PCI Expansion slot - how to know if it's good?

[Ysteban]

I have a small home network with 5 pc's. Windows 98
with a 10/100 hub that can have 8 pc's. We are only
using the TCP/IP protocol.

Recently I have a problem with 1 pc where it can't
access the network, and other computers can't see it.

AFTER this problem occurred I have done the following:

1. Installed new hard disk, (because old one died)
2. Reinstalled windows 98se.
3. Upgraded windows 98se with service patches and IE6.0
4. Reinstalled all device drivers and updated them.
5. I have checked the network cable with another PC
and it is okay.
6. I have checked other ports in the star hub and it makes no difference.
7. I have tried 3 network cards, which work on other machines.

Note that after I upgraded the hard disk and installed windows
with a new network card, this machine was on the network for
a short time, maybe 1 week. Then later the same problem occurs.

When I install the network card on the problem machine, windows
installs it and says it's working correctly.

I have been through all the troubleshooting guides that I can find
and all these tests, procedures, etc, yield no positive result or
definitive answer to what the problem is.

What I have to go on: :

1. The lights on the back of the cards aren't lit. If I remember correctly
at first when I install the card in the PC, there is a light, but then later it
goes out and doesn't come on again.

2. My machine is the designated browse master. through the file and
printer sharing - browse option - I have disabled this on all the
other machines. What I notice is that when I set the problem machine
to browse = auto or enabled then it's able to see a network by itself,
with only that computer. But also I notice through our chat program that
when this is the case then if the problem machine types a chat message
then I see it on my machine. But the problem machine can't see anybody
or any chat dialog. When browse master = disabled then the problem
machine can't see itself in the network and no-one else can either, only
there is the 'can't browse network' option.

I wonder if there is a problem with the PCI expansion slots? There are
4 in the machine and I have tried 3 of them so far. This doesn't seem
to make a difference. If a PCI expansion slot(s) are bad, then would
windows still report that a card in that slot is functioning okay? I mean,
windows can detect when I put a card in there afresh (new hardware found),
detect what hardware and make/model of the card, etc. Then it gets the
driver for that card. So then I would think that the slots are okay if
windows can use them at least in this capacity.

Well, anyway I am lost about what to do with this problem. I don't
know what else to try. I hope someone out there knows or can
give me a hint on what to do or test next....

Thanks
Betsy

 

[Ysteban]

I went back and did some tests to get the problem down
to a more precise set of symptoms. This is what is below:

I am having problems finding out what is a problem with one
computer on our network: windows 98 SE, TCP/IP with hub
10/100. Before this computer worked with the network configuration,
then I thought it was the card. I have tried 3 working cards now
and this doesn't make a difference. I have checked the cable with
another PC and the hub, all is fine. The PC in question has
4(four), 16 bit expansion slots. It doesn't make a difference which one
I use. There is nothing in the BIOS to enable/disable PCI.
There is no conflict with the IRQ being used as far as I can tell.

When I first put in the card, then the green indicator lights on the
back of the card are lit, as well as there being lights on the hub.
Windows 98SE, detects the new hardware (freshly installed card)
and installs the correct device driver for it. Windows indicates
that it is working correctly. The only network capabilities evidenced
are that of the ability for this computer to see itself. So if under
the file/print sharing the browse master option is set to enabled or
auto, then this PC becomes the browse master and then you
can browse only this PC from this PC through the network
neighborhood icon.
When the card is first installed then in our netchat program, if
the other computer types something then it is seen. Shortly after
the card has been installed, the lights on the back of the card go
out and also the hub lights go out, or blink with a long interval
in between. As I mentioned I am only using TCP/IP and ping
never gets a response, only with this computer to itself. And again
I say that I have tried 3 cards from different manufacturers and
this behaviour is the same across all cards.

So what is wrong here? I've tried various software configurations.
I've recently installed a new hard disk (this problem existed before
and persists after), and reinstalled windows 98se as well as
getting the latest patches for win98se and ie6.0 from the Internet.
All drivers are the most recent.

Is it possible that there is something wrong with the expansion
slots or something on the mother board? I really don't know what
to check next.

Please help!
Betsy

 

[Ysteban]

I really need to find out what is the problem with
this machine. It looks like there are people here that
should know about it, but nobody is responding. Does
anyone know of another place that I can seek help
in the Internet regarding this problem?

Is it possible that there is tech help behind one
of the card manufacturers?

Betsy

 

[James Egan]

I really need to find out what is the problem with
this machine. It looks like there are people here that
should know about it, but nobody is responding. Does
anyone know of another place that I can seek help
in the Internet regarding this problem?

It doesn't sound like a specific fault which anyone can help you with.
You might try taking everything out including the motherboard and
putting it back together again in case it's an earthing or related
issue.

Jim.

 

[Bob Woodward]

It doesn't sound like a specific fault which anyone can help you with.
You might try taking everything out including the motherboard and
putting it back together again in case it's an earthing or related
issue.

Jim.

Another thought is that you may have a power supply or motherboard problem.
Power supplies can get weak, over time. When the lights go out, you've lost
the connection between the hub and network card. You've swapped out the
network card with known good ones, as well as the cable, so they are not
your problem. Can a PCI slot go bad? Yes it can. If you've tried putting
the network card in each of the other three PCI slots and get the same
results, I'd be looking at the motherboard. Because you say the network
connections STARTS out okay then after a short amount of time it fails,
that's why I think it might be the power supply.

If you just shut off the computer and let it sit for awhile, can you then
turn it back on and get a network connection again? It could be a
temperature related problem.

Good luck.