[tlug] FW: [Fwd: Re: Compaq]

[patrick.niessen@example.com]

Hi everyone,

I thought I better join the list and give an update to about my last mailing
(see attached).

your ideas / suggestions are welcome!

Patrick

-------FROM-------------------------------
Patrick Niessen 
IT-Manager / Planning & Controlling 
Gerling Allgemeine Versicherungs-AG, Japan Branch
fQ�[fSf"fO�EfAf<fQf}fCfl*�OE�?�Z� "�-{Zx"X
TEL. +81-3-5214-1361 / FAX. +81-3-5214-1365
URL: http://www.gerling.co.jp

  

-----Original Message-----
From: Patrick Niessen [mailto:patrick@example.com] 
Sent: Friday, November 15, 2002 4:20 AM
To: patrick.niessen@example.com
Subject: [Fwd: Re: Compaq]


-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: Compaq
From: "Patrick Niessen" <patrick@example.com>
Date: Thu, November 14, 2002 9:45
To: <dboudrea@example.com>

Hi David,

thanks for your reply.  I managed to get the system running at a fairly
basic level after 6 days of sweat, blood and tears.  Can't understand why
some people love Compaq...

I list my issues briefly:

1. Booted from freshly arrived Suse 8.1 cd-roms.  System halted after trying
to setup ram disk for install. Previously managed to get Suse 7.3 installed
so was baffled initially. I managed to track down this problem after 4 days
trial and error and interent research.  Had to pass mem parameters with
exactmap addresses to kernel.

2. Graphical install didn't work.  The Proliant has a cirrus chipset card,
but X install of Suse always failed.  Plugged in a spare card and didn't get
much further.  I concluded that I don't need graphics on this system, as it
is a server and all config can be done remotely (it would be nice to get it
to work though, as things like checking file permissions are more convenient
with it).  So I gave up for now.

3. After finishing a relatively normal text install without problem, I
cycled power and the thing wouldn't boot. This was the time when I just lost
patience and started contemplating giving up.  Suse install support declared
that they will not support business customers ...  so I send the mail to the
TLUG list as a last hope.  When I came to the office yesterday I ignored the
server and did paperwork in the morning.  After a long stroll at lunch time
and a strengthening pint of Guiness. I gave it another shot.  I familiarised
myself with GRUB in great detail, and created a Grub boot floppy.  The
system bootet fine!  So I installed Grub from the Grub command line again to
the boot partition.  Powercycle
- Uvatory!  Why the support couldn't help is a mistery to me, for this
problem is obviously caused by a broken installation of their product.

In summary issues 1 and 3 are resolved.  Issue 2 is still open.  I would be
really interested in what other kernel options are required to optimise the
server, as well as installing various Compaq Agents / utilities for linux.
I am also concerned if the graphics don't work because something else is
wrongly configured, and this could make the system generally unstable...

Any ideas suggestions are greatly welcome!

thanks

Patrick


>
> Hi Patrick, I saw your question from Josh.
> Compaq's can be difficult, at least an older one I use... do you know 
> if the file system (of the formatted partition) is still NTFS (for 
> NT), or ext2fs?  For linux you want ext2fs.
>
> Also, if you are trying to run rawrite from within NT, it won't work. 
> Binaries, dd from a linux machine, or Winimage from NT can help with 
> this.
>
> What exactly is the problem you're running into?
>
> David Boudreau
> david@example.com