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General => Installation issues => Topic started by: joshpond on April 22, 2011, 11:20:39 pm

Title: ZOTAC IONITX and PXE booting.
Post by: joshpond on April 22, 2011, 11:20:39 pm
Hi All,

After the issues with the GT210 graphics card, I've picked up a Zotac IONITX-A-C motherboard and am trying to PXE boot.

I've enabled the PXE boot. (Chipset -->Southbridge-->pxe boot rom enabled). Connected to GB network.

Nothing else installed, on power up displays:

NVIDIA Boot Agent 253.0543
Copyright .....
Copyright ......
PXE-E61: Media test failure, check cable
PXE-M0F: Exiting NVIDIA Boot Agent.

Reboot and select proper media device etc.

Can't PXE boot.

Boot device priority is:
1st Boot Device [Network:NVIDIA Boo]
How do I enable it to allow PXE boot? I've alread set PXE rom boot support to enabled.
I've tested another PC on the same cable and it PXE boots fine.

I believe the board has a Nvidia MCP79 ethernet adapter. Did other Zotac users have this issue?

Thanks Josh
Title: Re: ZOTAC IONITX and PXE booting.
Post by: Techstyle on April 23, 2011, 03:12:33 am
I have a Zotac IONITX-A-U set up as a MD and it PXE boot's with no issues.

can you tell us what your set up is like?  0710,0810,1004, twin NIC Core, DHCP etc
Title: Re: ZOTAC IONITX and PXE booting.
Post by: joshpond on April 23, 2011, 08:10:28 am
Thanks for the quick reply,

Core is running 810, two nics, set as DHCP. Pretty much stock standard as recommended. I don't get the lights for the lan when I plug the cable in and also when I power it on, no lights.
The Zotac-A-C has no hdd but it does have a wireless mini PCI card attached, don't know if that is interfering so will try pulling it out too.

I suspect it may be a bios setting or faulty ethernet adapter/port. I've installed ubuntu on a hdd and lspci will list a nvidia ethernet adapter but doesn't configure it automatically.

Another computer on the cable pxe boots fine so I suspect it is to do with the Zotac.

Thanks Josh
Title: Re: ZOTAC IONITX and PXE booting.
Post by: Marie.O on April 23, 2011, 09:39:28 am
Your problem is either a broken connector or cable. Check with your hardware supplier to get a replacement of either.
Title: Re: ZOTAC IONITX and PXE booting.
Post by: Techstyle on April 23, 2011, 09:59:53 am
I am not sure what the Zotac IONITX-A-C is?  I could not find it on the USA site, I think it is probably the same as the one I have Zotac IONITX-A-U but different region but it works fine for me.  For it to fail that early I am with Posde, I have had PXE fail later on because of other things (with different hardware) but the Zotac IONITX-A-U is a very solid MD.
Title: Re: ZOTAC IONITX and PXE booting.
Post by: tkmedia on April 23, 2011, 04:48:55 pm
Your problem is either a broken connector or cable. Check with your hardware supplier to get a replacement of either.

Thats my vote...

I have several zotacs running on several flavors of lmce never had that problem unless they were not connected to lan.
The Z series from lmcecomaptible.com use zotacs and I have had great luck with them.


Tim
Title: Re: ZOTAC IONITX and PXE booting.
Post by: joshpond on April 23, 2011, 10:47:01 pm
Thanks Guys,

I suspected either some bios setting I'm missing (the only one I've changed is the pxe boot rom enabled.)

OR

faulty hardware.

I can pxe boot from another pc with the same cable.

I'll try and chase up the retailer.

Also not sure of the A-U vs A-C, didn't get anything on google, probably a regional difference.

thanks Josh
Title: Re: ZOTAC IONITX and PXE booting.
Post by: Techstyle on April 24, 2011, 08:49:31 am
Can you boot the ION board up using a live disk or something and check if the onboard NIC is working?
Title: Re: ZOTAC IONITX and PXE booting.
Post by: joshpond on April 24, 2011, 10:17:38 pm
I've put a hdd and optical drive in.

