Suse x86_64 install via ftp
 

Need help from all the wonderful Linux people.
Troubles with install of Suse x86_64 install via ftp and Burning iso Mandrake x86_64.
(Specs)...Hardware ASUS SK8N motherboard AMD 64 FX-51 Corsair Ram only 512 ran short on funds. I have successfully installed WinXP it works fine. I’m sure I am missing something simple but it is troubling nonetheless

1) Trying the install via ftp for Suse x86_64 using the boot CD I made (which I have tried several from several different sites) the install fails during loading at the hardware detection phase with either a "searching for infofile......" or a ">misc.1.3:read floppy" and that is where it hangs?
So I tried the boot cd for the most recent Suse, which works fine for all other version, and it will get me as far as loading into ramdisk and it hangs.
I have even gone as far as downloading all 5 gigs off the ftp site and tried to install via hardisk from boot cd but to no good. I have visited the SuSE site and its only known issue was to address it with a "poll=idle" didnt seem to help.

2) Well inbetween downloads tried the Mandrake downloaded images which in the past have worked flawlessly but for some reason not able to get the new "MandrakeLinux-9.2rc1-CD1,2,3.amd64" to burn just flat out refuses cds are blank. I have tried four different downloads of these images, from four different sites, different kinds of discs, and even went back to an old version of Mandrake it worked fine. Is there something special about these images? I have a Roxio Easy Cd Creator, on WinXP.
Any advice would be wonderful at this point , been trying for three days and at my threshold, dont know what else to try?:
:confused: :confused:

Ah, yeah. If your going to use Suse, especially the new 9.0 Athlon 64 edition.

Buy it.

I'm all for getting something for free, and sure, its nice to download. But if your going, hey, this is new this is nice I want it. Just go spend the 119$ for it and not have any issues with getting a networked or hard drive install to work. At least that way if it still does hang you have a tech support number to call to fix it.

Copied this from newegg ASUS mobo review:

"Best FX51 Mobo out there.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

antkojm1,9/23/2003 11:24:31 AM

Don't get me wrong, this board is great, but two devices on board, the nvidia chipset with all the stuff on it, and the promise serial ata controller, are NOT COMPATIBLE with LINUX IN 64-BIT!

both nVidia and Promise don't provide full module source, both kernel modules "source" include a library .o file that is built for 32-bit, and WILL NOT WORK with a 64-bit kernel.

So, until both of them release full source, or someone else in the linux community writes a module, don't buy this board if you want to run 64-bit linux.

It's still fast in 32-bit mode though. "

Snakedriver

Caeda:
Thanks
I agree but untill I come up with the funds Im stuck with the free resources?

Snakedriver:
You sound like you have a clue to what this config is doing, thanks
I figured a couple of these issues out with the boot cd, ---

1) Disabled the USB legacy support on the bios- this allows the boot to continue for ftp download.
2) Installed pci card with Silicon Image SATA support suse seems to see it and load drivers.
with these two minor fixes have managed to get the download started actually completed , but half way through the install screen goes bonkers flickers with odd discoloration. Is this a symptom of NVIDIa?
The install actually finishes and goes to load KDE for the first time gets to the globe in the freezes, cant find a similiar issue out there any ideas???
I also have a NVIDIA GeForce 4 Ti 4200 on the board (AGP).
If I disable the Promise and the Nvidia chip through the Bios and just use the PCI and AGP cards is there any reason this board shouldn't work?
Is the screen flicker discoloring a problem with the x86-64 distro or has this card just gone belly up.... or have I just been sitting in front of the monitor to long and my brain is turning to mush?

My above quote was from newegg's mobo review for ASUS nforce3 pro 150 mobo for amd940 cpu -- SK8N. I too was thinking of a new desktop and suse-64bit, until I saw the above quote and verified it by searching google. I am led to believe that it will run on ASUS mobo for 756pin cpu if you diable SATA. I decided to wait a while, because, for the bucks I only want the better system, but I did download the suse-64 tree and burned it to dvd as I had so much luck with suse 9.0 pro install on my ze5385 laptop from HDD.
At least one has been sucessful re:suse-64 bit and Sk8N, go here:
http://www.osnews.com/story.php?news_id=5428&page=1
read all his pages then the responses, there's some good dope there.
Also search google for SK8N and suse AMD64. Found another success on the first page. Also found some discussion on video problem.
Havn't been to promise to look yet; but, do know that it took them a while to produce 64bit windows drivers for their sata controller.
If you are successful, please post back your results and I will take the dive.
Best wishes,
Snakedriver

copied this from mandrake:

