Probing Works--But Still Error 12

I've been off on a little side project learning SQL for something sort of interesting. So I haven't been working on my Linux stuff. But this morning is a good time to check it out. Last time, I had finally gotten the new driver to compile after getting the detection code connected and got it loaded on my USB stick. Sooo....

I rebooted my computer and from the GRUB menu, typed in 'bootp'.

There is some searching for items on the PCI bus, but here is the most important output:

bus 02, function 00, vendor 8086, device 109a
Found Intel EtherExpressPro1000 Marks Kluge at 0x3000, ROM address 0x0000
NIC_LIST start
...
NIC_LIST vendor = 8086 dev_id = 109a ioaddr=3000
NIC_LIST end
Probing...[Intel EtherExpressPro1000 Marks Kluge]e1000: hw_addr=00000000, rom_addr=00000000
Can't do this!  Mark.e1000: mmio_start = 00067c3c, mmio_len = 04000000
PCI latency timer (CLFI) is unreasonably low at 0. Setting to 32 clocks.
vendor = 00008086, device = 0000109a, revision = 00000000, subsys = 0000107b
e1000_set_mac_type
e1000: Unknown MAC type

Error 12: Invalid device requested

So, progress. But still a lot of questions. Why is a mmio_start not some nice round number? Why is the PCI latency timer 0? What is the PCI latency timer? Are 0 valid values for hw_addr and rom_address?

Hopefully, these are answers I can find. I've come pretty far. The light on the horizon is fading a bit, but it's not extinguished. Stay tuned...