Both emails pertinent to this problem are attached below. Received my copy of intel RH 5.8b1 last night; decided I'd make my first installation attempt on my laptop system. Yes, it has PCMCIA; no, it's not dependent on PCMCIA for installation support. System Description: Maximus (Sunrex) PowerMax P5/166MMX laptop system with 2.0Gb Toshiba 2.5" IDE hard disk drive, 20X Toshiba CD-ROM drive, 64Mb RAM, CT 65554 video chipset with 2Mb Video RAM, intel PCMCIA chipset (supported), 12.1" SVGA LCD screen, capable of 800x600@16bpp resolution, PS/2 touchpad. The log of install attempts is below: ------------------------- LOG START ---------------------------------- I expected limitations on my laptop system, since it has pcmcia interface, but it's not required for installation, so I gave it a shot. The results were unusable. Attempt 1: 1. At start of install attempt the drive (2.0GB Toshiba) contained a working Caldera OL 1.3 installation. 2. Was doing a CDROM boot & install; ATAPI CDROM. 3. Stepped through dialogs to "Installation Class" dialog. Selected "workstation" option. 4. Got dialog box warning that I had a bad partition table, table is corrupted, etc. 5. Rebooted, selected expert Attempt 2: 1 selected expert mode, as stated. 2. Got to fdisk screen, was informed that I had no valid partition table and that a new DOS disklabel was being built. 3. Followed normal procedure, created 1 main partition & one 127MB swap partition. Hit <w> to write table. 4. Still got corrupted partition table dialog. Attempt 3: 1. Found I had an old Caldera Network Desktop (CND-1) CDROM laying in a desk drawer here at work. Was beginning to believe there was a problem with the drive. So I made a boot & supplimental floppy from that distro (based on RH 2.0, I believe) and used it to do an install. There were no problems; built a valid, complete installation that I was able to boot. 2. Knowing I now had a valid hard disk format, I now rebooted with RH 5.8b1. Followed normal install procedures, selected Workstations class install option. Failed as in attempt 1; information screens showed following information: <ALT><F4> screen shows: <4>Partition check: <4> hda: hda1 hda2 hda3 <5>RAMDISK: Compressed image found at block 0 <4>VFS: Mounted root (ext2 filesystem). <6>install uses obsolete /proc/pci interface <7>ISO 9660 Extensions: Microsoft Joliet Level 3 <3>kmod: failed to exec -s -k nls_iso8859-1, errno = 2 <7>ISO 9660 Extensions: RRIP_1991A <4>hda:Dev03:00 Sun disklabel: bad magic 0000 <5>ll_rw_block: device 03:00: only 512-char blocks implemented (1024) <4>Dev 03:00: unable to read RDB block 0 <4> unknown partition table <4> hda:Dev03:00 Sun disklabel: bad magic 0000 <5>ll_rw_block: device 03:00: only 512-char blocks implemented (1024) <4>Dev 03:00: unable to read RDB block 0 <4> unknown partition table <ALT><F5> blank screen <ALT><F1> (main screen) shows: "Bad Partition Table" dialog: The partition table on device hda is corrupted. To create new partitions it must be initialized, causing the loss of ALL DATA on this drive. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ At this point in time I went back to the CND 1 (Lite) CDROM and used it to reformat the hard drive & give me a valid partition table. When I started fdisk, I got the following information: Disk /dev/hda: 128 heads, 63 sectors, 525 cylinders Units = cylinders of 8864 * 512 bytes Device Boot Begin Start End Blocks Id System /dev/hda1 51201 51948 51948 1233 83 Linux native Partition 1 has different physical/logical beginnings (non-Linux?): phys=(0, 0, 1) logical=(51947, 87, 24) Partition 1 has different physical/logical endings: phys=(0, 127, 0) logical=(51947, 126, 32) Partition 1 does not start on cylinder boundary: phys=(0, 0, 1) should be (0, 1, 1) Partition 1 does not end on cylinder boundary: phys-(0, 127, 0) should be (0, 127, 63) So I deleted /dev/hda1, repartitioned, and rebooted. The new partitions were: Device Boot Begin Start End Blocks Id System /dev/hda1 1 1 400 1612768+ 83 Linux native /dev/hda2 401 401 495 383040 83 Linux native /dev/hda3 496 496 525 120960 82 Linux swap Wrote out the table, and then rebooted, using the Red Hat 5.8b1 CDROM. 