Realtek RTL8139 PXE Media Test Failure

[Guest]

This past week…

My hard drive crashed on my laptop… (IBM Travelstar Model IC25N030ATCS04-0
30.00GB 4200RPM ATA/IDE 2.5inch 9.53mm)
I had a friend tell me that he had a virus on his computer and that he may
have transmitted it… I ran my Norton Antivirus… When it completed… It was
frozen… I shut the cover of my laptop down… I hadn't realized that it was
still on… until a couple of hours later… it was hot to the touch… I forced
off with the power button…. A few hours later, I went to turn on my computer
and came across this message:

For Realtek RTL8139(X)/8130/810X PCI Fast Ethernet Controller v2.12 (010817)
PXE-E61: Media test failure, check cable
PXE-M0F: Exiting PXE ROM

Over and over again… I restarted the computer and went into BIOS (My BIOS
system is PhoenixBIOS 4.0 Revision 6)… BIOS did not read the hard drive… It
read my dvd/cd-rw… It even read my USB- Iomega Drive… But not the main hard
drive… I tried to put it on AUTO … it still didn't work…

Basically at this point… I started rebooting again… I thought maybe if I
used my Windows XP cd… maybe it would give me the option to do a safe boot or
something… No success… it tried to re-install the XP on my A drive… Whatever
that is… I have no idea… There is no C drive I can tell you that much…

I don't want to attempt to re-write over my hard drive (if even possible)… I
have important documents… So I kept at rebooting for a while… until my NORTON
GO BACK popped up… I tried to use it… and it had an error--- basically it
said that I had to restart the computer.

I am wondering if the registry is shot… or if I really had a virus?

I am wondering if the registry is shot… I came across another hard drive
(IBM Travelstar Model DJSA-220 18.14 ATA IDE 4200RPM ATA/IDE 2.5in)… and the
BIOS read it… however, it was not formatted so it went to a blank screen
after reboot.

Is there any way possible that I can salvage the info off my hard drive
through an external hard drive? Does there seem like any hope?

I have run across some other sites in which users have had the same error
message… but no success on the resolution...

Any ideas?

 

[Michael Solomon \(MS-MVP\)]

The Realtek error appears to be a reference to your Network Interface card.
It's possible the card just needs to be recognized again in which case,
assuming it is not integrated into the motherboard, you could just remove it
from its slot and then reinsert. If you still get the error, it's likely
the card needs to be replaced. If it is integrated, you'll need to contact
IBM tech support, this is a hardware issue.

 

[Guest]

Ok... I do have wireless networking.... 2-Wire... I do use an external card
for it... But I have been able to turn on the computer without it before...
because I sometimes connect to the internet via dial-up... I am wondering
though... it is only the card that is a problem... Because when trying the
other hard drive... the computer read it in BIOS... even though it did not
boot...(blank screen)... But with my hard drive... the computer doesn't
recognize it in the BIOS... Any more ideas?--- (I will try to see if I can
get a hold of a wireless card and see if this makes a difference...)

The Realtek error appears to be a reference to your Network Interface card.
It's possible the card just needs to be recognized again in which case,
assuming it is not integrated into the motherboard, you could just remove it
from its slot and then reinsert. If you still get the error, it's likely
the card needs to be replaced. If it is integrated, you'll need to contact
IBM tech support, this is a hardware issue.

 

[Sharon F]

A few hours later, I went to turn on my computer
and came across this message:

For Realtek RTL8139(X)/8130/810X PCI Fast Ethernet Controller v2.12 (010817)
PXE-E61: Media test failure, check cable
PXE-M0F: Exiting PXE ROM

I agree with Michael that something is not right with the NIC. "PXE ROM" is
listed in the DOS drivers section for this card. There are also XP drivers
available for it here:
http://www.realtek.com.tw/downloads/downloads1-3.aspx?sort=description&series=16&Software=True

 

[Guest]

I will check out this site...

It seems that if this is the case... then I still will need an external
drive to access my drive in order to copy the information over... I am used
to the Windows 98 and DOS environment... but with XP... I haven't a clue...

I will post my "success" or "failure" should anyone else come across this
error.

Thanks both of you!

 

[Sharon F]

Is there any way possible that I can salvage the info off my hard drive
through an external hard drive? Does there seem like any hope?

My daughter recently had a failing drive in her laptop. I used a cable that
allowed me to plug the laptop's drive into an IDE slot on my desktop. Then
used the desktop to grab what data files I could get before the laptop's
drive did a swan dive.

The cable has a connector setup for plugging the IDE cable in on one side
and the laptop pins go in on the other side. Also attached to this gizmo is
a connector to supply power to the laptop drive. There are several models
to choose from - main difference between them is the pin pattern needed for
the laptop drive. I purchased the cable from
http://www.compuhq.com/cables2go.html but have seen these available on
various sites that sell computer parts.

 

[Colin Barnhorst]

The issues are not different between Windows 98/ME and Windows XP. The
tools may vary, but the recovery methods are similar.

