Here we go... SMC NIC 10/100 and WIN98SE

Again?
Yep.
I'm back with yet another wonderful exercize in futility.

And I'm all soggy again. Very Soggy, this time.

Got the SMC Ez (hah!)Card 10/100 (SMC1211TX) out of the drawer as I wanted to set up a local P2P so as to switch files and data between the present (P-III 600Mhz/WIN98SE/512Sdram) and the new (P4 2.5Ghz/WIN98SE[you can't say I'm not loyal!]/512DDR2700 ram) machines. (Then I want to (later) get a 4-port router and set up so I can work upstairs (45 M) while the wife surfs from the couch in serene comfort.)

Well, what a bummer. Shut all the way down, put the SMC EZ Card in a free PCI slot and restarted the computer as per S.O.P.

Windows started (after it's usual 2.5 minute delay) and detected the new piece of hardware, whereupon I showed it the nice floppy sitting in A:\. It feasted upon the files, professed itself satiated and asked me to reboot the 'Puter, which I did.
More S.O.P.

So it reboots and ..... squat. S'welp me it got past the POST and DMI, brouhgt up the Startup splash, loaded the video drivers ( a double flicker on the monitor) and then sat there and did naught.

I figure there's a conflict, so I restart and go directly to safe mode, bring up device manager and look for a yellow marker....nope.

OK, reboot and see if it..... nope. Still hangs up with that silly worm running across the bottom of the startup screen. Left it sit for twenty minutes in case it was really having a hard time locating a driver or something.

Tried it again to safe mode...got that and went to MSCONFIG to see if there was two instances of the driver shown.... there wasn't a driver shown a-tall, a-tall.

After dislocating too many of my remaining follicles, I just got totally frustrated. Computing is not supposed to be so **** tough!

Gave up and pulled the NIC and rebooted. It finally came up to the password box and then into standard Windows, whreupon I went looking for an exception somewhere...nothing. No Yellows in device manager or notices of an error anywhere. In fact, no ethernet card at all. ( ? ? )

So I checked under Network and there it sat with all the other stuff. I uninstalled it and rebooted to be sure that I could get into the OS again and it now is booting back to the way it was prior to installing the NIC.

Funny thing is about three crashes previous, I had that NIC in this box and a P2P set up with another computer and that worked just fine until Momma had a ****-fit about computers al over the kitchen table. (about three years ago) I cna't remember for sure but I thnik I'd had a problem with WIN98SE then as well (same OS as in the present P-III) but I can't remember how I solved it.

OK... I defer to your collective wisdoms and expertise to lead me by the appropriate appendage thru THIS morass.... y'all did so well for the HDD recognition that my hopes are high.

Like I said before... be nice. I cry easily.


Thanks in advance.

Vince the perpetually

 

Put the NIC back in, set it up and reboot. While rebooting, press the F8 key within two seconds after seeing "Starting Windows 98" displayed across the very bottom of a DOS boot screen. If you see a splash screen, you missed it, press reset and try again.

When you see a boot menu (Normal, Safe Mode, etc.), choose "Logged ". After the computer hangs again, and you're sure it is hung for some time, reboot again using the same F8 process; but, this time, choose "Command Prompt Only ". Type the following at the command prompt and press enter:

• EDIT BOOTLOG.TXT

Go to the bottom of the list of things Windows loaded. The last item will be "Loading "; but, there will be no "Load Success ". That is the item that is causing the boot to hang.

Fixing it is another matter; but, you must identify that item first.

 

Testing results and diatribes

Rather than clutter up the BBS' bandwith, go HERE where I have put the bootlogs and my further (yes, more tragedy and confusion) tales of woe.

I await your comments.

Vince

 

If you have an Internal Modem, that can also stop a NIC from setting up properly due to an IRQ conflict.

That I have run into several times.

Even though all info may says the card is setup proberly it still may not actually work

I had to remove ( physically ) the Modem in order to get the NIC to work.

And I have also had to remove an Iternal Modem to get a Sound card to work.

But the sad part it that most of the time any conflicts do not show in the Device Manager.

