insmod fails SiS900; No MII transceivers found! (rewritten and reposted)

[Tim <helycos@lycos.co.uk>]

Hi folks,

Thought that if I were to recompile this email it might be made into 
some sense by an helpful person out there.  Sorry for being OT.  If 
inappropriate, what list could you suggest I send to?

The short problem:

I cannot insmod sis900 with a 2.2.20 or 2.4.18 kernel on a friends desktop.

The long explanation:

The error message:

> sis900.c: v1.06.09 09/28/2001
> eth0: SiS 900 PCI Fast Ethernet at 0xede00, IRQ11, 00:d0:09: e1:7f:6e.
> eth0: No MII transceivers found!
> /lib/modules/2.2.20-idepci/net/sis900.o: init_module: Device or resource 
> busy
> Hint: insmod errors can be caused by incorrect module parameters, 
> including invalid IO or IRQ parameters
> /lib/modules/2.2.20-idepci/net/sis900.o: insmod 
> /lib/modules/2.2.20-idepci/net/sis900.o failed

Addition notes which may or may not be relevant:

> I haven't added any parameters for the module insertion.

> The LAN is enabled in BIOS.

> I tried 2.4.18 kernel (sis900.c version 1.08.02) and the error remained.

> I cannot ping with both computers running windoze, or the desktop 
> running windoze and the laptop with linux.

> I have a fully functional network with my laptop and my own desktop, 
> using the same crossover cable.

> The SiS900 is integrated, not PCI.  I've installed Woody 3.0r0.

> follows is relevant lspci -vvv

> 00:01.1 Ethernet controller: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] SiS900 
> 10/100 Ethernet (rev 83)
>     Subsystem: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS] SiS900 10/100 Ethernet 
> Adapter
>     Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- 
> Stepping- SERR+ FastB2B-
>     Status: Cap+ 66Mhz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- 
> <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR-
>     Latency: 64 (13000ns min, 2750ns max)
>     Interrupt: pin C routed to IRQ 11
>     Region 0: I/O ports at de00
>     Region 1: Memory at f3ffd000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable)
>     Expansion ROM at f3fc0000 [disabled]
>     Capabilities: [40] Power Management version 2
>         Flags: PMEClk- DSI- D1+ D2+ AuxCurrent=160mA 
> PME(D0+,D1+,D2+,D3hot+,D3cold+)
>         Status: D0 PME-Enable+ DSel=0 DScale=0 PME-

What I've tried:

1.  Google.  From this I altered the BIOS setting so the IRQ is not 
allocated to PCI VGA.  Failed to make any difference.

Theories I might suggest:

1.  Hardware fault within the sis900 chip.
2.  I need to add parameters to the module insertion (which are unknown 
to me)

Any suggestions gratefully received.

Thanks, Tim