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aic79xxx - kernel panic

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element
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aic79xxx - kernel panic

Wed Sep 24, 2003 2:49 pm

Ok, where to start?

As some of you probably remember from a previous post, I had Libranet installed, but since I have an Adaptec 320U adapter which uses the aic79xxx module and Libranet doesn't have this one in the installer I was screwed. So I thought.
I had this clever idea of connecting my harddrive to an older SCSI adapter which needs the aic7xxx module and Libranet supports. So, I went my merry way and installed everything. I even upgraded my Libranet install to a standard Debian unstable with Gnome 2.4 and compiled kernel 2.4.22 with the aic79xxx module. Some problems along the way, but nothing really serious.

I have almost everything I want it the way it want it to be. So I thought, I have the module working, time to switch the harddives to my new Adaptec controller.
Here comes the problem: when I connect my drives to the controller I get a kernel panic. Even before the aic79xxx module loads, only the aic7xxx module loads. When I connect the drives to my old adapter again, no problems, both SCSI modules load.

Any idea what could be wrong? Do I have to work in steps? I have 3 drives :)
"I think computer viruses should count as life. I think it says something about human nature that the only form of life we have created so far is purely destructive. We've created life in our own image." -- Stephen Hawking
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element
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Wed Sep 24, 2003 4:03 pm

The error message I get:
mount: /dev2/root2 is not a valid block device
umount: devfs: not mounted
pivot_root: No such file or directory
/sbin/init: 217: cannot open dev/console: No such file
Kernel panic: Attempted to kill init!


Any ideas what can cause this?
"I think computer viruses should count as life. I think it says something about human nature that the only form of life we have created so far is purely destructive. We've created life in our own image." -- Stephen Hawking
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Despite
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Thu Sep 25, 2003 7:46 am

what the heck is /dev2? anyway, what happens when you leave the drives on the old controller but stick the new controller in the machine? do you have another hard drive you might put on the new controller, to verify that your current kernel can handle it, and use a filesystem on that drive?
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element
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Thu Sep 25, 2003 8:57 am

Both adapters are in my computer, I just change the scsi cable from 1 adapter to the other to test it.
I've also notices the aic7xxx module loads first and then almost the last thing linux loads is the aic79xxx module.

Is it possible to reverse loading order of modules or let a module load first and then the others?
"I think computer viruses should count as life. I think it says something about human nature that the only form of life we have created so far is purely destructive. We've created life in our own image." -- Stephen Hawking
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Despite
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Thu Sep 25, 2003 10:11 am

well, I don't have a clue about this /dev2 stuff, but I'm guessing that in switching the cable to the new controller, you're invalidating the path to where stuff is, and that's why you're getting this: mount: /dev2/root2 is not a valid block device


as for specifying an order for modules to load- yeah, you can do that. consult the man page for modules.conf, and pay special attention to the probeall directive. that's one of the ways it might be done, though as with most things unix there's more than one way to skin this cat.
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element
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Thu Sep 25, 2003 1:01 pm

SCSI 0 is my aic7xxx module
SCSI 1 is the emulation for IDE/ATAPI drives
SCSI 2 is emulation for USB storage devices
SCSI 3 aic79xxx module
SCSI 4 aic79xxx module

But what you're saying? I'm screwed? I mean I can't change it. Booting of a floppy and changing paths or modules won't help?
"I think computer viruses should count as life. I think it says something about human nature that the only form of life we have created so far is purely destructive. We've created life in our own image." -- Stephen Hawking
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element
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Thu Sep 25, 2003 1:05 pm

I hate man pages:
[add] probe name module_list

[add] probeall name module_list
These directives can only be used when name is the name of the
module requested on the command line of modprobe. The effect is
that when a request for name is made, the modules in module_list
will be tried, in the specified order. The difference between
the directives is that probe will continue until the first
successful module insertion, while probeall will continue until
the end of the list. The exit status reflects whether any
module has been successfully installed or not. The optional add
prefix adds the new list to the previous list instead of
replacing it.


Do you know what this means?

My modules.conf contains:
alias libranet-SCSI-0 aic7xxx
alias libranet-SCSI-1 aic79xx
alias libranet-SCSI-2 aic79xx
"I think computer viruses should count as life. I think it says something about human nature that the only form of life we have created so far is purely destructive. We've created life in our own image." -- Stephen Hawking
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element
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Thu Sep 25, 2003 2:02 pm

Why wouldn't it not recognize the paths?
Nothing has changed the except that I use a different SCSI adapter, all drives are still connected to the same chain.
And since Linux can boot of the drive, otherwise it wouldn't load other modules before it attempts to boot up. So, the problem must be something else.

