IBM Token-Ring PCI Family Adapter User's Guide

Problem Solving

This chapter contains procedures that help you troubleshoot problems and optimize performance of your adapter.

Start of Troubleshooting Process

If you were not able to complete the installation procedures successfully or your adapter is not operating correctly, use the following steps to start the troubleshooting process:

• If yours is the first station on the ring, make sure that AutoSense is disabled.
• Use the following table to locate the symptom that best describes the problem.

The following sections are presented:

Section	Page
"Solving an Adapter Communication Problem"	"Solving an Adapter Communication Problem"
"Tech Tips and Frequently Asked Questions"	"Tech Tips and Frequently Asked Questions"
"Other Performance Enhancements"	"Other Performance Enhancements"
"PCISETUP"	"PCISETUP"
"Solving Problems with Driver Installation"	"Solving Problems with Driver Installation"
"Understanding the Adapter LEDs and Labels"	"Understanding the Adapter LEDs and Labels"
"Understanding the Adapter Labels"	"Understanding the Adapter Labels"
"Adapter Diagnostics"	"Adapter Diagnostics"
"Questions, Problems?"	"Questions, Problems?"
"World Wide Web"	"World Wide Web"

Solving an Adapter Communication Problem

Check the following list of possible causes if the adapter is unable to communicate on the network but other stations on the network are able to communicate:

1. Verify that the appropriate cable is connected to the adapter and to the network. See Adapter Cable for a description of the compatible cables.
2. Verify that the adapter is firmly seated in the expansion slot.
3. Verify that the setting for the adapter's Data Rate option matches the data rate of the network, or that the data rate has been set to AutoSense if yours is not the first station on the ring. Run the software configuration again to determine the current setting.
4. Replace the adapter cable with one that is known to be good.

Tech Tips and Frequently Asked Questions

To find tips about specific hardware and software situations, see x:\essmain.htm on the CD-ROM.

Other Performance Enhancements

There is a white paper on this subject on the Web at www.networking.ibm.com/per/per10.html.

PCISETUP

The PCISETUP program is provided as an executable program on the CD-ROM in the x:\pcisetup directory.

The program looks for specific system chips based on their PCI Vendor ID and Device ID. Based on which chips are found, modifications are made to specific bits within that chip's PCI configuration registers.

If you have a different PCI adapter that requires that PCISETUP be installed on your machine, and you are adding a IBM Token-Ring PCI Family Adapter, you might need to replace the PCISETUP file installed in your system with the PCISETUP file on the CD-ROM. In either case, you should use the PCISETUP file with the higher version number.

PCISETUP modifies the BIOS setup for the adapter in specific systems.

If you need to install a PCISETUP file, use the following instructions.

DOS, Novell, Windows, or Windows 95 (adapter driver not in CONFIG.SYS)

1. Insert the CD-ROM in the drive.
2. Copy X:\PCISETUP\PCISETUP.EXE to the root directory of the diskette from which the system boots where X is your CD-ROM drive.
3. Make the following line the first executable line in the AUTOEXEC.BAT file:

   PCISETUP
   

DOS, Novell, Windows, or Windows 95 (adapter driver in CONFIG.SYS)

1. Insert the CD-ROM in the drive.
2. Copy X:\PCISETUP\PCISETUP.DOS to the root directory of the diskette from which the system boots where X is your CD-ROM drive.
3. Make the following line the first executable line in the CONFIG.SYS file:

   DEVICE=PCISETUP.DOS
   

OS/2

1. Insert the CD-ROM in the drive.
2. Copy X:\PCISETUP\PCISETUP.OS2 to the root directory of the disk from which the system boots where X is your CD-ROM drive.
3. Make the following line the first executable line in the CONFIG.SYS file:

   DEVICE=PCISETUP.OS2
   

Windows NT

1. Insert the CD-ROM in the drive.
2. From the File pull-down menu, select Run.
3. Type X:\PCISETUP\PCISETNT in the path entry field where X is your CD-ROM drive. Then, select OK. PCISETNT.BAT will install PCISETUP.SYS as a device driver that will be loaded each time the system is started.

Solving Problems with Driver Installation

• Ensure that you performed the installation procedures correctly.
• In the following table, locate the row that describes the network operating system or network application on the computer and perform the recommended actions.

Understanding the Adapter LEDs and Labels

Figure 4 and Table 3 describe the LEDs and labels located on the bracket of the adapter.

Figure 4. The adapter LEDs and Labels

The LEDs provide information useful for monitoring the status of the adapter and for problem solving. If the green LED is on and the amber LED is off, the adapter is operating correctly. If the amber LED is blinking and the green LED is on, a problem with the adapter has been detected. Table 3 indicates the sequence that will be displayed when the computer is started and the adapter reaches the open state successfully. Some of the states might be too brief to observe. Table 4 lists LED states that indicate problems.

Table 3. Startup Sequence of LED States

Amber	Green	Explanation
Blinking	Blinking	Slow blink The adapter is waiting for initialization. Fast blink The adapter has detected a wake-up frame and is attempting to wake up the system. If this state persists, it indicates one of the following problems: The attached PC does not have Wake on LAN enabled. To correct this problem, power on the PC and enable the Wake on LAN feature from the power management system configuration menu. The Wake on LAN cable is not attached correctly. To correct this problem, ensure that the Wake on LAN cable is properly attached.
Off	Off	The adapter initialization is in progress, or the computer is powered off.
Off	Blinking	The adapter did not detect any problems during its self-diagnostic tests and is waiting to open. If this LED state occurs after the adapter has been opened, this state indicates that the adapter has been closed under software control.
Off	On	The adapter is open and operating correctly.

