PXE-E61 : media test failure, check cable
Solved/Closed
laurent
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Amal -
Amal -
Hello everyone,
After several hours spent looking for a solution, I finally turn to you. Maybe one of you can help me!!!
So, I normally shut down my laptop and when I restarted it, this message appeared:
PXE-E61: media test failure, check cable
PXE-MOF: exiting PXE ROM"
I understand that it might be due to my network card, but disabling it in the BIOS doesn't help!!! Now nothing displays or lights up!! When I press F12 (to boot from LAN), nothing happens!! I tried the XP installation CD, and similarly, I can't get it to launch (boot sequence by Phoenix BIOS OK). By removing "network boot", I indeed no longer see the PXE..... message, but nothing displays!!!
Thanks for your tips
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Explanatory Summary and Solutions
Error message at startup:
PXE-E61: Media Test failure check Cable
PXE-M0F: Exiting Boot Agent
The PXE problem (PXE-E61 Media test failure, check cable) occurs because the computer is trying to boot from a Network device and fails, prompting us to check that a (Network) cable is properly connected.
This is followed by PXE-M0F: Exiting Boot Agent, which simply informs you that it could not boot.
This can occur for multiple reasons:
1) You actually want to boot from a network device
(The rarest case which probably does not concern you)
1 SOLUTION)
In this case, either your network cable is unplugged or defective, you just need to either reconnect it or test with another network cable (RJ45), or your network card is poorly connected or defective. In this case, start by unplugging it (with the computer turned off, of course!), then clean the connectors and reconnect it. If that doesn't work, you will need to replace it.
2) The boot sequence in the BIOS is incorrectly set and it is trying to boot from the "PXE" network card first
(Another rare case, but now more likely)
Explanation:
The boot sequence defines the order that the computer uses to determine which device to start from. The machine will attempt to boot from device number 1, then if it fails, it will try the next one, and so on.
2 SOLUTION)
You need to access the BIOS to modify the boot sequence. The procedure may differ depending on your motherboard model (your computer in general). It usually involves pressing a key (e.g., Esc or Delete or even F2 ...) or a combination of keys (e.g., Ctrl+F1 or Ctrl+F2 ...) just after turning on your machine (The command to press may be displayed during startup, or you can search online, for example, "How to access BIOS Toshiba F60"). As you rarely know exactly when to press, it is advisable to press the desired key(s) every second during startup until the BIOS screen appears (often a basic display on a blue background).
!!! WARNING !!!
The BIOS is a very sensitive area, and you should definitely not touch what you do not know! Take the time to read everything on the screen to understand how to navigate in the BIOS, and then visit it thoroughly to better understand it.
!!! WARNING !!!
Once in the BIOS, you need to find where the boot sequence is managed. Of course, once again, this will be different for each hardware. It is up to you to find it, but it shouldn’t be too hard. Once found, you need to place the boot LAN (Network) or better known here as PXE in last position.
For my part, I always place the HDD (Hard Disk Drive) in first position, as it is the most common case and allows for the fastest boot. Since the day we need to boot from the CD-ROM, for example, is quite rare, we just need to modify the BIOS at that moment.
3) The hard drive, its connectors, or the motherboard (CM) is faulty
(Most probable case)
We feel the effects in different ways: the computer does not boot at all, it occasionally boots but generates BSODs (Blue Screen Of Death) and the machine crashes, the computer freezes, you hear odd clicking sounds in your computer, and obviously in your case, this generates the PXE error.
Why?
Let’s imagine a basic boot sequence:
1 HDD, 2 CD/Rom, 3 USB, 4 PXE
If your HDD is defective and the machine cannot boot from it, it will attempt to boot from the next device (CD/Rom), but you have not placed a bootable CD in your drive, so it goes to the next one, but again, there is no bootable USB device left, so we have PXE, hence this not very clear error.
3 SOLUTION)
If you are lucky: simply open your computer (OFF), unplug your hard drive, then clean the connectors by blowing hard on them, then reconnect it. There you go, your problem is solved.
NO?
You are not lucky, your hard drive is damaged. To verify this case, and it may not be feasible for everyone, you need to place another drive to check if it works that way. If yes, your HDD is defective; that’s another story, you will need to look on other threads for how to repair a faulty hard drive, or have it replaced (Check your warranty).
It still doesn’t work!
