return -EINVAL;
        }
 
+       /* check if flashed firmware is newer */
+       if (netxen_rom_fast_read(adapter,
+                       NX_FW_VERSION_OFFSET, (int *)&val))
+               return -EIO;
+       major = (__force u32)val & 0xff;
+       minor = ((__force u32)val >> 8) & 0xff;
+       build = (__force u32)val >> 16;
+       if (NETXEN_VERSION_CODE(major, minor, build) > ver)
+               return -EINVAL;
+
        netxen_nic_reg_write(adapter, NETXEN_CAM_RAM(0x1fc),
                        NETXEN_BDINFO_MAGIC);
        return 0;
                goto request_fw;
        }
 
+       if (NX_IS_REVISION_P3(adapter->ahw.revision_id)) {
+               fw_name = NX_P3_CT_ROMIMAGE;
+               goto request_fw;
+       }
+
+request_mn:
        capability = 0;
 
        netxen_rom_fast_read(adapter,
                }
        }
 
-request_ct:
-       fw_name = NX_P3_CT_ROMIMAGE;
-
 request_fw:
        rc = request_firmware(&fw, fw_name, &pdev->dev);
        if (rc != 0) {
-               if (fw_name == NX_P3_MN_ROMIMAGE) {
+               if (fw_name == NX_P3_CT_ROMIMAGE) {
                        msleep(1);
-                       goto request_ct;
+                       goto request_mn;
                }
 
                fw = NULL;
        if (rc != 0) {
                release_firmware(fw);
 
-               if (fw_name == NX_P3_MN_ROMIMAGE) {
+               if (fw_name == NX_P3_CT_ROMIMAGE) {
                        msleep(1);
-                       goto request_ct;
+                       goto request_mn;
                }
 
                fw = NULL;
 
                return err;
        }
 
-       if (NX_IS_REVISION_P3(adapter->ahw.revision_id))
-               netxen_set_port_mode(adapter);
-
        if (first_boot != 0x55555555) {
                adapter->pci_write_normalize(adapter,
                                        CRB_CMDPEG_STATE, 0);
                netxen_pinit_from_rom(adapter, 0);
                msleep(1);
        }
+
        netxen_nic_reg_write(adapter, CRB_DMA_SHIFT, 0x55555555);
+       if (NX_IS_REVISION_P3(adapter->ahw.revision_id))
+               netxen_set_port_mode(adapter);
+
        netxen_load_firmware(adapter);
 
        if (NX_IS_REVISION_P2(adapter->ahw.revision_id)) {