Re: SMP

[Vladimir G Ivanovic <vladimir acm org>]

"MG" == Michael George <george mintcity com> writes:

  MG> Anyone have experience using the SMP facilities on RHL7.x?

I am running RHL 7.1 on an SMP box, the Blackbird x4 (see
http://www.spindletp.com) a dual PIII (Coppermine 1 GHz), 512 MB (PC133 SDRAM),
onboard dual Ultra 160 SCSI system, onboard 100 Mb/s Ethernet on a
ASUS CUV4X-DLS motherboard.

It moves. ;-)

My system came with Mandrake 8.0 which worked flawlessly.  I have had
the following problems with RHL 7.1:

  * /var/log/message grows without bound. The messages,
 
      May 31 02:00:03 bach kernel: sym53c1010-0-<2,0>: sync msgout: 1-3-1-c-1e.
      May 31 02:00:03 bach kernel: sym53c1010-0-<2,0>: sync msg in: 1-3-1-c-10.
      May 31 02:00:03 bach kernel: sym53c1010-0-<2,0>: sync: per=12 scntl3=0x30 scntl4=0x0 ofs=16 fak=0 chg=0.

    are written approx. every half second. Did not happen with Mandrake 8.0.

  * RHL 7.1 installation hung after post-installation scripts ran. I
    didn't install Mandrake, so I don't know if it also hung.

  * Can't switch from the X virtual console. The entire machine hangs. I
    don't remember if it worked on Mandrake or not. Apparently it's a
    kernel issue, but I've lost track of where I saw that info.

Of course, RedHat Web Support has been COMPLETELY USELESS in fixing
these problems. I get the distinct impression that their M.O. is to keep
on asking questions or making inane suggestions until the customer gives
up in disgust.

Speaking of RH Web Support... Their web interface is will only show you
your original request. Nothing else. Not any tech support responses, nor
any of your replies, so one is constantly flipping between email (which
RH uses for their reponses, but doesn't allow customers to use for
followups) and the 1975-max character non-wrapping web input.

I swear I could not have deliberately designed an interface that was
better at discouraging its use than RH has.

--- Vladimir

Vladimir G. Ivanovic                    http://www.leonora.org/~vladimir
2770 Cowper St.                                         vladimir acm org
Palo Alto, CA 94306-2447                                 +1 650 678 8014