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dtjohnst
Apprentice
Joined: 23 Apr 2006
Posts: 178
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 Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2008 2:28 am Post subject: nVidia 750a SLI won't boot |
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I recently got a new motherboard and I'm having a heck of a time getting it to boot. I posted an original plea for help in the Unsupported section because I initally thought it was probably related to switching RAID controllers. Since I've now tested with RAID disabled running the drives as normal, standalone drives and the problem persists, this seems like a more appropriate place to post for help.
The motherboard uses the nvidia nforce 750a SLI chipset. I have 4 SATA hard drives, 1 SATA DVD drive and 2 IDE hard drives. Right now, the PATA controller is disabled in BIOS because I can't get the SATA to work and I'm trying to narrow it down. The drive mode in BIOS can be set to SATA, RAID or AHCI. I have tried using all 3 with the same results.
I believe the reason is related to my kernel configuration. I say this because my Gentoo LiveCD (the 2008.0 minimal/install CD) boots perfectly fine, and by using the dodmraid and dolvm kernel options the devices are recognized and mapped on boot. With my kernel and initrd, I get the following messages at boot:
| Code: | ata1: SATA link up 3.0 Gbps (SStatus 123 SControl 300)
ata1.00: qx timeout (cmd 0xec)
ata1.00: failed to IDENTIFY (I/O error, err_mask=0x4)
ata1: failed to recover some devices retrying in 5 secs |
It will repeat that 3 times with about a 30 second pause after brining the link up, before finally ending with
| Code: | | ata1: SATA link up 3.0 Gbps (SStatus 123 SControl 300) |
It them moves on to ata2 and does the same thing: bring the link up, timeout, fail to IDENTIFY, fail to recover, retry 3 times, bring the link up. This repeats for ata3, ata5 and ata6. The only exception is that ata3 is only 1.5 Gbps as ata3 is my DVD drive. The boot then continue. If the devices are set for RAID in the BIOS, the bootup sequence ends in:
| Code: | >> Activating Device-Mapper RAID(s)
No RAID disks
>> Scanning for Volume Groups
Reading all physical volumes. This may take a while...
>> Activating Volume Groups
>>Determining root device...
!! Block device /dev/mapper/vg-root is not a valid root device...
!! Count not find the root block device in . |
If I have them set for SATA or AHCI in BIOS and don't use an initrd (I installed a non-raid, non-lvm setup on a different drive for testing), the result is:
| Code: | VFS: Cannot open root device "<NULL>" or unknown-block(253,8)
Please append a corrent "root=" boot option; here are the available partitions:
Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(253,8) |
in RAID mode, lspci lists a RAID controller only, no SATA controller. There are a number of unknown PCI bridges though, I can get those details if anyone thinks they're important, but this is the lspci -vvv output for the RAID controller:
| Code: | 00:09.0 RAID bus controller: nVidia Corporation Device 0ad8 (rev a2)
Subsystem: nVidia Corporation Device cb84
Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- Stepping- SERR+ FastB2B- DisINTx-
Status: Cap+ 66MHz+ UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=fast >TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR- INTx-
Latency: 0 (750ns min, 250ns max)
Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 23
Region 0: I/O ports at c080 [size=8]
Region 1: I/O ports at c000 [size=4]
Region 2: I/O ports at bc00 [size=8]
Region 3: I/O ports at b880 [size=4]
Region 4: I/O ports at b800 [size=16]
Region 5: Memory at f9f76000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=8K]
Capabilities: [44] Power Management version 2
Flags: PMEClk- DSI- D1- D2- AuxCurrent=0mA PME(D0-,D1-,D2-,D3hot-,D3cold-)
Status: D0 PME-Enable- DSel=0 DScale=0 PME-
Capabilities: [8c] SATA HBA <?>
Capabilities: [b0] Message Signalled Interrupts: Mask- 64bit+ Queue=0/3 Enable-
Address: 0000000000000000 Data: 0000 |
In AHCI or SATA mode, the output is the same except for the very first line which reads:
| Code: | | 00:09.0 SATA controller: nVidia Corporation Unknown device 0584 (rev a2) (prog-if 01 [AHCI 1.0]) |
I've tried various kernel configurations using the AHCI driver with the same result. I have tried disabling AHCI in kernel config and using sata_nv, but that fails to work as well.
I've tried compiling all the SATA drivers as modules and booting that way. In this case, everything works fine until "scanning AHCI..." where it hangs. Booting the LiveCD there's a noticeable 2-3 pause at this point, but then booting continues. In my case, it hangs for a long time and eventually ends in "No raid disks" again.
