R31 - LAN config corruption/PXE-005 error message

[chexmix]

Hi All -

Some months ago I picked up a used R31. Despite a couple of cosmetic blemishes (two pale spots on the LCD and a much abused space-bar) I was really pleased with it and set to turning it into my "Laptop of Death." Currently I have four OSs installed on it: the original Win2K, Slackware Linux 10.1, Solaris x86 10, and FreeBSD 5.3.

All of this was playing nice on the machine and I was getting ready to purchase a larger HD ... I want to use this for astronomy purposes and need space for loads of data and potentially some collections of large image files ... when I started getting a message upon bootup that the LAN configuration had been corrupted or improperly installed & that bootup would not continue. The error was labeled "PXE-005."

Despite this message the machine would dump me into my multi-boot (LILO) screen and allow me to continue; however, the LAN seemed definitively hosed. It no longer worked in any of the OSs.

I found some indications online that updating my flash/BIOS might help the problem. I tried this and it does not seem to have made any difference ... admittedly, the instructions that came along with the update tool from IBM/Lenovo cautioned that it should only be used with a fully charged battery. My battery only seems to be able to heft itself up to about 98%, so ...

Is there any point in trying to open this box up and see what's what? Should I re-try the BIOS update? Does anyone know of any other possible fixes? I guess this isn't "fatal" since I have a NIC card that works & have set this up with both Linux and FreeBSD in the past ... so the NIC is at least a 3/4 solution. I've never set one up to work with Solaris and imagine that like most things with that OS have turned out to be it will be a long hunt. Besides, I'd just like to know what's wrong. I hate the way this problem just sort of "sponaneously" showed up ...

Thanks for any hints.

Glenn Becker

[Thane_Bitter]

Hi Glenn,

If you have access to a USB floppy drive you might try downloading IBM's DOS version of PC-Doctor http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-41438 I believe the LAN test is listed under "Other" or Misc" menu. I am not familiar with that specific error but it really sounds like the built-in LAN has failed on your R31 unfortunately the only way to repair this (assuming it's dead) is to replace the motherboard (system planar) which would be rather expensive.
Just out of curiosity, you didn't happen to be using Win2k, placed the machine into hibernation and then rebooted into one of the other OS? I did this on a dual boot desktop running W2K & XP, and when I rebooted my network card did not work in the other OS, until I rebooted to the OS that had been placed into hibernation.
I don't worry that your battery status being 98% when you flash BIOS, the charging circuitry is designed to automatically charge the battery anytime it falls below 95%, anything above that is considered a full charge.

Best of luck,

Thane

[chexmix]

Thane_Bitter,

Hi Glenn,

I am not familiar with that specific error but it really sounds like the built-in LAN has failed on your R31 unfortunately the only way to repair this (assuming it's dead) is to replace the motherboard (system planar) which would be rather expensive.

Thane

OK, I am exploring a couple of alleys.

Not long after I posted, I spotted a used R31 mobo for sale cheap on eBay. It wasn't guaranteed to work, but ... having won it, I am only out $20. So I can play with that.

Otherwise, I _also_ unearthed a laptop repair shop that advertises relatively cheap mobo work. This was also on eBay. Bottom line if the board I won doesn't do the trick I may send it to these guys. Not a big deal either way.

As I think I said, I'm actually more interested in this because of the random nature of the problem ... I really could I guess live without the LAN, since I have a NIC that works fine -- I'm just irked/piqued/whatever.

Thanks for your post,

Glenn