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  Asked: Jul 15 2005   6:47 AM GMT
  Asked by: nickc1976

Shuttle SK43G problem


Hardware, Desktops, Networking, Network Interface Cards, DataCenter

I am using a Shuttle XPC SK43G http://eu.shuttle.com/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-72/170_read-4105/ . I have installed Windows 2000 and am having problems with the onboard NIC. I am intermittently seeing the message "Network Cable Unplugged". The onboard NIC is a Realtek 8100B. I have installed the LAN drivers that are on the motherboard CD, and a set of LAN drivers from the Realtek website, and also used the default Microsoft drivers, but still get the same result.
Sometimes the network connection is fine, but at other times I see the error message. I have tried installing Windows XP, and get the same result.
This has happened on 4 different PC's now, and I'm sure it is software related rather than faulty equipment.
Has anyone had a similar experience?

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Last Answered: Jul 15 2005  7:12 AM GMT  by cptrelentless




On looking at the website they say for the main board: "Shuttle FX43, Shuttle form factor, proprietary design for SK43G".
Have you updated the BIOS? I have had problems before with people using their own special motherboards (RM being one) and it's been down to that. In fact, they had to write a new BIOS so the NIC would work with Ghost.
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nickc1976  |   Jul 15 2005  8:41AM GMT

I’ve tried reloading the BIOS, and I’ve also tried loading Windows from a Ghost image and direct from CD, plus it has a new CPU, RAM and HDD. I think I’ve tried about as much as I can.
I’m thinking now that we have received a faulty batch of Shuttle’s as our company routinely build them, and have never seen this before.
thanks for the info.

 

tfreestone  |   Jul 15 2005  9:22AM GMT

Just for the sake of troubleshooting the onboard NIC, you could try slapping a PCI NIC in and testing connectivity. That would at least rule the onboard NIC in or out.

 

itspec  |   Jul 15 2005  9:40AM GMT

Not sure if I’m reading this correctly.. you say you’re using a Shuttle with on/board NIC but then lower down in your message you state “This has happened on 4 different PC’s now”

????

Are you saying this problem is happening on 4 different hardware platforms?

Have you swapped out the cable itself? Or tested the cable?
Have you checked the integrity of the RJ45 jacks that you’re plugging into, or are you going straight from PC to a switch/hub device. Have you checked that switch/hub device.

What is the NIC set to… AUTO or are the DUPLEX/SPEED numbers hard coded?

Just some things to check…

 

nickc1976  |   Jul 15 2005  10:02AM GMT

I’ve installed a PCI NIC, and I get a network connection without any problems.

The 4 machines that this has happened to are all Shuttle’s, the same hardware, and same software.

They originally failed on site whilst being used by a customer, they were loaded with an image of Windows 2000 that has never caused this problem previously.
I shipped them back to the office for testing, and have used various different cables, hubs and switches.
The NIC is set to Auto.

 

nickc1976  |   Jul 15 2005  10:18AM GMT

I’ve installed a PCI NIC, and I get a network connection without any problems.

The 4 machines that this has happened to are all Shuttle’s, the same hardware, and same software.

They originally failed on site whilst being used by a customer, they were loaded with an image of Windows 2000 that has never caused this problem previously.
I shipped them back to the office for testing, and have used various different cables, hubs and switches.
The NIC is set to Auto.

 

itspec  |   Jul 15 2005  10:21AM GMT

Got ya…..

Sounds like you can duplicate this problem fairly consistently? You seem to be on the right path suspecting an OS issue. Possibly driver set or conflict with another piece of software.

I would be curious to see if it would do it with another OS, a method I use to test hardware is to boot up with a portable Linux enviroment, Knoppix or SUSE, whichever you’d like, you can boot from directly from CD and let the machine run and see what it does. This may help you to narrow down the problem to only a Win2K/XP issue with that hardware.

 

TheVyrys  |   Jul 15 2005  11:18AM GMT

I have had trouble with some onboard nic’s as well. Fortunately, I had only purchased a couple of the boards instead of several.
PCI NIC’s are pretty cheap….you may just slap some in, disable the onboards and call it a solution to a faulty design from Shuttle.
Your time is valuable.

 

nickc1976  |   Jul 15 2005  11:52AM GMT

I think I’m just going to use them for spares.

Thanks for all the info guys.

 

VenPhil  |   Jul 15 2005  12:58PM GMT

I experience the same problem routinely with both a Dell Laptop and a Dell Desktop running Windows XP Professional. The laptop connection is a wireless one, and the Desktop a wired one. It happens more often on the laptop/wireless. Fortunately I can reconnect to the network by trying to open GMail or some other application that accesses the network. Only rarely does a connection fail when I am actually using the network.

I had thought this was a problem with my LinkSys Router/Wireless hardware/software, but the description you give matches almost exactly what I’ve been experiencing, and I’ve encountered enough other problems with Windows XP (I recently had to do a clean re-install) that perhaps Windows XP is the culprit after all. Of course, it could be hardware; my problems have been in the nuisance category, and I haven’t pursued the problem any further.

Phil

 

LoveJesus  |   Jul 15 2005  7:06PM GMT

It sounds like you’re ready to wrap this up, but I’ll throw in my suggestions, anyway. I’ve found a more stable connection using static TCP/IP instead of DHCP. Another thing to look at is the duplexing and speed on the NIC. More often than not, If I try to set “100 Full Duplex” (in the options on the NIC), I lose the connection. If I set to “Auto” and let the NIC accept what comes, it stays connected.

 

swilliamson  |   Jul 20 2005  8:29AM GMT

I think I’ll add one more thing to check. We had the exact same problem with several PC’s when a new Help Desk Technician was hired. After some checking we realized that the issue was the power save features of the OS and in some cases the hardware. Make sure the BIOS and OS power save features do not turn off the NIC under any circumstances.