Because the LiveCD boots, I'm convinced the hardware is compatible with linux. Because my fails, I'm convinced I've made an error in my kernel configuration. I've tried various permutations of settings. I've also tried booting with ACPI=off, noapic, irqpoll and various combinations of these as boot options without success. I could try other boot options, but I do not pass them to the LiveCD so I believe they should not be required.
The SCSI transports section of my .config is as follows, I can post it in it's entirety if that will help.
| Code: | CONFIG_SCSI_SPI_ATTRS=y
CONFIG_SCSI_FC_ATTRS=y
# CONFIG_SCSI_ISCSI_ATTRS is not set
CONFIG_SCSI_SAS_ATTRS=y
CONFIG_SCSI_SAS_LIBSAS=y
# CONFIG_SCSI_SAS_ATA is not set
CONFIG_SCSI_SAS_HOST_SMP=y
CONFIG_SCSI_SAS_LIBSAS_DEBUG=y
# CONFIG_SCSI_SRP_ATTRS is not set
CONFIG_SCSI_LOWLEVEL=y
# CONFIG_ISCSI_TCP is not set
# CONFIG_BLK_DEV_3W_XXXX_RAID is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_3W_9XXX is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_ACARD is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_AACRAID is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_AIC7XXX is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_AIC7XXX_OLD is not set
CONFIG_SCSI_AIC79XX=y
CONFIG_AIC79XX_CMDS_PER_DEVICE=32
CONFIG_AIC79XX_RESET_DELAY_MS=4000
# CONFIG_AIC79XX_DEBUG_ENABLE is not set
CONFIG_AIC79XX_DEBUG_MASK=0
# CONFIG_AIC79XX_REG_PRETTY_PRINT is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_AIC94XX is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_DPT_I2O is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_ADVANSYS is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_ARCMSR is not set
# CONFIG_MEGARAID_NEWGEN is not set
# CONFIG_MEGARAID_LEGACY is not set
# CONFIG_MEGARAID_SAS is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_HPTIOP is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_BUSLOGIC is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_DMX3191D is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_EATA is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_FUTURE_DOMAIN is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_GDTH is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_IPS is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_INITIO is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_INIA100 is not set
CONFIG_SCSI_MVSAS=y
# CONFIG_SCSI_STEX is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_SYM53C8XX_2 is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_IPR is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_QLOGIC_1280 is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_QLA_FC is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_QLA_ISCSI is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_LPFC is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_DC395x is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_DC390T is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_DEBUG is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_SRP is not set
CONFIG_ATA=y
# CONFIG_ATA_NONSTANDARD is not set
# CONFIG_SATA_PMP is not set
CONFIG_SATA_AHCI=y
# CONFIG_SATA_SIL24 is not set
CONFIG_ATA_SFF=y
# CONFIG_SATA_SVW is not set
# CONFIG_ATA_PIIX is not set
# CONFIG_SATA_MV is not set
CONFIG_SATA_NV=y
# CONFIG_PDC_ADMA is not set
# CONFIG_SATA_QSTOR is not set
# CONFIG_SATA_PROMISE is not set
# CONFIG_SATA_SX4 is not set
# CONFIG_SATA_SIL is not set
# CONFIG_SATA_SIS is not set
# CONFIG_SATA_ULI is not set
# CONFIG_SATA_VIA is not set
# CONFIG_SATA_VITESSE is not set
# CONFIG_SATA_INIC162X is not set
# CONFIG_PATA_ALI is not set
CONFIG_PATA_AMD=y
# CONFIG_PATA_ARTOP is not set
# CONFIG_PATA_ATIIXP is not set
# CONFIG_PATA_CMD640_PCI is not set
# CONFIG_PATA_CMD64X is not set
# CONFIG_PATA_CS5520 is not set
# CONFIG_PATA_CS5530 is not set
# CONFIG_PATA_CYPRESS is not set
# CONFIG_PATA_EFAR is not set
# CONFIG_ATA_GENERIC is not set
# CONFIG_PATA_HPT366 is not set
# CONFIG_PATA_HPT37X is not set
# CONFIG_PATA_HPT3X2N is not set
# CONFIG_PATA_HPT3X3 is not set
# CONFIG_PATA_IT821X is not set
# CONFIG_PATA_IT8213 is not set
# CONFIG_PATA_JMICRON is not set
# CONFIG_PATA_TRIFLEX is not set
# CONFIG_PATA_MARVELL is not set
# CONFIG_PATA_MPIIX is not set
# CONFIG_PATA_OLDPIIX is not set
# CONFIG_PATA_NETCELL is not set
# CONFIG_PATA_NINJA32 is not set
# CONFIG_PATA_NS87410 is not set
# CONFIG_PATA_NS87415 is not set
# CONFIG_PATA_OPTI is not set
# CONFIG_PATA_OPTIDMA is not set
# CONFIG_PATA_PDC_OLD is not set
# CONFIG_PATA_RADISYS is not set
# CONFIG_PATA_RZ1000 is not set
# CONFIG_PATA_SC1200 is not set
# CONFIG_PATA_SERVERWORKS is not set
# CONFIG_PATA_PDC2027X is not set
# CONFIG_PATA_SIL680 is not set
# CONFIG_PATA_SIS is not set
# CONFIG_PATA_VIA is not set
# CONFIG_PATA_WINBOND is not set
# CONFIG_PATA_SCH is not set
CONFIG_MD=y
