No NICs work on XP Pro Machine

I have a homebuilt XP MCE 2005 machine that doesn't seem to like any NICs.
The box is built from an MSI 865PE Neo2 MB, 1G RAM, 2 - 200 G WD hard
drives, Plextor DVD burner, Soundblaster Live, Hauppuage Win-TV PVR 350,
Nvidia 5900SE. I'm connecting through a hub and I've checked to make sure
the cables are not crossovers. It has a built in NIC that was working fine
for over a year. I just moved into a new house and wired an ethernet jack my
self. I can't get the PC to connect with the built in NIC or an SMC 1211TX.
In fact, a Linksys Wireless B USB adapter doesn't seem to work either
(although I'm not sure it's the same problem).

I have verified the cables (and even swapped them anyway). All of the
jacks/cables work fine with my laptop which also has built-in ethernet. I
have tried the SMC card in another PC and it works. So everything seems to
point to the PC. The odd thing is that neither the built-in port nor the SMC
card will have any link lights lit at all. When I plugged the SMC into a
different PC, even before the POST was completed, there was one light lit up
on it. I'm not sure I understand how the problem PC could be preventing the
NIC from working like this.

I would greatly appreciate any assisance.

TIA.

- Leon

L wrote:
> I have a homebuilt XP MCE 2005 machine that doesn't seem to like any NICs.
> The box is built from an MSI 865PE Neo2 MB, 1G RAM, 2 - 200 G WD hard
> drives, Plextor DVD burner, Soundblaster Live, Hauppuage Win-TV PVR 350,
> Nvidia 5900SE. I'm connecting through a hub and I've checked to make sure
> the cables are not crossovers. It has a built in NIC that was working fine
> for over a year. I just moved into a new house and wired an ethernet jack my
> self. I can't get the PC to connect with the built in NIC or an SMC 1211TX.
> In fact, a Linksys Wireless B USB adapter doesn't seem to work either
> (although I'm not sure it's the same problem).
>
> I have verified the cables (and even swapped them anyway). All of the
> jacks/cables work fine with my laptop which also has built-in ethernet. I
> have tried the SMC card in another PC and it works. So everything seems to
> point to the PC. The odd thing is that neither the built-in port nor the SMC
> card will have any link lights lit at all. When I plugged the SMC into a
> different PC, even before the POST was completed, there was one light lit up
> on it. I'm not sure I understand how the problem PC could be preventing the
> NIC from working like this.
>
> I would greatly appreciate any assisance.
>
> TIA.
>
> - Leon
>
>

Go into the device manager and see what it says. I suspect you have
no/the wrong driver installed.

Your cabling is also suspect, given that it's changed. When you
terminated the cable, did you do it to 568 A or B consistently?
How much did you untwist? You say you also swapped with a different
cable -- was that a store-bought one?

--
The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
minimize spam. Our true address is of the form che...@prodigy.net.

On Mon, 17 Jan 2005 07:44:33 -0500, "L" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

>I have a homebuilt XP MCE 2005 machine that doesn't seem to like any NICs.
>The box is built from an MSI 865PE Neo2 MB, 1G RAM, 2 - 200 G WD hard
>drives, Plextor DVD burner, Soundblaster Live, Hauppuage Win-TV PVR 350,
>Nvidia 5900SE. I'm connecting through a hub and I've checked to make sure
>the cables are not crossovers. It has a built in NIC that was working fine
>for over a year. I just moved into a new house and wired an ethernet jack my
>self. I can't get the PC to connect with the built in NIC or an SMC 1211TX.
>In fact, a Linksys Wireless B USB adapter doesn't seem to work either
>(although I'm not sure it's the same problem).
>
>I have verified the cables (and even swapped them anyway). All of the
>jacks/cables work fine with my laptop which also has built-in ethernet. I
>have tried the SMC card in another PC and it works. So everything seems to
>point to the PC. The odd thing is that neither the built-in port nor the SMC
>card will have any link lights lit at all. When I plugged the SMC into a
>different PC, even before the POST was completed, there was one light lit up
>on it. I'm not sure I understand how the problem PC could be preventing the
>NIC from working like this.
>
>I would greatly appreciate any assisance.
>
>TIA.
>
> - Leon
>

Lessee, nic used to work in a different abode, now it's moved to a new
location, using cables you built, and none of the nics work?

Right.

