fri, 23 Feb 2001, Sean Tuling wrote:

> i get the problem in the phase 3 of the slave node boot process.  the
> error i get is
>
> eth0: PCI bus error, bust status 80000020, reset had 1999 tick left.
> eth0: Host error, status 8003, FIFO diagnostic register 0000.
>
> the documentation says that this error is fatal (which it is) and means
> there is some hardware problem - difficult to swallow since the systems
> do not seem to have a problem when running a full installation of linux
> (though they may be running 10Mb).

The difference in running at 10 or 100Mbit might be a big one, as the card
has to transfer between network and main memory ten times the data (when
fully loaded). You said that you have some Cyrix machines, I guess that
they are the all-integrated type. They might simply not be able to cope
with the higher traffic.

The error messages that you get are not very meaningfull: they say that
the card has detected a PCI error and the action that is taken is a full
reset of the card, trying to get over the error; AFAIK this is the only
possible action in this situation.

[ If you (Sean) reply to this message, please keep vortex@scyld.com on the
cc: list. ]

Sincerely,

Bogdan Costescu

IWR - Interdisziplinaeres Zentrum fuer Wissenschaftliches Rechnen
Universitaet Heidelberg, INF 368, D-69120 Heidelberg, GERMANY
Telephone: +49 6221 54 8869, Telefax: +49 6221 54 8868
E-mail: Bogdan.Costescu@IWR.Uni-Heidelberg.De

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<DIV>hi bogdan,</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>mmm,&nbsp; i am unfortunately using intel pentium ii processors and =
dell=20
optiplex gx1 boxes - supposedly good stuff.&nbsp; would using an isa card =
be an=20
option rather than a pci card (i gather the speed may be a problem=20
though).</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>thanks for your help.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>regards</DIV>
<DIV>sean<BR><BR>&gt;&gt;&gt; Bogdan Costescu=20
&lt;bogdan.costescu@iwr.uni-heidelberg.de&gt; 4:11:25 PM 24-Feb-01=20
&gt;&gt;&gt;<BR>On Fri, 23 Feb 2001, Sean Tuling wrote:<BR><BR>&gt; i get =
the=20
problem in the phase 3 of the slave node boot process.&nbsp; the<BR>&gt; =
error i=20
get is<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; eth0: PCI bus error, bust status 80000020, reset =
had 1999=20
tick left.<BR>&gt; eth0: Host error, status 8003, FIFO diagnostic =
register=20
0000.<BR>&gt;<BR>&gt; the documentation says that this error is fatal =
(which it=20
is) and means<BR>&gt; there is some hardware problem - difficult to =
swallow=20
since the systems<BR>&gt; do not seem to have a problem when running a =
full=20
installation of linux<BR>&gt; (though they may be running 10Mb).<BR><BR>The=
=20
difference in running at 10 or 100Mbit might be a big one, as the =
card<BR>has to=20
transfer between network and main memory ten times the data (when<BR>fully=
=20
loaded). You said that you have some Cyrix machines, I guess that<BR>they =
are=20
the all-integrated type. They might simply not be able to cope<BR>with =
the=20
higher traffic.<BR><BR>The error messages that you get are not very =
meaningfull:=20
they say that<BR>the card has detected a PCI error and the action that is =
taken=20
is a full<BR>reset of the card, trying to get over the error; AFAIK this =
is the=20
only<BR>possible action in this situation.<BR><BR>[ If you (Sean) reply to =
this=20
message, please keep vortex@scyld.com on the<BR>cc: list.=20
]<BR><BR>Sincerely,<BR><BR>Bogdan Costescu<BR><BR>IWR - Interdisziplinaeres=
=20
Zentrum fuer Wissenschaftliches Rechnen<BR>Universitaet Heidelberg, INF =
368,=20
D-69120 Heidelberg, GERMANY<BR>Telephone: +49 6221 54 8869, Telefax: +49 =
6221 54=20
8868<BR>E-mail:=20
Bogdan.Costescu@IWR.Uni-Heidelberg.De<BR><BR></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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