Re: tlug: Sparc Linux

[Chris Sekiya <chris@example.com>]

On Thu, 14 Jan 1999, Frank Bennett wrote:

> I can do most of the build okay, but in the final stages of setup, the
> SCSI chain hangs, then resets itself.  After this point nothing seems
> to work correctly.

During the build of the coda userspace utilities?

What does the partition table for that drive look like?  What else is on
that SCSI line?

> This isn't much of an error report, I know, but as a general question,
> are there grounds for believing that the Linux SCSI drivers in RH
> Linux 5.1 are flakey?

Yes.  Compiling the 2.0.x esp.c with egcs is a Bad Thing.  Symptoms
include, but are not limited to:

* An aborted SCSI command during boot-time device detection.  Depending on
  whether your sparc contains a 53C90 or a 53C90A, the box may or may not
  successfully reset the SCSI controller after a five-second pause.
* Random command timeouts under slight load.

RedHat "fixed" this by compiling esp.c with gcc-2.7, but compiled the rest
of the kernel with egcs.  This is another Bad Thing.

Me, I'd grab kernel 2.1.130 from one of the kernel mirrors and compile it
myself.  RedHat did a serious number on their sparc kernel -- it's not
really 2.0, but it's not really 2.1 either.  I don't trust it.

-- Chris

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Next Nomikai: 14 January 1999, 19:30 Tengu TokyoEkiMae 03-3275-3691
*** it will will be Jan 14 (Thu), as Jan 15 (Fri) is a natl holiday
Next Technical Meeting: Feb 13 (Sat), 12:30    ace: Temple Univ.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
more info: http://tlug.linux.or.jp                     Sponsor: PHT