5.3 -> 5.4 breaks ATA (Intel ICH2)

[Tim Howe]

Billy Newsom <smartweb at leadhill.net> writes:

> See these threads:
>
> critical BOOT failure updating to latest 5-Stable (5.4)
> 9/23/2005 12:07 AM
>
> ATA lockup with 5.4-STABLE
> 9/21/2005 10:19 PM

Thanks for the references; I'll definiteluy take a look at them (only
reason I haven't before replying is that I'm mobile currently and don't
feel like digging through archives on the itty bitty screen.

> Anyway, I count three systems that are normally boting with 5.3 or
> 5.4, and then the upgrade to the latest 5-Stable breaks the boot.

If I may make a small correction, I would like to point out that it's
not 5-STABLE that breaks mine but 5.4-RELEASE.  Even booting from the
5.4 mini-CD can't find the drive, but booting from the 5.3 installer
can.
>
> Perhaps you could test one of those identical machines with a simple
> hard disk swap? Just put the bad booting drive in a working system and
> see if the error is still there?

I can do this either today or tomorrow.

> Has anyone checked the CVS repository for a possible change to the ATA
> detection or boot code?

Since you mentioned that 5.4-RELEASE worked for you but -STABLE didn't,
I've got a build of RELENG_5 (is this still active in comparison to
RELENG_6?) going now.  Perhaps what broke yours fixed mine.  In any case
it will be helpful for patching against and testing.

> Can you post your dmesg for 5.3 perhaps?

Yes.

> BTW, you can boot that machine to the old kernel using the procedure

If you think it will be helpful I can.  Will this produce a different
result than booting from the 5.3 installer?

-- 
Tim Howe
Software Engineer
Celebrity Resorts, Inc.