Hello, I'm top-posting my own thread with some homework I've done, can somebody help? In short, the problem is that kernel 2.6.18-53 (as per 5.1 installation) works OK while any kernel update makes booting impossible in Enhanced SATA mode. For newer kernels, only Compatible mode works, but at a very heavy cost in performance. The motherboard is ASUS P5GC-MX and the disk is ATA WDC WD3200AAJS-6. More detail in my own former message at the end. 1. I have tried pci=nommconf, noacpi, acpi=off. Any other hints? 2. I've opened up both initrd files (initrd-2.6.18-53.el5.img, which works in "SATA/enhanced" mode, and the newer initrd-2.6.18-92.1.13.el5.img, which only works in "compatible") and found practically no differences (USB modules are loaded in a different order and that's about it). 3. In the hope that I could build up a working kernel (albeit sacrificing ease of update) I tried to figure out some useful config. I've scanned both config-XXX files but I am unable to identify any reasonable suspects either, diff provided below. Should SCSI-SAS-ATA be different? 4. Just to play a while, attempted to make mrproper and got the following. Same for make clean. [root at localhost 2.6.18-92.1.13.el5-i686]# make mrproper scripts/Makefile.clean:17: /usr/src/kernels/2.6.18-92.1.13.el5-i686/drivers/infiniband/hw/amso1100/Makefile: No such file or directory make[3]: *** No rule to make target `/usr/src/kernels/2.6.18-92.1.13.el5-i686/drivers/infiniband/hw/amso1100/Makefile'. Stop. make[2]: *** [drivers/infiniband/hw/amso1100] Error 2 make[1]: *** [drivers/infiniband] Error 2 make: *** [_clean_drivers] Error 2 So it seems 5.2's kernel really doesn't like me. Now, my questions: 1. What is going on? What can I read to understand a bit more? 2. As for the disk drive behaviour, should I file a bug? I haven't found any related known bugs. Does it depend on whether ASUS P5GC-MX is or not on the HW CL? 3. Is it on the HW CL anyway? I assume it is, from what I read at http://www.linux-tested.com/results/asus_p5gc-mx.html 4. As for the kernel compile error, what is going on again? Any hints deeply appreciated! Thank you in advance CONFIGs DIFF OUTPUT ------------------------------- 3,4c3,4 < # Linux kernel version: 2.6.18-53.el5 < # Mon Nov 12 02:16:55 2007 --- > # Linux kernel version: 2.6.18-92.1.13.el5 > # Wed Sep 24 19:27:25 2008 189a190,191 > CONFIG_ISCSI_IBFT_FIND=y > CONFIG_ISCSI_IBFT=m 399a402 > CONFIG_XFRM_NALGO=m 483a487 > CONFIG_IPV6_OPTIMISTIC_DAD=y 800a805 > CONFIG_NL80211=y 803a809 > CONFIG_MAC80211_RCSIMPLE=y 806,812c812 < CONFIG_MAC80211_DEBUG=y < # CONFIG_MAC80211_VERBOSE_DEBUG is not set < # CONFIG_MAC80211_LOWTX_FRAME_DUMP is not set < # CONFIG_TKIP_DEBUG is not set < # CONFIG_MAC80211_DEBUG_COUNTERS is not set < # CONFIG_MAC80211_IBSS_DEBUG is not set < # CONFIG_MAC80211_VERBOSE_PS_DEBUG is not set --- > # CONFIG_MAC80211_DEBUG is not set 1130a1131 > CONFIG_SCSI_SAS_ATA=y 1220a1222 > # CONFIG_PATA_ACPI is not set 1229a1232 > # CONFIG_PATA_CS5536 is not set 1245a1249 > # CONFIG_PATA_NS87415 is not set 1281a1286,1287 > CONFIG_DM_MULTIPATH_HP=m > CONFIG_DM_UEVENT=y 1290c1296 < CONFIG_FUSION_MAX_SGE=40 --- > CONFIG_FUSION_MAX_SGE=128 1292a1299 > CONFIG_FUSION_LOGGING=y 1399c1406,1407 < # CONFIG_SUNDANCE is