question for friend

[tedm@example.com (Ted Matsumura)]

Hi,
  I was wondering if any of you gurus could help out a friend, please cc:
him as he's not yet on the list, but probably should be, thanks -- Ted

*****

Sender: gah@example.com
Date: Wed, 22 May 1996 17:46:24 +0900
From: "Gary A. Hildebrand" <gah@example.com>
Organization: Matsushita Electric Works, Ltd.
To: Ted Matsumura <tedm@example.com>
Subject: Got a stumper for ya
X-Status: A

I'm trying to run Slackware 2.3.0 (based on Linux 1.2.8 circa 5/7/95) on
an AST 486DX33 PC with 16MB of RAM and ISA bus, that has an Adaptec
1542B ISA bus SCSI adapter installed.  The version number of the Adaptec
BIOS is 3.10.  A 1GB drive (Toshiba?) is attached to the adapter.  I
have never had any trouble using the adapter from DOS/Windows, with
either the 1GB drive or a previous 0.5GB Fujitsu drive.

I can boot the SCSINET1 configuration of boot disk with no crashes,
chaining to the root disk with the COLOR144 configuration.  BUT, the
1542 driver reports the following error message during boot:

  aha1542_in failed(3): Unable to determine Adaptec DMA priority.
  Disabling board

As such, I cannot get the Linux FDISK to recognize the drive, because
the controller at that point is disabled.

Got any ideas?  I'm hoping that the hardware described will be
sufficient for running Linux, and that I won't have to go out and buy
something more!

Gary