network adapter stops responding when video is unplugged??

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Gawd
Joined
Sep 26, 2003
Messages
992
I've setup an old sff Dell sx280 as a downloader/htpc machine.

It has Intel 915G chipset, onboard everything. I put Windows 7 Ultimate 32bit on it, along with all the updates and drivers from windows update.

For video it has a DVI-I connector. I'm using a DVI-HDMI adapter to connect to my receiver.

I noticed when I unplug the hdmi cable, or change the receiver's input to something other than the computer, the computer's network adapter stops responding. It puts a an exclamation point over the icon in the system tray.

This has turned into a royal pita for me, and I don't understand what's happening.


Here is a little troubleshooting I have done:
  • I connected the little Y-cable that came with it, that gives me a DVI output and VGA output. I attached the HDMI adapter to the DVI end of the cable, then HDMI to the receiver. Again, if the HDMI is unplugged, or input on the receiver changed, the network drops.
  • I've used a cable that has HDMI on one end, and DVI on the other, and got the same results.
  • On another computer, i did a "ping -t" in a command prompt to see when it stops responding, and it's exactly when I unplug the video.
  • I also went into the adapter properties, and told it "not to disable this device to save power"
  • Using a VGA cable to the TV, everything appears to work as intended. So it has something to do with the DVI/HDMI
  • I tried unplugging/replugging the LAN cable, and windows still thinks the cable is disconnected, even though the LINK light is on, along with the activity light blinking.
  • I've tried disabling/enabling in device manager, but no luck. it still thinks the cable is unplugged

so I'm out of ideas...
Do you guys have any advice for me?
 
This is so weird I can't really offer even a hypothetical explanation, but have you tried a different NIC? Have you tried booting a Linux LiveCD or something and see if the issue persists there?
 
This could be a long shot, but is there a wake on lan option in the BIOS?

Is it enabled? if it's there but disabled, try enabling it.
 
This is so weird I can't really offer even a hypothetical explanation, but have you tried a different NIC? Have you tried booting a Linux LiveCD or something and see if the issue persists there?

I burned a Ubuntu 9.04 live cd. No problems with disconnecting the video and mucking up the network adapter.

So it turns out it's a Windows issue. Could be a driver issue. But I'm pretty much convinced I need to do a dummy adapter as suggested earlier.

Thanks so much for the help with the troubleshooting guys, it's greatly appreciated!

I'll have to order a DVI - Y cable and rig up a dummy plug. I'll let you guys know the outcome.
does this one look right: http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10113&cs_id=1011304&p_id=2518&seq=1&format=2
?
 
OK. the trouble continues.

I remembered this computer came with a DVI Y-Cable (DVI & VGA)

I tried the dummy resistor method, and Windows7 wouldn't allow me to enable the second display.

I hooked it up to an actual VGA monitor, and Windows7 allowed me to enable the 2nd display. Cool.

But... again... when I switched inputs on my receiver, the network cut out again. :sigh:
 
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Pick which one matches the pinout on the Card you are using.

unless the dummy way does something different, i don't think it will help me.. like i said I hooked an actual monitor up to the VGA, and still had the problem.

I think I may just have to break and put XP on there... I know vista does this dumb shit too
 
I would try updating or backporting the drivers before I did a reinstall. It sounds like you've isolated the problem but now you're throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Though MS has done some back-and-forth on the issue they've chosen not to fix some considerable issues in XP lately because the fixes aren't feasible. That leads me to believe XP is going to see much more of the same soon, and some of the future problem could leave you reinstalling Windows 7 to debug this in the future (or changing hardware).

Besides, you'll feel accomplished if you really overcome this, right? ;)
 
well after trying new and older driver combinations for the network adapter and video adapters, I went ahead and threw out the baby with the bath water (as mentioned earlier).. lol.

I'm on WinXP Pro, and everything seems to be working great. I wish there was a way to disable that video/resolution safety crap that they've implemented since Vista... It's done nothing but make my life a nightmare.

I had an old 19" CRT monitor that was capable of displaying 1600x1200, but it wasn't in the EDID (or whatever) information supplied to the computer. So after upgrading to Vista, I couldn't use the resolution I had been using for so long on XP. I found a simple hack, where you can get a pair of needle nose pliers and pull a certain pin out of the plug, and it unlocked my resolution :p
 
You could just toss in a crummy $5 NIC (or hell, go all out and get a good $30 one), I imagine that would probably solve the issue.
 
OK I think I got things figured out!
I went back to WinXP and all was well ... for a while.

The problem started happening to me under windows XP .... ARG!

Without me paying attention, windows updated the video drivers on me.
I rolled the drivers back to what they were before the update, and the problem went away.

Intel 82915G/GV/910GL Express Chipset Family
8/14/2006
6.14.10.4670

I booted off a G-Parted LIVE cd, and resized the winxp partition to make room for a small win7 partition. I used the drivers off the WinXP CD (the ones mentioned above), and the problem is gone!
Wow..

Now my only quirk is my TV says 1920x1080i @ 60Hz (when it should be 1080P!)
That, and Aero doesn't support my video adapter... I wonder if there's a hack for that..

You could just toss in a crummy $5 NIC (or hell, go all out and get a good $30 one), I imagine that would probably solve the issue.
No PCI slots. Trying to have as little dangles and dongles coming out the back of this PC since it's on display in my tv stand :(
 
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