I'm having problems with Intel e1000 GB network adapters on a Cisco switch
while trying to NFS kickstart. The problem appears to be that the e1000 GB
card takes too long to autonegotiate the speed and duplex connection when
connecting to a 10/100 Cisco switch. I am booting off a floppy disk built
from www.etherboot.com which boots off of a network tftp CDRom boot image.
This allows for non interactive kickstarts.
The node i'm trying to kickstart seems to boot and go into the DHCP request
part of the kickstart before the e1000 card's link light negotiates the
speed and duplex. The DHCP part times out and then goes into manual
interaction of configuration of the IP information. It asks for the IP
information since it doesn't get the DHCP info back in time. The e1000 does
eventually negotiate to 100MB Full duplex, but it takes around 20 seconds or
more on the Cisco 10/100 switch for this to happen, and by that time the
kickstart is in manual interaction mode.
Also, I don't have this problem when using a small 10/100 Linksys hub I
have. I am required to get this working on the Cisco switch, though. It
appears to be a long negotiation issue between the e1000 and the Cisco
switch.
I'm wondering if anyone else has had this problem? Does anyone have any
suggestions to this problem?
Some thoughts:
Is there something on the Cisco switch I can change to improve
autonegotiation speed?
(I've tried forcing the speed and duplex on the switch, but that doesn't
help)
(I have not yet tried forcing the e1000 speed and duplex, because i'm not
sure how)
Can the kickstart dhcp request delay timeout of the kickstart install be
increased somehow? Is there a way to set this delay on the CD install boot
image I got from CD1 /isolinux/initrd.img or /isolinux/vmlinuz?
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Jeff
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