Error message - PXE-E61:Media Test Failure, Check cable

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Thread: Error message - PXE-E61:Media Test Failure, Check cable

  1. #1
    Tiger Shark wolfe's Avatar
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    Error message - PXE-E61:Media Test Failure, Check cable

    Toshiba Satellite A85 S107 has the following message:

    "Windows Root>\System32\NTOSKRNL.exe.
    Re-install a copy of the above file."

    Can't get into Safe Mode or Setup and it will not boot to cd rom.

    Took out the HD and it's readable as a slave.

    Put it back in and now getting the following message:

    For Realtek RT8139(X)/8130/810X PCI FAst Eathernet Controller V2.13 (020326)

    PXE-E61:Media Test Failure, Check cable
    PXE-M0F: Existing PXE ROM

    Did I screw something up when I took out the HD, battery.......?

  2. #2
    Tiger Shark wolfe's Avatar
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    I don't mind snooping around inside the case if I new what part the error message was pointing to. Any idea? What cable am I looking for?

    ===================================================

    "For Realtek RT8139(X)/8130/810X PCI Fast Eathernet Controller V2.13 (020326)

    PXE-E61:Media Test Failure, Check cable
    PXE-M0F: Existing PXE ROM

    ===================================================

  3. #3
    Mako Shark kent1146's Avatar
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    It's not a hardware problem. If your system is having trouble finding files that used to be there (especially if the missing files change... first looking for NTOSKRNL.EXE and now missing something else related to your NIC), it's usually an indicator of a hard drive that's about to die.
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  4. #4
    Defiant Shark Johnmcl7's Avatar
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    The Media Test Failure message is a red herring, what's happening is that the laptop can't see the hard drive as a bootable device so it skips to the next item which in your case a PXE boot off the network. Since your machine isn't set up to work as a PXE boot it's failing, the check cable part is just referring to a network cable.

    I agree with the above comment, it sounds like the hard drive was on its way out and now dropped below a level where the bios detects it as a bootable device. Make sure if you can still read the hard drive through a caddy you get everything backed up immediately.

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  5. #5
    just a thought on something you might want to double check... I've run into this situation a couple times, where it shows the hard drives in the bios boot menu, hit enter to show the acual hard drive and ensure that it is not disabled. I've had this happen to a few of my customers.

  6. #6
    Tiger Shark wolfe's Avatar
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    Does the hd have to be formatted. Know none of the "F" keys work and still starting up with same message.

  7. #7
    Sushi
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    Smile PXE ERROR SOLVED (for myself)

    For the first 2 weeks I got the error off & on and at times I was able to get into windows off and on, but the laptop would go off after a few moments. Then my a/c power adapter started going bad. So now I had 2 problems.
    I knew this because my Gateway M675 has a fan in the a/c adapter and it started making a funny noise. After 1 week of this, the adapter finally stopped. Finally found a genuine Gateway adapter on ebay and 6 weeks later my problems was solved. Gateway adapters have to be original, even if you find a generic one, as I did, the tip was different. I bought 2 generic's before I found the original one on EBAY.

    My thoughts are there must have been a short or broken wire buried somewhere within the wiring of the adapter that I could not see. I knew this because when I jiggled the adapter line, the pc would go off. BTW, my pc would stay on with my battery but I didn’t realize the PXE problem as being the adapter because I only had 20 minutes of battery left and once the battery was dead I could not charge it without having the ac adapter. This PXE problem must have something to do with the electric power NOT getting through the pc. My problem was in the adapter but if yours is not, I would bet its got something to do with yours too. The PC must not be able to maintain its power on at some point from the adapter to the motherboard.
    Hope this helps.

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