FITPC2i w Intel 520 SSD Crashes w Realtek Ethernet Drvr Inst

ebrinton
Posts: 27
Joined: Thu May 14, 2009 7:33 pm

FITPC2i w Intel 520 SSD Crashes w Realtek Ethernet Drvr Inst

Post by ebrinton »

I am having a fatal crash with FIT2-PCi Realtek Ethernet driver installation under Win7 Pro.
I have 5 identical FITPC2i units and have attempted the installation on 4 of them with the same result.
SNs: 1130724-01353, 1130724-01354, 1130724-01355, 1130724-01356, 1130724-01357
Hard disk : Intel SSD 520 series 120 GB capacity, product code SSDSC2CW12A310
At this point I have no idea if the problem is related to the SSD but my next test will be to purchase some mechanical drives and try them (I’m not happy about that option).

I have installed two of these SSDs on FITPC2 units without issue.
I think I have installed one of these on an older PITPC2i (but can’t swear to it).
Is there a new Realtek chip in the new FIT2PCis?

Upon installation of the Realtek Ethernet driver the systems crashes and cannot be re-booted without reinstalling the OS or re-occupying a restore point made previous to the driver installation. In some cases I have not been able to regress to a restore point because after the Ethernet driver installation I cannot see the SSD at all (even when booting to the installation media).

At first it seemed maybe the problem was an SSD failure or something to do with the installation method. I tried various installation media including USB CD, removing the SSD and installing windows while in an external USB drive bay and finally from a USB stick configured as mentioned in this forum. However now its clear the problem has been isolated to the event of installing the Ethernet driver. I do the installs always from the USB stick now, but on two occasions the stick mysteriously becomes un-bootable and I have to re-copy the Windows media to the USB (do not have to repeat the process of making it bootable).

Here is a description of my steps
1) Win7 installed from USB DVD drive per instruction in this forum http://www.fit-pc.com/wiki/index.php/Ho ... _USB_stick
a. Result: All works fine multiple reboots without issue.
2) Windows updates downloaded via WiFi and applied
a. Result: All works fine multiple reboots without issue
3) Create restore point.
a. Result: All works fine multiple reboots without issue
4) Install Realtek Ethernet driver using the auto installer provided http://www.fit-pc2.com/download/fit-pc2i/win7-fit-pc2i/
a. Result: System Hangs. Cannot reboot, does not find Hard disk.
5) Enter Bios setup change Boot order to find USB first then reboot to the USB bootable installation drive, then using repair restore to my manual restore point.
a. All works fine multiple reboots without issue.
6) Try installing driver by using the device manager and point it to the Realtek\win7\32 folder
a. Driver installs
b. Windows Device manager reports Ethernet hardware is functioning normally
c. Restart
d. Windows hangs at start (at a different point though later in the Windows boot sequence)
e. Try booting to installation media and go to restore point.
f. Hard drive is not visible
g. On second boot attempt systems hangs before windows splash screens are displayed.

Any Sugestions?

Is the driver on your web site the correct one?

What Realtek Chip is in use on these FitPC2i?

Does Realtek have any newer drivers that work with the SSDs?

HELP

ebrinton
Posts: 27
Joined: Thu May 14, 2009 7:33 pm

Re: FITPC2i w Intel 520 SSD Crashes w Realtek Ethernet Drvr

Post by ebrinton »

From the information in the thread mentioned below it sounds like a real issue/conflict between the Intel SSD and Realtek chip/drivers and MB chipset. It sounds like the fix will likely have to come as a BIOS fix from Compulab or their third party BIOS vendor.

Can COMPULAB please comment on this?

The relevant thread can be found at: http://superuser.com/questions/337725/c ... se-a-crash

"It's a bug in the chipset (SATA related) that causes these failures with SSDs. For some mainboards bugfixes have been released, but I got bored of waiting for ASUS to provide one for my Mainboard and simply removed the SSD, running on HDDs only again. A friend of mine, running the same ASUS mainboard and facing the same problems just installed a 3rd party SATA card and all SSD-issues disappeared."

mbirger

Re: FITPC2i w Intel 520 SSD Crashes w Realtek Ethernet Drvr

Post by mbirger »

We do not familiar with such issues, however in general though very rare, there might be incompatibility issues between different 3rd party devices.

ebrinton
Posts: 27
Joined: Thu May 14, 2009 7:33 pm

Re: FITPC2i w Intel 520 SSD Crashes w Realtek Ethernet Drvr

Post by ebrinton »

I have installed a Seagate 120 GB hard drive and followed the exact same procedure as with the Intel SSD. All works perfectly as far as I can tell.