1. Chose expert install from CDROM. 2. Used disk druid to designate /dev/hda1 as /, /dev/hda2 as /home. 3. Had system do bad block scans on partitions during formatting of both regular partitions & swap partition. 4. System was _extremely_ slow in formatting partitions. Note that I again found the warning message in <ALT><F4> that it had been unable to find a swap space signature. 5. For all partitions there was an extremely long delay between the completion of writting the superblocks and completion of writting inode tables. (on <ALT><F5>). 6. Switched back to main screen <ALT><F1>, was greeted by dialog box "Error" mount failed: invalid arguement. Checked <ALT><F4> for messages, found following: <4>Partition check: <4> hda: hda1 hda2 hda3 <5>RAMDISK: Compressed image found at block 0 <4>VFS: Mounded root (ext2 filesystem). <6>install uses obsolete /proc/pci interface <7>ISO 9660 Extensions: Microsoft Joliet Level 3 <3>kmod: failed to exec -s -k nls_iso8859-1, errno = 2 <7>ISO 9660 Extensions: RRIP_1991A <4>Unable to find swap-space signature <4>VFS: Can't find an ext2 filesystem on dev 03:01 7. At this point I gave up for now. Suggestions? Any data that I can provide you? =============== Next test set: =============== This weekend I performed the other test cycle I was considering; a 5.8b1 update of an existing 5.2 installation. Using the same laptop system as in all previous (I'm sure glad I've got multiple drives and drive trays for this system!), I did the following steps: 1. Install RH 5.2 from the standard 5.2 CDROM. 2. Do an upgrade from 5.2 to 5.8b1, using the beta 1 cdrom. Results: 1. The installation of 5.2 was as trivial as any install I've ever done. I put the cd in, booted the system, told it to do a workstation install, and watched a movie on television. As you know, answered a few questions at beginning & end of the install, but it was really a non-effort. Verified the installation with a couple quick compilations, setup X, modified lilo.conf & reran lilo; that sort of thing. 2. Rebooted system with the 5.8b1 cdrom in the drive. Selected upgrade. Went through the expected series of messages, then the upgrade failed. <ALT><F4> shows message: <4> Unable to find swap-space signature database error messages were displayed on the screen, then promptly concealed with the "Upgrade Packages" dialog. Rebuilding RPM database Processing - Please wait Screen suddenly clears for a long period of time install exited abnormally, signal 7 generated. 3. When I rebooted after the upgrade failure, I had the following displayed as a part of the boot messages. Perhaps there's info here that will help: Partition Check hda: hda1 hda2 hda3 [MS-DO)S_FS Rel. 12 FAT 0, check=n, conv=b, uid=0, gid=0, umask=022, bmap] Transaction block size = 512 Kernel Panic: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on 03:01 At this point, I reinserted the 5.2 cd and did a full installation. I will submit previous messages to bugzilla, per your request.
Should be fixed in trhe current beta
Well, attempting to install 5.9.X on my Maximus PowerMax laptop was once again a complete failure. I was rather hopeful after the work that has gone into this; but no cigar here. I've attached the following notes from my attempts this morning, they cover 3 separate attempts to install. There were others, but with identical results. When, after the attempts to install Beta 2 had flopped, I installed RH 5.2, I got the "Bad Partition Table" message. This was for a workstation install, and selecting the options to initialize the drive worked fine. At this point the evidence appears to point to a bug in the code, though where I'm not sure. I'd thought that it might be in the install code or fdisk, due to the corrupt partition table, but seems more likely in the ext2 code in light of the way it thinks that it's looking at Sun disklabels & starts looking for scsi drives on a cyclic basis. After all the log entries from my upgrade/installation attempts, I've added the hwdiag output for this system in the hopes that it will help. Am quite willing to d/l and try out any code, code fragments, etc. that might