🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <C1A1GE.HLH@world.std.com> sandyb@world.std.com (Sandy Bendremer) writes:
>I recently upgraded one of our Consensys SVR4 systems from a 386DX/33 w/ 8 meg
>to a 486DX/33 w/ 16 meg.  The system seems to run fine, with the exception of
>some occasional strange hard disk activity (or non-activity).  During periods
>of high disk activity, sometimes the hard disk (a 210MB IDE) light just stays
>on and all disk activity just sits there.  About 20 seconds latter, the disk
>starts churning again and all continues as normal.  The only clue I have is 
>that twice, I received "NOTICE: HD: interrupt with no request queued" on the
>console. (Note that the problem described above has happened about ten times 
>that I am aware of, but I can force it by duing any intensive disk activity).
>
>Any Ideas?
>
>I have a couple of questions for any one who's got the time...
>
>1) mach(1) and arch(1) still return 386/AT and i386 respectively.  Is this a 
>generic response for 486 and 386 or does my kernel need to know that I switched
>processors on it?

The 486 is an implementation of the 386 architecture. I would guess
that this is correct. It certainly has nothing to do with your problem.

>2) Is there a real need to change the kernel or swap parameters for the added
>8 meg of memory.  I know the swap area could be increased, but it's hardly
>being used now???

In that case you can probably decrease it. Again, not the explanation.

>3) Could any poorly adjusted BIOS parameters explain the above problem?

Barely. I suppose you could check things like the bus clock rate
(should work out to be about 8 MHz, so for this board you should
expect to see CLK/4).

>4) Anything else a must change for this upgrade?

I wouldn't have thought so. I have Consensys SVR4.2 currently running
on a test installation on a 486/33 with 16 MB, and I don't see that
particular behaviour, so I suspect it's not generic.

You don't say much about your disk - the size would suggest something
like a Western Digital Caviar IDE. My experience with this kind of
disk suggests that they're not as reliable as they claim, and
occasionally time out on an interrupt. The fact that you get an
unexpected interrupt would seem to suggest that the disk hangs for a
while (that's why the light stays on), the driver gets bored waiting
and completes anyway, and then the interrupt comes. But that's only
conjecture. It certainly does seem to point to hardware problems,
though.
-- 
Greg Lehey                       | Tel: +49-6637-1488              
LEMIS                            | Fax: +49-6637-1489
Schellnhausen 2, W-6324 Feldatal, Germany

In article <C1A1GE.HLH@world.std.com>, sandyb@world.std.com (Sandy Bendremer) writes:
| I recently upgraded one of our Consensys SVR4 systems from a 386DX/33 w/ 8 meg
| to a 486DX/33 w/ 16 meg.  The system seems to run fine, with the exception of
| some occasional strange hard disk activity (or non-activity).  During periods
| of high disk activity, sometimes the hard disk (a 210MB IDE) light just stays
| on and all disk activity just sits there.  About 20 seconds latter, the disk
| starts churning again and all continues as normal.  The only clue I have is 
| that twice, I received "NOTICE: HD: interrupt with no request queued" on the
| console. (Note that the problem described above has happened about ten times 
| that I am aware of, but I can force it by duing any intensive disk activity).
| 
| Any Ideas?

Video board. Try putting it in an 8bit slot, checking to see that the
int is disabled, or just borrow another brand and see if that helps. As
a last resort speed up your bus (yes faster).

I had the same problem, solved it by kicking the bus to 12MHz. I do
*not* recommend this. The video card is now in another system where it's
happy, and the bus is back down in speed, working just fine with a
different card.

It could be that the disk controller has gone bad, but I spent several
months finding the video in mine, and it's not something everyone would
ever find unless they were pigheaded and had a lot of replacement parts
to swap in.
-- 
bill davidsen, GE Corp. R&D Center; Box 8; Schenectady NY 12345
	A terible poker player can have a great hand,
	A obnoxious fool can have a good idea.
	Both are winners, regardless of who has them.