amd64/123495: 7.0 AMD64 doesn't install on a Dell SC1435

[Randy Schultz]

On Thu, 8 May 2008, Dieter spaketh thusly:

-}> Hey Fabian,
-}> 
-}> Tnx for the tip.  Unfortunately there is no such setting on this system.  My
-}> choices are "OFF" or "AUTO".  In auto mode they appear to be correctly
-}> identified, giving the make and model #.
-}
-}So... with 6.x you get something like
-}
-}ad4: 715404MB <Seagate ST3750640AS 3.AAE> at ata2-master SATA300
-}
-}but with 7.0 the SATA300 (or SATA150) is replaced with UDMA33 ?
-}With no changes to hardware, and no changes to firmware settings?

Hey Dieter,

I never thought about checking on 6.x since 6.x installs fine but you're
right.  Here's the dmesg on a 6.3 boot:
ad4: DMA limited to UDMA33, device found non-ATA66 cable
ad4: 715404MB <Hitachi HUA721075KLA330 GK8OA74A> at ata2-master UDMA33

When I mentioned finding the correct make and model, I was too vague, and was
referring to what the bios finds on post.

So I guess while there may be a problem there, it's not related to the
aforementioned DMA errors.  

To refresh, 6.x installs fine, 7.0 does not.  It formats the drives just fine
but as soon as the fresh install gets to actually installing anything, i.e.
the base system, many many errors start showing up on the console.  The first
few lines look like:
   ...
   ./usr/sbin/spkrtest
   ./usr/sbin/srpay
   NMI ISA 30, EINSA Mlf fI
   SA 20, EISA ff
   NMI ISA 30, EISNAM If ISfA
   20, EISA ff
   ad4: TIMEOUT - WRITE_DMA retrying (1 retry left) LBA=34170879
   aNMI ISA 30, EISAN fMfl
    ISA 30, EISA ff

(note that the first 2 lines are normal "here's what i'm installing now"
stuff)

--
 Randy    (schulra at earlham.edu)      765.983.1283         <*>

Love with your heart, think with your head;  not the other way around.