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Troubleshooting: Broadcom NetXtreme® 57XX User Guide

Hardware Diagnostics

Checking Port LEDs

Troubleshooting Checklist

Checking if Current Drivers are Loaded

Running a Cable Length Test

Testing Network Connectivity

Software Problems and Solutions


NOTE: For additional information, go to Broadcom Ethernet NIC Frequently Asked Questions at http://www.broadcom.com/drivers/faq_drivers.php.

Hardware Diagnostics

Loopback diagnostic tests are available for testing the adapter hardware. These tests provide access to the adapter internal/external diagnostics, where packet information is transmitted across the physical link (for DOS, see DOS Diagnostics; for Windows see Diagnostics).


Checking Port LEDs

See Network Link and Activity Indication to check the state of the network link and activity.


Troubleshooting Checklist

WARNING: Before you open the cabinet of your server to add or remove the adapter, review Safety Precautions.

The following checklist provides recommended actions to take if you experience problems with a Broadcom NetXtreme Gigabit Ethernet adapter.


Checking if Current Drivers are Loaded

Windows

Go to Broadcom Advanced Control Suite 2 to view vital information about the adapter, link status, and network connectivity.

NetWare

To verify that the driver is loaded properly, type

LOAD B57.LAN FRAME_ETHERNET_II NAME=B57_1_EII

This command automatically verifies if the link is active. If the link is active, the command returns Link is up.

From the command line, type config then press ENTER. The following status information is displayed:

Broadcom NetXtreme Gigabit Ethernet Adapter

Version:
Hardware Setting:
Node Address:
Frame Type:
Board Name:
LAN Protocol: ARP (see note)
LAN Protocol: IP Addr: (see note)

NOTE: The LAN protocol status is displayed after an IP address is assigned to the adapter.

Linux

To verify that the bcm5700.o driver is loaded properly, run:

lsmod

If the driver is loaded, a line similar to the one below is displayed, where size is the size of the driver in bytes, and n is the number of adapters configured.

Module
Size
Used by
BCM5700
size
n

Running a Cable Length Test

For Windows operating systems, go to Broadcom Advanced Control Suite 2 for information about running a cable length test.


Testing Network Connectivity

NOTE: When using forced link speeds, verify that both the adapter and the switch are forced to the same speed, or that at least one link partner is configured for auto-negotiation.

Windows

Use the ping command to determine if the network connection is working.

NOTE: Network connectivity can also be tested using the Network Test feature in Broadcom Advanced Control Suite 2.
  1. Click Start, and then click Run.
  2. Type cmd in the Open box, and then click OK.
  3. Type ipconfig /all to view the network connection to be tested.
  4. Type ping IP address, and then press ENTER.

The ping statistics that are displayed indicate whether the network connection is working or not.

NetWare

Ping an IP host on the network to verify connection has been established:

From the command line, type ping IP address, and then press ENTER.

The ping statistics that are displayed indicate whether the network connection is working or not.

Linux

To verify that the Ethernet interface is up and running, run ifconfig to check the status of the Ethernet interface. It is possible to use netstat -i to check the statistics on the Ethernet interface. Go to Linux Driver Software for information on ifconfig and netstat.

Ping an IP host on the network to verify connection has been established:

From the command line, type ping IP address, and then press ENTER.

The ping statistics that are displayed indicate whether the network connection is working or not.


Software Problems and Solutions

Microsoft Remote Installation Service(RIS) Instructions for Windows RIS Servers

Problem: Microsoft Remote Installation Service (RIS) installation fails to load the Broadcom network adapter driver for both Windows 2000 and Windows XP.

Solution: Follow the procedure described below, which is based on the Microsoft Knowledge Base Article, "How to Add Third-Party OEM Network Adapters to RIS Installations" (Article 246184 applies to Windows 2000, and Article 315279 applies to Windows XP).

    1. On the RIS server, copy the supplied driver files for the Broadcom network adapter to the RemoteInstall\Setup\Language\Images\Dir_name\i386 folder. Include the B57win32.inf file and the B57w2k.sys file for a Windows 2000 installation or the B57xp32.sys file for a Windows XP installation, depending on which operating system is being deployed by RIS. This allows the Setup.exe file to use the driver during the text-mode portion of the installation.
    2. If you are deploying Windows XP, modify the B57win32.inf file as described below:
      1. Remove the [Broadcom] section, which is illustrated below.

