[ltp] intel driver problems in 2.6.27

[Henrique de Moraes Holschuh]

On Wed, 24 Sep 2008, Richard Mancusi wrote:
> I understand - but my point was that mine did not erase.  It sure
> looked like it had - but it didn't.  All I am suggesting is that just
> because it "appears" to be erased, it doesn't mean it was.
> 
> Before folks run off to replace their permanently ruined hardware
> (as suggested on the Ubuntu list) they should at least try to drop
> back to 2.6.26.

Indeed.

And even if it IS hosed even under 2.6.26, it might still be repairable.

If the network device is still listed in lspci, it is *not* permanently
ruined.  Tools can rewrite the eeprom (such a tool is believed to be close
to a public release).

If you managed to hose it so bad it is not in lspci anymore (not even
reachable by lspci as root using one of its *HARDWARE* direct access modes,
see lspci manpage), THEN you have no choice but to replace the motherboard
for your ThinkPad... but if it is just broken and your warranty is not about
to expire, it might pay off to be a bit patient and use the WLAN for now.

The problem is WHAT to rewrite the EEPROM back with.  For ThinkPads, that
should be easy.  Ask here for a dump of the eeprom from someone with the
*SAME* base model, change the MAC address in the dump to the one in the
sticker on the bottom of your ThinkPad (it is pretty easy to locate the MAC
address in the EEPROM dump, just ask whomever is providing it to mask it
over with XX), and write it back to the card.  Reboot and be happy.

-- 
  "One disk to rule them all, One disk to find them. One disk to bring
  them all and in the darkness grind them. In the Land of Redmond
  where the shadows lie." -- The Silicon Valley Tarot
  Henrique Holschuh