New Install FC5 Thinkpad 600e 2645-4AU 3com Megahertz 574B eth0 Fails to Activate

[David Timms]

Terin Lyr D'Amico wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> I've been trying to install FC5 on a Thinkpad 600e (2645-4AU). I'm
> installing via a good DVD image.
> 
> I can get through the installation process without a hitch (if I pick the
> right packages), and when I bootup, I have two problems.
Maybe just use the package selection defaults to get started.

...
> I've tried two different cards - a Xircom cardbus card, and a 3com 574.
> 
> The O/S can't even identify/see the Cardbus card, but can identify/see the
> 3com.
> 
> So, it appears FC5 has an issue with Cardbus.
No, more likely compatibility with that laptop. I have success with a HP 
Omnibook 4150 with a Xircom RBEM56G-100 RealPort Cardbus Ethernet 
10/100+Modem 56. (In fact I installed once using the FC5 rescue, and ftp 
install method; another time I used FC4 that was already on it to boot 
the install image: the xircom network was fine then as well.  (Bit 
tricky doing much with a 1.5GB drive though!)

> That's OK, because I prefer to use the 3com.
> 
> When I try to activate the 3com card (DHCP), it fails to determine the IP
> information for eth0.
Does the link LED on your switch light up ? Is the switch autosense ? 
Perhaps FC5 is not letting the card set auto speed, and sets the wrong 
speed ?

> I noticed on bootup that the system was disabling IRQ 10. After disabling
> apmd and cpuspeed, I stopped seeing that message during bootup, although it
> may still be getting disabled.
> 
> I tried:
> 
> 1. Adding irqpoll to grub.conf.
> 2. Adding acpi=noirq.
> 3. Disabling cpuspeed and apmd services.
> 4. Updating the BIOS to the latest (and last) version.
> 5. Adding acpi=ht
> 6. Configuring eth0 with static IP.  I suspect it didn't work because my
> router is set for DHCP.  I have to keep router as DHCP because of my VOIP
> service.
The router might need to be a dhcp client (pppoe) on the WAN side, but 
it may be OK to give internal clients static IPs. Do you know the router 
IP address ? Did you make a static ip on the same network ?

> Without the network connectivity, I can't download any files to possibly
> update/apply patches.
Well, while you have FC4 running, you could download the FC5 updates 
folder (it's not too big so far), so that you have 'em when you boot FC5.

> Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Anything interesting in dmesg ?
Try booting without card inserted ?
Then tail -f /var/log/messages, and insert the card.
Use lsmod: is the appropriate network module loaded and card services 
loaded ?

Also, one of the 'linux on laptops' sites might be more helpful.

DaveT.