Really long boot, pre splash (SOLVEDish)

[Zenzizenzizenzic]

Since installing the PCI ethernet card on the PCIe to PCI adaptor, I've experienced extremely long boots (20-30 minutes in some cases). This is before the AEon boot splash screen appeares. Often, I have to turn the computer off and then on again right away (which I doubt is a good thing to do) in order to get it to boot. I've edited the start up sequence as per another thread, but is this normal? I've also opened the machine up to make sure the boards are in tightly.

Thank you.

[trevordick]

Hmm! I also have my Network card (the same one that is supplied with the First Contact systems) installed in a "PCI-e to PCI" adapter and I do not experience the boot delays that you mentioned. I suppose it possible you are having difficulty connecting to your Network which "might" explain some of the delay? What happens when you boot with the network card installed in the PCI slot?

Trevor

[zzd10h]

Hi,
Have too a PCIE adapter (startech) for my network card, it works great !
But I have to be careful because the "backplate" (?) of the network card become very bigger than the weight of the tower and I can't fix it at the tower.

Therefore the consequence is that the card can move a little -> the network card can be not recognized -> long boot time.

1) Is your network card strong fixed ?

2) is somebody have a little network card who can be fixed even when plugged to the adapter ?

3) why this very very long boot time if network is not up at boot time ?
I just check on my Pegasos2 (AOS4.1.5) and I don't have this problem with network unplugged... X1000 or AOS4.1.5 issue ?

Thanks

[Slayer]

Wow, 20 to 30 min durations? Why hasn't everyone got that patience?

First things first have you reversed the procedure to establish it can't be anything else. Once this has been confirmed perhaps you could look at the order things are connected, does it matter the order or location? and research more into the difference of what you have and what other similair setups are running and see if something is evident.

Things like this unless very specific (and known combinations) are very hands on in my experience.

Good Luck

[abalaban]

As far as I understood this is *before* apparition of the *AEon* splash screen (i.e. NOT the AOS4 splash screen). In such conditions unless CFE is configured on a TFTP server I don't understand what it has to do with his network connectivity nor what the startup-sequence can change to his problem?
If adding the network card provoke the delay I think we might investigate the hardware instead... Maybe the network card does not respond correctly to the PCI inspection done by the X-1000?

[sundown]

I thought we determined that the time between power on & the a-eon splash screen was the gfx card initialization. If it's taking that long to show the splash screen, I'd suspect the gfx card is the problem.

Ken

[Zenzizenzizenzic]

I had assumed (and I know what that means) that it was the network card, as that seems to be when the trouble started. A brief timeline follows:

Stock X1000, boot times great.
Get 2nd graphics card, remove installed network card. Boot time longer, but OK.
Get PCIe to PCI card (same Startech, same as recommended in dual graphics card instructions), using original network card, have the long pre splash boot.

I will try (not tonight, work and school means I'm too tired for HW TSing tonight) the following and report:

Remove PCIe to PCI and 2nd g-card, insert original network to restore to default.
Put in 2nd g-card, no network.
Remove 2nd g-card, put in network card on adaptor
Put in 2nd g-card.

Thanks all

[Zenzizenzizenzic]

OK, step 1, original config. is fine, quick boot up, and no problems getting online.
Step 2, g-card no network, again fine.
Step three, put network in, left g-card in, slow boot.
Step 4, took out g-card, boots fine.
Put g-card back in, again, slow boot.

So it seems to be OK, unless I have both the 2nd graphics card and the network card in. Any ideas?
The graphics card was the PCI Radeon 9250 Diamond.

Again, thank you.

[trevordick]

I had a similar setup with a RadeonHD gfx card and 9250 with pcie-pci Network card and did not experience any significant boot up delays. As Sundown says some gfx cards can cause problems.

Trevor

[Zenzizenzizenzic]

So, either a different g-card, or wait for the on board ethernet driver?

Thank you,