Xref: utzoo comp.dcom.lans:3531 comp.protocols.nfs:437 Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!ucbvax!bloom-beacon!spdcc!merk!alliant!linus!nixbur!nixpbe!freiss From: freiss@nixpbe.UUCP (freiss) Newsgroups: comp.dcom.lans,comp.protocols.nfs Subject: Re: Ethernet cards, PC/NFS, DS8390 Message-ID: <540@nixpbe.UUCP> Date: 28 Sep 89 13:58:12 GMT References: <46100@bbn.COM> Followup-To: comp.dcom.lans Organization: Nixdorf Computer AG, Paderborn, Germany Lines: 55 clements@bbn.com (Bob Clements) writes: >I've just wasted a fair amount of time chasing a problem. I'll briefly >summarize it, to try to save others the time and pain, and then ask >a question. Thanks - it did indeed save me a lot of pain. The problem you described is very similar to the one that had me stumped some days ago. > I can't find my reference, but I believe I've heard that this > particular failure mode is one present in early revs of the > DS8390 ethernet chip. (I sure hope my memory is right; if > not, I'm unfairly maligning National. They did have a number > of glitches and I THINK this is one of them.) [...] > The new card has a newer rev DS8390 (8824 versus 8742C4 date code). Miracle! It solves all my problems too. Looks like I was on the wrong path alltogether - I was busy reverse engineering PC-NFS, and the problem is purely hardware. If it's not too much to ask, could you post where you read about that particular failure mode in early 8390s? I face the problem of telling 200+ people in our R & D department that they can't use PC-NFS because we've bought "bad" ethernet cards, and something in print could save my life :-) Judging from the quantity of mail I got after I posted my problem, this affects quite a lot of people. >My questions (which I should get purchasing to check, but as long >as I have the floor): 1) Anyone know where I can get a new >date code DS8390 in quantity one? 2) Any idea if Western Digital >will upgrade this WD8003E after it's out of warranty? (It's not >their fault, of course.) Don't know where you can get quantity one chips, but we sure are going to argue with our friendly neighbourhood WD representative about replacements / upgrades. NFS not using UDP checksumming is one of my pet gripes too - usually the lower protocol layers are safe enough on an ethernet, but if you NFS thru bridges and routers, oh brother... Still, so far it has worked ok. >Bob Clements, K1BC, clements@bbn.com -Martin -- Martin Freiss UUCP: USA: ..!uunet!philabs!linus!nixbur!freiss.pad Nixdorf Computer AG !USA: ..!mcvax!unido!nixpbe!freiss.pad Dept. DS-CC 22 NERV: freiss.pad AMPR: dg5kx@db0bq Pontanusstr. 55 Voice: +49 5251 14 6153 FAX: +49 5251 14 6108 D-4792 Paderborn "Drink wet cement, get stoned."