ZOTAC IONITX and PXE booting.

[joshpond]

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

[Techstyle]

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

[joshpond]

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

[posde]

Your problem is either a broken connector or cable. Check with your hardware supplier to get a replacement of either.

[Techstyle]

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.

[tkmedia]

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

[joshpond]

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

[Techstyle]

Can you boot the ION board up using a live disk or something and check if the onboard NIC is working?

[joshpond]

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

[posde]

I love to repeat myself

Go to your hardware provider, and get a replacement

[joshpond]

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

[Techstyle]

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.

[joshpond]

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

[Schmich]

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.

[Techstyle]

I have mine in the bedroom at the moment and it is the loudest thing in the room and therefore gets noticed