On 03/16/2013 07:19 PM, Brian wrote:
Seriously? Are to telling me to f* off too google? No, I am assuming you are trying to be helpful in suggesting that I could find a solution that is already documented online somewhere. Well, I looked around, read all there is to know about the "tg3 transmit timed out resetting" subject. Nothing relevant to my issue. I spent a good half day looking for relevant sources.From that moment on eth0 is not working anymore. I get these kernel messages: [ 1796.583881] tg3 0000:01:00.0: eth0: transmit timed out, resettingA search with "tg3 transmit timed out resetting" turns up some possibilities for you to investigate.
Then it loads that firmware blob onto the network card, breaking it. And now what? I have a bricked eth0. I really like to repair before the machine goes into production. Suggestions anyone?You are suggesting the loading of firmware has permanently damaged the network card but I wonder whether this can be so. My understanding is similar to what is expressed in this post: http://lists.debian.org/debian-user/2013/01/msg00028.html >> 2) What happens with the firmware when card becomes operational? I >> mean by definition it should be written to device non-volatile >> memory(for example flash memory), but I doubt that this is the case >> for Wi-Fi adapters.. Or is it? > No. The image is simply loaded into the adapter's ram. After the > device loses power the memory evaporates. When power is applied again > the device is once again blank or back to the default power on state > and the firmware must be loaded again.
Which has alway been my understanding of it until so far. But I like to repeat from my first email: "I tried the debian installer again, but even then it's not able to get a DHCP IP address using eth0. eth1 is working fine." This is after a cold boot.
Evidently the NIC has some non-volatile state, it's not just RAM. It could well be that the firmware in RAM did something to the NIC that brought it into this broken state. The firmware blob could even have fried it, but I think that's unlikely.
Bottom line is that installing the firmware blob for the network card is breaking it.