help. If you are unable to replicate the problem there, then am even willing to put the system back in the original packaging & send it to Dale/Mike at Red Hat, if you'll accept cost + responsiblity for the return of same. If this were "unsupported hardware", I'd be unsurprised, and not at all concerned about the implications of this failure; but every version from 4.2 - 5.2 has installed with zero fuss. Both beta's have been complete failures, with identical problems reported. Am sending this to Mike Wanger, Dale Lovelace, and Alan Cox, in addition to the testers list. Will, as I stated, try anything reasonable that you may have as a suggestion. Best rickf ********************************************************* * First Attempt, 5.9.X Upgrade: * ********************************************************* 1. The 2.1Gb hdd in the Maximus Laptop computer currently has Caldera v1.3 installed on it. My initial step in this test run was to install Red Hat 5.2, workstation install. 2. Began update of 5.2 Laptop installation. Initial stages went fine, then blew out with message on screen of "Install exited abnormally -- received signal 7 Sending termination signals... done Sending kill signals...done Unmounting file systems... /tmp/rhimage /mnt/boot /mnt/ /proc You may safely reboot your system 3. Only thing found on VT's was on <ALT><F4>: long series of messages of the form: <4>EXT2-fs warning (device 03:05): ext2_unlink: Deleting nonexistent file (198661), 0 ********************************************************* * Second Attempt: Straight Install * ********************************************************* 1. First stage went well. Kept existing partitions, assigned mount points, Got message "Corrupt Partition Table". Initialized, used linux fdisk to repartition /dev/hda. No problems on repartition. Write out table, then select "Done". Promptly get message (again): Bad Partition Table The partition table on device hda is corrupted. To create new partitions it must be initialized, causing the loss of ALL DATA on this drive. I went through the cycle several times. Interesting that selecting the "Initialize" option dumps you into Disk Druid, even though you arn't using it. I assume that the install process is somehow patching you into the Disk Druid process, or only has a fork back into that routine? <ALT><F3>: Cyclic repetition of the following set of messages: * no scsi devices are available * No Compaq Smart Array controllers available: No such file or directory * running fdisk on /tmp/hda * /proc/scsi/scsi: Attached devices: none * no scsi devices are aviailable * No Compaq Smart Array controllers available: No such file or directory ... <ALT><F4> displays: <4>Partition check: <4> hda: hda1 hda2 <hda5 hda6> <RAMDISK: Compressed image found at block 0 <4>VFS: Mounted root (ext2 filesystem) <6>install uses obsolete /proc/pci interface <7>ISO 9660 Extensions: Microsoft Joliet Level 3 <7>ISO 9660 Extensions: RRIP_1991A <4> hda:Dev 03:00 Sun disklabel: bad magic 0000 <4> unknown partition table <4> hda:Dev 03:00 Sun disklabel: bad magic 0000 <4> unknown partition table <4> hda:Dev 03:00 Sun disklabel: bad magic 0000 <4> unknown partition table <4> hda:Dev 03:00 Sun disklabel: bad magic 0000 <4> unknown partition table <4> hda:Dev 03:00 Sun disklabel: bad magic 0000 <4> unknown partition table <4> hda:Dev 03:00 Sun disklabel: bad magic 0000 <4> unknown partition table <4> hda:Dev 03:00 Sun disklabel: bad magic 0000 <4> unknown partition table <4> hda:Dev 03:00 Sun disklabel: bad magic 0000 <4> unknown partition table At this point I made one last attempt at a reboot with _NO_ optional devices of any sort in the system. I removed the pcmcia card on the thought that it might be contributing to the problems. Third Attempt: Straight Install * ********************************************************* 1. <ALT><F3> Displays: * welcome to the Red Hat install (first stage, version 6.0 built Mar 13 1999 15:23:45) * 65 keymaps are available * using keymap us * loaded 9 keymap tables * pcmcia probe returned: i82365 * pcmcia pcic type: i82365 * using device hdc * mounting hdc on /tmp/rhimage as type