DOS network driver for Nforce integrated NIC?

[deathwalker]

Does the integrated NIC on Nforce mobo's have DOS support? If so does anyone know where the dirvers reside? Im trying to get Norton Ghost to create a recovery/backup boot disk and i need to build the driver info on it so I can use my NAS(network storage device) as the backup location. I have wasted about 2 hrs. try to figure this out and im up against the wall....help!!...Please!!!

 

[Sunner]

Somehow I doubt there's ever going to be DOS support for any remotely modern hardware, including the nForces.

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: Sunner
Somehow I doubt there's ever going to be DOS support for any remotely modern hardware, including the nForces.

s/including/especially

 

[Sunner]

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey

Originally posted by: Sunner
Somehow I doubt there's ever going to be DOS support for any remotely modern hardware, including the nForces.

s/including/especially/

There

 

[deathwalker]

Sunner...well if everyone stops providing DOS support that is certainly going to cause problems with software companies like Symantec and theres that make Ghosting software...drive imaging is usually done on reboot using a boot disk you make and if you need network support on that disk there must be a DOS driver in the database...Norton ghost has a long list of supported network cards in there database when you use there wizard to help you with DOS drives...problem is...that there are none for the integrated NIC on Nforce boards.

 

[n0cmonkey]

Try a realtek 8139 driver, if they have one. The nForce NICs are a modified RealTek. Unlike realtek, they actually work, _if_ nVidia thinks you're worthy.

 

[Sunner]

Originally posted by: deathwalker
Sunner...well if everyone stops providing DOS support that is certainly going to cause problems with software companies like Symantec and theres that make Ghosting software...drive imaging is usually done on reboot using a boot disk you make and if you need network support on that disk there must be a DOS driver in the database...Norton ghost has a long list of supported network cards in there database when you use there wizard to help you with DOS drives...problem is...that there are none for the integrated NIC on Nforce boards.

So maybe they should work on switching to one of the BSD's as the base, the code is theirs to use anyway they see fit, of course nVidia's stuff wouldn't work since they refuse to give anyone any documentation, but that can't really be blame on anyone other than nVidia.

Oh well, I see your point, I just think they should give up on DOS

 

[Nothinman]

So maybe they should work on switching to one of the BSD's as the base, the code is theirs to use anyway they see fit, of course nVidia's stuff wouldn't work since they refuse to give anyone any documentation, but that can't really be blame on anyone other than nVidia.

Of they could just start using WinPE to make bootable CDs, since Ghost32 and PQMagic both work in PE I see no reason to use a DOS boot disk again.

 

[cmetz]

n0cmonkey, do you have a source for that? The driver source I've seen (Linux forcedeth.c) doesn't look like a RealTek core at all to me. Rumors I've heard say the core IP came from Conexant (a company that makes NVidia look open). The NVidia chipset only contains an Ethernet MAC, and most motherboard manufacturers use an outboard RealTek 10/100 PHY - perhaps some source got confused by this.

There's a deceptively simple solution to this problem: Buy a better supported Ethernet card. A cheapie RealTek can be had on a deal for $5-10. For a few bucks more you can get a cheapie Tulip clone board (Linksys & D-Link?).

 

[n0cmonkey]

I could be wrong about it being a realtek. Thought I saw that somewhere though..

 

[Sunner]

I think they used a Realtek for "nForce 1" and went with an inhouse design for nForce2 or something like that...can't remember....

 

[n0cmonkey]

That could be. I briefly looked for better information than my fragmented memory, but couldn't find anything...

 

[enddogg]

Actually I happen to come along an NDIS driver for the Nforce Ethernet card. Asus provides the NDIS driver on the website ... for an ASUS A7N8X-VM/400 board I'm working on. Don't know if the other manufacturer's provide this but I guess I got lucky!