Registered: Mar 2005
Distribution: SuSE, Gentoo, many others :)
Posts: 5
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Would you recommend the product? yes | Price you paid?: $650.00 | Rating: 1
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Kernel (uname -r):
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2.6.10-EL (Red Hat EL 4)
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Distribution:
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RedHat Enterprise Linux 4 - ES
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If someone encounter this product in its "Linux way" (:p) please send me an e-mail that tells me HOW did he/she make it work with Linux Kernel!
Preface: The two disks attached at this controller are NOT configured in any RAID array, but simply "JBOD".
I will tell you a story: I have to configure NOT a special, but a SIMPLE server (mail and FAX server) based on Hewlett-Packard Server HP ProLiant ML 110 (Not G2!); on this BEAUTIFUL hardware there are 2 (two) SATA Maxtor disks (I don't remember at this time the EXACT model number and I'll explain later WHY) each other with a storage capacity of 160Gb, closed in a special bay (cage) and attached at the FABOULOUS Promise FastTrack S150 SX4 controller. Well, if someone looks at the HP Website found a simple "OS Matrix" which explains that the "RedHat EL 3" or "RedHat EL 4" are FULLY COMPATIBLE with this server. Of course, if you look at the other website, redhat.com, you'll find that ONLY the update 3 of RH-EL 3 or the RH-EL 4 could support this FANTASTIC Controller. At the end, checking the Promise website, you all will find that there are "official" (and closed) drivers only for RH-EL 2.1.
Who's right, now?
I don't know. But, at this point, after checking this three websites and before starting install RedHat EL 4 - ES on this MEGA-ULTRA-POWERED server, I said myself: "well, this hardware works with Linux, at all". But before.... another "paranoia" control: I checked the linux-2.6.10 source code (vanilla) and I found that this INCREDIBLE controller was supported. I was sure, so, that this PHANTOMATIC controller shouldn't give me any problem.
First, I launched the Red Hat EL 4 first boot CD in order to install. At the hardware checking time, a small text-frame informs me that he's "loading sata_sx4 driver...". But.... only this! The machine stops, I think it crash!
Well, i thought........ maybe a problem with RedHat-modified Linux Kernel. I tried another "trick": I installed a NORMAL IDE disk (20Gb) and I installed the distro here (very small installation........ 3 Gb of JUNK!!!!) and I downloaded, compiled and installed the "vanilla" kernel (from kernel.org), compiling in "native mode" the Promise Controller drivers.
It works...... sometimes! Because, every boot it's only a "fortune game"!!!! Each time Linux (2.6.10) boots, it spends 30 (and more) seconds trying to find the "SCSI" disks attached at the controller, and IF the "libata2: DMA timeout error" doesn't happen here, it happens later.... during the "init" or after the login, or.......... each time he likes!
Well, at this time I said myself: "Let's change!", and i tried with an "old" Gentoo 2004.2 . It seemed to work: At the LiveCD boot the controller works fine, I think due to the old 2.4.x architeture, but after compiling and installing it on the "SCSI" disks, at the first boot he "crashes" after trying to mount the root partition. Restarting with the LiveCD......... and, another time, the "libata: DMA timeout" error!!
I go crazy: sometimes works, some other don't!
I tried another way: I told to RedHat boot CD to "noprobe" the haware and I loaded MANUALLY the module. Same results as above.... don't work!
Finally... why, at this time, I can't tell you the Hard Disk model? Because.... at this time, I'm installing the Red Hat ES 4. trying to use the "generic" "sata_promise" driver and, after, loading the "sata_sx4" driver. It seems to work, but I'll post some other reviews in order to inform about this trouble.
See you another time! :)
Rob
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