BillyBob

 

Our ISP used to use the 1211 in all it's installations (cable internet). After about the first week, they returned over 1000 they bought, and purchased generic Realtek chip cards, and no problems since.
I have also had my share of grief with Win98 and the SMC 1211, and simply toss them out the window, and purchase a new (Realtek chip) card. Total cost, about $15, total hair loss, none.
Do yourself a favor, and toss the card in favor of something else, you'll have way more hair left at the end of the day.
SMC has never acknowledged a fault with the card, nor the drivers, however, when a company as big as Shaw Cable returns 1000 cards because of incompatibilities with windows 98, there's got to be something.
The NIC will show as installed correctly, it does not have an IRQ or resource problem, it may even get an IP from a router properly, but still won't communicate with the net, or in your case, simply won't allow a boot. It's not waiting for an IP, it's got it's driver, and no yellow ! either, it simply won't work. I don't think anyone has ever figured out exactly why.
In XP the card works perfectly, and no extra drivers needed, they're built in to XP.
go figure...

 

Ok, Thanks Sounds good

For $15 - $20 I'll get another one. To heck with this ****.

While I'm at it I'll pick up the broadband router and just go ahead and set up the temporary network and router to be extended later when my office is done upstairs (can't wait for that!) and just run the cabling from living room to upstairs office for now.

I'm sure that I'll have more than one wuestion for the board about setting up all that crud, but for now I do still have one further question...

What is NDIS2SUP.VXD? In my bootlog, it's the only thing that failed to load both before and after the NIC installation.

It's stitting in the Windows\system folder, if that means anything...

Vince

 

LoadFailed = ndis2sup.vxd
If the network driver interface specification (NDIS) 2 support driver does not find any NDIS 2 drivers to support, the driver is not loaded.
In non-geekspeak, there's no network card, so the driver can't load.
When you get the router, it's too simple.
Plug it in, plug all computers in, turn it on.
Turn on the computers.
If they're set to get IP by DHCP, you're done.
If you can't get on the net with the router, just enter the router setup page on the computer and "Clone MAC ", save, restart the router.

 

OK... I'm off to see the Lizard

Went and got another PCI Ethernet 10/100 card... not at all expensive, but the idiot who rear-ended me in the computer store parking lot isn't gonna think so.... I may just get three more computers on him! (Idiot.)

Also picked up a broadband 4-port hub and so will dive back into the guts of the confusers again.

REBOOT:

that driver didn't load even after the computer accepted and showed the SMC Card, so I guess it was a bad 'un... Lesse what happens now.

Will report back, and again, thanks to all!

Vince

 

Urrrgghh.....

OK... Looks like the PCI 10/100 (realtek clone) was accepted by the computer and installed, although the first time I rebooted it dropped me into a DOS screen which showed the last two (actually, ALL the lines) of the config.sys, but then when I rebooted from that it came right up to the Desktop and full functionality.

Now I need to get this little network working so I can transfer the files from point A to B, but I'll go look on Networking (we DO have a networking forum or shold it stay right here?)

If it should stay here, then someone tell me my next steps for doing this (without putting in the router yet) (with putting in the router now) (whichever would be simpler for my addled little brain.)

I await your thoughts....

(NDIS2SUP Still didn't load, incidentally...)

Vince

 

Don't worry about ndis. If it's needed, it will start, if not, no harm.
Setting up the router is simple.
All you need are the cables (3) and the router.
Run each cable to a port on the router, from the NIC's in the computer. If you're including broadband internet, then plug the cable from the modem into the WAN port on the router.
Turn on the router, turn on the main (used on the internet) computer.
See if you can get on the net.
If you can, then power up the other computers.
Install file and print sharing, it's under Networking components.
Restart as needed.
Right click on the file/folder/drive you want to share, and select "Sharing and security ".
Share it, no password, all permissions (read and write).
If this is an XP computer, during the network setup, choose "Internet Gateway" as the connection type, and then make the diskette when prompted.
Simply run it on the other computers.
Enable sharing on all computers that you wish to share.
Make sure they all have the same WORKGROUP name, but UNIQUE username/computer names.
The XP network diskette will do all this for you.
Everything should now share files/folders/drives between each.
Open Explorer, hit the + beside Network Neighborhood (or Network Places in XP), hit the + beside Entier Network, hit the + beside Microsoft Windows Network, hit the + beside the Workgroup name, and all computers on the LAN should be visible, or at least some portion of them (whatever you shared).
It's much easier to share the whole computer/drive than a single file/folder.
If you have ANY trouble, then Right click Network Neighborhood, select Properties, Add, Protocall, Microsoft, NetBEUI, and restart as needed. This will definitely allow sharing, and NetBEUI is <b>unroutable</b>, that is, it is invisible to the internet, and works excellent for a small LAN, so no worries about security if you use it (it's actually more secure than TCP/IP!)

