IBM Support

Intel e100 driver installation instructions for Red Hat Linux v6.2 - Servers

Troubleshooting


Problem

Source RETAIN tip H024515 Symptom In order to use the Intel e100 driver with RedHat v6.2, a set of instructions needs to be executed in a certain order. This tip provides these instructions.

Resolving The Problem

Source
RETAIN tip H024515

Symptom
In order to use the Intel e100 driver with RedHat v6.2, a set of instructions needs to be executed in a certain order. This tip provides these instructions.
 
NOTE: The use of the generic driver, eepro100, for any Netfinity server to fully support onboard or in-the-slot Ethernet (IBM Netfinity and EtherJet Adapter families) for a RedHat 6.2 installation sometimes causes an intermittent hang problem.
 
NOTE: It is recommended to use the correct driver, the e100, instead of the generic driver.

Affected configurations
 The system is any of the following IBM Netfinity servers:

  • a Netfinity 8500R server, type 8681, any model
  • a Netfinity 7600 server, type 8665, any model
  • a Netfinity 7100 server, type 8666, any model
  • a Netfinity 7000-M10 server, type 8680, any model
  • a Netfinity 6000R server, type 8682, any model
  • a Netfinity 5600 server, type 8664, any model
  • a Netfinity 5500-M20 server, type 8662, any model
  • a Netfinity 5500-M10 server, type 8661, any model
  • a Netfinity 5500 server, type 8660, any model
  • a Netfinity 5100 server, type 8658, any model
  • a Netfinity 5000 server, type 8659, any model
  • a Netfinity 4500R server, type 8656, any model
  • a Netfinity 4000R (US) server, type 8652, any model
  • a Netfinity 4000R (Non-US) server, type 8653, any model
  • a Netfinity 3500-M20 server, type 8657, any model
  • a Netfinity 3500-M10 server, type 8655, any model
  • a Netfinity 3000 server, type 8476, any model
  • a Netfinity 1000 server, type 8477, any model
  • a Netfinity A100 server, type 8652, any model

The system is configured with any number of processors.
 
The system is configured with the following option(s):

The following network operating system (NOS) is affected:

  • Red Hat version 6.2 with 2.2.16-3 kernel errata (RHSA-2000-037-05) patch level applied.

The e100 Device Driver for the IBM Netfinity and EtherJet Adapter is affected.
 
The system has the symptom described above.

Installation instructions

  1. Install a specific Linux distribution; apply any mandatory patch that is required. For RedHat 6.2 kernel mandatory upgrade, follow steps 2 and 3; otherwise skip step 2.
  2. From a terminal, apply the mandatory patch RHSA-2000-037-05 as follows.
    (The Red Hat mandatory patch files can be downloaded from http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2000-037-05.html)
     
    NOTE: Kernel upgrade how-to information can be obtained from:
     http://www.redhat.com/support/docs/howto/kernel-upgrade/kernel-upgrade.html

    2.1. Type rpm -ivh kernel-2.2.16-3.i686.rpm for uni-processor systems or type rpm -ivh kernel-smp-2.2.16-3.i686.rpm for smp systems.
     
    2.2. Type rpm -ivh kernel-headers-2.2.16-3.i386.rpm
     
    2.3. Type mkinitrd /boot/initrd-2.2.16-3.img 2.2.16-3 for uni-processor systems or type mkinitrd /boot/initrd-2.2.16-3smp.img 2.2.16-3smp for smp systems
     
    2.4. Type Edit /etc/lilo.conf
     
    For uni-processor systems
     
    - Change "default=linux" to "default=linux-16"
     
    - Add the following:
     
    image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.2.16-3
    label=linux-16
    initrd=/boot/initrd-2.2.16-3.img
    read-only
    root=/dev/your_root_partition

    For smp systems
     
    - Change "default=linux" to "default=linux-16smp"
     
    - Add the following:
     
    image=/boot/vmlinuz-2.2.16-3smp
    label=linux-16smp
    initrd=/boot/initrd-2.2.16-3smp.img
    read-only
    root=/dev/your_root_partition
     
    2.5. Type lilo -v
     
    2.6. Reboot the system, and 2.2.16-3 or 2.2.16-3smp kernel works properly.
     
    2.7. Type uname -a to make sure you are running 2.2.16 or 2.2.16-3smp kernel.

  3. Apply IBM 10/100 Ethernet Adapter driver (Intel chipset).
     
    (The object code of the e100 driver will be made available; there will be a e100smp.o for smp systems and e100.o for uni-processor systems.)
     
    3.1. Type mount /mnt/floppy
    (mount point may vary depending on which Linux distribution you use. Check /etc/fstab to find the correct mount point)
     
    3.2.Type cp /mnt/floppy/e100.o /lib/modules/2.2.16-3/net/e100.o for uni-processor systems or
    type cp /mnt/floppy/e100smp.o /lib/modules/2.2.16-3smp/net/e100.o for smp systems
     
    3.3. Type Edit /etc/conf.modules
     
    - Change "eepro100" to "e100".
     
    3.4. Reboot the system.

NOTE: For those who do not wish to reboot the system, use "ifdown your_interface" to bring down the network interface, use "ifup your_interface" to bring the network interface back up, which will load the e100 driver.
 
 Additional information
 The intermittent hang symptom occurs because of the use of a wrong driver. The symptom is fixed by using the correct driver.

Document Location

Worldwide

Operating System

Older System x:Red Hat Linux

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Document Information

Modified date:
28 January 2019

UID

ibm1MIGR-4QLNTR

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