Everybody now: "It's the cables"

/daytripper

"CJT" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>L wrote:
>> I have a homebuilt XP MCE 2005 machine that doesn't seem to like any
>> NICs. The box is built from an MSI 865PE Neo2 MB, 1G RAM, 2 - 200 G WD
>> hard drives, Plextor DVD burner, Soundblaster Live, Hauppuage Win-TV PVR
>> 350, Nvidia 5900SE. I'm connecting through a hub and I've checked to make
>> sure the cables are not crossovers. It has a built in NIC that was
>> working fine for over a year. I just moved into a new house and wired an
>> ethernet jack my self. I can't get the PC to connect with the built in
>> NIC or an SMC 1211TX. In fact, a Linksys Wireless B USB adapter doesn't
>> seem to work either (although I'm not sure it's the same problem).
>>
>> I have verified the cables (and even swapped them anyway). All of the
>> jacks/cables work fine with my laptop which also has built-in ethernet. I
>> have tried the SMC card in another PC and it works. So everything seems
>> to point to the PC. The odd thing is that neither the built-in port nor
>> the SMC card will have any link lights lit at all. When I plugged the SMC
>> into a different PC, even before the POST was completed, there was one
>> light lit up on it. I'm not sure I understand how the problem PC could be
>> preventing the NIC from working like this.
>>
>> I would greatly appreciate any assisance.
>>
>> TIA.
>>
>> - Leon
>
> Go into the device manager and see what it says. I suspect you have
> no/the wrong driver installed.

The device manager indicates all is fine, but Windows reports "network cable
unplugged". The problem with the built-in NIC happened without any
configuration changes. In other words, the very same driver that was working
before is still there and still working according to Windows.

>
> Your cabling is also suspect, given that it's changed. When you
> terminated the cable, did you do it to 568 A or B consistently?
> How much did you untwist? You say you also swapped with a different
> cable -- was that a store-bought one?
>

I did not build the cable. I bought a standard 14' CAT5 ethernet cable.
This cable works fine on other PCs. I also tried another cable that works on
other PCs, but this machine still doesn't think it's connected. I did wire
an ethernet jack. I followed 568 A consistently. I can plug other machines
into this jack and they all work. Only this problem machine isn't working.


> --
> The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
> minimize spam. Our true address is of the form che...@prodigy.net.

"daytripper" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Mon, 17 Jan 2005 07:44:33 -0500, "L" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>
>>I have a homebuilt XP MCE 2005 machine that doesn't seem to like any NICs.
>>The box is built from an MSI 865PE Neo2 MB, 1G RAM, 2 - 200 G WD hard
>>drives, Plextor DVD burner, Soundblaster Live, Hauppuage Win-TV PVR 350,
>>Nvidia 5900SE. I'm connecting through a hub and I've checked to make sure
>>the cables are not crossovers. It has a built in NIC that was working fine
>>for over a year. I just moved into a new house and wired an ethernet jack
>>my
>>self. I can't get the PC to connect with the built in NIC or an SMC
>>1211TX.
>>In fact, a Linksys Wireless B USB adapter doesn't seem to work either
>>(although I'm not sure it's the same problem).
>>
>>I have verified the cables (and even swapped them anyway). All of the
>>jacks/cables work fine with my laptop which also has built-in ethernet. I
>>have tried the SMC card in another PC and it works. So everything seems to
>>point to the PC. The odd thing is that neither the built-in port nor the
>>SMC
>>card will have any link lights lit at all. When I plugged the SMC into a
>>different PC, even before the POST was completed, there was one light lit
>>up
>>on it. I'm not sure I understand how the problem PC could be preventing
>>the
>>NIC from working like this.
>>
>>I would greatly appreciate any assisance.
>>
>>TIA.
>>
>> - Leon
>>
>
> Lessee, nic used to work in a different abode, now it's moved to a new
> location, using cables you built, and none of the nics work?
>
> Right.

No, that's not right. The NIC is built into the problem machine. When I
moved, I had to wire an ethernet jack for the room the PC is in. This jack
does in fact work perfectly fine with other machines that I have tested. I
did try a different NIC in the machine that doesn't work and did not get a
connection. All of the cables that I tested with are store-bought and work
fine in other machines and with the jack that I wired. The other NIC I tried
in the problem machine works fine in other machines. The offending machine
doesn't work regardless of what store-bought cable I use or what NIC I use.
>
> Everybody now: "It's the cables"
>
Sorry, but I don't see how it's the cables. The only thing that doesn't work
out of all of the various NICs, cables, and jacks I've tested is the one
machine that stopped working. I can see how the onboard ethernet port might
fail, but why would this machine not connect with a separate NIC?