        [Broadcom]
        %OEM1_DEV5% = OEM1_DEV5.Inst, PCI\VEN_14e4&DEV_165D&SUBSYS_865d1028
        .
        .
        %BCM5750B0F% = BCM5750B0MF.Inst, PCI\VEN_14e4&DEV_167E&SUBSYS_057D1014&REV_10

      2. Remove NTx86.5.1 in the manufacturers section, which is illustrated below.
        Original Revised

        [Manufacturer]
        %BRCM% = Broadcom, NTx86.5.1

        [Manufacturer]
        %BRCM% = Broadcom

    3. If you are deploying Windows 2000, perform step 2B above only if the RIS server does not have Service Pack 3 or later.
    4. At the same level as the i386 folder on the RIS image, create a $oem$ folder. Use the following structure: \$oem$\$1\Drivers\NIC. This is where Windows searches for the Broadcom network adapter driver during installation.
    5. Copy the supplied driver files (consistent with step 1 above) to this folder and include the B57win32.cat file. The B57win32.cat file is used to show that the driver for the Broadcom adapter is digitally signed. It is important to use the original B57win32.inf file supplied in this folder; otherwise, the digital signature becomes invalid. A symptom of this would be that an unattended installation may be interrupted with a message indicating that the Broadcom network adapter driver is not digitally signed or that the driver may not load correctly.
    6. Make the following changes to the .sif file that is used for this image installation (changes are in bold):

      [Unattended]
      OemPreinstall = yes
      OemPnpDriversPath = \Drivers\NIC
      (append if necessary)

    7. Restart the service.
      1. For a Windows 2000 RIS server, open the Administrative Tools accessory and then click Services. Right-click Boot Information Negotiation Layer, and then click Restart.
      2. For a Windows Server 2003 RIS server, open the Administrative Tools accessory and then click Services. Right-click Remote Application, and then click Restart.
    8. For RIPREP image downloads from a Remote Installation Server, refer to Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 254708 titled “How to Add Plug and Play Drivers to Windows Installation” (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/254078/EN-US/).

A sample RIS answer file is shown below for a fully-unattended install that is consistent with the instructions provided above.

Filename - ristndrd.sif
-----------------------------------------------
[data]
floppyless = "1"
msdosinitiated = "1"
OriSrc = "\\%SERVERNAME%\RemInst\%INSTALLPATH%\%MACHINETYPE%"
OriTyp = "4"
LocalSourceOnCD = 1
UnattendedInstall=Yes

[SetupData]
OsLoadOptions = "/noguiboot /fastdetect"
SetupSourceDevice = "\Device\LanmanRedirector\%SERVERNAME%\RemInst\%INSTALLPATH%"

[Unattended]
OemPreinstall = Yes
OemPnPDriversPath=\Driver\Video;\Driver\Audio;\Driver\Nic
FileSystem = LeaveAlone
ExtendOEMPartition = 0
TargetPath = \WINDOWS
OemSkipEula = yes
InstallFilesPath = "\\%SERVERNAME%\RemInst\%INSTALLPATH%\%MACHINETYPE%"
LegacyNIC = 0
UnattendMode=FullUnattended

[UserData]
FullName = "%USERFIRSTNAME% %USERLASTNAME%"
OrgName = "%ORGNAME%"
ComputerName = %MACHINENAME%
ProductID=

[GuiUnattended]
OemSkipWelcome = 1
OemSkipRegional = 1
TimeZone = %TIMEZONE%
AdminPassword="*"

[Display]
BitsPerPel = 16
XResolution = 800
YResolution = 600
VRefresh = 60

[Networking]

[NetServices]
MS_Server=params.MS_PSched

[Identification]
JoinDomain = %MACHINEDOMAIN%
DoOldStyleDomainJoin = Yes

[RemoteInstall]
Repartition = Yes
UseWholeDisk = Yes


[OSChooser]
Description ="Microsoft Windows XP Professional"
Help ="Automatically installs Windows Professional without prompting the user for input."
LaunchFile = "%INSTALLPATH%\%MACHINETYPE%\templates\startrom.com"
ImageType =Flat
Version="5.1"

Using the System Preparation Tool

Problem: I want to be sure that my Broadcom NetXtreme 57XX network adapter works properly if I use the System Preparation utility (Sysprep.exe) to install an existing configuration on my computer.

Solution: On the Sysprep.inf file, modify the [Unattend] header as shown below:

[Unattend]
OemPnPDriversPath=Drivers\Net

The driver files for the Broadcom NetXtreme 57XX adapter must reside in this folder, which is located on the system drive (where the operating system resides). If other drivers are to be loaded, then Drivers\Net can be appended to the paths listed and separated by a semicolon:

Example

OemPnpDriversPath=Drivers\Video;Drivers\Net

For Windows XP, the driver files to be included are B57win32.inf, B57win32.cat, and B57xp32.sys.

For Windows 2000, the driver files to be included are B57win32.inf, B57win32.cat, and B57w2k.sys.

The Sysprep utility must run with the –pnp switch, which enables the system to rescan for new devices that can be added during the mini-setup.

