> I assume it's complaining because it's a 24 bit card (it is
> in one bit mode when I boot).

Maybe not, it may just be interrupt conflicts.

> But it basically works, so I'm not complaining.
> 
> Then I install an old Asante MacCon MC3NB ethernet card
> (enet chip is DP83902). It recognizes the card and I can ifconfig
> it, but it totally hangs when I try to send any traffic out the
> port (ping, etc). A break (over serial console) into ddb and 
> a trace gives me:

[snip]

> I remember hearing about problems between certain ethernet
> cards and 24 bit video cards. I don't have an 8 bit card and
> I (unfortunately) can't boot without the video card. (Does
> anyone know if a Mac _can_ be booted w/o a video card?)

Yeah, there does appear to be an interrupt conflict between some video 
boards and some ethernet cards.  If you have multiple nubus slots, 
occasionally rearranging the order of the cards (if possible) may have 
better results.

A Mac can be booted without a video card.  There are two pins which have 
to be connected for this to work.  I can't remember which ones at the 
moment, but it has been posted to the list before (or perhaps someone in 
the know will reply).  You can just use a paper clip to connect these 
pins, though.  Also, one of those Mac/VGA adapter things will perform the 
same function (although it is a wee bit more expensive than a paper clip).

> So, has anyone played with a similar setup recently? Is the
> video card at fault, meaning I should but get an 8 bit card,
> or is it just the horrible interrupt conflict monster rearing
> it's ugly head again?

Probably the ugly interrupt monster :-(  However, since many cards work 
w/o a conflict, getting a new card may help.

> P.S. I've also got a Cabletron ethernet card here that uses
> a DP8390 chip, but it's not even recognized at boot time as
> an ethernet card. How does the kernel decide which cards are
> which devices? Can I just add the "name" of the card somewhere 
> in the kernel for it to be recognized?

At autoconfig time, I believe that the ethernet driver probes the card 
and asks it for a whole bunch of information, such as its name, and then 
prints it to the screen.  I suppose this code would be somewhere in the 
if_ae.c file.  Whomever wrote the driver might be a little more help 
here, though.

Later.

-- 
Colin Wood                                      ender@is.rice.edu
Consultant                                        Rice University
Information Technology Services                       Houston, TX