Debian on the 8641-mze, hints appreciated.
shinguz
boot time.
Problem: After extensive googling I'm still stumped. The box has a so far
unidentified pci raid with two internal and one external connector,
absolutely no FRU labels anywhere. I do believe that it is original IBM,
though. I managed to use the raid configuration disk to get two 4.5G raid 0
disks in it, but potato vanilla and compact boot disks do not recognize the
array. The same goes for the woody compact.
Before I start dd:ing all possible combinations onto disks, does anyone have
a clue which should work. Or is this one of those situations where I have to
compile a patched kernel for the installation to work?
--
Posted with an IBM 8640-2d0 on a gprs connection
Reply to shinguz at phreaker dot net to get an answer,
just hitting reply will get you killfiled.
Tim Clarke
at
> boot time.
>
> Problem: After extensive googling I'm still stumped. The box has a so far
> unidentified pci raid with two internal and one external connector,
> absolutely no FRU labels anywhere. I do believe that it is original IBM,
> though. I managed to use the raid configuration disk to get two 4.5G raid
0
> disks in it, but potato vanilla and compact boot disks do not recognize
the
> array. The same goes for the woody compact.
>
> Before I start dd:ing all possible combinations onto disks, does anyone
have
> a clue which should work. Or is this one of those situations where I have
to
> compile a patched kernel for the installation to work?
The "standard" PCI RAID controller is the PCI Fast/Wide Streaming RAID
adapter (DAC960LB, a.k.a. modified DAC960P), which is the PCI-bus equivalent
of the "Cheetah". Bootable Option Diskette 1 of the "Cheetah's" FWSR,
2-diskette package may be used for the configuration utility. See:
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/tim_n_clarke/options/FWSR_Cheetah.htm#Access_RA
ID_Configuration
--
Cheers,
WBS Tim
shinguz
references to "DAC" while configuring the array. Thanks, Tim!
Now the time is right for some serious googling with some fresh information.
I will have to try to figure out which installation disk set is the
appropriate, it is a hell of a lot easier to install an o/s onto something
that has a disk somewhere. The disks that I tried so far do not see the
array at all... Reminds me of trying to install Debian on the Compaq
Smartarray 2 last summer. Such a pain.
Laust Brock-Nannestad
> Before I start dd:ing all possible combinations onto disks, does anyone have
> a clue which should work. Or is this one of those situations where I have to
> compile a patched kernel for the installation to work?
Either roll your own or grab the default Debian kernel and the four driver
floppies. The DAC960 driver is on one of those and can be loaded as a module.
Also, upgrade the DAC960 to the latest firmware (2.73) if it isn't already.
The Linux driver cannot handle the older firmwares (yet).
Regards,
Laust
shinguz
news:aq69t3$134a$1...@news.net.uni-c.dk...
> Also, upgrade the DAC960 to the latest firmware (2.73) if it isn't
already.
> The Linux driver cannot handle the older firmwares (yet).
>
>
Thanks, Laust. This ng is better than fifteen instances of google run by
someone that doesn't even know what information he *exactly* is trying to
locate.
I think I have to check the firmware. The computer has been with a major
company, so there is a small chance that everything that can be upgraded
already is, but still.
The vanilla kernel was the one I suspected would be the correct one. Loading
the driver as a module doesn't seem to be the way to go as I want the thing
to boot off the raid. At least the Smartarray needs the driver to be static
to boot cleanly. It will allow me to install the o/s to begin with, but
getting the boot... Well, just a small recompilation in that case.
Fortunately compiling kernels is something that I already have done multiple
times. The self-made kernels even work ;)
shinguz
already.
Hmm.. the only firmware flash that I was able to find from IBM was the 2.43.
You sure about the number?
Did the flashing, though. Went from 2.21 to 2.43, will see later tonight if
the flash cured the problem of debian not seeing the array in the first
place.
Laust Brock-Nannestad
> Hmm.. the only firmware flash that I was able to find from IBM was the 2.43.
> You sure about the number?
Yes, 2.73. I used the firmware available from Mylex' website, and
their tools for updating the firmware and configuring the array. This
worked just fine even though the controller was an IBM variant (DAC960LB
from a Server 320). Of course, YMMV...
BTW, you are correct that the driver will have to be built into the kernel
if you wish to boot off the drive.
Regards,
Laust
shinguz
news:aq6n1b$pcq$1...@news.net.uni-c.dk...
> Of course, YMMV...
>
I think I'll stick with the True Blue for a while :) In case the darn thing
doesn't like to work with 2.43, then it's a different ballgame.
(Now I'll just have to locate the debian bootdisks. Under the bed...no.
Behind the kitchen sink...no....)
<going slightly cuckoo...>
shinguz
TV).
The installer gets to the point of showing DAC960 raid driver 2.2.11 and the
copyright line, then just hangs.
Boot parameters used are "linux mca-pentium no-hlt mem=113664k". Does the
DAC need something about the irq's, i/o, disk space or what at the boot
prompt?
Oh, the 4x2.25G disks are at raid0 showing as one logical in the raid
utility.
I'll go brew some tea to a consistency approaching solid, go out with the
dog namely to "drain" her so she can sleep, and kick a few streetlights.
Then I will shut the 520 down for the night and go for a fresh start
tomorrow.
Laust Brock-Nannestad
> Boot parameters used are "linux mca-pentium no-hlt mem=113664k". Does the
> DAC need something about the irq's, i/o, disk space or what at the boot
> prompt?
It needs firmware 2.73. Check the README at:
http://www.dandelion.com/Linux/README.DAC960
> Oh, the 4x2.25G disks are at raid0 showing as one logical in the raid
> utility.
RAID0 - you live life on the edge ;-)
Regards,
Laust
shinguz
> It needs firmware 2.73. Check the README at:
That's what I figured after four hangs. I'm pigheaded.
I plucked something off the Mylex website that says 2.73 on it, I'll do the
extracting and flashing tomorrow. According to Mylex, the number
D040319-4D-IBM means that this is a DAC960P-2 so the firmware upgrade should
work if IBM has not customized the darn thing.
> RAID0 - you live life on the edge ;-)
Yep, that's me. Been there, done it, have the scars to prove it, what's
next?
Seriously, I'm not that worried about data corruption or data loss. The
"important" stuff is backed up on either dat or cd-r (or both, depending on
the situation). Also even if most of my really useable computers happen to
be servers, they are used as desktops.
Besides, this computer will be relegated to teaching me linux, so I'll
probably have to reinstall a few times. Could have something to do with #
rm -rf /* or some other stupidity.
Actually I hate to think what will happen when I really need something as a
*server*. With the level of hardware I use as desktops, I most probably will
have to get myself a Cray just to maintain my style. Crays *do* run
indefinite loops in under four hours, so they could have the needed power :)
Now lemmesee... Do I have the inspiration to install a second cpu and crank
up the bus speed tonight, or do I leave that for tomorrow. Linux doesn't
care while installing and I still have to compile a new kernel with smp.
Naah, I'll do it tomorrow.