Hi!

This evening I booted up the NetBSD 1.6.2 install on my computer, and I
noticed a line flash by "WARNING: Disabling dynamic standby mode in EEPROM
to work around..." by my network interface, a motherboard integrated Intel
Pro/100 VM (Intel 82562ET). Later on the system hanged right after the line
biomask XXXX netmask YYYY ttymask ZZZZ, so I reset the computer and tried
again. Still hung att the same point. Ok no go. So I booted back to Windows
XP. Now: First of all, Windows redetects all my PCI devices (seems NetBSD
has done something with the IRQ table), ok after a reboot everything seems
fine again, but one thing: My Intel Pro/100 VM network adapter doesn't work
anymore (and yes I've tried power cycling the computer and also unplugging
it from the wall). The motherboard (an Intel server motherboard, S875WP1-E)
has dual network interfaces (of which I need both), a Pro 1000CT and the
Pro/100VM. The Pro 1000CT works just like before, but the Pro/100 is dead
(it's detected but pings etc never get any reply.)

I do some diagnostics using the Intel utility that came with the network
drivers and it says that the EEPROM of the Pro/100VM is faulty. It also
shows a MAC address of FFFFFFFFFFFF for the board. The other tests (link
test etc) work for the Pro/100VM but basically the EEPROM seems trashed, and
the most likely culprit here seems whatever NetBSD did to the interface.

Now my questions:

1. How do I undo whatever NetBSD did to the EEPROM? Obviously I can't
replace the board (which the Intel diagnostics suggests as a resolution to
EEPROM problems), since it's integrated into the motherboard. This kind of
futzing is also quite likely not covered by any warranty. All the PCI slots
are also occupied, so I can't add a stand alone board.

2. Why doesn't NetBSD even ask a single question before doing this kind of
dangerous modification to the hardware?

Thanks for any help!

/ Peter Fors
pikofarad@bredband.net