install problems for freeBSD 6 on tyan i7520
ke.han
ke.han at redstarling.com
Tue Nov 8 05:47:22 PST 2005
I have a new server built around the Tyan i7520 motherboard. I am
having a tremendously difficult time getting freeBSD 6 to find a hard
drive to install to.
I have a floppy connected to the mainboard through a separate controller
and a CD connected through a separate controller channel. This is
standard for this board.
I have tried many scenarios for connecting a single hard drive, such as:
1 - running the system with just one EIDE hard drive (+ floppy and CD)
connected to the motherboard PATA controller.
2 - running the system with just one SATA hard drive (+ floppy and CD)
connected to the motherboard SATA controller.
In all cases (with many tries of different BIOS settings), the freeBSD
installer always says it cannot find a hard drive. The BIOS sees it.
The boot loader sees it. When I run lsdev from the phase 3 prompt, the
drives seem to be there named just as the boot loader and BIOS see them.
I just don't get it!!!! The installer seems brain dead.
Yes, the hardware works. Installing Centos 4.2 and Windows 2003 Server
works perfect in all these configurations.
Here are a few other oddities:
1 - The floppy drive is only recognized (for kld load) if I disable the
BIOS onboard SATA. This is very odd. I need the floppy to load drivers
like the 3ware 9550sx controller.
2 - If I go into phase 3 boot loader prompt, lsdev shows various drives
I may have plugged in. lsdev seems correct and matches the BIOS...but
the installer still says I have no hard disk to install to.
My ultimate goal is to install to an array from my 3ware 9550sx
controller. But I have scaled back this goal and unplugged the 3ware
card for all the above tests.
I have tried various phase 3 commands such as:
set hint.fdc.0.flags="1"
load atadisk
set hint.acpi.0.disabled="1"
Any ideas??? I have become the laughing stock of my office for
continuing down the freeBSD route when Linux installs like a charm.
thanks, ke han
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