upgraded to 686-PAE kernel - system freezing to death

[ale_ngr]

fresh LMDE 201204 MATE installation, first thing I do is to upgrade to the 686-PAE kernel. reboot, and then the system freezes every time I log in;
seems that the network manager is trying to connect an unplugged wired connection, with obviously no results because there is no cable, and the system freezes in the process. only solution is to cut the power.
Tried liquorix kernel too but same problem (slightly ''better'', the n.m. connects ok to the wifi at log in if left alone for a while, but disconnects after about 10 mins trying to connect to the same unplugged cable and most of the times freezes again.)

stuck with 486 kernel and one cpu.
Please help

CPU[-Single core Intel Atom N455 (-UP-) clocked at 1666.000 Mhz-] Kernel[-3.2.0-2-486 i686-] Up[-52 min-] Mem[-306.1/2016.0MB-] HDD[-560.1GB(70.6% used)-] Procs[-133-] Client[-Shell-] inxi[-1.4.23-]

Thanx