[realtek] Re: realtek digest, Vol 1 #169 - 4 msgs

Wm. G. McGrath wgm@telus.net
Mon, 21 May 2001 21:41:51 -0700


realtek-admin@scyld.com wrote:
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> Today's Topics:
> 
>   1. Re: Oversize ethernet frame causes chip to hang? (Lynn Winebarger)
>   2. 8139too transmit timed out, abnormal interrupt, dirty entry in queue
>  ... (Norbert Federa)
>   3. rtl8139.c (becker): transmit timeout, dirty entry, ... (Norbert Federa)
> 
> --__--__--
> 
> Message: 1
> Date: Sun, 20 May 2001 12:09:18 -0600 (MDT)
> From: Lynn Winebarger <lynn@freespeech.org>
> To: Loh Kok Meng <kokmeng@celestix.com>
> cc: realtek@scyld.com
> Subject: Re: [realtek] Oversize ethernet frame causes chip to hang?
> 
> On Thu, 17 May 2001, Loh Kok Meng wrote:
> > I've tried the reset code mentioned to no avail. However, I went back to
> > an older version of rtl8139.c - version 1.08 and the problems went away.
> > You might want to give it a try and see if it works for you.
> >
>     Is there an archive of older versions somewhere?  I only see the
> latest at ftp://www.scyld.com/pub/network/, and the oldest collection
> netdriver-2.0-1.src.rpm contains version 1.09.  Maybe the diff will will
> shed some light.
> 
> Lynn
> 
> --__--__--
> 
> Message: 2
> Date: Mon, 21 May 2001 12:08:41 +0200 (CEST)
> From: Norbert Federa <nfedera@thinstuff.com>
> To: realtek@scyld.com
> Subject: [realtek] 8139too transmit timed out, abnormal interrupt, dirty entry in queue
> ...
> 
> KERNEL/DRIVER:  2.4.3vanilla, 8139too v0.9.15c
> NIC:            RTL8139C
> NETWORK:        10Mbit Hub
> PROBLEM:        total network hangs for ~20-40 seconds.
> 
> LOG:
> eth0: Abnormal interrupt, status 00002008
> NETDEV WATCHDOG: eth0: transmit timed out
> eth0:  Tx queue start entry 37394  dirty entry 37390.
> eth0:  Tx descriptor 0 is 00002000.
> eth0:  Tx descriptor 1 is 00002000.
> eth0:  Tx descriptor 2 is 00002000. (queue head)
> eth0:  Tx descriptor 3 is 00002000.
> 
> this message block appears directly before the hangs.
> and the Tx error counter gets incremented by 1.
> 
> according to ftp://ftp.realtek.com.tw/lancard/data_sheet/8139c/8139c11.pdf
> page 14 (section 5.6 interrupt status register)
> the status 0x2008(bits: 10000000001000, #13 and #3 set) would mean:
> 
> Bit #3:
> Transmit (Tx) Error: Indicates that a packet transmission was
> aborted, due to excessive collisions, according to the TXRR's setting
> Bit #13:
> Cable Length Change: Cable length is changed after Receiver is
> enabled.
> 
> is this true?
> 
> would be glad 'bout any hints!! thanks.
> 
> p.s:
> is donald becker's driver (ftp://www.scyld.com/pub/network/test/rtl8139.c)
> supposed to work under 2.4.x kernels?
> 
> // Norbert
> 
> --__--__--
> 
> Message: 3
> Date: Mon, 21 May 2001 16:56:25 +0200 (CEST)
> From: Norbert Federa <nfedera@thinstuff.com>
> To: realtek@scyld.com
> Subject: [realtek] rtl8139.c (becker): transmit timeout, dirty entry, ...
> 
> same problem with rtl8139.c v1.13 1/9/2001 Donald Becker
> (see http://www.scyld.com/pipermail/realtek/2001-May/000944.html)
> 
> KERNEL/DRIVER:  2.2.19, rtl8139 v1.13 1/9/2001
> NIC:            RTL8139B RTL8139C
> NETWORK:        10Mbit Hub
