SuSE 8 locking up on network use

[Headmaster]

Hi,

We recently built 2 identical fileservers to install SuSE 8.0 on. SuSE is installed and congigured. Now the servers lock up tight when I try to test the network. Whether I'm working from the server, or transfering files from a workstation through Samba, the servers locks up.(keyboard, mouse...nothing works.) (I'm testing them independent from each other, the problem is the same on each)

We installed CNET PROG-2000L(b)1000/100/10 cards in the servers. They came with 2.4 kernel drivers, which I compiled and installed into kernel 2.4.18. I even tried the Realtek drivers from Realtek, but got the same results. I switched PCI slots to get a unique IRQ for the cards. Everything works until I try to do something over the network.

Here is what is in the servers. Any ideas would be very helpful!

Tyan Tiger MP S2460 motherboard
2 Athlon MP 2000+ processors
1024 K ECC DDR memory
Promise Technology Fasttrak100 TX2 RAID, level 1
2 WD 80 GB 7200 RPM 8MB buffer
Chaintech GeFORCE2 MX400 AGP video card
2 CNET PROG-2000L(b) 1000/100/10 64/32 bit network cards, static IPs
DVD (on secondary integrated channel)
floppy

Hopefully this is enough info.
Thanks in advance! This is my first major Linux problem! UGHHH! I'm not a real advanced user yet.

 

[StarTAC]

try to capture some logs to see what happens when the system locks up.. could be a segmentation fault.. maybe a signal 11..

also, use the generic 2.4 kernel.. it already supports that network cards u've indicated, and more.. recompiling the kernel could have made it bigger, or smaller than necessary...

good luck..

 

[fluid11]

Do you suffer the same problems with the original kernel?

ChrisP

 

[Headmaster]

Thanks for the replies...

StarTAC: I looked in the log files to see if I could see anything, and didn't. I also didn't see where the 2.4 kernel supports these cards...where did you find that it does?

fluid11: This is a fresh install on these servers, so I haven't tried other cards etc. The machines run just fine in everything else I've tried, just until the network is used.

One other thing I'd like to ask: Does anybody know of a 64 bit gigabit card that works well with Linux? I looked and noticed some Intel cards that are supported by the later versions of the 2.4 kernel. Does it matter that I'm using a SMP kernel?

Sorry for my lack of expertise... I want to learn this stuff, and I guess this is one of the problems that will make me smarter if/when it's solved!?!

Scott

 

[fluid11]

No, I meant did you have the same problem before you recompiled the kernel? Try another NIC and see if that works. Also, does the same thing happen when you only have one NIC in the machine? It may just be a driver issue.

Chris

 

[Headmaster]

fluid11:
thanks for replying again!

The machines have been working just fine from the start. The problem started after I installed the drivers for the network cards. I did try just one card, and the problem was still their.

I did try another network card just now! I transferred over 2GB of files to test, and the machine still hasn't locked up. I'm guessing it must be a driver issue? CNET is supposed to get back to me.

Does anyone have any experience with a gigabit card in Linux that works? I'm willing to give this card up for another that works! Is this 64bit PCI bus/cards part of the problem?

Thanks again for the help!
Scott