A Sample Sysprep.inf file for Windows XP is shown below.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

;SetupMgrTag
[Unattended]
OemSkipEula=Yes
OemPreinstall=Yes
TargetPath=\Windows
UnattendedInstall=Yes
OemPnpDriversPath=Drivers\Net

[GuiUnattended]
AdminPassword="password"
EncryptedAdminPassword=NO
AutoLogon=Yes
AutoLogonCount=99
OEMSkipRegional=1
OEMDuplicatorstring="XP System"
TimeZone=4
OemSkipWelcome=1

[UserData]
FullName="User"
OrgName="Organization"
ComputerName=*

[SetupMgr]
DistFolder=C:\sysprep\i386
DistShare=whistlerdist

[Identification]
JoinDomain=workgroup

[Networking]
InstallDefaultComponents=Yes

---------------------------------------------------

Linux BASP

Problem: When obtaining the IP address for an SLB virtual interface through DHCP, the IP address gets lost during heavy traffic.

Solution: Always set a static IP address for all of the virtual interfaces in an SLB team.

Problem: When compiling BASP under Red Hat 4 AS, numerous warnings are displayed.

Solution: This is not a problem. These warnings are harmless and BASP will compile correctly.

Problem: In the event of a failover when using a BASP Smart Load Balancing type of team, BASP temporarily switches the MAC address of the newly-promoted primary adapter and/or the address of the failing primary adapter. System management software that requires a static MAC address may be affected.

Solution: This is only the case with a Smart Load Balancing type of team. A Generic Trunking (GEC/FEC)/802.3ad-Draft Static type of team or a Link Aggregation 802.3ad type of team is a better choice if MAC switching is a problem.

Problem: I am running a distribution with a 2.6 kernel. After I start Broadcom Advanced Server Program, a call trace is placed in the message file.

Solution: This is not a problem, but a harmless event that can be ignored.

Linux and ASFIPMon

Problem: I brought down the interface and now I cannot bring it back up. When I try, the following message appears, "SIOCSIFFLAGS: Resource temporarily unavailable."

Solution: When ASFIPMon is running, it does a quick access to flash ROM every 30 seconds or so. If the interface is brought down while this is happening, you cannot bring the interface back up in the usual way. To bring up the interface, unload and then reload the driver module.

Linux Red Hat 3.0 AS x86_64 and BMAPI

Problem: Broadcom Management Application Programming Interface (BMAPI) is not compatible with the Red Hat 3.0 AS x86_64 distribution.

Solution: There is no solution to this compatibility issue at this time. Try using a different 64-bit Linux distribution.

Broadcom Boot Agent

Problem: Unable to obtain network settings through DHCP using PXE.

Solution: For proper operation make sure that the Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) is disabled or that portfast mode (for Cisco) is enabled on the port to which the PXE client is connected. For instance, set spantree portfast 4/12 enable.

Broadcom Advanced Server Program (BASP)

Problem: The 802.3ad team member links disconnect and reconnect continuously (applies to all operating systems).

Solution: This is a third-party issue. It is seen only when configuring an 802.3ad team with more than 2 members on the server and connecting to an HP2524 switch, with LACP enabled as passive or active. The HP switch shows an LACP channel being brought up successfully with only 2 team members. All other team member links disconnect and reconnect. This does not occur with a Cisco Catalyst 6500.

Miscellaneous

Problem Solution
When the bus on the system is operating in PCI mode, the Broadcom NetXtreme 57XX Gigabit Ethernet Controller performs at PCI mode if it is added after the system has booted. When the system is booted up without any adapter, the bus operates at the lowest mode, which is PCI mode. Reboot the system after the adapter has been added.
The Broadcom NetXtreme Gigabit Ethernet Adapter may not perform at optimal level on some systems if it is added after the system has booted. The system BIOS in some systems does not set the cache line size and the latency timer if the adapter is added after the system has booted. Reboot the system after the adapter has been added.
The Broadcom NetXtreme Gigabit Ethernet Adapter cannot be seen on the PCI BUS. This is because some of the older servers are advertising themselves as PCI-X capable systems. This causes the Broadcom NetXtreme network adapter to operate in PCI-X mode, in which case it cannot to be seen by the PCI bus. This problem can be resolved by configuring the firmware to operate in forced PCI mode. Refer to b57diag for configuration instructions.
Large Send Offload (LSO) and Checksum Offload not working on my team. If one of the adapters on a team does not support LSO, LSO does not function for the team. Remove the adapter that does not support LSO from the team, or replace it with one that does. The same applies to Checksum Offload.
Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) is not functioning properly. IPMI works only when LiveLink™ is disabled. For Windows operating systems, see Configuring LiveLink for a Smart Load Balancing and Failover Team; For Linux operating systems, see Configuring Teaming.
The teaming changes I made when I modified my team using INETCFG did not take effect. When you modify a team using INETCFG, you may need to reboot after reinitialization for the changes to the team to take effect.

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