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debugging kernel load -- [SOLVED]

Posted: 29 Dec 2010, 21:00
by jcas1411
What is the best method for debugging the booting process? Is there a cheatcode (tried debug and failsafe). Standard linux kernel 2.6.35.8.

I having a problem with a dell server 2860 booting my version based on fanthoms work. It is hanging on

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loop: module loaded
loading iSCSI transport class v2.0-870

hangs here for ever.

If I boot another machine with the same disk it continues with

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ata_piix 0000:001f.2 version 2.13
ata_piix.....

and does not hang at all.

Booting my previous kernel 2.6.27.27(different disk with different initrd.gz) it loads the same as above but continues with

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loading iSCSI transport class v2.0-870
iscsi registered transport tcp
I'm stumped it the problem is with the ata_piix module or the iSCSI transport module or some firmware I might be missing. I booted fanthoms without issue, however he is not loading iSCSI module.
Thanks,
John

Re: debugging kernel load

Posted: 29 Dec 2010, 21:01
by Hamza
It's a problem with slax-remix ?

Re: debugging kernel load

Posted: 29 Dec 2010, 21:06
by jcas1411
not at all a problem with slax-remix, sorry will edit my thread to state my version based on fanthoms work

Re: debugging kernel load

Posted: 29 Dec 2010, 21:08
by Hamza
It's with a based slax-remix , you need move your topic to General Chat in up of forum index .

Regards,

Re: debugging kernel load

Posted: 29 Dec 2010, 21:14
by jcas1411
sorry, asked yesterday on my udev question [on my build] and was told to post in the 32bit general questions. see my solved thread in here? I appreciate any help...

I know this forum is new but think it should be clarified a bit more where to post what. There are a bunch of us who using fanthoms and others build come up with builds on our own to support our devices/needs. I use both, his and mine. Like to absorb some knowledge how to do some things, just as someone I'm sure showed someone else responding.

how do I move it if it should be moved?

Re: debugging kernel load

Posted: 30 Dec 2010, 04:58
by fanthom
i will create another category for builds based on Porteus and then move your threads there

Re: debugging kernel load

Posted: 30 Dec 2010, 15:05
by jcas1411
Thanks fanthom!

any idea on my question, what is the best way to debug the boot process? I'm familiar with ways on a system where the OS is installed since the dmesg log is saved and can be read after booting with a live cd. Is where it hangs the issue or is it the message that it doesnt make it to? I never really get a kernel hang message just unresponsive system.

Re: debugging kernel load

Posted: 30 Dec 2010, 20:27
by brokenman
Use the debug cheatcode

Re: debugging kernel load

Posted: 31 Dec 2010, 06:08
by fanthom
if it hangs during kernel initialization then you wont be able to use 'debug' cheatcode as initrd is not unpacked to the memory yet.
please post your kernel config to pastebin.com as i have some ideas about potential mistakes :)

lspci output would be also nice...

Re: debugging kernel load

Posted: 03 Jan 2011, 18:50
by jcas1411
Thank you for your help.

I used your v9_x32 remix config as a basis and then modified for my environment. I double checked ISCSI and made some changes, now hanging on previous line "loop: module loaded" :( I must have missed something or something I changed shoudn't. I need this to boot as many systems as possible. Some reason older Dell servers seems to be my hangup.

Here is the kernel config http://pastebin.com/QwdsCR4B

and here is the lspi output using v9remix cd.

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00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation E7520 Memory Controller Hub (rev 09)
00:02.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation E7525/E7520/E7320 PCI Express Port A (rev 09)
00:04.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation E7525/E7520 PCI Express Port B (rev 09)
00:05.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation E7520 PCI Express Port B1 (rev 09)
00:06.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation E7520 PCI Express Port C (rev 09)
00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 02)
00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 02)
00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 02)
00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) USB2 EHCI Controller (rev 02)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 PCI Bridge (rev c2)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) LPC Interface Bridge (rev 02)
00:1f.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801EB/ER (ICH5/ICH5R) IDE Controller (rev 02)
01:00.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 80332 [Dobson] I/O processor (A-Segment Bridge) (rev 06)
01:00.2 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 80332 [Dobson] I/O processor (B-Segment Bridge) (rev 06)
02:0e.0 RAID bus controller: Dell PowerEdge Expandable RAID controller 4 (rev 06)
03:0b.0 Fibre Channel: LSI Logic / Symbios Logic FC929X Fibre Channel Adapter
03:0b.1 Fibre Channel: LSI Logic / Symbios Logic FC929X Fibre Channel Adapter
05:00.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 6700PXH PCI Express-to-PCI Bridge A (rev 09)
05:00.2 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 6700PXH PCI Express-to-PCI Bridge B (rev 09)
06:07.0 Ethernet controller: Intel Corporation 82541GI Gigabit Ethernet Controller (rev 05)
07:08.0 Ethernet controller: Intel Corporation 82541GI Gigabit Ethernet Controller (rev 05)
09:05.0 Class ff00: Dell Remote Access Card 4 Daughter Card
09:05.1 Class ff00: Dell Remote Access Card 4 Daughter Card Virtual UART
09:05.2 Class ff00: Dell Remote Access Card 4 Daughter Card SMIC interface
09:06.0 IDE interface: Silicon Image, Inc. PCI0680 Ultra ATA-133 Host Controller (rev 02)
09:0d.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc Radeon RV100 QY [Radeon 7000/VE]

Re: debugging kernel load

Posted: 04 Jan 2011, 04:23
by fanthom
Slax-6.1.2 loads:

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iscsi registered transport tcp
while you have

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# CONFIG_ISCSI_TCP is not set
Try to enable it and see how it goes :)
If it wont help - try to built all LSI Logic drivers as (*) and not (M) - they shouldn't need a firmware.

Re: debugging kernel load

Posted: 04 Jan 2011, 05:11
by jcas1411
I actually had this set first as y but then changed it to see if that would fix my hang. The kernel config is after I compared and changed the iscsi settings to your config file. however it is now hanging on

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loop: module loaded
. I believe the next line should be

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ata_piix: module loaded
or something like that. I checked and the ata_piix module is the same as v9 remix which boots.

I will try to build in the LSI drivers rather than modules and see if that fixes.

I was wondering if it might be something as simple as I set the processor as 686, whereas you used 486 instruction set. Would that hang it there if it was fed an instruction set it didn't understand? or is it definitely a device it can't find support for. It is a Pentium III server.

Thanks,
John

Re: debugging kernel load

Posted: 04 Jan 2011, 15:34
by fanthom
You can also disable 'Low Level SCSI drivers' completely and in case of successful booting just add them one by one. I know that it's a pain, but sometimes there in no other way of finding dodgy driver.

Pentium III is an i686 so should be ok.

Re: debugging kernel load

Posted: 13 Jan 2011, 05:27
by jcas1411
wow I found the bad scsi driver. I will post which one hangs as soon as I get a chance, been swamped but will mark this as solved now.

I had thought to compile and adding back one by one, just hoping the masters had a trick up their sleeve.

Thanks!