Lock enabling onboard lan (Attansic L1 GbE) on 7.1-PRERELEASE

[Barbara]

>On Wed, Dec 31, 2008 at 06:34:08AM +0100, Barbara wrote:
> > Hello,
> > one 
of my motherboards has an onboard Attansic network interface, I 
> > think an 
AR8121.
> > 
> > # pciconf -lcv
> > none0 at pci0:4:0:0:       class=0x020000 
> > 
card=0x82261043 chip=0x10481969 rev=0xb0 hdr=0x00
> >     vendor     = 
'Attansic 
> > (Now owned by Atheros)'
> >     device     = 'L1 Gigabit 
Ethernet 10/100/1000Base-T 
> > Ethernet Controller'
> >     class      = 
network
> >     subclass   = ethernet
> >     cap 
> > 01[40] = powerspec 2  
supports D0 D3  current D0
> >     cap 05[48] = MSI supports 
> > 1 message, 64 
bit
> >     cap 10[58] = PCI-Express 1 endpoint
> >     cap 03[6c] = VPD
> > 
> 
> 
> > Today I decided to give it a try.
> > But if I try loading the if_age 
module, the 
> > system prints the following lines and then it freezes.
> > 
> 
> age0: <Attansic 
> > Technology Corp, L1 Gigabit Ethernet> mem 0xfbdc0000-
0xfbdfffff irq 36 at 
> > device 0.0 on pci4
> > age0: PCI device revision : 
0x00b0
> > age0: Chip id/revision : 
> > 0x9006
> > age0: 1280 Tx FIFO, 2364 Rx 
FIFO
> > age0: MSIX count : 0
> > age0: MSI count : 
> > 1
> > age0: Using 1 
MSI messages.
> > age0: Read request size : 512 bytes.
> > age0: TLP 
> > 
payload size : 128 bytes.
> > 
>
>I guess it could be related with VPD access 
code in age(4) or
>automatic power-down feature of hardware. Unfortunately I 
have no
>longer access to L1 hardware so it looks hard to write a patch for

>the issue. Would you try following instructions?
> - Shutdown your box.
> - 
Completely remove power cord from your system and wait 5 to 10
>   min.(Just 
turning system off is not enough.)
> - Make sure to plug UTP cable to your 
controller before system
>   boot.
> - Plug power cord and let system boot.
> - 
Enter BIOS menu and search onboard PCIe LAN configuration in the
>   menu. If 
"LAN Option ROM" was enabled, disable the option.
> - Some motherboard might 
have set another option for "Check
>   Atheros LAN cable". If it was set, 
disable it. If you also have
>   an option for "Asus Express Gate" try 
disabling it.
> - Save changes and reboot.
>
>Does that make any difference?
>

>-- 
>Regards,
>Pyun YongHyeon

I've tried all the thing you've suggested with 
the same result.
I've disabled "LAN Option ROM", but it seems that I don't have 
the other options you mentioned.
I've downloaded and burned the 7.1-RELEASE dvd 
and tried to boot from it, but it hangs at the same point.
Finally I've tried 
booting a CURRENT snapshot cd (8.0-CURRENT-200812) and I was able to properly 
configure the device in sysinstall.
Any idea about the problem?
I've installed 
from 7.0 and I have another NIC, but being now age in GENERIC, I hope it will 
not cause troubles to other people installing for the first time.
Anyway thank 
you for now, and ask me if there is something that I can do to fix the problem 
like more tests, patches, etc.

Best regards
Barbara