Kubuntu 8.10 lspci shows the adapter but not configured. (Couldn't configure the makefile from the zotac website)
Ubuntu 10.10 as above
Winxp unable to install, keeps getting BSOD when after the initial loading and when it tries to start windows.
Windows 7 (this is the one I spent the most time trying) Nothing, installed drivers of CD, windows diagnoses hardware fault.

thanks Josh
Title: Re: ZOTAC IONITX and PXE booting.
Post by: Marie.O on April 25, 2011, 01:05:29 am
I love to repeat myself :)

Go to your hardware provider, and get a replacement
Title: Re: ZOTAC IONITX and PXE booting.
Post by: joshpond on April 25, 2011, 11:12:39 am
Quote
I'll try and chase up the retailer.

Thanks psode,

Already in action. Just answering techstyles questions as I spent a while trying a few things before hand.

Josh

PS
The difference between the IONITX-A-C and the IONITX-A-U is below, managed to find out.

SKU ending designates power plug (B = British Standard, C = China, E = EU generic, U = US
Title: Re: ZOTAC IONITX and PXE booting.
Post by: Techstyle on April 25, 2011, 07:38:08 pm
So you got the same one as me except the country designation.

It is a good board for an MD, especially if you have a gigabit network between the MD and Core.  The only negative is the lack of speed control on the Fan.  I was trying to go fanless but I think it gets a little too hot but on the flip side I think you only just need it.  What I did is connected the fan through a fan speed controller and then dropped the fan speed down.
Title: Re: ZOTAC IONITX and PXE booting.
Post by: joshpond on April 25, 2011, 09:46:25 pm
Quote
So you got the same one as me except the country designation.

That is what it looks like. Different power plugs as the power brick ships with the motherboard.

I found with my fan attached I couldn't hear it. CPU fan was plugged into the CPU fan connector on the motherboard.

Josh
Title: Re: ZOTAC IONITX and PXE booting.
Post by: Schmich on April 26, 2011, 03:03:01 pm
The only negative is the lack of speed control on the Fan.
I can concur. At standard speed the thing is pretty loud. It's not an issue if you're playing music or watching TV but it's still a tad too loud to be an HTPC fan. I might have a look at those fan speed controls you're talking about.
Title: Re: ZOTAC IONITX and PXE booting.
Post by: Techstyle on April 26, 2011, 04:13:14 pm
I have mine in the bedroom at the moment and it is the loudest thing in the room and therefore gets noticed
Title: Re: ZOTAC IONITX and PXE booting.
Post by: purps on April 26, 2011, 04:14:12 pm
I replaced the fans on my mobos with the equivalent Scythe, and find it to be much better. I do have to disable fan warnings in BIOS mind (replacement fan is only 2 wire).

I am still using the fanless http://wiki.linuxmce.org/index.php/ASUS_AT3IONT without any dramas. I haven't pumped HD through it for hours on end yet as I just wanted to see how it got on with SD/light use, but as I said it's been solid so far.

Cheers,
Matt.
Title: Re: ZOTAC IONITX and PXE booting.
Post by: joshpond on May 13, 2011, 07:47:37 am
Okay,

New board back unfortunately still the same problem.

I've rerun Diskless_CreateTBZ.sh
Another PC plugged in starts picking up IP addresses etc.

What are the chances I have 2 duds or I must be missing something.

The only BIOS change I've made is to select PXE boot rom enabled.

Is it possible that something on the core is not setup properly like the Diskless_CreateTBZ.sh?

How can I check this?

Thanks Josh
Title: Re: ZOTAC IONITX and PXE booting.
Post by: totallymaxed on May 13, 2011, 08:38:11 am
Okay,

New board back unfortunately still the same problem.

I've rerun Diskless_CreateTBZ.sh
Another PC plugged in starts picking up IP addresses etc.

What are the chances I have 2 duds or I must be missing something.

The only BIOS change I've made is to select PXE boot rom enabled.

Is it possible that something on the core is not setup properly like the Diskless_CreateTBZ.sh?

How can I check this?

Thanks Josh


Just to rule it out of the equation... have you swapped the network cable too? Just in case there is a bad cable issue....

All the best


Andrew
Title: Re: ZOTAC IONITX and PXE booting.
Post by: purps on May 13, 2011, 10:41:13 am
Okay,

New board back unfortunately still the same problem.

I've rerun Diskless_CreateTBZ.sh
Another PC plugged in starts picking up IP addresses etc.

What are the chances I have 2 duds or I must be missing something.

The only BIOS change I've made is to select PXE boot rom enabled.

Is it possible that something on the core is not setup properly like the Diskless_CreateTBZ.sh?

How can I check this?

