Intel I340-T4 E1G44HTBLK Quad Port NIC

Rico

Did you try to update the Optiplex 3020 BIOS to latest version?

-Rico

provels

@tgdsilva
OK, try looking in your BIOS options to see if "Boot from Network" or similar wording is enabled somewhere (advanced boot options maybe?) and disable. Perhaps the NIC doesn't even appear in the BIOS boot order unless it's installed, but you'll never know if you can't get into the BIOS. Or perhaps disable UEFI and change to UEFI to Legacy Boot. Try another slot if available, too. And a BIOS update...

https://topics-cdn.dell.com/pdf/optiplex-3020-desktop_Owners-Manual2_en-us.pdf

Check out top of Page 30. Disable PXE

tgdsilva

@Rico Yes, I updated the Bios from A09 to latest version A20. It didn't make any difference.

tgdsilva

@provels There are no "Boot from Network" options. UEFI is already disabled. It is using Legacy Boot. Unfortunately, it doesn't have another slot. BIOS is updated to the latest version.

I will look to disable PXE as described in the manual. But, I thought it was for the Integrated NIC that is on the Motherboard. I did disable the integrated NIC once and it didn't make any difference. I will disable the PXE as per the system manual and see if it makes a difference.

tgdsilva

@provels disabling the PXE didn't make any difference either. Those options are under the Integrated NIC.

Really does look like I can't get the settings of this card because I can't access BIOS with the card installed.

netblues

@tgdsilva Its a hardware/bios thing.
Since you have updated to latest, there isnt much left that you can practically do than replacing the hardware.
It could also be faulty psu, faulty decoupling capacitors on motherboard, short circuited slot or faulty/rusty connectors on slot.
Or just something in the bios.
You could try another psu, and some contact cleaning spray, but I wouldnt trust this hardware for anything, even if it worked.
The cost in time/equipment to debug this any further will get you a few shinny new motherboards

DaddyGo

@tgdsilva said in Intel I340-T4 E1G44HTBLK Quad Port NIC:

Hello, I bought Intel I340-T4 E1G44HTBLK Quad Port NIC for a pfsense build. I also got a cheap Dell OptiPlex 3020

Hi,

I found a post (Dell), imaginable to help you (watch the end):
https://www.dell.com/community/Optiplex-Desktops/10gb-Intel-nic-on-Optiplex-3020-SFF-removes-one-memory-bank/td-p/7269973

provels

@DaddyGo
Clever. File under "Stupid Server Tricks"!
Hope it works.

DaddyGo

@provels said in Intel I340-T4 E1G44HTBLK Quad Port NIC:

Hope it works.

Yes for sure, I also hope...
Then the OP will hopefully report on it

stephenw10

Wa, nice hack. Be interesting to see what happens....

provels

I remember in the Before-Times I had a Promise Ultra-~~100~~ 66 (whee!) IDE card that I was able to hack to RAID by adding a resistor and flashing it with the RAID BIOS. Good times!
https://www.overclockers.com/promise-ultra66-hack/

DaddyGo

@provels said in Intel I340-T4 E1G44HTBLK Quad Port NIC:

I remember in the Before-Times

Those good times, hmmm
I even started with these U160 SCSI cards Adaptec 29160

I don't even mention it
Lots of jumpers for IRQ, (ISA) later came plug-and-play, sorry plug-and-pray

vegastech

Yeah, I had a RAID controller that would not show the boot up sequence of a HP Z420 but it would eventually boot. If I removed the card then the PC would boot normally. As implied above, I believe it was sharing/overwriting a memory area. C800 comes to mind but it's been years.

For pfSense I'm always using HP NC365T cards. These are quad Intel T-340 chipset cards. On eBay you can find them for $25-$50. I've plugged these cards into everything under the sun and they've always worked. Whether this would still be an issue with the Opti3020 (hard coded memory mapped/limitation per the link above) or possibly the NC365T uses a different memory block allowing a boot is a guess.

provels

@DaddyGo
Oh, I think you may mean the Adaptec 1542B SCSI-1 jumper monster, with the plug-in terminators. Still have one in the parts box. The 29160 came along a bit later, was at least PCI-64. Good times indeed!

tgdsilva

@netblues I think so... I am not having much luck with this.

tgdsilva

@DaddyGo Thank you for finding the post and the video. I tried both suggestions and did not work out in my case.

First I removed one of the memory dimms and tried to boot. But I got the same outcome.

Second, I put over the pins as suggested in the video and tried to boot. Both memories was installed. I got the same outcomes as before.

tgdsilva

@vegastech I may try to get tge card you mention. Thank you!

tgdsilva

@provels I had high hopes when I saw the post and the video. Unfortunately, it didn't work out in my case.

provels

@tgdsilva
Sorry to hear. All I can suggest is keep diddling with the BIOS. Also, be advised the HP NC365T is the same i340 chipset, just OEM branded. I use the IBM OEM version myself w/o issue, but maybe this Dell is simply incompatible. Perhaps you could try posting in the Dell consumer forums. Or try an i350 card or the pre-i340 Pro/1000. Here's a good link to Intel NICs and their OEM equivalents:
https://forums.servethehome.com/index.php?threads/list-of-nics-and-their-equivalent-oem-parts.20974/
Good luck.

tgdsilva

@provels Thank you for your advise and help.