rik@harddata.com wrote:
Thanks for the hints on using pci=. I got it to work. I couldn't find where pci=bios was documented but that option didn't work.
Boot Prompt HOWTO, Section 4: http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/BootPrompt-HOWTO-4.html
I read in the kernel docs in regards to booting and tried pci=conf1 and this worked.
From the HOWTO ...
4.2 The `pci=bios' and `pci=nobios' Arguments These are used to set/clear the flag indicating that the PCI probing is to take place via the PCI BIOS. The default is to use the BIOS. 4.3 The `pci=conf1' and `pci=conf2' Arguments If PCI direct mode is enabled, the use of these enables either configuration Type 1 or Type 2. These implicitly clear the PCI BIOS probe flag (i.e. `pci=nobios') too.
So you actually want to use "pci=nobios" (my bad).
I think I remember talking about this in the previous S2895 thread, how the default changed from 2.4 to 2.6. In any case, I'm going to do more complete research before putting it in the ELManager's FAQ.
As I've told others, I don't always have the correct, exact answer, but I like to think I get people on the right track.
The machine is up and running and doing well under testing.
I don't know what conf1 means but I be darned if it doesn't work :)
It was the BIOS preventing Linux from enumerating the PCI busses and devices correctly. So by passing "pci=conf1", you effectively sent "pci=nobios" and blocked it. It was the exact opposite of what I was thinking.
Although it might be because 2.4 (CentOS 3) and 2.6 (CentOS 4) differ on defaults -- IIRC.