Thanks Josh

On my ASUS board I had to enable two things - PXE boot (as you have already done) and "LAN enabled" or something like that. I think. What BIOS is it?
Title: Re: ZOTAC IONITX and PXE booting.
Post by: joshpond on May 13, 2011, 10:41:13 pm
Quote
Just to rule it out of the equation... have you swapped the network cable too? Just in case there is a bad cable issue....

Yes, different port too. Tried a different computer with the same cable and it started to pxe boot, ie picked up an IP address, found the core.

I've contacted Zotac and they have asked that I install the latest drivers. Not sure how that is going to work but maybe getting it going will kick start something.

Anyway it was on my list to troubleshoot;
1) Make sure this board also has the latest BIOS. (The old one did)
2) Install windows 7 and the latest drivers.

Josh
Title: Re: ZOTAC IONITX and PXE booting.
Post by: totallymaxed on May 13, 2011, 10:52:09 pm
Yes, different port too. Tried a different computer with the same cable and it started to pxe boot, ie picked up an IP address, found the core.

I've contacted Zotac and they have asked that I install the latest drivers. Not sure how that is going to work but maybe getting it going will kick start something.

Anyway it was on my list to troubleshoot;
1) Make sure this board also has the latest BIOS. (The old one did)
2) Install windows 7 and the latest drivers.

Josh

Well updating the BIOS is a possible fix... but Installing Windows 7 and updating Windows drivers is not going to help with your PXE boot issues at all I'm afraid.

All the best


Andrew
Title: Re: ZOTAC IONITX and PXE booting.
Post by: joshpond on May 15, 2011, 12:33:16 am
Quote
but Installing Windows 7 and updating Windows drivers is not going to help with your PXE boot issues at all I'm afraid.
That was my understanding but that is what they have asked me to do.

Didn't work anyway but I did find the issue.

The Zotac board won't recognise my gigabit switch or the gigabit router (DHCP off and used as a wireless AP).

When I plugged it into a seperate 10/100 switch it worked then.

Both my GB switch and router are autoneg, 10/100/1000

I'm going to try and find out why that is the case but I don't really understand why?

What hardware are you guys using with the Zotac board? All MB switches? Anyone have a GB switch that works with it?

Thanks Josh
Title: Re: ZOTAC IONITX and PXE booting.
Post by: Schmich on May 15, 2011, 12:40:54 am
What hardware are you guys using with the Zotac board? All MB switches? Anyone have a GB switch that works with it?
I've got one plugged in to a GB switch. The only issues I've had was just bad cables or ones gotten pulled out due to the ends being broken.
Title: Re: ZOTAC IONITX and PXE booting.
Post by: joshpond on May 15, 2011, 08:48:02 am
What brand of GB switch?

thanks Josh
Title: Re: ZOTAC IONITX and PXE booting.
Post by: Schmich on May 16, 2011, 04:49:25 am
Netgear. Just a small and simple 8 port one.
Title: Re: ZOTAC IONITX and PXE booting.
Post by: Techstyle on May 16, 2011, 06:37:23 pm
At the moment (because we are in rented accomodation) I have mine connected to a Linksys WRT54G(100Mbit) --> D-link DGS-2205(gigabit) --> D-Link DGS-2205(gigabit) ---> Core

It is running at 100Mbit at the moment, If I get a chance I will connect directly to the D-link and try
Title: Re: ZOTAC IONITX and PXE booting.
Post by: joshpond on May 17, 2011, 09:09:11 am
If you could try that would be great, I'll try and compile a list of what does and doesn't work and add it to the wiki.

On mine it worked on the Dlink 100MB switch and a linksys 100MB router.

Didn't work on the Tenda (I believe they are the TrendNets in the US but I could be wrong) TEG1024 GB switch and a Billion GB router.

Josh
Title: Re: ZOTAC IONITX and PXE booting.
Post by: Schmich on May 17, 2011, 02:16:08 pm
I don't know if it has an affect but mine is connected through three consecutive cables i.e. the ZOTAC is plugged into the wall which has an ethernet port/cable which is connected to a little box which has a female connector which is then connected to yet another cable which finally connects to the Netgear switch. My LMCE system is not at home but at the families holiday house which is 1.5hours away. I should go there again pretty soon so then I'll check to plug it in directly and also keep an eye on the speed. I don't know about other switches but mine changes colour on the port depending on the speed (100 vs 1000).