 

[Steve Marfisi]

Your NIC is OK. The Realtek NIC has a PXE ROM, which is a boot device
that will attempt to boot your PC fron the network. If you want to get
rid of this message, go into the BIOS (if possible) and change the
boot order of your boot devices. The PXE ROM will be set first in the
boot order - that is why you see it every time you boot. Boot BIOS
Spec also calls for boot device failover when a boot device fails - so
if your HD is listed first in the boot order and failed, then your
system will attempt to boot from the next boot device.

PXE boot will sometimes be shown as Boot from network / boot from LAN
or similar.

If you have access to a PXE Boot Server on your network (Altiris, MS
RIS, LANDesk, Symantec Ghost Enterprise, etc.), you can use the
Realtek PXE to bootstrap a DOS or Linux (or other OS) that can then
access your HD for recovery.

Steve Marfisi
emBoot Iinc.

 

[Guest]

Okay... I have looked at the BIOS... There are some things that I question...

Under the BIOS Tabs...

When I hook up my hard drive...
BIOS has this option in BOOT menu
Hard Drive --- Bootable Add-In Card
BIOS has this option in MAIN menu
Primary Master --- NONE
Secondary Master --- DVD/CD-RW....

When I hook up the other hard drive...
BIOS has this option in BOOT menu
Hard Drive --- Primary Master
--- Bootable Add-In Card
BIOS has this option in MAIN menu
Primary Master --- Primary Master
Secondary Master --- DVD/CD-RW....

I have PhoenixBIOS 4.0 Version 6 BIOS system... I am trying to locate
customer service or anyone familiar with this BIOS...

It won't read my drive even when I try to put it on AUTO... I think I may
have to go through an external desktop or hard drive to possibly get to it.

Re: Realtek NIC PXE ROM as a boot device... I don't see it as an option to
choose...
These are my BOOT Options: Hard Drive / Removable / CD-ROM Drive / ... (I
think Network Boot)---> Would this be the location for "PXE ROM"?
Also, would this "Symantec Ghost Enterprise" be equivalent of my NORTON GHOST?

I don't have access to access to a PXE Boot Server... It's just a laptop...
that I use (2-Wire) Wireless DSL with my desktop... My desktop has different
BIOS system--- AMBIOS...

You think I would be able to manipulate it as SHARON F suggested "plug the
laptop's drive into an IDE slot on my desktop. Then
used the desktop to grab what data files I could..." ?

So far... I have had a chance to test any of this... I will update everyone
"success" or "failure"...

Thanks everyone for helping...

 

[Immortal780]

Same problem!

I recently picked up an HP ZD7000 that had its hard drive wiped according to who I got it from. Anyway, when I first tried booting it up it came up with a screen reading:

Intel Undi PXE-20 (build 082)

For Realtek RTL8139(x)/8130/810x PCI Fast Ethernet Controller
PXE-E61 Media Test Failure, check cable
PXE-MOF Exiting PXE Rom



After which it would flash and restart the process, printing out the error message once again. Going into the bios and resetting to default, reboot doing the same thing. Going back into the Bios to change the boot order, I've played around with the order and settings. When I disable the Network Card in the boot up procedure I get a blank black screen with only a

_


In the top left corner. I'm unable to call up the menu to enter safe mode but I'm guessing thats due to it being a laptop. I've run the quick Hard Drive test in the bios and it passed, running the long test now. I've had the recovery disk in the drive the whole time and even with the HD wiped it should at least let me get to a dos prompt.

I'm down to a few more options here unless somebody has something new, I'm wondering if I have to get a USB floppy to try a bootdisk on. And then the other option seems to be picking up a new Optical Drive. Arggh... anybody have any suggestions?

 

[Boomerdb]

I just recently experienced the same problem, and I believe the same messages that you received. I was getting hung up, then fatal system errors. I also had trouble rebooting, so I finally reloaded the hard drive with teh original system disks. I had my data backed up. After bringing up the system I load Norton Anit Virus and never made it through the scan without the system going down and rebooting. However it did reboot from the hard dirve after that. I am still suspecting the hard drive and believe that after it gets hot it fails. I have the same one as you do.. I'm wondering if it's worth buying a new hard drive. I should probably check out the suggestion one person had to reseat the NIC card...

 

[nolexforever]

Your NIC is OK. The Realtek NIC has a PXE ROM, which is a boot device
that will attempt to boot your PC fron the network. If you want to get
rid of this message, go into the BIOS (if possible) and change the
boot order of your boot devices. The PXE ROM will be set first in the
boot order - that is why you see it every time you boot. Boot BIOS
Spec also calls for boot device failover when a boot device fails - so
if your HD is listed first in the boot order and failed, then your
system will attempt to boot from the next boot device.

PXE boot will sometimes be shown as Boot from network / boot from LAN
or similar.

If you have access to a PXE Boot Server on your network (Altiris, MS
RIS, LANDesk, Symantec Ghost Enterprise, etc.), you can use the
Realtek PXE to bootstrap a DOS or Linux (or other OS) that can then
access your HD for recovery.

Steve Marfisi
emBoot Iinc.

this solution worked for my problematic laptop. i had to disable the 'network boot' in order to fix the problem. thanks.