[CentOS] CentOS4 and older megaraid - SOLVED

[Craig White]

On Sun, 2005-08-21 at 01:25 -0600, William wrote:
> Craig White wrote:
> > There's really nothing to it. I seriously doubt that being single
> > channel or dual channel has anything to do with it at all.
> > 
> > If you want megaraid.ko from 2.6.9-11EL-i686, 2.6.9-11EL-i586 and
> > 2.6.9-11ELsmp-i686 I could probably upload them somewhere for you to
> > download but the process is quite simple and you really need to get it
> > down so you don't rely upon others every time the kernel updates.
> > 
> > If you put them on a vfat floppy, they work.
> > 
> > The issue really is, you need an install already functioning to install
> > the matching kernel-devel to build the modules.
> 
> You underestimate me; perhaps because you're missing the little, but 
> imperative, details in my messages.  :)
> 
> The CD-ROMs I'm using don't have the 2.6.9.11EL kernel on them; 
> therefore, modules compiled against that kernel do me no good.  I know; 
> I've tried.  :)
----
It's not that I underestimate you. It's made perfectly clear that the
module MUST be compiled on a matching kernel-devel on the tuxyturvy web
page...see the first paragraph of getting ready...
"On your working RHEL4 system make sure you have the kernel-devel
packages installed that match the kernel on your install media"

If you could install the proper kernel-devel rpms on some other system
that you have running, you could compile the module on that system.

This is NOT a DC/SC thing, this is not an CentOS 4 or 4.1 thing.
----
> 
> Don't worry, this isn't upsetting.  It's just a challenge that I'm going 
> to find a better way to surmount.  I was trying to provide a service to 
> others still using the original CentOS 4 (by that, I do mean the very 
> first CentOS 4 that was ever released) and who are still asking for a 
> working megaraid driver disk.
----
sounds good but as far as I can tell, the CentOS 4 iso's have been
pulled and all that can be downloaded at this point is the 4.1 iso's so
I am not sure the value to building them to a now obseleted iso to
anyone but yourself.
----
> 
> Alas, I'm going to replace my 4.0 CD-ROM set with a new (as of tonight) 
> 4.1 set and probably meet far easier success with it.  I'll just 
> recommend everyone else do the same in order to use whatever solution I 
> am able to prove working.  No worries.  :)
> 
> The following text is provided only in an effort to belay any further 
> doubt about my capability on this project.  You see, I run an overgrown 
> SOHO at home (8 distinct servers with several additional workstations) 
> where I experiment widely.  I write How-Tos, update others that I find 
> useful but inaccurate, contribute to open source projects, and generally 
> tool around with Linux and Windows for curiosity's sake.  I'm an 
> engineer elsewhere by trade, and this is my hobby at home.  I'm having 
> absolutely no trouble compiling these modules.  I'm just using the wrong 
> source and/or I haven't yet found the magic sequence that will pull 
> together a driver disk that will work fully with CentOS 4.  I have used 
> the ddiskit utility, which was very educational, but the result was 
> still unsuccessful.  Indeed, the installer finally recognizes my disks 
> as driver disks, but it always ignores my megaraid driver claiming that 
> no matching devices were found.  I suspect the device ID doesn't match 
> "something" on my dd, but I don't know what.  In all honesty, this is my 
> very first driver disk project, but it is far removed from my first 
> major Linux undertaking.  Rather than dig deeper into an already 
> antiquated version, I've decided to skip this leg of the project in 
> pursuit of an avenue that seems to have greater, easier success.  I'll 
> upgrade my source install set to CentOS 4.1 and see what happens.  Then, 
> I'll share the result and, hopefully, provide a fully functional driver 
> disk that will be far easier for the many other people waiting for such 
> a solution.  Make no mistake, a lot of other people are looking for this 
> driver disk.  The way I see it, good, compassionate assistance can be 
> dreadfully hard to find in the broad Linux community; especially for 
> newbies who face a torrential onslaught of razzing and impatience.  I'm 
> just trying to help the lowest common denominator.  :)
----
this probably isn't the type of task for a Linux newbie - at least not
one that gets discouraged easily.

It does seem that you are completely over thinking the issue of a driver
disk. Copy the megaraid.ko to a vfat formatted floppy disk and insert
when told to insert driver disk.

The issue is strictly matching the booted kernel on the install CD. On
CentOS 4.1, that is known to be 2.6.9-11.EL-i586 - that is different
from the instructions on the tuxyturvy web site since that would have to
you compile 2.6.9-11.EL-i686.

You will need the 2.6.9-11.EL-i686 compiled module of the megaraid.ko
copied into the proper place before you mkinitrd per the instructions on
the tuxyturvy site - hence the requirement for compiling for both 586 &
686 when doing this with CentOS

After all that is accomplished - you will have to retain the megaraid
source and be prepared to repeat the process for booting any other
installed kernels including the SMP kernel (if you use it), and any
released updated kernels.

I also note that I installed the 'unsupported' UP & SMP kernels from
centosplus and tried to repeat the process and ran into kernel panics
when adding the megaraid module built in this fashion.

Craig