 

No joy...nohow.

Well, I spoke too soon.

(I’m sitting here with a migraine, so I may have some things in the wrong order, or ordure, but it has been an ordure-ous experience.)

The NIC installed and the reboot was successful and I sent the last message. I went to the Networking forum and read thru all I could find on straight cable-connected networks and pulled out the crossover cable and installed that. Then I went to #2 and configured it for file sharing, made sure it had the same workgroup name as #1 and a separate name, checked over everything and then came back to this one and did the same thing. Got it all set up for filesharing and the little hand under each drive and was preparing to shut down to go install the router and I got three virii in a row which NAV handled for me, but which stopped my heart for a moment. Shut down so as to put the router in line but instead disconnected the modem and rebooted to add a password to each drive to prevent someone actually giving me another and ....

It hung. Just like before, mid-point (one supposes) thru the splash screen.

Waited a few and then rebooted and F8’d for bootlog, restart...

Hung up again, but this time I was on the phone and it restarted itself and went to Safe Mode. Just for grins while there I checked to see if the NIC was listed and it was under Device Manager (hence DVM) and Network. Rebooted.

Hung up again, but this time as soon as I was sure it was hung I rebooted to F8 and did the "edit bootlog" .... not a blessed thing on the screen. Totally blank page!

Threw a few things about the room and rebooted again... another Hang (2x)

Hadda be the NIC card, so I took it out, rebooted to safe mode and uninstalled it in DVM and Network and rebooted and it started up.... very slooowly, but full functionality.

Went and un-shared all the drives and rebooted and it started again, slooowly.

Installed the NIC in the other free PCI slot and rebooted.... Windows again detected card and installed drivers from disk.... rebooted and it hung up.

Went to bed. Had VERY bad dreams.

Got up early and started computer and it hung again. So I rebooted to Safe and uninstalled the card under DVM and Networks but left the card installed, and rebooted.

System came up (slo) again to full functionality.
Believe it or not I did ALL of that again (switched PCI’s, uninstalled, reinstalled, swore a blue streak) always with the same results... installing the drivers (with exception of that first success) results in a hung start .

I feel a right berk, entirely about wasting all of your’s times on this but I am totally stumped.

Reboot... thanks for the info on the Router. If I EVER get this working, I think I can deal with that installation based on your post which was very clear. But, hey.... this is me we’re talking about, innit? Mastication of Chicle seems to be beyond my capabilities.

As always, my flares are up and my S.O.S. is transmitting....

Vince the slowly sinking (mentally)

 

I understand your frustration, but one question; why were you trying to share via a crossover when you've got a perfectly good router sitting there?
Did NAV delete or quarantine a needed file (probably) which is why it doesn't start properly. Could even be a disabled service that is needed.
Do a system restore to before this mess....nevermind (thinking XP)...boot to DOS by hitting F8 during boot and select "Command prompt only ".
At the DOS prompt, type: scanreg /restore
Select a restore point to one before all this mess.
Restart.
Reinstall the new NIC.
Hook up the router, and get surfing!

 

Because I'm Bloody Stupid, Is why!

(I keep hitting wrong key and losing message!)

It’s because I’m not the strongest crutch on ward, then.... I actually wanted to connect via crossover and just move copies of all the backups./archives/nonsence from old to new, then switch computers, install DSL on the new one, hook up router and go to town.