Table 4. Problems Shown by adapter LED States

Amber	Green	Explanation and Action
On	Off	The adapter self-diagnostic tests failed or there is a problem with the adapter. Action: Go to Adapter Diagnostics to test the adapter.
Blinking	Off	The adapter is closed due to one of the following conditions: The adapter open failed. The adapter detected a wire fault. The adapter failed the auto-removal test. Action: Perform the following procedures, as appropriate: Perform Solving an Adapter Communication Problem. Verify that the adapter is configured correctly. If other stations on the network are having problems communicating, contact your network administrator.
Blinking	On	The adapter has detected beaconing or a hard error. Action: Go to Solving an Adapter Communication Problem.
On	On	The adapter has failed before running the self-diagnostic tests. Action: Go to Adapter Diagnostics to test the adapter.

See the glossary for definitions of the terms used in Table 4.

Understanding the Adapter Labels

The green dot label indicates the speeds that this adapter supports over a Token Ring.

The universally administered address label contains the adapter's universally administered address. This is the MAC address that was encoded in the adapter memory at the factory. This 12-digit, hexadecimal address is recorded on the label in groups of two digits from left to right, starting on the first row. In Figure 4, the universally administered address is X'00 06 2E 00 00 01' in non-canonical format, with the most significant bit (MSB) first. The universally administered address is unique and is used by network software to distinguish the adapter from others in the network. If you prefer the adapter to be known on the network by a locally administered address, you must configure the device driver or protocol driver to use a locally administered address.

Adapter Diagnostics

The LANAIDC and Diagnostics diskette must be created before you run the following procedure. Point your Web browser to x:\web\essmain on the CD-ROM where x is your CD-ROM drive. Select your adapter and click Downloads. Select Diagnostics and LANAIDC. Copy the diagdisk.exe file and run it to create the LANAIDC and Diagnostics diskette.

Use the following procedure to test your adapter:

1. Insert the LANAIDC and Diagnostics diskette in drive A and reboot your computer.

   If the system will not boot with the adapter installed, but will boot with the adapter removed, skip to step 6.

   To run 4/16 Mbps diagnostics: at the DOS 7.0 Boot Menu select IBM PCI Token-Ring Extended Diagnostics for 4/16 Mbps operation. Go to step 2.

   To run 100 Mbps diagnostics: at the DOS 7.0 Boot Menu select IBM PCI Token-Ring Extended Diagnostics for 100 Mbps operation. Go to step 5.

   Note:

   If there is more than one adapter installed in your computer, select the specific one to be tested. A selection menu is listed identifying each adapter by its universally administered address. For 4/16 Mbps operation, use the cursor keys or the mouse to select the adapter for test. For 100 Mbps operation, enter the correct number of the adapter for test.

2. Connect the adapter to the network and press the Test (Enter) key. There are two test options: wrap test and on-ring test.

   The wrap test tests the adapter and cable through the hub or concentrator, or through a wrap plug attached to the cable.

   The on-ring test requires that the adapter be connected to a network with other adapters, so the ring speed of the network can be automatically sensed. If the adapter is the only one in the network, the on-ring test will fail.

3. If the test indicates that there is no adapter in the system, or that diagnostics cannot be run:
   1. Check that the adapter is correctly seated in the slot.
   2. Make sure that the LEDs blink alternately amber and green after you power up your computer.
   3. See Table 3 for LED states.
   4. Run the adapter diagnostics again. If the tests are completed successfully, and your computer still is not communicating contact your network administrator.
4. If the wrap test and on-ring test run without errors, the adapter is ready for use. Exit the diagnostic program, and follow the directions for reactivating the computer.

   If an error occurs, record any messages that appear, record the LED sequences, and contact your network administrator.

   Note:

   This procedure does not verify that the data rate of the device driver setting matches the data rate of the LAN segment.

   Note:

   If more than one adapter is in your computer, and if you have not yet run the diagnostics, the 4/16 diagnostics will reboot your computer, after updating for the correct number of adapters.

5. Disconnect the adapter to be tested from the 100-Mbps port. Connect a wrap plug into the RJ-45 jack. Enter the number of the adapter to be tested. The 100-Mbps diagnostics will perform several tests on the adapter and through the wrap plug to verify the operation of the adapter.
6. If the test indicates that there is no adapter in the system, or that diagnostics cannot be run:
   1. Check that the adapter is correctly seated in the slot.
   2. Make sure that the LEDs blink alternately amber and green after you power up your computer.
   3. See Table 3 for LED states.
   4. Run the adapter diagnostics again. If the tests are completed successfully, and your computer still is not communicating contact your network administrator.
7. If the 100-Mbps diagnostics run without errors, the adapter is ready for use. Exit the diagnostics program and follow the instructions to reboot the computer. If an error occurs, record any messages that appear, record the LED sequences, and contact your network administrator.

Questions, Problems?

See the README.1ST file on this CD-ROM. It contains an index of the readme files containing the latest information about this product.

World Wide Web

You can download the latest code from the World Wide Web.

On a Web browser:
www.ibm.com/networking/support

IBM Product Support