[1669] in linux-scsi channel archive
Re: Linux (SCSI) Installation Woes...
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Michael Weller)
Wed Apr 2 12:10:16 1997
Date: Wed, 2 Apr 1997 19:01:19 +0200 (MESZ)
From: Michael Weller <eowmob@exp-math.uni-essen.de>
To: Jon Lewis <jlewis@inorganic5.fdt.net>
Cc: "F. Woodbridge" <fwoodbri@oe.fau.edu>, linux-scsi@vger.rutgers.edu
In-Reply-To: <Pine.LNX.3.95.970402111943.161i-100000@inorganic5.fdt.net>
On Wed, 2 Apr 1997, Jon Lewis wrote:
> On Wed, 2 Apr 1997, F. Woodbridge wrote:
>
> > Everything's fine in the booting up process until the following:
> >
> > scsi: detected 1 SCSI cdrom 4 SCSI disks 1 SCSI tape
> > sda: unsupported sector size 620756992
> > scsi: deleting disk entry
> > sdb: unsupported sector size 620756992
> > scsi: deleting disk entry
> ...
> > The process hangs there. So, here are my questions:
> > What is the matter, essentially? I think it's because the drives aren't
> > supported? Forgive me for being foolish but what can I do about this?
> > I'd appreciate greatly any help I am able to get.
>
> I'd be tempted to boot DOS and try low level formatting the
> disks...especially if they're still under warranty :)
I missed the original posting. From what I see here I'd assume and suggest
as follows:
a) One of the disks is a MO disk with 2048 bytes sectors. I believe a
patch (well enhancement of linux) is in newer kernels or floating
through the net. If this is the case for you, dig further in this
direction. (and next time, read hardware FAQs first then buy).
b) I heard of cheapo second source SCSI disks, for example those of old
AS/400 by IBM. I believe this is the case here.
These weird machines use weird sector sizes. like 520 bytes instead of
512 or something. Linux cannot use such weird sector sizes. (the
blocks of filessystems do not fit nicely on them). At least not now.
The changes required to support these devices are really fundamental
to any linux kernel code.
Also, no other sensible OS (except that on the originating machine)
will ever support these disks (for linux there is at least a chance
someone takes the great effort to support these disks).
Because of that and assuming that the person who sold you the disks
almost certainly knew that you should feel deceived somehow (sp?).
Anyway, a slight chance exists. Get scsiinfo for linux and try to
change the hardware sector size to 512 (or maybe 1024 or 2048). Save
the setting to the drives NVRAM with scsiinfo. I do not know if the
drive will support that (aka scsiinfo will allow you to edit the
sector size). If so, you'll almost certainly need to re low level
format the drive with some MSDOS tool or a twenty line linux C prog.
I dunno if this works. As this weird blocksize is kind of a copy
protection for these high prized cheapo AS/400 equipment (but there
is many software, staff can handle the machines already and such.
So firms buy this overprized hardware (for them its a mixed
calculation. They save other, administrative costs by not using just
workstations), as of this 'copy protection' probably its hard burned
into the drives firmware and not changeable that easily.
If your drives are from an AS/400 or something I'd like to get some
feedback if the values could be changed. Occasionally this question
shows up but I never heard how it ended (drives could be made to work
or the params could not be changed).
Michael.
(eowmob@exp-math.uni-essen.de or eowmob@pollux.exp-math.uni-essen.de
Please do not use my vm or de0hrz1a accounts anymore. In case of real
problems reaching me try mat42b@spi.power.uni-essen.de instead.)