"From: Jørgen Erik Assentoft
Subject: Re: [cooker-amd64] 64-bit Promise SATA RAID support
Date: 11 Dec 2003 16:24:49 -0000

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi,

I have the same problems with ASUS SK8N. I have written to Promise and the
only answer war 2004! I then asked them about source code so we could
write it by our selfe. On there web page it is possible to download source
code. http://www.promise.com/support/downl...wnload_eng.asp - choose
TX2000 , Driver and Other. It is called "Partial Linux Source Code"
However I will not be able to write this code to support 64-bits. As far
as I can see the Mandrake RC1 don't include source code??

I have changed the SATA drive to IDE drives instead and now it works fine.
So the only thing is onboard ethernet which don't work (mdk RC can not
fine it) and my ATI Excalibur RADION 9800 graphics board. I can only get
it to show 800 x 600 with the included RC1 driver!?


-----Original Message-----
From: "Tames McTigue" <tamesmctigue@hotmail.com>
To: <cooker-amd64@linux-mandrake.com>
Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2003 04:16:38 -0600
Subject: Re: [cooker-amd64] 64-bit Promise SATA RAID support

> Yes unfortunatly this is a large problem for me as well since it's what
> is
> built into my ASUS SK8N
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "The Fonz" <justanothernerd@comcast.net>
> To: <cooker-amd64@linux-mandrake.com>
> Sent: Thursday, December 11, 2003 4:14 AM
> Subject: [cooker-amd64] 64-bit Promise SATA RAID support
>
>
> > I tried to install RC1 on my new system (AMD 64 3200+, MSI K8T Neo,
> using
> > Promise 20378 SATA [RAID0] +120G ATA133), but the installation hangs
> after
> > trying to probe for hard drives. I was a bit disappointed that the
> > installation did not ignore my RAID drive and allow me to install on
> my
> > ATA133 drive instead... I have not yet tried an installation w/out
> probing.
> > Maybe I'll just wait for RAID support...
> >
> > For anybody else that is waiting for 64-bit support on Promise SATA
> RAID
> > devices, here's the response I received from Promise:
> >
> > Original messsage:
> > > Is there an ETA for 64-bit Linux driver support for the Promise
> 20378?
> My
> > > understanding is that there is presently a solution, but RAID is
> not yet
> > > supported.
> >
> > Reply from Promise:
> > > > At this moment it is planned for 2004, no further information is
> yet
> > > > available unfortunately."
I'll wait a while as my noobiness puts this beyond my current linux capabililty & I don't have time right now to learn. Maybe after taxes are done and filed. Also, maybe by that time Epox will have their Nforce3 board out -- I've had great success OC'n 8RDA+.
Will check around various forum to see if there is any real success -- here's hoping.
Best wishes,
snakedriver

Found this @ suse.portal.com:
Known Problems and Special Features in SUSE LINUX 9.0 for AMD64
Applies to: SUSE LINUX 9.0

SUSE LINUX AMD64 Version
A list of known problems and special features of the 64-bit SUSE LINUX version for AMD64 processors follows.

Boot or Installation Problems:
Symptom
Following the boot process, the kernel hangs. This happens either after loading the RTC (Real Time Clock) module or shortly after loading the floppy module.

Cause
A bug in the BIOS.

Solution
Use the following parameter to boot:

poll=idle

Symptom
The installation freezes while loading the USB module.

Cause
A bug in the BIOS.

Solution
Disable the "USB-Legacy Option" in the BIOS.

Note:
Some third-party kernel modules could not be included in the distribution, since they are not 64-bit clean.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
snakedriver

Thanks everyone for replay's/input seems overwhelming sometimes:
I did finally get SuSE AMD 64 downloaded via ftp...installed but still hangs during finally boot-into graphics mode run level 5) OS will run at in text mode I think which is runlevel 3) that has something to the GeForce 4 Ti 4400. I disabled the Promise on-board and installed a SIL silicon image which x86_64 works fine with saw all my drives, raid set....Brings the next question if PNY doesn't exchange my card only 6 months old which is now dead not sure what caused it....?
.... DOES anyone have any clues what the best Graphics card out there is which works with the ASUS SK8N board and x86_64/AMD 64 distro. Does ATI work better.
It seems like these brands have partnered up with one another? Promise doesn't work but SIL works great. Does ATI work like magic where as NVIDIA doesn't? perhaps I should be installing new thread..