What if I would compile the module in the kernel, instead of a separate module?
"I think computer viruses should count as life. I think it says something about human nature that the only form of life we have created so far is purely destructive. We've created life in our own image." -- Stephen Hawking
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Despite
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Thu Sep 25, 2003 2:18 pm

"What if I would compile the module in the kernel, instead of a separate module?"
yep, that's one of those other ways to skin the cat that I was thinking of.

"SCSI 0 is my aic7xxx module
SCSI 1 is the emulation for IDE/ATAPI drives
SCSI 2 is emulation for USB storage devices
SCSI 3 aic79xxx module
SCSI 4 aic79xxx module"

I honestly don't have any idea what that means. does that have something to do with devfs? you are using devfs, aren't you?

hey, can you post your fstab? and what are you using for a bootloader? and can you post its configuration file as well?
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element
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Fri Sep 26, 2003 6:11 am

I quick search on Google told me it has to do with devfs or initrd.
When I compiled the 2.4.22 kernel I didn't have an initrd image, so I had to boot with the older kernel and make an initrd image.
I did so by typing: mkinird initrd-2.4.22.img /usr/lib/modules-2.4.22
I rebooted and it worked.
I also don't have devfs installed, at least, not that I know off, I compiled the kernel with a previous (older) .config file.

Maybe I should recompile with devfs?

Some similar errors I found:
http://www.mail-archive.com/debian-user ... 57131.html
http://www.mail-archive.com/debian-user ... 50961.html

I'm using Grub and initrd version 1.52

I'l post my config files later, I'm not at my computer now.
"I think computer viruses should count as life. I think it says something about human nature that the only form of life we have created so far is purely destructive. We've created life in our own image." -- Stephen Hawking
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element
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Fri Sep 26, 2003 7:18 pm

My fstab:
# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# <device> <mount point> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>
/dev/sdc1 / reiserfs defaults 0 1
/dev/sdc2 none swap sw 0 0
/dev/sdc3 /home ext3 defaults,errors=remount-ro 0 2
/dev/sda1 /windows ntfs defaults,ro,gid=windows,umask=002 0 0
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
/dev/fd0 /floppy vfat,auto defaults,user,noauto 0 0
usbfs /proc/bus/usb usbfs rw,devmode=0660,devgid=432 0 0


My menu.lst:
# /boot/grub/menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)
# -------------------- grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),
# grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub
# and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.

## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.
default 0

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout 5

# Pretty colours
color cyan/blue white/blue

# Display a splashscreen
splashimage (hd2,0)/boot/splash.xpm.gz
foreground bbbbbb
background 000000

## ## End Default Options ##

title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.4.22 Default
root (hd2,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sdc1 ro
initrd /boot/initrd-2.4.22
savedefault
boot

title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.4.22 Default (single user mode)
root (hd2,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/sdc1 ro single
savedefault
boot

title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.4.22
root (hd2,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.22 root=/dev/sdc1 ro
initrd /boot/initrd-2.4.22
savedefault
boot

title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.4.22 (single user mode)
root (hd2,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.22 root=/dev/sdc1 ro single
savedefault
boot

title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.4.20
root (hd2,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.20 root=/dev/sdc1 ro
initrd /boot/initrd-2.4.20
savedefault
boot

title Debian GNU/Linux, kernel 2.4.20 (single user mode)
root (hd2,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.4.20 root=/dev/sdc1 ro single
initrd /boot/initrd-2.4.20
savedefault
boot

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

title Windows on /dev/sda1
rootnoverify (hd0,0)
makeactive
chainloader +1
"I think computer viruses should count as life. I think it says something about human nature that the only form of life we have created so far is purely destructive. We've created life in our own image." -- Stephen Hawking
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Despite
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Tue Sep 30, 2003 7:22 am

well, I'm stumped. hey, is /dev2/root2 a symlink, or is it itself the target of a symlink?
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element
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Sat Oct 04, 2003 11:29 am

Found the problem and found a solution: Just had to make a new initrd image and problem was solved. Go figure.
"I think computer viruses should count as life. I think it says something about human nature that the only form of life we have created so far is purely destructive. We've created life in our own image." -- Stephen Hawking
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