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_MD=y
# CONFIG_MD_LINEAR is not set
CONFIG_MD_RAID0=y
CONFIG_MD_RAID1=y
# CONFIG_MD_RAID10 is not set
# CONFIG_MD_RAID456 is not set
# CONFIG_MD_MULTIPATH is not set
# CONFIG_MD_FAULTY is not set
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_DM=y
# CONFIG_DM_DEBUG is not set
# CONFIG_DM_CRYPT is not set
# CONFIG_DM_SNAPSHOT is not set
CONFIG_DM_MIRROR=y
CONFIG_DM_ZERO=y
# CONFIG_DM_MULTIPATH is not set
# CONFIG_DM_DELAY is not set
# CONFIG_DM_UEVENT is not set
# CONFIG_BLK_DEV_DM_BBR is not set
# CONFIG_FUSION is not set |
Thanks in advance, I appreciate any help anyone can provide. |
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gentoo_ram
Guru
Joined: 25 Oct 2007
Posts: 513
Location: San Diego, California USA
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| Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2008 10:44 pm Post subject: |
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The lspci output says the device uses Message Signalled Interrupts. Do you have support for that compiled into the kernel? That should be in the PCI section, I believe. Alternatively, you can try booting without that support to see if the issue goes away. Try the kernel option 'pci=nomsi' and see if that helps anything.
I'm using an NVidia 780i chipset and use the sata_nv driver, I believe. I have another motherboard with a different NVidia chipset that uses MSI. On that motherboard, I use the AHCI driver.
| Code: |
00:09.0 SATA controller: nVidia Corporation MCP78S [GeForce 8200] AHCI Controller (rev a2) (prog-if 01 [AHCI 1.0])
Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device 82f2
Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 381
I/O ports at c480 [size=8]
I/O ports at c400 [size=4]
I/O ports at c080 [size=8]
I/O ports at c000 [size=4]
I/O ports at bc00 [size=16]
Memory at fce76000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=8K]
Capabilities: [44] Power Management version 2
Capabilities: [8c] SATA HBA <?>
Capabilities: [b0] Message Signalled Interrupts: Mask- 64bit+ Queue=0/3 Enable+
Capabilities: [ec] HyperTransport: MSI Mapping Enable+ Fixed+
Kernel driver in use: ahci
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I'm not sure which of these two systems is more like your chipset. |
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DONAHUE
Watchman
Joined: 09 Dec 2006
Posts: 7651
Location: Goose Creek SC
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| Posted: Wed Dec 24, 2008 11:09 pm Post subject: |
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boot cd; then run:
my favorite
copy the return and paste at:
http://kmuto.jp/debian/hcl/
pappy's kernel seeds favorite
least favorite, least info
each of these will give lists of what the cd system configuration is that works. Reconfigure and recompile the kernel to match. The only sb600/sb700/sb750 trouble I've heard of was with usb and is reported fixed. |
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bunder
Bodhisattva
Joined: 10 Apr 2004
Posts: 5947
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| Posted: Thu Dec 25, 2008 2:01 am Post subject: |
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could it be that your drives are sata and the bus is looking for sata2?
_________________
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banned from #gentoo since sept 2017 |
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dtjohnst
Apprentice
Joined: 23 Apr 2006
Posts: 178
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| Posted: Fri Dec 26, 2008 3:56 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for the replies guys. The drives are in fact SATA2, so that wasn't the issue. Having said that, I never would have considered it myself, so thanks for being sure to check the obvious. I pasted my lspci-n output into the hcl link, but it proved to not know what drivers I should use either. Again though, I appreciate the link. I can see where that will come in handy. MSI and MSI-X are both compiled into my kernel.
I was about the lose hope but I learned long ago not to skip any step someone suggests, no matter how small. pci=nomsi worked like a charm. Yippee. Should I struggle to try and get MSI working or......is it not worth it? I just read a little bit about it, enough to know it's over my head at this point. |
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