RH7.2 Network freeze/timeout

I have a problem with all of my RH 7.2 based systems that I just
can't shake.  I have followed similar problems on this list and
others, and I need the final piece to this puzzle.

They freeze (I can typically still log into them, but only local
account and I cannot do commands such as ps, or shutdown)


The machines are do chip simulations and most of the traffic
is over NFS to a Netapp Filer.

I have 8 duplicate AMD 1900+
3Com Network card

Kernel 2.4.18-24.7.xcustom
All drivers are built into kernel and are not modules.



Issues: #1

hosta kernel: NETDEV WATCHDOG: eth0: transmit timed out
hosta kernel: eth0: transmit timed out, tx_status 00 status e000.
hosta kernel:   diagnostics: net 0cc6 media 8880 dma 000000a0.
hosta kernel:   Flags; bus-master 1, dirty 21870667(11) current 21870683(11)
hosta kernel:   Transmit list 36c56280 vs. f6c564c0.

** I found issues that stated turn of APIC, in my .config file, I have
CONFIG_X86_GOOD_APIC=y
# CONFIG_X86_UP_APIC is not set

Do I need to comment out  CONFIG_X86_GOOD_APIC=y



Issue #2:
hostb automount[8388]: lookup(yp): lookup for local failed: Can't bind to
server which se
hostb kernel: nfs: server filesrv1 not responding, still trying

**probably related to network card going out.

Issue #3:
hostb kernel: nfs: task 41508 can't get a request slot

**probably related to network card going out.


-----------------configs---------------

**NFS config line
data -rsize=32768,wsize=32768,bg,intr filesrv1:/vol/vol0/projects

**Netcard dmesg
PCI: Sharing IRQ 11 with 01:00.0
3c59x: Donald Becker and others. www.scyld.com/network/vortex.html
See Documentation/networking/vortex.txt
00:0d.0: 3Com PCI 3c905C Tornado at 0xa800. Vers LK1.1.18-ac
 00:04:75:7a:67:df, IRQ 11
  product code 535a rev 00.3 date 10-08-01
  Internal config register is 1800000, transceivers 0xa.
  8K byte-wide RAM 5:3 Rx:Tx split, autoselect/Autonegotiate interface.
  MII transceiver found at address 24, status 782d.
  Enabling bus-master transmits and whole-frame receives.
00:0d.0: scatter/gather enabled. h/w checksums enabled



Netcard has it's own Interrupt
           CPU0
  0:   88061776          XT-PIC  timer
  1:          3          XT-PIC  keyboard
  2:          0          XT-PIC  cascade
 12:   31204378          XT-PIC  eth0
 14:    1387954          XT-PIC  ide0
 15:          3          XT-PIC  ide1
NMI:          0
ERR:          0

**lspci -vx

00:0f.0 Ethernet controller: 3Com Corporation 3c905C-TX [Fast Etherlink]
(rev 78
)
        Subsystem: 3Com Corporation 3C905C-TX Fast Etherlink for PC
Management N
IC
        Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 12
        I/O ports at a800 [size=128]
        Memory at f7000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=128]
        Expansion ROM at <unassigned> [disabled] [size=128K]
        Capabilities: <available only to root>
00: b7 10 00 92 17 00 10 02 78 00 00 02 08 20 00 00
10: 01 a8 00 00 00 00 00 f7 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
20: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 b7 10 00 10
30: 00 00 00 00 dc 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 0c 01 0a 0a


Linux 2.4.18-24.7
Custom compiled Kernel

# CONFIG_X86_UP_APIC is not set
CONFIG_X86_GOOD_APIC=y

 **Kernel build (network related)

CONFIG_PACKET=y
CONFIG_UNIX=y
CONFIG_INET=y
CONFIG_IP_MULTICAST=y

CONFIG_NET_ETHERNET=y
CONFIG_NET_VENDOR_3COM=y
CONFIG_EL3=y
CONFIG_VORTEX=y
CONFIG_NET_PCI=y
CONFIG_EEPRO100=y

CONFIG_AUTOFS_FS=y
CONFIG_AUTOFS4_FS=y

CONFIG_NFS_FS=y
CONFIG_NFS_V3=y
CONFIG_NFSD=y
CONFIG_NFSD_V3=y
CONFIG_SUNRPC=y
CONFIG_LOCKD=y
CONFIG_LOCKD_V4=y



---
Bryon Beilman
IT Manager
Engim, Inc
40 Nagog Park
Acton, MA 01720
Phone: 978-206-3402
Email: [email protected]