790FX-GD70 LAN Problems

Question

Hello all;
I recently purchased a bunch of components on NCIX, and assembled the computer together, and everything is working extremely well - minus the LAN connections. I've never seen the LEDs light up, and all I'm ever getting in the windows properties is a network cable unplugged message in the adapter settings. I HAVE read the other postings on this board and don't think I have been helped.
I am running Windows 7 (64bit)
790FX-GD70 w/ Phenom II 955 (3.2GHz)
2x4GB Mushkin Stiletto 16000 (1333) DDR3 Ram (Upper end but not overclocked)
2x1GB Asus EAH5450 Silent Video Cards in Software Crossfire (Works great and have had no issues)
ModXStream 700w PS
Antec 900 Case (with all fans so it has adequate cooling)
I also have set up two RAID 0s (may have been overkill) But I have two SataII 250GB hard drives for the OS drive (allows me to upgrade to a SSD in future) and 2 2TB Green Drives for Data, Movies, Music, etc.
ANYWAY, everything was installed and working perfectly, but have got no response from the LAN, so a wireless stick was installed on the front bus.
I've only ever used the drivers from the site, but MAY have originally installed the disc drivers for the MOBO.
I have tried turning off the LAN in BIOS, uninstalling and reinstalling and returning on the LAN (along with doing the above with and without the cable installed) in every order and with every driver I could find. (The one on the site didn't work- so I tried MSI's Liveupdate and it found a different one - tried installing and running THAT one with the above - nothing). I've received no response from the LAN and even less from the MSI help/email system.
I've tried everything I can think of except:
a) I will try the above mentioned in SafeMode
b) I searched for these elusive REALTEK drivers that saved someone else, but I don't appear to be able to access them and viewing just the information I'd need to sign up for
c) I may try stripping all drivers off and retrying with the LAN off (in bios) since it was ON during windows install, but I've uninstalled every lan driver and deleted the device only to reinstall with the (newest MSI) drivers before turning it on SOO many times it makes my head hurt.
OH, also the cable is CAT6 (50ft) and worked screamingly well for the last computer I had hooked up here, so there should be zero issues with firewalls or router/modem configurations (though I've looked)
I've included everything I can think of, any help would be greatly appreciated. I'm trying to move a few TB of data off a main computer to mine, and it's taking a lifetime through the wireless. Thanks for any help/comments you can offer.

