Subject: installation problems with Maxtor HD!
To: None <netbsd-bugs@sun-lamp.cs.berkeley.edu>
From: Bruno Majewski <bruno@nash.pubnix.qc.ca>
List: netbsd-bugs
Date: 01/06/1994 17:38:30
Greetings.

I have obtained a copy of NetBSD 0.9 some time ago and have spent 
the holiday season trying unsuccessfully to install it. For some 
reason I can't understand, the installation program will detect my
old Adaptec 1540B, but will not see my hard disk and streamer. 
I have looked, checked and re-checked all configurable values in my system
(SCSI ID, IRQ, DMA, DIP switches, etc.) and I can confirm that I am using 
all the factory defaults recommended by the installation notes. I have
successfully: 
   - run Adaptec diagnostic programs (to check the adapter's state,
     and to see what SCSI devices it was seeing (sp?));
   - run the 1540's on-board firmware (to format & verify the HD,
     and to verify the DMA);
   - installed and run MessyDog (just for a test, I swear!);
   - previously ran Interactive 2.x and 3.0 Un*x for more than a year
     and a half.
All these detected and used the Hard Disk and streamer; but NetBSD
does not!!! This does not make sense: why would everything else see
the SCSI peripherals and not the installer for NetBSD? Interactive's
Un*x and the 1540's firmware should be a good enough "acid test": if
there was to be a problem with the SCSI bus, it would have showed up 
earlier?!?

My configuration is as follows:
   * Generic 486DX clone (33 MHz, ISA + local bus, Opti chip set, 128K
     cache, 8 Mb RAM)
   * el-cheapo Hercules clone (with printer port on it) + mono screen
   * multi-io card (floppy, IDE, 2 serial, 1 parrallel (sp?), 1 game)
   * 1.2 + 1.44 floppy drives
   * AST 4 port serial cards (loaded with 16550s)
   * Adaptec 1540 rev. B SCSI controller
     SCSI ID=7, IRQ=11, DMA channel=5, no parity detection, etc.
   * Maxtor XT-8760SH SCSI disk (675Mb formatted, 16.5 access) 
     SCSI ID=0
   * Archive Viper 2525 SCSI streamer tape drive
     SCSI ID=1  (was at 4 for ISC Un*x)
   * Extended keyboard (for whatever it's worth...)
   * The SCSI chain is terminated at both peripheral; the 1540B is in
     the middle, as I don't have the terminating blocks anymore...
   * SCSI parity detection is deactivated on all SCSI nodes.

I have tried various settings, removed the streamer from the chain, messed 
with termination and SCSI parity, even trying another distribution of 
NetBSD, to no avail. There is only so much I can alter/modify, and I have 
run out of options and am getting frustrated... I would *really* like
to get NetBSD up and running. So, I would like to know:

#############################################################################
#                                                                           #
#  * Is NetBSD 0.9 _really_ compatible with the Adaptec 1540B SCSI adapter? #
#  * Do you know of any compatibility problem between the 1540B and the HD? #
#  * Do you see any blatant problem I'm not seeing because I've stared at   #
#    it too long? Am I forgetting to check something here?                  #
#  * BTW, what's the latest rev. of NetBSD? 0.99?                           #
#                                                                           #
#############################################################################


This is what happens when I boot from the installation disquettes:

   The loading and memory stats are displayed, and I am asked for the 
   `filesystem disquette'; then I see whatever hardware the software 
   detects. The following messages tell me the Adaptec is detected:
  
      aha0 @ 0x330-0x337 irq 11 drq 5 on isa
      aha0: bus speed 200ns

   BUT the hard disk + tape drive are not listed afterwards (as far as I 
   know, they should if they were detected and `automagically configured'). 
   I have noticed (from looking at _the_ LED on the adapter) that the 1540B 
   is probed for a 1-2 seconds after the two aforementioned lines are 
   displayed. The screen will only pause and then go to `npx...' (that's 
   the FPU, I guess...), followed by the rest of detectable hardware.
   After giving the installer my HD's parameters (disk type=scsi, the 
   label, 512 bytes sector size, 638 cyl., 64 heads, 32 sector per track) 
   + the sizes of the various partitions (root: 14336, swap: 30720, 1261568 
   for the rest), it will try to label the disk, create and mount the new 
   filesystems. But it will complain that the devices ("rsd0a", etc.) are 
   not configured and start writing on the first installation disquette 
   -- to predictable results!


Any hints, or solution would be _much_ appreciated. Thanks in advance
for your help.

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

p.s.: two comments:

1.  A better installer (like Interactive's) would be an excellent addition
    to the distribution. One that could detect by itself what kind of
    storage devices you have. One that _could be_ fully automatic -- like
    ISC's installer.
    With something like that, NetBSD could become the next Minix: you don't
    need to be a Unix Wizard to install, but boy what a learning tool!
    (And usefull out of the box, too!)
2.  I think that a distribution on a {bootable ?} CD-ROM would be a most
    excellent idea.  

----------------------+-----------------------------------------------------+
Bruno Majewski        | Groupe de Recherche Operationnelle en               |
                      |   Telecommunication (R.O.T.)                        |
                      |                                      192.77.49.131  |
bruno@rot.qc.ca       +-----------------------------------------------------+
                      | also @: DMR Group, EPMS project Office              |
                      |         Voice: (613) 728-7299                       |
                      |         FAX  : (613) 724-3872                       |
----------------------+-----------------------------------------------------+

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