RHEL4 and AIC7899

[Oliver]

>> >> >> >> >> during the first boot from the install CD of RHEL4AS, die system hangs
>> >> >> >> >> while trying the module aic7xxx. It's installed an AIC7899 dualchannel
>> >> >> >> >> onboard in the server (IBM IntelliPro M [6850]). Ther are no IDE
>> >> >> >> >> harddisk
>> >> >> >> >> devices in the computer.
>> >> >> >> >
>> >> >> >> > It sometimes takes a while for the aic7xxx driver to load up on the
>> >> >> >> > initial install (it has to do a SCSI bus reset, then a spinup, then a
>> >> >> >> > probe of the drives).  This has been known to take over three minutes
>> >> >> >> > in some cases.  Did you wait that long?
>> >> >> >> 
>> >> >> >>
>> >> >> >> I've waited more than 30 minutes... Just tested the Server with other
>> >> >> >> Linux versions like Knoppix_3.8 and with WindowsXP. Knoppix took 30
>> >> >> >> seconds for probing...
>> >> >> >> 
>> >> >> >> So I don't know, why RHEL4 doesn't recognize the controller correctly.
>> >> >> 
>> >> >> > Hmmm.  Have you tried installing in text mode and checking the output
>> >> >> > on the other three consoles (ALT-F2, ALT-F3, ALT-F4) to see if there's
>> >> >> > something displayed there that might give a clue?
>> >> >> > You didn't say if the CD was IDE or not (it may well be).  If that's the
>> >> >> > case, you might also try installing with DMA disabled for the IDE bus:
>> >> >> >         boot: linux ide=nodma
>> >> >> 
>> >> >> Now I downloaded the RHEL4AS Upd2 CDs and tried to install from them. I've
>> >> >> started the installation at the boot prompt with    linux ide=nodma text
>> >> >> There is one CD-ROM drives on each IDE channel.
>> >> >> 
>> >> >> Like before, it seems(?) to hang.
>> >> >> Here are the screens...
>> >> >> 
>> >> >> Installation screen shows:
>> >> >>   loading aic7xxx driver
>> >> >> Alt-F3 shows:
>> >> >>   loaded e100 from /modules/
>> >> >>   loaded aic7xxx from /modules
>> >> >>   inserted /tmp/mii.ko
>> >> >>   inserted /tmp/e100.ko
>> >> >> Alt-F4 shows:
>> >> >>   (6)e100: eth0: e100_probe: addr ...
>> >> >>   (6)ACPI: PCI interrupt 0000:03:01.0[A] -> GSI 10 (level low) -> IRQ 10
>> >> >>   (6)ACPI: PCI interrupt 0000:03:01.1[B] -> GSI 10 (level low) -> IRQ 10
>> >> >>   (6)scsi0: Adaptec AIC7xxx EISA/VLB/PCI SCSI HBA DRIVER, Rev 6.2.36
>> >> >>   (4)       (Adaptec aic7899 Ultra160 SCSI adapter)
>> >> >>   (4)       aic7899: Ultra160 Wide Channel A, SCSI id=7, 32/253 SCBs
>> >> >>   (4)
>> >> >> 
>> >> >> Hope you can help me and you have an idea :)!?
>> >> 
>> >> > Well, it's obvious the driver loaded and recognizes your controller.
>> >> > It's NOT seeing the drives, however, and that's where the problem lies.
>> >> 
>> >> > Stupid question, but are you 100% certain you a) have the SCSI bus
>> >> > terminated correctly, and b) have the drives spinning up?  Get into the
>> >> > SCSI BIOS and make sure it starts the drives at power up (disable the
>> >> > "SCSI START/STOP" stuff).
>> >> 
>> >> Rick
>> >> When  I  wait  for  about  half  an  hour  I  get error messages about not
>> >> responding drives. He probes all IDs and at everyone an error appears that
>> >> the reset didn't work...
>> >> 
>> >> But  when  I  boot with a 2.4 kerner version (I think the Knoppix v3.8 had
>> >> also  the  old  kernel),  the  recognization  of the drives needs about 10
>> >> seconds.
>> >> 
>> >> The system is terminated as followed
>> >> Channel A: Host controller and End of SCSI cable
>> >> Channel B (extern): Only Host controller
>> >> 
>> >> I can remember have read about the external termination at IBM website. It
>> >> should be fine if the termination on the backside is only on with external
>> >> devices on the bus. Is this correct?
>> 
>> > Your termination seems OK.  This is a very weird problem.  Since you're
>> > using RHEL4, have you contacted Red Hat support regarding this issue?
>> > Remember, this list isn't official...we're just a bunch of Red Hat users
>> > helping each other out.
>> 
>> Rick
>> My  support  contract  is  just  the  Knowledgebase,  no phone or personal
>> support. Because of that I haven't contacted RH yet.
>> 
>> I've booted the system with the actual Knoppix v4 (Kernel 2.6.12) and this
>> version  work  also  very  well.  What  the  hell has RH edited in the AS4
>> kernel?

> AS4 also uses the 2.6 kernel, but with Red Hat tweaks.  I've heard of
> some issues with their aic7xxx driver, but nothing this drastic.

> I did find a similar bug in bugzilla:

> https://bugzilla.redhat.com/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=150548

> It looks to be very similar to your situation and the fix was a BIOS
> update to the motherboard.  I think you said that it's an IBM machine.
> Check the IBM site for BIOS updates and apply them.

Today  i've checked the IBM support pages again. The firmware I use is the
latest one...

On the RHN I found an article about kernel options (for AS3 but thats more
than  nothing  ;)).  I  wondered  about  the  acpi  option. I've tried the
parameter  noacpi more than one times and it didn't work. But when I tried
the  correct  syntax  'acpi=off'  the  drives will be ercognized correctly
now (yahoo! :)).

Rick  many  thanks  for  your time! Now I'm able to set up the server like
I've planned before - this night is the right time I think...

Best regards
Oliver