Newbie question - What's wrong with my switch?

Newbie here trying to set up a CCNA lab.
A friend gave me a Catalyst 3550 but it's not fully working.
I'd like to use to become familiar with switches first before going to
routers (I have two routers but can't get the DCE cable to hook them
back-to-back Anybody know how to make a male DTE cable into a DTE cable?
I have a soldering iron:)

When I power up this switch the Systen light stays amber - which I hope I
know means that the post test did not pass.

I also know from the outpt listed here below that Ethernet Controller (2)
is bad.

Any help in identifying and trouble shooting the problem would be
welcome.

Thanks.

output of switch follows...


========================================================================

File "flash:c3550-i5q3l2-mz.121-12c.EA1/c3550-i5q3l2-mz.121-12c.EA1.bin"
uncompr
essed and installed, entry point: 0x3000
executing...

              Restricted Rights Legend

Use, duplication, or disclosure by the Government is
subject to restrictions as set forth in subparagraph
(c) of the Commercial Computer Software - Restricted
Rights clause at FAR sec. 52.227-19 and subparagraph
(c) (1) (ii) of the Rights in Technical Data and Computer
Software clause at DFARS sec. 252.227-7013.

           cisco Systems, Inc.
           170 West Tasman Drive
           San Jose, California 95134-1706



Cisco Internetwork Operating System Software
IOS (tm) C3550 Software (C3550-I5Q3L2-M), Version 12.1(12c)EA1, RELEASE
SOFTWARE
 (fc1)
Copyright (c) 1986-2002 by cisco Systems, Inc.
Compiled Mon 25-Nov-02 00:07 by antonino
Image text-base: 0x00003000, data-base: 0x0075FE48


Initializing flashfs...
flashfs[1]: 20 files, 3 directories
flashfs[1]: 0 orphaned files, 0 orphaned directories
flashfs[1]: Total bytes: 15998976
flashfs[1]: Bytes used: 5582848
flashfs[1]: Bytes available: 10416128
flashfs[1]: flashfs fsck took 8 seconds.
flashfs[1]: Initialization complete.
...done Initializing flashfs.
POST: CPU Buffer Tests : Begin
POST: CPU Buffer Tests : End, Status Passed
POST: CPU Interface Tests : Begin
POST: CPU Interface Tests : End, Status Passed
POST: Switch Core Tests : Begin
POST: Switch Core Tests : End, Status Passed
POST: CPU Interface 2nd Stage Tests : Begin
POST: CPU Interface 2nd Stage Tests : End, Status Passed
POST: CAM Subsystem Tests : Begin
POST: CAM Subsystem Tests : End, Status Passed
POST: Ethernet Controller Tests : Begin
Ethernet Controller (2) RAM POST: RAM Failed to send write command (data
lines)
POST: Ethernet Controller Tests : End, Status Passed
INIT: failed satellites initializationcisco WS-C3550-24 (PowerPC)
processor (rev
ision H0) with 65526K/8192K bytes of memory.
Processor board ID CHK0704W0F1
Last reset from warm-reset
Bridging software.
Running Layer2/3 Switching Image

Ethernet-controller 1 has 12 Fast Ethernet/IEEE 802.3 interfaces

Ethernet-controller 2 has 12 Fast Ethernet/IEEE 802.3 interfaces
Ethernet-controller 2 failed POST
POST error status : external RAM test failed

Ethernet-controller 3 has 1 Gigabit Ethernet/IEEE 802.3 interface

Ethernet-controller 4 has 1 Gigabit Ethernet/IEEE 802.3 interface


The password-recovery mechanism is enabled.
384K bytes of flash-simulated non-volatile configuration memory.
Base ethernet MAC Address: 00:0B:FD:99:D9:00
Motherboard assembly number: 73-5700-09
Power supply part number: 34-0966-02
Motherboard serial number: CAT070307NY
Power supply serial number: DCA065221FS
Model revision number: H0
Motherboard revision number: A0
Model number: WS-C3550-24-EMI
System serial number: CHK08040F11

!!! WARNING: The switch is not usable !!!


Press RETURN to get started!


00:00:32: %SPANTREE-5-EXTENDED_SYSID: Extended SysId enabled for type
vlan
00:00:34: %SYS-5-CONFIG_I: Configured from memory by console
00:00:35: %SYS-5-RESTART: System restarted --
Cisco Internetwork Operating System Software
IOS (tm) C3550 Software (C3550-I5Q3L2-M), Version 12.1(12c)EA1, RELEASE
SOFTWARE
 (fc1)
Copyright (c) 1986-2002 by cisco Systems, Inc.
Compiled Mon 25-Nov-02 00:07 by stephan