Associate
- Joined
- 8 Jan 2010
- Posts
- 25
Yesterday I as having network issues. My Intel RPO 1000 MT network connection kept saying limited or no connectivity despite having worked flawlessly for 2 years. I spent ages trying to resolve it with no luck. Having tried pretty much everything, I physically removed the card and re-inserted it to ensure it was seated properly.
At this point I was still able to boot into windows (Windows 2003 server) but I still had the same network issue. What I decided to try next was to switch my network cable to the onboard network adapter. When I did this my PC seemed to go off. All the power lights were still on, HDD light was indicating use everything seemed to be on except I had black screens (dual monitors) and no response from anything. I had to hard power off to get out. From then on, whenever I turned the pc on I got the same thing, everything seemed to power up except no visuals on monitor just black screen, so I don't think it was actually even POSTing.
I left this overnight to deal with the next day. I read about static build up and discharge. So first thing I tried was to unplug the PSU cable and held the power button down, it powered up for a second then off, I then plugged the PSU cable back in and voila! it worked, POST, boot, back in windows. As I had already switched the network cable I saw immediately that the network connection was working fine too.
So, I could now determine there was an issue with the Intel PRO 1000 MT network adapter. I was stil ldetermined to resolve this, so I went to go into the device manager to double check if it was reporting any problems with the adapter (I had done this previously and it said it was working properly). When I tried to go into it's properties, the window hung, I left it for about 3 minutes too see if the properties window would eventually load.
As I was checking something else, the PC suddenly turned off again, same issue as before, power lights on, but black screens and no response.
Now. I want to work out exactly what is wrong and potentially why. I had 2 ideas in mind.
1) Obviously there's a problem with the intel network adapter. I removed it and tried in different PCI slot and still the same. One thing I have noticed when PC was booting with it in use that along with the "limited or no network" error when it was connected is that the physical/mac address was being diaplyed as FF:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF. This obviously was not the mac address. It had been dispalying liek this ever since it started going wrong. Does this odd physicall address indicate anything specific? Like, the card is definately buggered (hardware fault)?
2) Power issue. This was another possibilty, I thought the circuit to which the PC was conencted was being overloaded. More so because shortly before the issue started occuring, I had just had a sky hd+ box added to the same circuit but because the cable was too short, I added a 4 way belkin surge protector to the main surge protector then hooked the sky hd+ box to that. Only the sky hd box is on this secondary surge protector which is acting merely as an extension. I've had no other power issues with any other electrical device on this circuit, just the PC. The PC is conencted directly to the main surge protector which connects directly to wall socket.
Question: Could a hardware fault with my intel network adapter cause the black screen issues I'm getting and why?
Now before I try anything else I just wanted to get other peoples opinions. My next proposal would be to remove the intel network card completely, and see if I get any black screen issues without, this could potentially resolve anything.
Another thing would be to power the PC with the card except attached directly to the wall circuit with no other devices attached.
I'm thinking the issue is more likely the former. I haven't done it yet as it requires moving the base unit out of it's position. I'd just like any other ideas/suggestions from others first.
Any help greatly appreciated.
At this point I was still able to boot into windows (Windows 2003 server) but I still had the same network issue. What I decided to try next was to switch my network cable to the onboard network adapter. When I did this my PC seemed to go off. All the power lights were still on, HDD light was indicating use everything seemed to be on except I had black screens (dual monitors) and no response from anything. I had to hard power off to get out. From then on, whenever I turned the pc on I got the same thing, everything seemed to power up except no visuals on monitor just black screen, so I don't think it was actually even POSTing.
I left this overnight to deal with the next day. I read about static build up and discharge. So first thing I tried was to unplug the PSU cable and held the power button down, it powered up for a second then off, I then plugged the PSU cable back in and voila! it worked, POST, boot, back in windows. As I had already switched the network cable I saw immediately that the network connection was working fine too.
So, I could now determine there was an issue with the Intel PRO 1000 MT network adapter. I was stil ldetermined to resolve this, so I went to go into the device manager to double check if it was reporting any problems with the adapter (I had done this previously and it said it was working properly). When I tried to go into it's properties, the window hung, I left it for about 3 minutes too see if the properties window would eventually load.
As I was checking something else, the PC suddenly turned off again, same issue as before, power lights on, but black screens and no response.
Now. I want to work out exactly what is wrong and potentially why. I had 2 ideas in mind.
1) Obviously there's a problem with the intel network adapter. I removed it and tried in different PCI slot and still the same. One thing I have noticed when PC was booting with it in use that along with the "limited or no network" error when it was connected is that the physical/mac address was being diaplyed as FF:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF. This obviously was not the mac address. It had been dispalying liek this ever since it started going wrong. Does this odd physicall address indicate anything specific? Like, the card is definately buggered (hardware fault)?
2) Power issue. This was another possibilty, I thought the circuit to which the PC was conencted was being overloaded. More so because shortly before the issue started occuring, I had just had a sky hd+ box added to the same circuit but because the cable was too short, I added a 4 way belkin surge protector to the main surge protector then hooked the sky hd+ box to that. Only the sky hd box is on this secondary surge protector which is acting merely as an extension. I've had no other power issues with any other electrical device on this circuit, just the PC. The PC is conencted directly to the main surge protector which connects directly to wall socket.
Question: Could a hardware fault with my intel network adapter cause the black screen issues I'm getting and why?
Now before I try anything else I just wanted to get other peoples opinions. My next proposal would be to remove the intel network card completely, and see if I get any black screen issues without, this could potentially resolve anything.
Another thing would be to power the PC with the card except attached directly to the wall circuit with no other devices attached.
I'm thinking the issue is more likely the former. I haven't done it yet as it requires moving the base unit out of it's position. I'd just like any other ideas/suggestions from others first.
Any help greatly appreciated.