Answer 1

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Alright - Thanks to all readers so far - I've been trying to diagnose this problem for some time and put in a lot of time yesterday to no positive result.
Because I was on a computer all day, I was able to do updates with what I was thinking, and different things as they came up - but they weren't always legible/comprehensible so I will try to explain everything better and condensed for any new readers.
New Computer Parts:
790FX-GD70 w/ Phenom II 955 (3.2GHz)
2x4GB Mushkin Stiletto 16000 (1333) DDR3 Ram (Upper end but not overclocked)
2x1GB Asus EAH5450 Silent Video Cards in Software Crossfire (Works great and have had no issues)
ModXStream 700w PSU
Antec 900 Case (with all fans so it has adequate cooling - Temp always <45C)
Windows 7 (64bit)
Original Installation:
Had no issues, but installed off the supplied CDs, then updated to the MSI mobo drivers.
I had the smaller drives running on Raid Array 1 (boot) so I can in future upgrade to a SSD and the two Larger drives as Raid Array 2 for a nice and large music/games/iso/Video drive
I originally tried screwing with it a bit, some reinstalls, then got fed up thinking the MSI email thing will solve it and started installing games, norton and the like. This lead to comment about additional uninstalls disabling norton, windows and anything I could find - This was not ORIGINALLY an issue, but came to be in later installations (Sorry for the confusion).
This computer originally had dual screens, but has now been upgraded to a Plasma Widescreen (it was my plan to have this as a media/gaming computer)
Through all driver installations, I've found the LAN LEDs light up in Startup, Windows goes to its loading screen, then to a blank screen (juuust before windows finishes loading) and then to windows - On the blank screen the LEDs turn off and stay off for the remainder of the PC being on. This is ALSO the case at the router. Light is on until windows hits and remains off.
Therefore I tried every possible combination of uninstalling the router driver, turning the LAN off in BIOS, installing with and without the LAN plugged in, enabling in BIOS, and then booting windows (with and without the LAN plugged in).
Prior to this build, there was a computer in the same case, on a much, much older board that utilized the cable and everything went extremely smoothly (Win7 64 bit).
Nothing has been OCd, and there are no strange settings that I can see on the BIOS (though I will post my BIOS settings shortly).
Other installation options have been using the installation wizard in and out of safemode, using the "silent install" in and out of safe mode, and once agaion all installation have been done with and without disabling the LAN in the BIOS and reenabling it after.
What shows up is under the Network Adapters is:
"Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller"
"Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller #2"
(This board has 2 Gigabit Ports and yes I've always been trying both)
Both say they're working correctly, installed with the most recent drivers, and despite my error in one post, say 7.41.216.2011 (a 2/16/2011 update-most recent)
It also says (on both) that a cable is just missing, but it has been recently used on a different system and I can see the lights on the PC and router.
In the mobo manual the LEDS can be explained as such:
L-Yellow-Off         -LAN not established
            -On S.S   -LAN link established
            -On pulse -Communicating with another computer on the LAN
R-Green-Off         -10Mbit/s
            -On         -100Mbit/s
  -Orange-On-      -1000Mbit/s
So I am getting a pulsing Yellow and an Orange (on) meaning a thinking Gigabit connection, good. -> Until Windows Loads
Now, during windows installation ( I believe this is typical) it doesn't pick up the BIOS-configured RAID array as a drive until you install the driver (in the windows setup). So I had to do that on every installation, until it picks up the drive, and installation resumes. I do not know if the same conflict exists with Ubuntu, but it sure appears that that is the case as it will not pick up the hard drives. After booting linux, the PC will not re recognize the harddrives until a COLD boot is performed (not recognizing the drives on reset had me a little freaked out for a bit).
Back to linux, I tried my version of 10.10, the admin's version, and an above listed ~8.2 Golden Heron??? Version of Ubuntu. When BOTH the v10s were loaded, it appeared to be loading just fine, with the Ubuntu logo and progress bar/balls, then the black screen, and then it wouldn't come back. The start up sound would activate, but I could not receive any visual. I originally thought this MAY have had something to do with the fact that I'm using a Plasma TV through the HDMI connection, but if the load up screen showed up, I can't understand why it would flake out.
Anyway, to cover all bases, I then tried the v8 cd, and it booted (with a fair share of ugly flickering pre load). No hard drives, but it DID allow me to check out the Connections - and it picked out the same thing, same name, same location, cable missing and couldn't get it to work.
Now at this point a question was asked about my PSU as drives were "falling out" so I supplied specs:
OCZ ModXStream-Pro 700W
I thought that should have been more than ample for this set up, but I will check the Specs...
OCZ700MXSP
10A
Output
+3.3,25A
+5.0,25A
+12V1,25A
+12V2,25A
-12V,0.3A
+5Vsb,2.5A
+3.3V&+5V150W
+12VCombined,552W
Total Output, 700W
So I shouldn't have an issue with 4 drives, 1 DVD, and 2 sticks of ram.
At this point, I was getting tired and frustrated and tried some more Safe mode possibilities and Reinstalls, and in my frustration/orvertiredness I pulled off all ATI drivers that I thought MAY be conflicting (to install LAN FIRST) such as a RAID controller (stupid) and the Crossfire drivers (thought maybe PCI bus was overloaded or in conflict if the LAN is on the same bus? - I was overtired) Anyway, thinking I could get back into windows safe mode was a little optimistic and I had to settle for Windows repair (oh joy) and I COULDNT get the raid drivers to be recognized again - Found out later that the USB drive I was using to move drivers with had some issues with corruption..ANYWAY in the windows repair/select driver window I plugged in a 500G external and did the ol' Ctrl C Ctrl P and copied everything I needed on the raid array and blanked it to reinstall windows.
Now silly sleep deprived me couldnt get the main ATI driver to load (corrupt files and didn't realize at the time) and the ATI mobo driver didn't install, so I used the CD, but then I was just replicating the above test,as I installed the LAN drivers post ATI Mobo drivers (still don't know why I did that). Redownloaded newest drivers onto the external, and went to bed.
Anyway, on to today, reblanked the drive, installed windows WITH LAN OFF in BIOS, installed Windows again, installed LAN and reenabled in BIOS to the same results. Did a repair installation, with it enabled and plugged in, same results.
Post ANY installation, as soon as the LAN is enabled (if it isn't already) a message pops in the bottom right saying Drivers were installed correctly.
If it is installed with LAN off, a message pops up saying "The Realtek Network Controller was not found. If Deep Sleep Mode is enabled Please Plug the Cable."
But once, the LAN is enabled, on Windows boot it once again says it was installed correctly, but doesn't have a cable.
Right now I'm sitting with a computer with a fresh Win 7-64 install and LAN drivers, and I will try installing the mobo drivers and reinstalling the LAN again (if nothing works) but I'm fresh out of ideas. I'll see what I can hammer out in Linux too, but it appears so far that we're getting the same results (connected but no cable).
Anyway thanks for reading my novel, and once again, any help would be appreciated.
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