Boot Process Hangs While "Initializing eth0"

[SamBones]

I'm running RedHat AS3 on a Compaq/HP DL380. This morning I got several calls that this machine was unreachable. Logging onto the console showed that the machine was up and running, but none of the network interfaces were even configured. I tried configuring them by hand, but was getting errors about the device being invalid or not existing (I forget which now). I rebooted the machine and when it got to the point where it looks for new hardware, it popped up saying new hardware found.

When I got into the new hardware wizard thingie, it said that the network card had been removed (it's built in). It also said that a new network card was found (the same card). I went through the steps to configure it (IP, netmask, etc).

When it finally booted up, the network was still not configured, but it DID allow me to configure it by hand successfully.

I checked and found that the [tt]/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0[/tt] file was missing. All of the [tt]ifcfg-eth[0-4][/tt] files were missing. So, I created a [tt]ifcfg-eth0[/tt] file with the correct parameters.

When I rebooted to see if that would configure eth0 on boot, the start up stopped at "Initializing eth0" and would not go on. It just sits there. I have to power cycle to try again, and it just stops at the same place.

Is there a way to make it skip the "Initializing eth0" step? Or make it time out or something? Any ideas on how to get past this?

 

[Annihilannic]

If you move/remove the files again to boot the system, and then reinstate/recreate them, do the ifup and ifdown scripts read and process them correctly?

Annihilannic.

 

[SamBones]

The system finally boots after a very long timeout. The ifup command seems to process the config file, and does configure the interface, but it never shows "RUNNING" from an ifconfig command.

The only output from the ifup is a copyright message from [tt]ip_tables[/tt].

Running mii-tool[/tt] shows "no link" for the interface, but the link lights are lit and the cables work on other machines.

 

[Annihilannic]

Can we see the contents of your ifcfg- files or are you sure they're correct?

What kind of NICs are these?

Annihilannic.