Date: Tue, 27 Feb 2001 17:01:13 +1100 From: jesse reynolds <jesse@va.com.au> To: "Josh Paetzel" <jpaetzel@hutchtel.net>, <freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG> Cc: <nigel@4trak.net> Subject: Re: hardware fault or software problem? (machine freezes) Message-ID: <a05010409b6c0f29801b0@[10.0.1.52]> In-Reply-To: <016d01c0a13b$3f680d20$6100000a@vladsempire.net> References: <a05010400b6bf865d3b09@[10.0.1.52]> <004301c0a133$d945acc0$6100000a@vladsempire.net> <a05010403b6c0cd7046c6@[10.0.1.52]> <016d01c0a13b$3f680d20$6100000a@vladsempire.net>
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At 10:01 PM -0600 27/2/01, Josh Paetzel wrote:
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "jesse reynolds" <jesse@va.com.au>
>To: "Josh Paetzel" <jpaetzel@hutchtel.net>;
><freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG>
>Cc: <nigel@4trak.net>
>Sent: Monday, February 26, 2001 9:21 PM
>Subject: Re: hardware fault or software problem? (machine freezes)
>
>
>> At 9:08 PM -0600 27/2/01, Josh Paetzel wrote:
>> >----- Original Message -----
>> >From: "jesse reynolds" <jesse@va.com.au>
>> >To: <freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG>
>> >Cc: <nigel@4trak.net>
>> >Sent: Sunday, February 25, 2001 10:14 PM
>> >Subject: hardware fault or software problem? (machine freezes)
>> >
>> >
>> >> Hi folx
>> >>
>> >> Any advice is greatly appreciated here... I have a server that's
>> >> about 4 months old. It's started crashing a fair bit, and when
>it
>> >> crashed it completely freezes instantly, not giving the OS a
>change
>> >> to log anything, so it doesn't reboot. The soft-power button on
>the
>> >> front does not turn succeed in turning off the machine, but the
>> >reset
>> >> button does work, as does ripping the power out of the back!
>> >>
>> >> This to me sounds like a motherboard issue, but I guess it's
>> >possible
>> >> it's a software problem.
>> > >
>> >> What I do get in my messages file is alot of random read errors
>from
>> >> the primary hard drive, which is running on UDMA/66 (promise
>> >> controller onboard a gigabyte motherboard). Is it possible the
>> >> hardware or software gives up after a certain number of read
>errors?
>> >> (each time the read is retried and is fine the second time, and
>it's
>> >> completely random which block on the hard disk is going to error
>> >out).
>> >>
>> >> I'm running FreeBSD 4.1.1-RELEASE, here is a dmesg.
>> >>
>> >> My question is should I a) changeover the motherboard, b)
>upgrade
>> >> FreeBSD, c) both a and b, or d) get completely new hardware
>> >>
>> >> Thanks!
>> >>
>> >> -jesse
>> > >
>> ><snip>
>> >
>> >I would try swapping the controller and cable before replacing the
>> >motherboard.
>> >
>> >Josh
>>
>>
>> The problem here is that the Promise ATA controller is soldered onto
>> the motherboard. :-|
>>
>> Cheers
>>
>> Jesse
>
>Yeah, I see now that you already said that. Sorry. Is there anyway
>you can get ahold of a PCI promise card and disable the onboard
>controller? You need some way to isolate components so you can
>troubleshoot this.
Hmmm. Yes I can probably do that. I have very limited time though. If
I was to get a PCI promise card, what would I do then? Would I be
disabling the onboard promise controller in BIOS? ...
do you think the read errors are related to the crashing?
Cheers
Jesse
--
Jesse Reynolds - Virtual Artists Pty Ltd - http://www.va.com.au
Email: jesse (at) va.com.au > Web Hosting
Phone: +61 8 8223 2288 > Streaming Media Hosting
?: http://jesse.va.com.au > Telehousing / Colocation
> Internet Application Design
"This is the time, and this is the record of the time. "
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