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From: delerium@eagle.ais.net (Synaesthesia)
Subject: External cache weirdness
To: hackers@FreeBSD.ORG
Date: Tue, 2 Jul 1996 22:31:33 -0500 (CDT)
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I've recently picked up a 512k pipeline burst cache module for my
P133/Intel Triton system.  Plugging this into the motherboard results
in some very interesting if unsettling behavior when the system tries
to boot.  

First off, with the cache enabled, the post-POST BIOS information
screen misidentifies the size of my 1707MB IBM IDE drive as a drive with
more or less random incorrect (in some cases inconceivable--25GB?) size.
This is strange, because when I actually go into the CMOS setup, the drive
is identified consistently as 1707MB without problem.

Then the "Boot: " prompt appears.  Hitting enter at this point, or allowing
things to time out and begin the kernel load, results in the video shifting
wildly out of whack such that the text on the screen jumps to strange
positions.  The system then stops cold for a few seconds, and promptly
reboots.

If I disable the external cache, none of the above symptoms occur.

Ideas?

Pentium-S 133MHz  (what's the significance of the ``S'', anyway?)
Intel Triton chipset (EIDE, PCI)
1.7GB IBM IDE drive
32mb 60ns EDO RAM (2 16mb 72-pin SIMMs)
FreeBSD 2.2-960612-SNAP


--
delerium@ais.net