eth0 Won't Start when Using Crossover Cable (connected to Win 2000 Pro computer)

I am trying to connect a linux (Mepis, a Debian variant) computer to a Win 2000 computer using a crossover cable.

 Normally the linux computer is connected tothe internet via a broadband router/modem by ethernet cable, and I am changing the connection using the same ethernet port by turning the linux computer off, changing LAN cables (obviously), and then restarting it.

 The two main problems I'm noticing at this stage are:

- The eth0 daemon doesn't start like it usually does on bootup..
- Naturally enough, I get "unable to find any workgroups in your local network" underthe Samba browser. The localhost computer IS visible when the other ("internet") cable is connected.
 
 Any suggestions (see troubleshooting below)?


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 TROUBLESHOOTING (note user name edited  as "********" in some outputs below)
 
- The same crossover LAN connection works fine when running the "linux" computer under a Windows
2000 partition (in other words connecting two Win 2000 computers), so I don't
think it's a cable hardware problem.


- smb.conf file:

;*******************section global*****************
[global]

# Do something sensible when Samba crashes: mail the admin a backtrace
panic action = /usr/share/samba/panic-action %d
printing = cups
workgroup = WORKGROUP
server string = %h server (Samba %v)
hosts allow = 192.168.0. 192.168.1. 192.168.2. 127. 169.254.
socket options = TCP_NODELAY IPTOS_LOWDELAY SO_SNDBUF=4096 SO_RCVBUF=4096
passdb backend = tdbsam guest
dns proxy = no
max log size = 1000
security = users
restrict anonymous = no
domain master = no
preferred master = no
max protocol = NT
ldap ssl = No
server signing = Auto
paranoid server security = no
;*******************section *************************
[********]
comment = /home/********
path = /home/********
guest ok = yes
read only = no
;*******************section homes*****************
[homes]
comment = Home Directories
browseable = no
read only = no
;*******************section printers*****************
[printers]
comment = All Printers
path = /tmp
browseable = no
printable = yes
guest ok = yes
create mask = 0700
print command = lpr -P %p -o raw %s -r

[Unnamed]
case sensitive = no
msdfs proxy = no
path = /mnt/hda5/share
browseable = yes
writeable = yes
public = yes
guest ok = yes


- "testparm" output:

Load smb config files from /etc/samba/smb.conf
Processing section "[********]"
Processing section "[homes]"
Processing section "[printers]"
Processing section "[Unnamed]"
Loaded services file OK.
Warning: Service printers defines a print command, but print command parameter is ignored when using CUPS libraries.
Server role: ROLE_STANDALONE
Press enter to see a dump of your service definitions

output after pressing "enter":

# Global parameters
[global]
        server string = %h server (Samba %v)
        passdb backend = tdbsam, guest
        max log size = 1000
        server signing = auto
        paranoid server security = No
        socket options = TCP_NODELAY IPTOS_LOWDELAY SO_SNDBUF=4096 SO_RCVBUF=4096
        preferred master = No
        domain master = No
        dns proxy = No
        ldap ssl = no
        panic action = /usr/share/samba/panic-action %d
        hosts allow = 192.168.0., 192.168.1., 192.168.2., 127., 169.254. ;
        printing = cups
        print command =
        lpq command =
        lprm command =

[********]
        comment = /home/********
        path = /home/********
        read only = No
        guest ok = Yes

[homes]
        comment = Home Directories
        read only = No
        browseable = No

[printers]
        comment = All Printers
        path = /tmp
        create mask = 0700
        guest ok = Yes
        printable = Yes
        print command = lpr -P %p -o raw %s -r
        browseable = No

[Unnamed]
        path = /mnt/hda5/share
        read only = No
        guest ok = Yes
        case sensitive = No
        msdfs proxy = no

      
- "ifconfig" output (while connected to internet; so far no eth0 section when crossover cable connected):

eth0      Link encap:Ethernet  HWaddr 00:06:5B:CD:58:05
          inet addr:192.168.1.4  Bcast:192.168.1.255  Mask:255.255.255.0
          inet6 addr: fe80::206:5bff:fecd:5805/64 Scope:Link
          UP BROADCAST RUNNING MULTICAST  MTU:1500  Metric:1
          RX packets:2094 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:3077 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:1000
          RX bytes:1533840 (1.4 MiB)  TX bytes:412549 (402.8 KiB)
          Base address:0xdcc0 Memory:ff6e0000-ff700000

lo        Link encap:Local Loopback
          inet addr:127.0.0.1  Mask:255.0.0.0
          inet6 addr: ::1/128 Scope:Host
          UP LOOPBACK RUNNING  MTU:16436  Metric:1
          RX packets:2471 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 frame:0
          TX packets:2471 errors:0 dropped:0 overruns:0 carrier:0
          collisions:0 txqueuelen:0
          RX bytes:133410 (130.2 KiB)  TX bytes:133410 (130.2 KiB)
        
 - Have also run "dmesg" and checked /var/log/messages without noticing any "useful" differences when changing cables....


               
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