> PROBLEM:        total network hangs for ~20-40 seconds.
> 
> LOG:
> 
> May 21 16:13:04 debian kernel: rtl8139.c:v1.13 1/9/2001 Donald Becker, becker@scyld.com.
> May 21 16:13:04 debian kernel:  http://www.scyld.com/network/rtl8139.html
> May 21 16:13:04 debian kernel: eth0: RealTek RTL8139 Fast Ethernet at 0xd000, IRQ 11, 00:e0:c5:c4:0d:44.
> 
> # at this point i start ftp-ing a larger file via wget ...after some
> # seconds the network hangs for about 20-40 seconds, no
> # connections, pings,... possible
> 
> May 21 16:15:03 debian kernel: eth0: Transmit timeout, status 0d 2000 media 18.
> May 21 16:15:03 debian kernel: eth0: Tx queue start entry 39  dirty entry 35, full.
> May 21 16:15:03 debian kernel: eth0:  Tx descriptor 0 is 00082042.
> May 21 16:15:03 debian kernel: eth0:  Tx descriptor 1 is 10082042.
> May 21 16:15:03 debian kernel: eth0:  Tx descriptor 2 is 40082042.
> May 21 16:15:03 debian kernel: eth0:  Tx descriptor 3 is 00082042. (queue head)
> May 21 16:15:03 debian kernel: eth0: MII #32 registers are: 1000 782d 0000 0000 01e1 0000 0000 0000.
> 
> # network is up again ....
> # and here it hangs again ...
> 
> May 21 16:16:08 debian kernel: eth0: Transmit timeout, status 0d 2000 media 18.
> May 21 16:16:08 debian kernel: eth0: Tx queue start entry 48  dirty entry 44, full.
> May 21 16:16:08 debian kernel: eth0:  Tx descriptor 0 is 0008204e. (queue head)
> May 21 16:16:08 debian kernel: eth0:  Tx descriptor 1 is 00082056.
> May 21 16:16:08 debian kernel: eth0:  Tx descriptor 2 is 1008204e.
> May 21 16:16:08 debian kernel: eth0:  Tx descriptor 3 is 4008204e.
> May 21 16:16:08 debian kernel: eth0: MII #32 registers are: 1000 782d 0000 0000 01e1 0000 0000 0000.
> 
> # to be continued ... :(
> 
> the problem is very easy to reproduce:
> 1: connect 4 workstations to a 10Mbit hub
> 2: create a little network load between 2 workstations
>    (eg. netcat from one /dev/sda drive to another machine :)
> 3: on the machine with the 8139NIC try to ftp a larger file from
>    the 4'th box.
> 4: watch your log.
> 
> i've tried this with different kernels (2.2.16-19, 2.4.0-4), drivers,
> driver versions and chip revisions (RTL8139B and RTL8139C, external cards
> and on-motherboard-versions) - always the same problem.
> 
> i've seen similar problem reports on the mailing list.
> 
> obviously there must be common problem between jeff's 8139too, and
> donald's rtl8139 driver and/or different kernels.
> 
> sorry to mention: under nt4 with the realtek.com.tw driver
> everything (except nt) is fine - although slow because of
> the collisions, but no hangs).
> 
> hmmm. any hints/suggestions/tests/patches  ???
> 
> regards,
> Norbert
> 
> --__--__--
> 
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> End of realtek Digest


>From: Lynn Winebarger <lynn@freespeech.org>

>    Is there an archive of older versions somewhere?  I only see the
>latest at ftp://www.scyld.com/pub/network/, and the oldest collection
>netdriver-2.0-1.src.rpm contains version 1.09. 

You might try the dlink website. dlink.com. There are a variety of
older drivers there. It's not perfect but... 

bill

-- 

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