iso9660 * creating directory /tmp/rhimage rc = 0 * calling mount(/tmp/hdc, /tmp/rhimage, iso9660, -1058209791, (nil)) * removing device file /tmp/hdc * done here * method selection completed * state saved to /tmp * second stage install running (version 6.0 build Mar 13 1999 15:24:04) * extra log messages are inabled * reading /usr/lib/rpm/rpmrc * done 2. <ALT><F4> Displays: <4>OPTI621X: IDE controller on PCI bus 00 dev a0 <4>OPTI621X: not 100% native mode: will probe irqs later <4> ide0: BM-DMA at 0xffa0-0xffa7. BIOS settings: hda:pio, hdb:pio <4> ide0: BM-DMA at 0xffa8-0xffaf. BIOS settings: hda:pio, hdb:pio <4>hda: TOSHIBA MK2103MAV, ATA DISK drive <4>hdc: TOSHIBA CD-ROM drive, 128kB Cache <6>Uniform CDROM driver Revision: 2.52 <6>Floppy drive(s): fd0 is 1.44M <6>FDC 0 is a post-1991 82077 <4>md driver 0.36.6 MAX_MD_DEV=4, MAX_REAL=8 <4>scsi : 0 hosts <4>scsi : detected total. <4>Partitoin check: <4> hda:Dev 03:00 Sun disklabel: bad magic 0000 <4> unknown partition table <5>RAMDISK: Compressed image found at block 0 <4>VFS: Mounted root (ext2 filesystem). <6>install uses obsolete /proc/pci interface <7>ISO 9660 Extensions: Microsoft Joliet Level 3 <7>ISO 9660 Extensions: RRIP_1991A 3. After transcribing the above information, I returned to VT 1 and selected Install. I promptly got the same "Bad Partition Table" message, and the following items were added on <ALT><F3> & <ALT><F4>: <ALT><F3> Displays: * in loadDeviceDriver, ks = 0, typName = SCSI * pci probing for SCSI devices * pci probe found 0 SCSI devices * /proc/scsi/scsi: Attached devices: none * no scsi devices are available * No Compaq Smart Array controllers available: No such file or directory <ALT><F4> Displays: --- no additional information. --------------- System data from hw_diag on RH 5.2 --------------- Red Hat HW Discovery Version 0.30 - Survey -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------ Contents of /proc/cpuinfo ----------------------------------------------- processor : 0 cpu : 586 model : Pentium MMX vendor_id : GenuineIntel stepping : 3 fdiv_bug : no hlt_bug : no f00f_bug : yes fpu : yes fpu_exception : yes cpuid : yes wp : yes flags : fpu vme de pse tsc msr mce cx8 mmx bogomips : 332.60 ------ Contents of /proc/version ----------------------------------------------- Linux version 2.0.36 (root.com) (gcc version 2.7.2.3) #1 Tue Oct 13 22:17:11 EDT 1998 ------ Contents of /etc/redhat-release ----------------------------------------- Red Hat Linux release 5.2 (Apollo) ------ Contents of /etc/printcap --------------------------------------------- # # Please don't edit this file directly unless you know what you are doing! # Be warned that the control-panel printtool requires a very strict format! # Look at the printcap(5) man page for more info. # # This file can be edited with the printtool in the control-panel. ##PRINTTOOL3## LOCAL bj10e 360x360 letter {} CanonBJ10e Default {} lp:\ :sd=/var/spool/lpd/lp:\ :mx#0:\ :sh:\ :lp=/dev/lp1:\ :if=/var/spool/lpd/lp/filter: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Summary of device probe results: /dev/ttyS0 SERIAL FAILED No info available for this port. /dev/ttyS1 SERIAL <Port does not exist> /dev/ttyS2 SERIAL <Port does not exist> /dev/ttyS3 SERIAL <Port does not exist> /dev/lp0 PARALLEL <Port does not exist> /dev/lp1 PARALLEL FAILED No info available for this port. /dev/lp2 PARALLEL <Port does not exist> /dev/psaux PSAUX PS/2 AUX de PS/2 Mouse/MOUSE/ /dev/hda IDE IDE device IBM-DPLA-25120/HARD DRIVE/ /dev/hdb IDE FAILED No info available for this port. /dev/hdc IDE IDE device TOSHIBA CD-ROM XM-1602B/CDROM/ /dev/hdd IDE FAILED No info available for this port. /dev/hde IDE FAILED No info available for this port. /dev/hdf IDE FAILED No info available for this port. /dev/hdg IDE FAILED No info available for this port. /dev/hdh IDE FAILED No info available for this port. PCI0:20:0 PCI PCI device OPTi 82C825 Firebridge 2 (rev 18) PCI0:10:1 PCI PCI device Texas Instruments PCI1131 (rev 1) PCI0:10:0 PCI PCI device Texas Instruments PCI1131 (rev 1) PCI0:9:0 PCI PCI device VIA Technologies VT 82C586 Apollo PCI0:4:0 PCI PCI device OPTi 82C814 Firebridge 1 (rev 0). PCI0:2:0 PCI PCI device Chips & Technologies 65554 (rev 1 PCI0:1:0 PCI PCI device OPTi 82C700 (rev 32)./ISA bridge/ PCI0:0:0 PCI PCI device OPTi 82C701 FireStar Plus (rev 32 SCSI0:0:5:0 SCSI SCSI device IOMEGA/ZIP 100/Direct-Access/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Detailed probe results: ---- Devprobe structure for device /dev/psaux ---- PROBE_INFO : value = 0x40 [PS/2 AUX device] LINUX DEVICE : "/dev/psaux" BUS : "PSAUX" MODEL : "PS/2 Mouse" CLASS : "MOUSE" PROBE RESULT : "SUCCEED" ---------- End of Devprobe structure ------------- ---- Devprobe structure for device /dev/hda ---- PROBE_INFO : value = 0x20 [IDE device] BUS : "IDE" LINUX DEVICE : "/dev/hda" BUS : "IDE" MODEL : "IBM-DPLA-25120" GEOMETRY : "623 cyl, 255 heads, 63 sectors" CLASS : "HARD DRIVE" PROBE RESULT : "SUCCEED" ---------- End of Devprobe structure ------------- ---- Devprobe structure for device /dev/hda ---- PROBE_INFO : value = 0x20 [IDE device] BUS : "IDE" LINUX DEVICE : "/dev/hda" BUS : "IDE" MODEL : "IBM-DPLA-25120" GEOMETRY : "623 cyl, 255 heads, 63 sectors" CLASS : "HARD DRIVE" PROBE RESULT : "SUCCEED" ---------- End of Devprobe structure ------------- ---- Devprobe structure for device /dev/hdc ---- PROBE_INFO : value = 0x20 [IDE device] BUS : "IDE" LINUX DEVICE : "/dev/hdc" BUS : "IDE" MODEL : "TOSHIBA CD-ROM XM-1602B" CLASS : "CDROM" PROBE RESULT : "SUCCEED" ---------- End of Devprobe structure ------------- ---- Devprobe structure for device PCI0:20:0 ---- PROBE_INFO : value = 0x2 [PCI device] LINUX DEVICE : "PCI0:20:0" BUS : "PCI" CLASS : "IDE interface" MODEL : "OPTi 82C825 Firebridge 2 (rev 18)." PROBE RESULT : "SUCCEED" ---------- End of Devprobe structure ------------- ---- Devprobe structure for device PCI0:10:1 ---- PROBE_INFO : value = 0x2 [PCI device] LINUX DEVICE : "PCI0:10:1" BUS : "PCI" CLASS : "CardBus bridge" MODEL : "Texas Instruments PCI1131 (rev 1)." PROBE RESULT : "SUCCEED" ---------- End of Devprobe structure ------------- ---- Devprobe structure for device PCI0:10:0 ---- PROBE_INFO : value = 0x2 [PCI device] LINUX DEVICE : "PCI0:10:0" BUS : "PCI" CLASS : "CardBus bridge" MODEL : "Texas Instruments PCI1131 (rev 1)." PROBE RESULT : "SUCCEED" ---------- End of Devprobe structure ------------- ---- Devprobe structure for device PCI0:9:0 ---- PROBE_INFO : value = 0x2 [PCI device] LINUX DEVICE : "PCI0:9:0" BUS : "PCI" CLASS : "USB Controller" MODEL : "VIA Technologies VT 82C586 Apollo USB (rev 4)." PROBE RESULT : "SUCCEED" ---------- End of Devprobe structure ------------- ---- Devprobe structure for device PCI0:4:0 ---- PROBE_INFO : value = 0x2 [PCI device] LINUX DEVICE : "PCI0:4:0" BUS : "PCI" CLASS : "CardBus bridge" MODEL : "OPTi 82C814 Firebridge 1 (rev 0)." PROBE RESULT : "SUCCEED" ---------- End of Devprobe structure ------------- ---- Devprobe structure for device PCI0:2:0 ---- PROBE_INFO : value = 0x2 [PCI device] LINUX DEVICE : "PCI0:2:0" BUS : "PCI" CLASS : "VGA compatible controller" MODEL : "Chips & Technologies 65554 (rev 194)." PROBE RESULT : "SUCCEED" USER COMMENT : "Maximus PowerMax Laptop 12.1" SVGA" ---------- End of Devprobe structure ------------- ---- Devprobe structure for device PCI0:1:0 ---- PROBE_INFO : value = 0x2 [PCI device] LINUX DEVICE : "PCI0:1:0" BUS : "PCI" CLASS : "ISA bridge" MODEL : "OPTi 82C700 (rev 32)." PROBE RESULT : "SUCCEED" ---------- End of Devprobe structure ------------- ---- Devprobe structure for device PCI0:0:0 ---- PROBE_INFO : value = 0x2 [PCI device] LINUX DEVICE : "PCI0:0:0" BUS : "PCI" CLASS : "Host bridge" MODEL : "OPTi 82C701 FireStar Plus (rev 32)." PROBE RESULT : "SUCCEED" ---------- End of Devprobe structure ------------- ---- Devprobe structure for device SCSI0:0:5:0 ---- PROBE_INFO : value = 0x10 [SCSI device] LINUX DEVICE : "SCSI0:0:5:0" BUS : "SCSI" MANUFACTURER : "IOMEGA" MODEL : "ZIP 100" MODEL REV : "J.02" SCSI REV : "02" CLASS : "Direct-Access" PROBE RESULT : "SUCCEED" ---------- End of Devprobe structure ------------- --------- END OF HW DISCOVERY SURVEY--------------------------------------------
Have you had a chance to try out a later beta release yet on your laptop?
Beta 5.9.7 fixed this.