LarryG on 30/10/2010 at 15:26

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I've been connecting just fine up until a week ago when, on a reboot, my network adapters failed to connect through to my router. I swaped ethernet cables at the MB with another PC that was connecting (both at the router and at the PC N/W adapters), and it connected to the router just fine but my PC did not connect using the cable from the other PC. I then tried connecting the ethernet cable directly to the modem, and that didn't work either. My MB has two network adapters, so I tried the other one, and it has the same problem as the first.

I have tried:

* All windows Vista64 N/W adapter troubleshooting multiple times
* ipconfig /release
* ipconfig /renew
* disabled and reenabled the network adapters
* downloaded the most recent nvidia drivers and installed them (using another PC connected to the web)
* Rolled back to a Restore Point prior to the problem starting
* Checked that the BIOS has the N/W adapters enabled
* Rebooted innumerable times, in particular both before and after disabling / enabling the N/W adapters, updating the nvidia drivers, and rolling back to the prior restore point.


The only things I have thought of doing but not yet done that might (conceivibly?) help are:

* Flash my BIOS with the latest from ASUS
* Reinstall Windows


Before I go there I would welcome any less drastic suggestions.

Personally I suspect the MB as the cause. This MB has been nothing but trouble from before day one. The original system ship was delayed because the 1st MB did not test out and ASUS could not get a working MB out of their QA for several weeks. Then when the PC arrived the MB was DOA. It was replaced twice before I had a working MB. For the past 2 years, it has been OK, but now this. The PC is behind a TRIPPLITE surge protector which is behind a TRIPPLITE UPS, so there should not be any problems from dirty power.

I've been working with the PC Manufacturer's tech support who wants me now to return the PC for testing. I would prefer to exhaust all possible solutions short of replacing the MB first. So, please, any and all suggestions are welcome.

This is a pretty complete description of my setup (via (http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html) Belarc Advisor to extract):


UPDATE: ASUS Technical Support FAQ suggested


The only thing in this advice that I had not tried was " ... do not install 'NVIDIA FORCEWARE NETWORK ACCESS MANAGER'." So I uninstalled it & rebooted. No effect. I then uninsalled the NVIDIA drivers and tried the Windows Vista default drivers. Rebooted. No effect. I then reinstalled the latest NVIDIA drivers & rebooted. No effect.

LarryG on 31/10/2010 at 18:34

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[ATTACH]699[/ATTACH]

Each LAN adapter (RJ-45) has two lights. With an ethernet cable in each, both show a steady ORANGE and blinking YELLOW. According to my L1N64-SLI WS motherboard's manual, the ORANGE indicates 100 Mbps connection. (GREEN would be 1Gbps), and the blinking YELLOW indicates data activity (ORANGE on this light would mean Linked). I assume that the blinking reflects a continued polling of the router for an IP address.

ASUS has replied to my reported issue to their technical support with the suggestion that I remove the MB and bench test it. If it works there, then reinstall with it insulated from the case. Since I don't have the capability to bench test the board, that advice is not particilarly useful. It does sound like they suspect a short of some sort. They advise NOT updating the BIOS.

NVIDIA also responded to my reported issue to theier technical support. They advise updating the BIOS "with the support of the board manufacturer." :erg:

The PC is still under warranty with the PC manufacturer, and I am advocating that they ship me a replacement board for a local tech to install (insulated from the case). But since the board is no longer being manufactured, I doubt that ASUS has any to supply. And that would mean that the PC manufacturer would have to expend some $500 to purchase the replacement from a 3rd party instead of just getting a waranty replacement from ASUS. I expect them to resist this suggestion.

Meanwhile I have ordered a $30 NIC from Egghead to verify that it is indeed the N/W adapters on the board that are the problem and not something else with the machine (for example, Vista being weirdly corrupted), and, not so coinicidentally, to get me back connected to the N/W while the warranty issues play out.

LarryG on 1/11/2010 at 14:39

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I haven't, and it is an interesting idea.

hercares on 3/11/2010 at 22:59

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Hi,LarryG. Can you sell your not fully working Asus mobo L1N64? or change just mobo to my xw9400 mobo with two quad opteron? Please,answer to my email [email]hercares@gmail.com[/email]

LarryG on 4/11/2010 at 05:23

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Last word from the owner of AVA Direct was that he is going to ask ASUS to replace my MB with a new, current, equivalent MB. If ASUS won't pony up, he said he would personally buy me a new board. We'll see what happens. AVA Direct has provided good support on a bad PC and lived up to their warranty. They've lost money on this, I've lost money and time on this. I'll be glad to get a reliable board finally. I'm still not holding my breath, but I'm beginning to hope.

Anyone who wants one of these boards, just google it. You can find new ones for somewhere in the range of $500-700. The specs look great, but if you also google customer complaints you'll find many more than normal. This board is just not reliable. I suspect tolerances were tighter than manufacturing capabilities. But that's just an (un)educated guess.