Go here & read: http://www.linuxjournal.com/article.php?sid=7069: it's 6 months old but still applies. I have ati 9500 pro so was interested enough to see if it was x86-64 supported at the present; it was not. Ati site shows no 64bit linux drivers; as their drivers are propriatry, I'll have to wait. Stay with your NVIDIA GeForce 4 Ti 4200.
Go here & get needed PAIR of drivers: http://www.nvidia.co.uk/object//linu...md64_1.0-4499.
go here & perform various problem searches & I think you will succeed:
http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/foru...?s=&forumid=14
Snakedriver

Thanks appreciate the help, I will check out the links

Did you make any progress here?

I don't even have openGL working in my SuSe 9.0 SMP 64-bit version. :(

Stupid lack of supported drivers.

-- Inchoate

Inchoate
No luck so far with the GeForce 4, its out of commision and having hell of a time getting my card replaced, however did with the ATI 9600 se, at least I think it is working. Its funny everything seems to work auto in Mandrake but SuSE taking a little tweaking.

--tkg

Thanks for the respsone. I had almost given up.

Actually, I got the NVIDIA drive in and working last night. It just carps about tainting the kernels with its' closed-sourced-ness.

The NVidia splash screens shows up, and the module's used, so it's working. Honestly, aside from being able to use GL stuff now, I don't see any speed increase: apparently AGP is still off.

-- Inchoate

suse 9.0 x86-64 patchCD.iso
 

Found this today @ suse maillist

To: suse-amd
> Subject: [suse-amd64] [Announcement] Installable CD for 9.0/AMD64 ready
>
>
> I'm glad to announce that we have made a bootable CD with a new kernel
> that supports various SATA drivers. This should help everybody with
> an AMD64 system with SATA harddisks to install the 9.0/AMD64 DVD on
> such a system.
>
> We have done some tests on those systems that we have access and are
> finally happy with the results since all these systems are
> supported;-).
>
> The kernel contains some extra patches which were not in the
>
> I'll make also an optional kernel update via YOU available the next
> days for those that are interested in just the kernel.
>
> Download from a mirror of ftp.suse.com. The ISO is
> /pub/suse/x86_64/supplementary/9.0-PatchCD/9.0-PatchCD.iso
>
> The kernel RPMs are in a subdirectory on the server if you're just
> interested in those.
>
> If you encounter problems, please discuss it on this mailing list.
>
> Andreas
>
>
> P.S. Here're the release notes:
>
> This PatchCD contains the current 2.4.21 kernel with all security
> updates and especially updates to support SATA controllers. If you
> like to install on a new system with SATA harddisks, burn the ISO
> image on a CD and boot from it. The CD will ask for the 9.0/AMD64 DVD
> and continue with the installation with an updated kernel.
>
> For existing systems which do not require SATA use should use YOU to
> get the latest kernel instead if you require these bug fixes and
> enhancements.
>
> The kernel update contains:
> - support for VIA SATA controller
> - support for Promise SATA controllers 2037x, 20319, 20621
> - support for Silicon Image (SIL) SATA controllers 3112 and 3114
> - better support for Tyan S2885 AGP
> - the 32-bit Borland Kylix IDE and programs should work now
>
> Note that we do not have access to all those systems and do not
> guarantee that it works. Those that we have, have been tested briefly
> with success.
>
> Just a note about SATA disks: The 2.4 kernel names disks as /dev/hdx,
> the 2.6 kernel might name them /dev/sdx, so in case you update your
> system, be careful.
>
> Please report any problems to the mailing list suse-amd64@suse.com.
>
> Have a lot of fun!
>
> The SUSE Linux AMD64 team


Andreas

post back if this fixes your problems.
Snakedriver

SnakeDriver,

Thanks for the update.

I got the new kernel in -- and recompiled my NVIDIA driver for it, too -- but the SATA still isn't recognized. The docs implies that I'll need to reinstall using the new CD. That sucks. I'd rather not RE-install; additionally, I'm not sure why I need to reinstall if the kernel package I installed supports SATA.

dmesg still doesn't see any SATA, so I guess it's off for the moment:

The new kernel's in as shown here:
tree@quicksilver:~> uname -a
Linux quicksilver 2.4.21-193-smp #1 SMP Wed Jan 21 18:41:44 UTC 2004 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Thanks,

-- Inchoate