not set --- > CONFIG_SUNDANCE=m > # CONFIG_SUNDANCE_MMIO is not set 1439a1448 > CONFIG_IXGBE=m 1445a1455,1457 > CONFIG_BNX2X=m > CONFIG_MLX4_CORE=m > CONFIG_MLX4_DEBUG=y 1524,1525d1535 < CONFIG_IWLWIFI=y < CONFIG_IWLWIFI_DEBUG=y 1526a1537,1540 > CONFIG_IWL4965_QOS=y > CONFIG_IWL4965_SPECTRUM_MEASUREMENT=y > CONFIG_IWL4965_SENSITIVITY=y > # CONFIG_IWL4965_DEBUG is not set 1879c1893,1894 < # CONFIG_IPMI_PANIC_EVENT is not set --- > CONFIG_IPMI_PANIC_EVENT=y > CONFIG_IPMI_PANIC_STRING=y 1905a1921 > # CONFIG_HP_WATCHDOG is not set 1981,1986c1997,2002 < < # < # TPM devices < # < # CONFIG_TCG_TPM is not set < # CONFIG_TELCLOCK is not set --- > CONFIG_TCG_TPM=m > CONFIG_TCG_TIS=m > CONFIG_TCG_NSC=m > CONFIG_TCG_ATMEL=m > CONFIG_TCG_INFINEON=m > CONFIG_TELCLOCK=m 2515a2532 > CONFIG_USB_NET_DM9601=m 2647,2650d2663 < < # < # InfiniBand support < # 2653a2667 > CONFIG_INFINIBAND_USER_MEM=y 2660a2675,2677 > CONFIG_INFINIBAND_NES=m > # CONFIG_INFINIBAND_NES_DEBUG is not set > CONFIG_MLX4_INFINIBAND=m 2662c2679 < # CONFIG_INFINIBAND_IPOIB_CM is not set --- > CONFIG_INFINIBAND_IPOIB_CM=y 2669,2671c2686,2688 < CONFIG_INFINIBAND_VNIC=m < # CONFIG_INFINIBAND_VNIC_DEBUG is not set < CONFIG_INFINIBAND_VNIC_STATS=y --- > CONFIG_INFINIBAND_QLGC_VNIC=m > # CONFIG_INFINIBAND_QLGC_VNIC_DEBUG is not set > CONFIG_INFINIBAND_QLGC_VNIC_STATS=y 2687a2705,2706 > CONFIG_EDAC_I3000=m > CONFIG_EDAC_I5000=m 2819a2839 > CONFIG_ECRYPT_FS=m 2978a2999 > # CONFIG_LOCK_STAT is not set 3029a3051,3057 > CONFIG_CRYPTO_API=m > CONFIG_CRYPTO_ALGAPI=m > CONFIG_CRYPTO_AEAD=m > CONFIG_CRYPTO_BLKCIPHER=m > CONFIG_CRYPTO_SEQIV=m > CONFIG_CRYPTO_HASH=m > CONFIG_CRYPTO_MANAGER=m 3030a3059,3060 > CONFIG_CRYPTO_NHMAC=m > CONFIG_CRYPTO_XCBC=m 3038a3069,3072 > CONFIG_CRYPTO_ECB=m > CONFIG_CRYPTO_CBC=m > CONFIG_CRYPTO_CTR=m > CONFIG_CRYPTO_CCM=m 3054a3089 > CONFIG_CRYPTO_AUTHENC=m ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Eduardo Grosclaude <eduardo.grosclaude at gmail.com> Date: Tue, Sep 23, 2008 at 9:41 PM Subject: ASUS P5GC-MX/1333+ WD SATA To: CentOS mailing list <centos at centos.org> Hi, I'm puzzled by an ASUS P5GC-MX/1333 with a WD320AAJS disk. My 5.2 DVD refused to see the hard disk. As the CD happened to have a bad MD5 sum, I assumed this was due to a bad burnt image. Backed off to 5.1. Installation of 5.1 to /dev/sda went OK, then I upgraded by yum to 5.2. But, at the next boot, the new kernel can't see the disk. Only when BIOS IDE Setup is "compatible" I can boot the new kernel. However, the disk shows up as /dev/hdc and performance is noticeably slow. If I choose any other mode, nash complains that any LVM groups can't be found and panics away. I/O in general is terrible. Copying a CDROM to a file with dd renders the machine nearly unusable. The kernel provided in 5.1 can work in the BIOS IDE Setup "enhanced/SATA" and performance is really good. Hdparm when under the current kernel says 3.51 MB/s buffered speed, whereas for the older kernel it claims some 111+ MB/s. I have updated the BIOS ROM to no avail. What am I missing? Is there anything I can do except keep trying kernel updates? TIA -- Eduardo Grosclaude Universidad Nacional del Comahue Neuquen, Argentina -- Eduardo Grosclaude Universidad Nacional del Comahue Neuquen, Argentina