You really have bad luck; the connection is faulty. Either you still have some luck and can replace the cable that connects your HDD to the motherboard, resolving your problem, or you continue in your certain bad luck, and your motherboard is fried. You will need to replace your machine, and I hope your warranty is still valid!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope I was able to help you better understand and also solve your problem. Wishing you a good day
ps: for my part, I solved this problem on a TOSHIBA QOSMIO F60 purchased in late August 2010
Error message at startup:
PXE-E61: Media Test failure check Cable
PXE-M0F: Exiting Boot Agent
The PXE problem (PXE-E61 Media test failure, check cable) occurs because the computer is trying to boot from a Network device and fails, prompting us to check that a (Network) cable is properly connected.
This is followed by PXE-M0F: Exiting Boot Agent, which simply informs you that it could not boot.
This can occur for multiple reasons:
1) You actually want to boot from a network device
(The rarest case which probably does not concern you)
1 SOLUTION)
In this case, either your network cable is unplugged or defective, you just need to either reconnect it or test with another network cable (RJ45), or your network card is poorly connected or defective. In this case, start by unplugging it (with the computer turned off, of course!), then clean the connectors and reconnect it. If that doesn't work, you will need to replace it.
2) The boot sequence in the BIOS is incorrectly set and it is trying to boot from the "PXE" network card first
(Another rare case, but now more likely)
Explanation:
The boot sequence defines the order that the computer uses to determine which device to start from. The machine will attempt to boot from device number 1, then if it fails, it will try the next one, and so on.
2 SOLUTION)
You need to access the BIOS to modify the boot sequence. The procedure may differ depending on your motherboard model (your computer in general). It usually involves pressing a key (e.g., Esc or Delete or even F2 ...) or a combination of keys (e.g., Ctrl+F1 or Ctrl+F2 ...) just after turning on your machine (The command to press may be displayed during startup, or you can search online, for example, "How to access BIOS Toshiba F60"). As you rarely know exactly when to press, it is advisable to press the desired key(s) every second during startup until the BIOS screen appears (often a basic display on a blue background).
!!! WARNING !!!
The BIOS is a very sensitive area, and you should definitely not touch what you do not know! Take the time to read everything on the screen to understand how to navigate in the BIOS, and then visit it thoroughly to better understand it.
!!! WARNING !!!
Once in the BIOS, you need to find where the boot sequence is managed. Of course, once again, this will be different for each hardware. It is up to you to find it, but it shouldn’t be too hard. Once found, you need to place the boot LAN (Network) or better known here as PXE in last position.
For my part, I always place the HDD (Hard Disk Drive) in first position, as it is the most common case and allows for the fastest boot. Since the day we need to boot from the CD-ROM, for example, is quite rare, we just need to modify the BIOS at that moment.
3) The hard drive, its connectors, or the motherboard (CM) is faulty
(Most probable case)
We feel the effects in different ways: the computer does not boot at all, it occasionally boots but generates BSODs (Blue Screen Of Death) and the machine crashes, the computer freezes, you hear odd clicking sounds in your computer, and obviously in your case, this generates the PXE error.
Why?
Let’s imagine a basic boot sequence:
1 HDD, 2 CD/Rom, 3 USB, 4 PXE
If your HDD is defective and the machine cannot boot from it, it will attempt to boot from the next device (CD/Rom), but you have not placed a bootable CD in your drive, so it goes to the next one, but again, there is no bootable USB device left, so we have PXE, hence this not very clear error.
3 SOLUTION)
If you are lucky: simply open your computer (OFF), unplug your hard drive, then clean the connectors by blowing hard on them, then reconnect it. There you go, your problem is solved.
NO?
You are not lucky, your hard drive is damaged. To verify this case, and it may not be feasible for everyone, you need to place another drive to check if it works that way. If yes, your HDD is defective; that’s another story, you will need to look on other threads for how to repair a faulty hard drive, or have it replaced (Check your warranty).
It still doesn’t work!
You really have bad luck; the connection is faulty. Either you still have some luck and can replace the cable that connects your HDD to the motherboard, resolving your problem, or you continue in your certain bad luck, and your motherboard is fried. You will need to replace your machine, and I hope your warranty is still valid!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope I was able to help you better understand and also solve your problem. Wishing you a good day
ps: for my part, I solved this problem on a TOSHIBA QOSMIO F60 purchased in late August 2010
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