(incidentally, do I have this right? DSL>Modem>Router acting as hub for network, so that either computer can then get online independently of the other?)

Since last I wrote (Oh, so long ago...) computer has frozen three times while trying to access Hallmark’s ECard site (wife sent me E-Card for anniversary today) and has started up two of three with NIC still installed but bypassing driver installations... third time it froze completely on reboot so I finally pulled the card totally and it now restarts as previously described.

How's GoBack? I have that installed and (if I understand how it works) can probably "go-back" to before I started all this nonsense with the NIC. Otherwise, how many reboots does scanreg cover? 5, innit? I did 8 this morning alone.

Summat is bloody wrong here and I suspect that all this shuffling about has buggered a part of Windows.... It’s all I can think of. As soon as I get this stuff moved over to the new unit I think a complete format of all drives in the old box and then a full reinstall from step 1 is the only method to cure this idiocy, but again, I await suggestions and comments from those mentally swifter than I.

I think I’m going to pull up those petunias....

Aaaargh!

(Oh, WinIni was involved in the virus attacks but NAV said it cleaned it and I don’t see anything egregiously extraneous in there....)

Vince

(mail connection is a bit fiddly, so don't be suprized at a delayed answer!)

 

Yes, from DSL-Modem to Router, to PC's.
The router IS a hub.

Scanreg covers 5 days so you can go back to yesterday, or the day before. You could also use goback to just before this all started happening if you have that option.
Open Explorer, and remove any NIC drivers that look suspicious from c:\windows\inf\other (it may be a hidden folder).
A scanreg /restore should get you back to a reasonable boot speed, unless a file has gone missing (courtesy of NAV). SFC will fix it, if you can find out what's amiss there.

It may be simpler to free up a few resources first, then do an install of Windows over top.
Boot to safe mode, remove all NIC's, com ports, and "Other Devices" from device mangler.
Restart.
Go into BIOS setup, and disable com 1 and 2 if you're not using them. Set "PnP OS Installed" to NO.
Restart and let things install.
Shutdown and put in the NIC.
Restart, install drivers.

Get that done, and we'll go from there.

 

pippopottomus

It appears that you may have been reading some VERY MIS-LEADING info from Microshaft where they say scanreg makes a backup at every reboot.

reboot is correct. Scanreg only make ONE backup per Calendar day. And is set to 5 days by default.

Otherwise I would have about six ( 6 ) for today alone.

BillyBob

 

Annnnkkk! "Wrong answer, Hans... "

(I GOTTA learn LINUX!) (Or even OS2, maybe!)

I had less problems with WIN95, I swear I did.

Lost the printer somewhere in the last chicane.

Did the scanreg/restore and it failed. (So nearly did my heart.)

Lessee.... “Disable Com ports 1 & 2...†: I won’t need them for the internet because of the router? Can I (worst case scenario) just use the router and one computer? (Geez, it probably doesn’t care how many are attached up to it’s capacity of ports, right? A teacup has more brain capacity than I do right now.)

“SFC will fix it...†: SFC?

“PnP OS to NO†: ??? Plug "˜n Play? Then just install each peripheral manually as I realize it’s not present?

Just checking the above before I hare off and do something (else) stupid.


(BillyBob...thanks for the clarification on scanreg. What power company did you work for prior to retirement?)

 

Did the scanreg/restore and it failed. (So nearly did my heart.)

More than likely it cantained bad info anyway. Also it WILL NOT FIX hardware problems.

I see that you have a Router which I assume is connected to a Network card. If so is there a possibility that you still have and internal modem pluged in ? If so get rid of it.

Can I (worst case scenario) just use the router and one computer? (Geez, it probably doesn’t care how many are attached up to it’s capacity of ports, right?

Yes. I have a 4 port Router with 4 machines plugged in and any one can be on without the other. Just as long as the Router is powered separately and left on. I have Cable Internet.

"Disable Com ports 1 & 2..." :

Just check where a mouse may be plugged in ( unless it is PS2 or USB )

“SFC will fix it..." : SFC?

Don't bother with that. If you do you it and allow it to replace a file it could get the wrong one and make things worse. Also that will not fix hardware problems either.

