Re: OT: Strange interaction between NIC, SSD and motherboard

On 7/29/22 17:10, Aryeh Friedman wrote:
> I have a MSI Motherboard (DMI info output below) and have two
> identical SSD's (one [sata0] with FreeBSD installed and Windows on the
> other [sata1] 


I use 2.5" SATA SSD's for my OS drives, and install trayless mobile 
racks in my desktops and servers:

https://www.startech.com/en-us/hdd/hsb220sat25b

https://www.startech.com/en-us/hdd/s25slotr


This makes it easy to change the OS drive, which avoids bootloader 
and/or boot-related update/ upgrade problems (notably GRUB and 
initrd.img on GNU/Linux).



> and then I bought a D-Link DGE-560T NIC (wired
> 10/100/1000) and soon I connected the NIC the machine could not see
> the FreeBSD drive at all (the BIOS that is) even after swapping cables
> and SATA connectors.  As soon as I took the NIC out everything
> returned completely to normal.


I have had good luck with Intel network interface cards.


> Note I bought the NIC because the snap on the motherboard one is
> broken.  Again note it saw Windows just fine no matter the config.


I have snapped the retaining tab off several Ethernet cables, but do you 
mean the motherboard RJ-45 connector is damaged and will not hold an 
otherwise good cable?


David