[vortex-bug] Another: eth0: transmit timed out, tx_status 00 status e000.

[Mike Herrick]

I'm getting "eth0: transmit timed out, tx_status 00 status e000."
messages followed by no traffic through the ethernet device.
Ifdown/ifup seems to clear the problem.  This has happened
on two Dell Optiplex GX100 systems.

eth0: 3Com 3c905C Tornado at 0xec80,  00:b0:d0:e6:55:9a, IRQ 5
  8K buffer 5:3 Rx:Tx split, autoselect/Autonegotiate interface.
  MII transceiver found at address 24, status 782d.
  Using bus-master transmits and whole-frame receives.
3c59x.c:v0.99U 7/30/2001 Donald Becker, becker@scyld.com
  http://www.scyld.com/network/vortex.html
...
Aug 29 11:12:43 localhost kernel: eth0: transmit timed out, tx_status 00
status e000.
Aug 29 11:13:18 localhost last message repeated 7 times
Aug 29 11:13:38 localhost last message repeated 4 times
Aug 29 11:13:42 localhost kernel: nfs: server 192.168.128.8 not responding,
still trying
Aug 29 11:13:43 localhost kernel: eth0: transmit timed out, tx_status 00
status e000.
Aug 29 11:14:18 localhost last message repeated 7 times
Aug 29 11:15:23 localhost last message repeated 13 times
Aug 29 11:16:28 localhost last message repeated 13 times
Aug 29 11:17:33 localhost last message repeated 13 times
Aug 29 11:18:38 localhost last message repeated 13 times
Aug 29 11:19:43 localhost last message repeated 13 times
Aug 29 11:20:48 localhost last message repeated 13 times
...
(Network traffic through the card stops and a reboot or ifdown/ifup is
needed to clear it)

I'm running a 2.2.13 kernel on a Dell Optiplex GX100.  Prior to upgrading to
the 3c59x.c driver, I was using the 3c90x.c driver for this card (same
kernel) and things were just fine.

I looked through the vortex archives and found that the "transmit timed out,
tx_status 00 status e000" message has occurred to many people and there seem
to be two "solutions": use "noaipc" or upgrade to 2.2.17.

I'm not running SMP, so I'm wondering: 1) Is this a new bug with v0.99U or
2) Is this a problem with kernel 2.2.13 v. 2.2.17?

If it's a problem with 2.2.13, is there a patch I can apply to my kernel (or
driver)?  I can't upgrade the kernel at the moment.

Thanks for any help.

Mike Herrick.