Bug 392646

+++ This bug was initially created as a clone of Bug #355786 +++

I am on OpenSuse 10.3 final with latest online updates on several machines, including a new Thinkpad T61p, and all network interfaces began failing to startup in the past few weeks with the following messages in the startup log:

Setting up network interfaces:
lo
lo IP address: 127.0.0.1/8
Checking for network time protocol daemon (NTPD): unused
doneWaiting for mandatory devices: eth1 __NSC__
20 <notice>checkproc: /opt/kde3/bin/kdm 3594
18 17 16 15 14 12 11 10 9 8 7 5 4 3 2 1 0
eth1 device: Intel Corporation 82566MM Gigabit Network Connection (rev 03)
eth1 is down
failed eth1 interface could not be set up until now
failedSetting up service network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .failed

Once I log in, I can sux -, and do an ifup eth1 to get the network working. It is a pain because I have a bunch of NFS client mounts I have to manually remount after starting up. I have 3 machines with the same problem. I am using the standard ifup with eth1 configured to start at boot time and wlan1 to start manually.  This worked fine until about 2 weeks ago.

rcnetwork start works fine after the machine has booted:

rcnetwork start
Hint: you may set mandatory devices in /etc/sysconfig/network/config
Setting up network interfaces:
    lo        
    lo        IP address: 127.0.0.1/8   
Checking for network time protocol daemon (NTPD):                    doneed
    eth1      device: Intel Corporation 82566MM Gigabit Network Connection (rev 03)
    eth1      IP address: 192.168.1.106/24   
Checking for network time protocol daemon (NTPD):                    doneed
    wlan1     device: Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 4965 AG or AGN Network Connection (rev 61)
    wlan1     Startmode is 'manual'                                  skipped
Setting up service network  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . done.
SuSEfirewall2: Setting up rules from /etc/sysconfig/SuSEfirewall2 ...
SuSEfirewall2: using default zone 'ext' for interface wmaster0
SuSEfirewall2: batch committing...
SuSEfirewall2: Firewall rules successfully set

Networking starts fine on OpenSuse 10.3 machines with 1 NIC.  It fails on machines with 2 NICs like laptops.

Not sure if bug 335486 is similar or not.