fit-PC2i - Ethernet ports disappear upon reboot

Post Reply
matt
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Aug 24, 2010 10:01 pm

fit-PC2i - Ethernet ports disappear upon reboot

Post by matt »

Hi, I recently got a new fit-PC2i which I hope to use as a personal linux router/firewall (I got the "i" model due to its dual ethernet ports).

I've got it installed and running fine, however the hardware exhibits a strange behavior in that, whenever performing a reboot, either from the operating system or the front power button, the unit comes back up without the ethernet ports enabled. It's as if they simply aren't there any more. Their LEDs don't light up, and they are absent when enumerating devices on the PCI bus. In order to get the ethernet ports to come back, the unit must be unplugged from power, and then plugged back in. Then, the ethernet ports come back (until the next reboot).

I've seen a few others here with a similar problem, but no real resolution, or even an explanation. Is this something that we can hope to be fixed in a future BIOS update? Or is there a known workaround?

Thanks in advance for any tips...

-Matt

fly
Posts: 162
Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2010 2:02 pm

Re: fit-PC2i - Ethernet ports disappear upon reboot

Post by fly »

I haven't had the problem myself, but I recall some threads about it. However, I don't think the problem is really pinpointed, yet:
irads wrote:ethernet works fine with that bios unless you are overclocking, in that case ethernet is usually the first device to fail.
irads wrote:Try disabling C-States in BIOS (GV3 only).
irads wrote:This is found to be a driver issue in Windows and driver / configuration issue in Linux. Please check the corresponding subforums.
Could you activate PXE booting in BIOS and then try to reproduce the problem? This is just for debugging.This could be helpful to determin if the the NICs don't work or if it is a os/configuration problem.

matt
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Aug 24, 2010 10:01 pm

Re: fit-PC2i - Ethernet ports disappear upon reboot

Post by matt »

Fly, thank you for the reply. At this point, my ethernet ports seem to be staying enabled, even across reboots. My hunch is that the difference is the type of switch they are plugged into. I had been having the problems (mostly) in my workplace, when the fit-PC2i was plugged into a Cisco 2950 10/100 switch. Now, the unit is at home, plugged into a cheapo D-Link gigabit router/switch, and the problem seems to have gone away. At least, the ethernet ports haven't disappeared in the handful of reboots I did last night. I will have to do more testing before declaring the issue fully resolved. ;)

FWIW, I'm not overclocking, and C-States is disabled in BIOS (set to GV3 only). As for PXE, there is no option for that in my BIOS. But interestingly, when I was having the problem yesterday, the ethernet devices did not even show up in the list of boot devices in BIOS. Now, one or both of them (usually) appear in the list. I will do some more testing to figure out if there's a rhyme or reason to it.

matt
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Aug 24, 2010 10:01 pm

Re: fit-PC2i - Ethernet ports disappear upon reboot

Post by matt »

Interesting... last month I posted a wrap-up of my issue here, but that post is now gone. In any case, to repeat... the solution was that the ethernet interfaces need to have link when the Fit-PC2i is powered on. If they don't, the BIOS will not recognize them, and thus neither will your OS.

edison
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2012 4:57 pm

Re: fit-PC2i - Ethernet ports disappear upon reboot

Post by edison »

Although this is an old thread I am experiencing a similar problem with my fit-pc2i rev 1.2. I have installed Windows XP SP3 and the Realtek ethernet driver dated 101122, but only one device appears in Network Connections. When I connect a cable to the Eth2 port the yellow LED lights up and I am able to configure an IP and connect to the Internet. When I try plugging the same cable into Eth1 there is no link light. There are no unconfigured devices in the Device Manager. I have checked BIOS settings, it is already set to "GV3 only" (C-States disabled). The fit-pc2i was manufactured in 2012 and shipped with the latest BIOS installed.

I found the LAN_UPD.zip file that contains the PG8168.EXE update file in a different posting but as this looks rather old I am reluctant to try installing it. I suspect that whatever this does has been rolled into the latest BIOS.

I tried unplugging the power and reconnecting as suggested elsewhere but that did not work. I have also booted into an Ubuntu live session and "ifconfig -a" shows only one interface "eth0" with a MAC address that matches the interface that appears in Windows.

Can you tell me if this is a known issue with a firmware fix that will discover the physical port labeled Eth1 or is this an RMA job?

gabrielh
Site Admin
Posts: 1260
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2011 1:13 pm

Re: fit-PC2i - Ethernet ports disappear upon reboot

Post by gabrielh »

Can you please enter the BIOS\Boot section, and look for Realtek PXE B02/B03? Please try with and w/o lan cable attached to the Ethernet ports. Also please add to the post the BIOS Date

Please don't apply any patches you have found in other posts
Gabriel Heifets

Fit-PC2/3/IntensePC support.

edison
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Aug 20, 2012 4:57 pm

Re: fit-PC2i - Ethernet ports disappear upon reboot

Post by edison »

BIOS date: 09/14/10

I tested under the following conditions:
- boot with LAN cable attached to Eth1
- boot with LAN cable attached to Eth2
- boot with no LAN cable attached

The result was the same each time: there is only one ethernet device in the boot priority order list:
PCI BEV: Realtek PXE B03 D00

There is no sign of PXE B02.

gabrielh
Site Admin
Posts: 1260
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2011 1:13 pm

Re: fit-PC2i - Ethernet ports disappear upon reboot

Post by gabrielh »

It seems like a hardware failure. Please consider to RMA the product.
Gabriel Heifets

Fit-PC2/3/IntensePC support.

Post Reply

Return to “Ethernet”