hw tcp v4 csum failed - SuSe 2.4.18

I saw some earlier threads on this but they didn't seem to match exactly 
what was going on with a Linux box we're working on. It's an Intel-III 
1.1gHz with 1G RAM, running SuSe Linux 2.4.18 (yes, this is a redhat list, 
but this is the only list I've found any real discussion similar to what is 
happening with this box).

After initial setup, the box was giving literally hundreds of

www1 kernel: hw tcp v4 csum failed

With no other errors at all listed in /var/log/messages. For security 
reasons I replaced PureFTP with ncftpd and the messages went away (though 
there's nothing to support that was the cause, I assumed it because the 
PureFTPd config running was very clunky.) This was several weeks ago. Then, 
just yesterday, while under load from ncftpd (it was being mirrored) and 
moderate- to low- qmail load, I noticed load at 8.9. Before I could go into 
top the box locked completely. Upon reboot the messages began appearing 
again, hw tcp v4 csum failed. Stranger was there was no core dump anywhere 
on the system that explained the lock up and no record of panic in 
/var/log/messages. Again, no error messages at all in /var/log/messages 
except the csum failed. I don't know from what I have been able to find 
whether this is something I should worry about or not, or if it is 
meaningless, but in combination with an inexplicable freeze-up this 
concerns me. The box is primarily a webserver, running latest versions of 
software, but not under tremendous load, the FTP transfer yesterday was 
showing significant load - around 4 - throughout the day. I stepped out 
briefly and came back to 8.9 and a freeze up. Here is the ethernet config 
recorded in /var/log/messages:

Apr  9 08:37:27 www1 kernel: Intel(R) PRO/100 Fast Ethernet Adapter - 
Loadable driver, ver 1.8.37
Apr  9 08:37:27 www1 kernel: Copyright (c) 2002 Intel Corporation
Apr  9 08:37:27 www1 kernel:
Apr  9 08:37:27 www1 kernel: eth0: Intel(R) 8255x-based Ethernet Adapter

I'm more familiar with FreeBSD than Linux so I don't know if there is 
anything else helpful I could post, let me know.

-doug