SFC is only reliable IF it is run and updated IMMEDIATLY after each and every change to the system.

Scanreg is only as reliable as the system itself. If the system has been troubled for 5 days or more scanreg is going to be troubled also. That is why when I fix any problems, add/remove software/hardware I make sure that I have a scanreg backup the reflects the changes after I see that all is going ot be OK.

“PnP OS to NO" : ?

Things do seems to work better when that is set to NO in the BIOS. The BIOS and Windows do not seem to fight as much.

I worked for Central Hudson Gas & Electric.

BillyBob

 

Back to BB

Yeah, but what is SFC? Am I gonna hit myself in the head when it's explained? Probably... I do that anyway!

I think I'm gonna run a trolley-duct to the CPU and see if THAT makes it load faster. It'll certaily light things up a bit, eh?

(I am really starting to get a dislike to Windows in ANY flavouring... if only there were as many choices of programs for LINUX or the MAC.... ah, well.)

 

SFC = System File Checker.

On the first run it will go through and check the installed files against the ORIGINAL setup files. Usually all is well here IF DONE IMMEDIATELY after the install and BEFORE any updates or other software is added.

Now you add software, drivers, updates etc.

The next run compares files to the LIST that was made by the previous run.

Now is when you need to be VERY CAREFUL as SFC may report some files as being corrupt. And if some of the files that SFC reported as corrupt actually were you would not be running SFC or maybe even Windows.

And some of the files that it says are missing may actually need to be missing.

Now if the system is running with no problems just selecting update is usually OK.

If you decide to replace the so called corrupt file and tell SFC to do that it will go back to the original setup files and get a file with the same name. OR, it may grab one from somewhere else if it finds one. The file may be the same IN NAME ONLY.

Some files may need to be replace from the LATEST install of IE and not Windows.

I made a mistake with SFC not once but TWICE. Once I wound up with a NO BOOT OS. ( Complete re-install required. ) The second I had a dead IE because I pointed SFC to the wrong set if IE files.

Unless you are VERY familiar with the working of SFC it is best left alone.

Or as I said earlier you run and update it after each and every change to the system. Then it is maybe a little more reliable.

BillyBob

 

SON of a....biscuit.

It works. You could knock me over with a feather.

What I did, I dunno, but the Realtek card (the oldest of the three, albeit with a recent update in drivers) installed and Windows PnP didn't even ask for a restart. (Sacrificing that virgin must've been the trick, or maybe it was the trolley-duct?)

Card was activated and had drivers when I looked in "Device Mangler" (liked that one, Reboot!) after installing the card and restarting computer. All I did was update drivers, then check to be sure all drives were shared with no passwords and that the DSL was disconnected, plugged in the crossover patch cable and Network Neighborhood showed both computers online.

Did a test transfer of an entire drive and it went smooth as Peggy Shippen's back.

I did discover one probably very basic thing which had not penetrated this concrete object I call a brane.... even if you transfer the files you STILL need to install the original program on the second computer before you can open and use them. In my ignorance, I had assumed you could initiate the program from the remote computer. (duuhh) Well, that's not a hassle.


I'm non-plussed and still confused, but the silly bugger's working and I'm so chuffed I declare a Holday for everyone starting at 0600Z and ending 0800Z 03.05.03. Then I'll probably be on again about the next thing.

Next thing?

Now to tackle the router thingie, which Verizon (my 'wonderful' ISP) says they won't support. I bought a "Gigafast DSL/ETHERNET/CABLE 4-port router (Mod EE400-R) which I have not yet unpacked. Verizon says they only support "LinkSys" and "2-Wire" routers and suggested I take this one back to the vendor and get either one of those if I wanted some help from them.

SOCH a DEAL! They also told me to uninstall ALL the Verizon software on my computer as it would not be necessary... the router would handle the PPoE and WinPoET connections with only my password and username for setup.

Make sense to anyone?

Me. I'm off to bed and perhaps a night's sleep NOT troubled by 'visions of kilobytes dancing thru my head', as I now can have them dance across the network.

Very sincere thanks to all for your patient help in this!

Vince in Philadelphia