[gentoo-dev] "running *short* on DMA" with gentoo 1.2 whereas gentoo 1.1a is OK

[gentoo-dev] "running *short* on DMA" with gentoo 1.2 whereas gentoo 1.1a is OK

[Erwann Corvellec]

  I am trying to install gentoo-i686-1.2.iso and while executing mke2fs 
on a 12GB SCSI partition I get :

Writing superblocks and filesystem accouting information: Warning - 
running *really* short on DMA buffers
Warning - running *really* short on DMA buffers
Warning - running *really* short on DMA buffers
...
etc.

  The same command doesn't output any warning on gentoo-i686-1.1a.iso. 
The gentoo 1.2 kernel flavor is surely the cause. To be more precise, it 
is maybe the "Adaptec AIC7xxx" driver revision : 6.2.5 on 1.1a vs 6.2.6 
on 1.2.

--
  Erwann CORVELLEC

Re: [gentoo-dev] "running *short* on DMA" with gentoo 1.2 whereas gentoo 1.1a is OK

[Kim Bratlie]

>   I am trying to install gentoo-i686-1.2.iso and while executing mke2fs 
> on a 12GB SCSI partition I get :
> 
> Writing superblocks and filesystem accouting information: Warning - 
> running *really* short on DMA buffers
> Warning - running *really* short on DMA buffers
> Warning - running *really* short on DMA buffers
> ...
> etc.

I have this problem too when using my SCSI burner.. my harddrives are apparently working fine, so far.

> 
>   The same command doesn't output any warning on gentoo-i686-1.1a.iso. 
> The gentoo 1.2 kernel flavor is surely the cause. To be more precise, it 
> is maybe the "Adaptec AIC7xxx" driver revision : 6.2.5 on 1.1a vs 6.2.6 
> on 1.2.
> 

I'm also using the adaptec aic7xxx driver.. gentoo 1.3a (was the same on 1.1a and 1.2)
I second your opinion that it is a problem related to linux/gentoo/aic7xxx because not long ago I had windows installed and there were no problems at all.. do you have SMP as well by any chance? VIA chipset?

I had redhat/mandrake running for a while too, but I did not test those as well as I have tested gentoo (I love gentoo) so I cannot say if the problem existed on those distro's, but I'm 100% certain is was alright on winblows.

Tried damn many things, changed pci slots, removed cards, compiled different kernels, changed the burner's settings, changed the harddrives settings.. nothing has any impact, I firmly believe it is a software issue.. I have put together computers for about 12 years now, I like to think that I know something about the hardware now and I firmly believe it is a software issue.

I've been told some have had trouble with the grease inside their cd-rom's vaporizing or accumulating too much dust, I guess I'll take a look inside it as a last resort, but I doubt that lack of grease is the cause.

My burner is very new.

- Kim

Re: [gentoo-dev] "running *short* on DMA" with gentoo 1.2 whereas gentoo 1.1a is OK

[Erwann Corvellec]

Kim Bratlie wrote:
>>  I am trying to install gentoo-i686-1.2.iso and while executing mke2fs 
>>on a 12GB SCSI partition I get :
>>
>>Writing superblocks and filesystem accouting information: Warning - 
>>running *really* short on DMA buffers
>>Warning - running *really* short on DMA buffers
>>Warning - running *really* short on DMA buffers
>>...
>>etc.
> 
> I have this problem too when using my SCSI burner.. my harddrives are apparently working fine, so far.
> I'm also using the adaptec aic7xxx driver.. gentoo 1.3a (was the same on 1.1a and 1.2)

  I don't have any problem on 1.1a...
  Anyway, the linux 2.4.19pre changelog ( 
http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.4/testing/patch-2.4.19.log ) 
reveals that the aic7xxx driver has been updated several times.

> I second your opinion that it is a problem related to linux/gentoo/aic7xxx because not long ago I had windows installed and there were no problems at all.. do you have SMP as well by any chance? VIA chipset?

  Linux kernel != Windows kernel. You're comparing oranges & apples... ;)
  No SMP. No VIA chipset. Purely an aic7xxx driver problem...

  I am disapointed that Gentoo used a testing (read beta) kernel on an 
official release. This is likely to lead to the kind of problem we are 
facing... :(

-- 
The GUI restricts your mind
Free your mind
Use command line !  Erwann CORVELLEC 10/2001

Re: [gentoo-dev] "running *short* on DMA" with gentoo 1.2 whereas gentoo 1.1a is OK

[Michael R. Gayeski]

>   Linux kernel != Windows kernel. You're comparing oranges & apples... ;)
>   No SMP. No VIA chipset. Purely an aic7xxx driver problem...

I think he included that information to let us know that it was most likely a 
driver problem, instead of a hardware problem.

--mrg

Re: [gentoo-dev] "running *short* on DMA" with gentoo 1.2 whereas gentoo 1.1a is OK

[Kim Bratlie]

On Thu, 13 Jun 2002 07:23:14 +0000
"Michael R. Gayeski" <mrgayeski@students.wisc.edu> wrote:

> 
> >   Linux kernel != Windows kernel. You're comparing oranges & apples... ;)
> >   No SMP. No VIA chipset. Purely an aic7xxx driver problem...
> 
> I think he included that information to let us know that it was most likely a 
> driver problem, instead of a hardware problem.
> 

That is quite correct, mrg.

> --mrg
> 

I have found out that drobbins and mjc are aware of the problem, that it is indeed a driver issue which will be fixed.

- Kim

Re: [gentoo-dev] "running *short* on DMA" with gentoo 1.2 whereas gentoo 1.1a is OK

[Erwann Corvellec]

Michael R. Gayeski wrote:
>>  Linux kernel != Windows kernel. You're comparing oranges & apples... ;)
>>  No SMP. No VIA chipset. Purely an aic7xxx driver problem...
> 
> I think he included that information to let us know that it was most likely a 
> driver problem, instead of a hardware problem.

  Yes, I understood it that way but I admit my answer was a bit 
laconic... :)

-- 
The GUI restricts your mind
Free your mind
Use command line !  Erwann CORVELLEC