Will Compulab be doing any tests or evaluation to see if you can fix this issue with incompatibility with the Intel SSD and issuing a bug fix?

Can anyone recommend an SSD ( in the 120GB size range) that works?

pj_systech_swe
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Jun 11, 2012 7:58 am

Re: FITPC2i w Intel 520 SSD Crashes w Realtek Ethernet Drvr

Post by pj_systech_swe »

We have the same problem with the latest ethernet drivers. We are using GearEast (FOYO) or ADATA SSDs. They all crash after installation of the ethernet driver. We have a large stock of these SSDs so we rather not switch to other SSD. Please advise on how to proceed.
Per (System Technology Sweden AB)

mbirger

Re: FITPC2i w Intel 520 SSD Crashes w Realtek Ethernet Drvr

Post by mbirger »

In general there are many new devices such as SSD that were released to market much later than fit-PC2 was, and there might be incompatibility issues.

We can try to check this issue in our labs, if you could send us the two problematic SSD models, GearEast (FOYO) or ADATA. Please specify the complete PNs.

BTW, have you tried to downgrade Realtek Ethernet driver and see if the issue remains?

ebrinton
Posts: 27
Joined: Thu May 14, 2009 7:33 pm

Re: FITPC2i w Intel 520 SSD Crashes w Realtek Ethernet Drvr

Post by ebrinton »

FYI:
It appears Realtek released a new driver on 11/28/2013.
New Driver: Released 11/28/2013, ver 7.77.1126.2013.

Unfortunately the PROBLEM PERSISTS with the new driver.

Could you refer me to a BIOS rev # for the FITPC2i.
All I have been able to find is the Pheonix BBIOS release date 9/14/2010.

RKz
Posts: 81
Joined: Thu Apr 16, 2009 7:23 am

Re: FITPC2i w Intel 520 SSD Crashes w Realtek Ethernet Drvr

Post by RKz »

We backed to an earlier release of the driver and then it installed fine on the SSD:s we use, so the best bet is to do just that. We have delivered several systems with the Adata and Foyo SSD:s in the past without any problems. So it is just the latest releases that poses problems.
Richard Klingspetz
System Technology Sweden AB

ebrinton
Posts: 27
Joined: Thu May 14, 2009 7:33 pm

Re: FITPC2i w Intel 520 SSD Crashes w Realtek Ethernet Drvr

Post by ebrinton »

RKz,
Thanks a bunch for your help!

Could you specify the driver version/date that worked?
Where did you get it, I'm searching the Realtek site and so far can only find the most recent drivers.
I must be looking in the wrong place.

Thanks again....

ebrinton
Posts: 27
Joined: Thu May 14, 2009 7:33 pm

Re: FITPC2i w Intel 520 SSD Crashes w Realtek Ethernet Drvr

Post by ebrinton »

I have tried installing an old driver dated Nov-3-2010 found at
http://www.fit-pc2.com/download/fit-pc2 ... -pc2i/old/
folder name: win7_eth_101103
After unzipping I point to win7/32 from the device manager driver install dialog I get "Windows was unable to install your ethernet controller" "Windows could not fiond driver software for your device"

So Realtek drivers from
12/2013: CRASH system
7/2013: CRASH System
11/2010: Won't install

Mbirger,
My hardware are new FTIPC2i (I believe the controller is the RTL811F-CG)
Is the ethernet controller in this device new and not copmpatable with the old driver?

RKz,
Is your harddware a FiTPC2 or FitPC2i?
Do you know the controller hardware model?

Anyone know how to reach Realtek?
They have not responded to 3 emails sent to: nicfae@realtek.com
The published phone number is disconnected: 408-577-1832

Intel has been very responsive but defer to Compulab and Realtek.

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