> /daytripper

L wrote:
> "daytripper" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
>>On Mon, 17 Jan 2005 07:44:33 -0500, "L" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>I have a homebuilt XP MCE 2005 machine that doesn't seem to like any NICs.
>>>The box is built from an MSI 865PE Neo2 MB, 1G RAM, 2 - 200 G WD hard
>>>drives, Plextor DVD burner, Soundblaster Live, Hauppuage Win-TV PVR 350,
>>>Nvidia 5900SE. I'm connecting through a hub and I've checked to make sure
>>>the cables are not crossovers. It has a built in NIC that was working fine
>>>for over a year. I just moved into a new house and wired an ethernet jack
>>>my
>>>self. I can't get the PC to connect with the built in NIC or an SMC
>>>1211TX.
>>>In fact, a Linksys Wireless B USB adapter doesn't seem to work either
>>>(although I'm not sure it's the same problem).
>>>
>>>I have verified the cables (and even swapped them anyway). All of the
>>>jacks/cables work fine with my laptop which also has built-in ethernet. I
>>>have tried the SMC card in another PC and it works. So everything seems to
>>>point to the PC. The odd thing is that neither the built-in port nor the
>>>SMC
>>>card will have any link lights lit at all. When I plugged the SMC into a
>>>different PC, even before the POST was completed, there was one light lit
>>>up
>>>on it. I'm not sure I understand how the problem PC could be preventing
>>>the
>>>NIC from working like this.
>>>
>>>I would greatly appreciate any assisance.
>>>
>>>TIA.
>>>
>>> - Leon
>>>
>>
>>Lessee, nic used to work in a different abode, now it's moved to a new
>>location, using cables you built, and none of the nics work?
>>
>>Right.
>
>
> No, that's not right. The NIC is built into the problem machine. When I
> moved, I had to wire an ethernet jack for the room the PC is in. This jack
> does in fact work perfectly fine with other machines that I have tested. I
> did try a different NIC in the machine that doesn't work and did not get a
> connection. All of the cables that I tested with are store-bought and work
> fine in other machines and with the jack that I wired. The other NIC I tried
> in the problem machine works fine in other machines. The offending machine
> doesn't work regardless of what store-bought cable I use or what NIC I use.
>
>>Everybody now: "It's the cables"
>>
>
> Sorry, but I don't see how it's the cables. The only thing that doesn't work
> out of all of the various NICs, cables, and jacks I've tested is the one
> machine that stopped working. I can see how the onboard ethernet port might
> fail, but why would this machine not connect with a separate NIC?
>
>
>>/daytripper
>
>
>
Toss that machine and plug in one that works. PCs are disposable.

--
The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
minimize spam. Our true address is of the form che...@prodigy.net.

Wow, what sage wisdom. Thanks. Are you planning to give me the $1800 to do
this?

> Toss that machine and plug in one that works. PCs are disposable.
>
> --
> The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
> minimize spam. Our true address is of the form che...@prodigy.net.

L wrote:
> I have a homebuilt XP MCE 2005 machine that doesn't seem to like any NICs.
> The box is built from an MSI 865PE Neo2 MB, 1G RAM, 2 - 200 G WD hard
> drives, Plextor DVD burner, Soundblaster Live, Hauppuage Win-TV PVR 350,
> Nvidia 5900SE. I'm connecting through a hub and I've checked to make sure
> the cables are not crossovers. It has a built in NIC that was working fine
> for over a year. I just moved into a new house and wired an ethernet jack my
> self. I can't get the PC to connect with the built in NIC or an SMC 1211TX.
> In fact, a Linksys Wireless B USB adapter doesn't seem to work either
> (although I'm not sure it's the same problem).
>
> I have verified the cables (and even swapped them anyway). All of the
> jacks/cables work fine with my laptop which also has built-in ethernet. I
> have tried the SMC card in another PC and it works. So everything seems to
> point to the PC. The odd thing is that neither the built-in port nor the SMC
> card will have any link lights lit at all. When I plugged the SMC into a
> different PC, even before the POST was completed, there was one light lit up
> on it. I'm not sure I understand how the problem PC could be preventing the
> NIC from working like this.

Have you tried pulling out all the other PCI cards (usually a good idea
anyway when troubleshooting), and using one of the slots occupied by
those? Motherboards can sometimes be picky about what goes in each PCI
Slot, alternatively, maybe the PCI slot you are using is faulty.

Another possibility is that there is a conflict between one of the PCI
cards and the NIC.. Or maybe something in the BIOS stopping it from
working (eg, If you have manually assigned IRQs, this may be causing
problems)

L wrote:
> Wow, what sage wisdom. Thanks. Are you planning to give me the $1800 to do
> this?
>

No, but I will tell you you're spending _way_ too much on your PCs.
>
>>Toss that machine and plug in one that works. PCs are disposable.
>>
>>--
>>The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
>>minimize spam. Our true address is of the form che...@prodigy.net.
>
>
>


--
The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
minimize spam. Our true address is of the form che...@prodigy.net.

"Ben Cottrell" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>L wrote:
>> I have a homebuilt XP MCE 2005 machine that doesn't seem to like any
>> NICs.

<snip>

> Have you tried pulling out all the other PCI cards (usually a good idea
> anyway when troubleshooting), and using one of the slots occupied by
> those? Motherboards can sometimes be picky about what goes in each PCI
> Slot, alternatively, maybe the PCI slot you are using is faulty.
>
> Another possibility is that there is a conflict between one of the PCI
> cards and the NIC.. Or maybe something in the BIOS stopping it from
> working (eg, If you have manually assigned IRQs, this may be causing
> problems)

Thanks for the suggestion, Ben. It certainly seems worth a try. Since
everything was working at one point and I didn't change anything, could it
be that a component went bad in a way that causes a conflict like what
you've described? Just curious as I won't get a chance to try this until the
weekend.

Thanks again.

- Leon