Flasking network link

Any thoughts / solutions? - any known problems with these PCs?

Folk's HP Pavillion (slimline S5206UK-P-E6300) - about 18mths old. Usually faultless. Now the link on their router flashes
quickly - about 5Hz. Any port (of 4), other computer on same router okay. Cables swapped (same), cables tested (okay).

Flashes as soon as pc powered up - doesn't wait for windows. General internet difficulties. Does get an ip (dhcp) but expect
network not really working.

If on-board lan disabled in bios, then flashing stops. Otherwise, flashing (inc. safe modes).

Win7 home premium (not too familar with w7 - windows not reporting any network issues).

- I'd have sub'd a gash lan card but only pci (express?) with short height end panels and two tiny edge (what are these called?)
connectors in there.

 

What does the manual for the router (or google/bing/etc.) say about a
fast flashing link light?

Chris

 

Nothing at all (connexent/etec). Also they say this is not a 'function' so must be the PC/LAN card.
A little extra proving shows the link does this at all times when the PC is on unless disabled in bios (fair enough) - even when
loading win7.
HP prooved to be quite usless - unless I'd like to buy a replacement (don't think so, I firmly believe a PC should last much
longer than 18mths).
Time for a new short pcie card ...

 

I asked:

Will replies:

Have you got Network Boot enabled (PXE) enabled in the BIOS by accident,
or is there something else loading at boot time that is trying to talk
to the network?

If you jump in to the BIOS boot menu (not the set-up menu), then while
you're in that boot menu do you still get the network link flashing?


In your original posting you suggested that although the PC did
successfully get a DHCP address you suspected the network wasn't working
properly. What leads you to that conclusion?

Regards
Chris

 

Have you got Network Boot enabled (PXE) enabled in the BIOS by accident,

- I'll have to check, didn't notice anything untoward in bios setup when looked
- only b/band router/switch combined, her (faulty) machine and sometimes another machine similar type, but this was off when
tested.

-again, I'll have to verify.
-I was going to boot in safe mode to eliminate any win7 nasties when noticed that even on the bios menu the link flashed.
-It didn't when the on-board lan was disabled in bios.

-it got one, renewed one or remembered a valid address when checked on ipconfig
-suspect all not well because a)internet slow/intermittent and she has trouble sending/receiving email and b)that flashing link
led is not right, it is either a 'feature' never seen before or something on the system but does it before the OS has loaded or a
poorly lan chip (on-board).