[K12OSN] Still foiled by Broadcom 5751s in PXE mode

["Terrell Prudé, Jr."]

Trae Elmore wrote:

>The clients in my Dell Precision 370 lab still aren't booting properly. They are booting in PXE mode. They pull an address and begin to load the client kernel, however the th3 module isn't inserting properly and the result is a kernel panic.
>
>I have found nothing helpful on the web so far in resolving this further.
>
>I am using PXE because the client machines have no floppy drives.
>
>I really need to get this working in the next two weeks before classes start.
>
>Any help on getting the Dell clients working would be appreciated. Otherwise I may be forced to spend the money on a Windows Terminal Server setup, which is what the local Microwhore has been preaching for a month.
>
>Trae Elmore CCNA, CNE, MCP
>Program Chair of Computer Systems Networking
>trae.elmore at marshall.tstc.edu
>(903) 923-3361
>  
>

Another option, until you can these Dell Precision 370's working, is to 
use "old" x86 PC's (or Sun boxes, if you've got 'em).  I have had great 
experience netbooting Pentium-133's (Etherboot), Dell Optiplexes (after 
flashing the BIOS), HP Vectras, Sun Ultra 5's, etc.  I am currently 
typing this on a vintage 1997 Pentium II-233 with a 3Com 3C905b NIC and 
64 MB DRAM in it.  Old PCs like I'm describing can be had for a dime a 
dozen, or some local company who wants to dump 'em would probably be 
glad to just give them to you instead of having to pay that disposal fee 
that's staring them in the face.

This would solve your immediate "get the system up" need.

--TP