4.03iso won't boot but will boot and install in VirtualBox

[Kinghtflyer]

I'm assuming the ISO can't deal with the Raid Hardware despite it being configured for Sata only (NO RAID). This is a MSI 970A-G46 MB with 4GHZ 8Core AMD and 16GigRAM.

I am using preload. I can't get 64bit to work under the Virtualbox, so tried the 32bit. I get everything installed and start configuring via the browser and then httpd stops. SShd does too. I can restart but it only stays alive for a short time.
looks like suse puts everthing in the same log, I haven't seen anything weird.

I want to get this thing running 64bit without Virtualbox. Any ideas?

[DomeDan]

Hi!

Start out by telling us what you have done and exactly what happens when you try to install,
and then you can make assumptions ^^

the "ISO" (OpenSuSE) can do both software and hardware raid, I recommend you make a hardware-raid.

The problem might be that your hardware is too new there ain't no drivers for that chipset included, (that's just my assumption, but I need more information to be certain)

[Kinghtflyer]

Okay thanks for the response.
1. First set the bios to use Sata Raid. (MSI's Click BIOS II)
2. After saving bios settings I configured a Raid1 w/2 Drives in the array and one single drive.
3. The bios is set to boot from the RAID.
4. After booting the ISO and setting the splash=0 I got the following
[0.026000][Fimware Bug];cpu 0, invalid threshold interrupt offset 0 for bank4,block0(MSR00000413=0xC010000001000000)
[0.026004][Fimware Bug];cpu 0, invalid threshold interrupt offset 0 for bank4,block1(MSR00000408=0xC010000001000000)
[0.026000][Fimware Bug];cpu 0, invalid threshold interrupt offset 0 for bank4,block2(MSR00000409=0xC010000001000000)
5. I have the same MB at home and the ISO boots all the way to the destroy Drive Data Prompt. (No Raid)
6. Today I tried disabling the RAID, but to no avail. I figure the drives are alerady striped and in need of zeroing before going back into normal service.


RAID Function
SATA III 1~6 support RAID 0, 1, 5, 10 mode by AMD® SB950
MSI Reminds You...
• The RAID setup floppy disk is optional depending on the districts. You can download the files from the website to make the setup disk.
Of course I don't even have a floppy drive for this system.

PClinuxOS recognized it fine. And I understand there is a GUI raid utility for Suse, but it requires a WebBrowser installed on the Raid Machine.
Anyway I need the dialer up ASAP. I am now in th 4th Hour of Zeroing the pair of 3TB drives with dd. Once the single drive dialer is active I will scarf the other 2 3TB drives and continue working on the RAID using my duplicate at home. Any recommendations you have, I am all Ears.
Thanks.

[Kinghtflyer]

Evidently my original problem was with the VGA card. Now I get some sort of MSDOS file size error. I believe it happens when the install script reboots to try and partition the drive. (3TM Baracuda). I beleive there is a drive size limit around 2TB I don't believe RAID is the issue. For now I am going to get the dialer running with a singe TB which the install script accepts. I still get the Firmware bug message on either MB, but I can proceed with a different VGA card. FYI the offending VGA was RADEON HD6450. Should this be reported as a BUG?

[Kumba]

It would potentially be a bug to OpenSuSE. It is certainly nothing that is within the scope of my skills to fix.

Sounds like you just found a bad mix of hardware for whatever reason.

[DomeDan]

the message: "cpu 0, invalid threshold interrupt offset 0 for bank4,block0" seams to have to do with the processor, you wrote its a 8 core
here is the info about that bug in the opteron 4300 and 6300 series:
http://faq.aslab.com/index.php?action=a ... artlang=en

If the raid is setup in the bios (or right after) then the installer should see only the raid-drive, I recommend you to not create a raid with the linux-installer, It will probably work but its always better with a hardware raid.

Yeah, write a bug report, I'm sure it will be of some interest for the one who creates the ISOs.
---- edit, didn't see Kumba's post
dont send the report to Kumba but maybe the people over at the OpenSuSE bugtracker would like the bug report
---- edit

And btw, take that graphic card out, you wont need it in the server, set it in some other machine and mine bitcoins ^^

Regarding 3TB drives and linux, yeah its a limitation with the regular way of partitioning, using fdisk (or I guess the OpenSuSE installer uses fdisk...)
well you need to use gdisk or parted(version..? something..) instead, so to do it you need to skip the partition step and do it manually, like this or something: http://icesquare.com/wordpress/how-to-i ... -on-linux/
its probably a bit messy to get it working with the installer, I dont know,
you could also try out the goautodial installer, that one might use parted and support 3TB drives, I dont know, try it out.

I dont think you need to wipe all the bits on the drive, just the first 512 bytes contains the partition table, or wait.. its GPT.. yeah its not only the first 512 bytes http://www.bfccomputing.com/2011/12/15/ ... -using-dd/

what happen when you tried to partitionate the raid drive? did it show up as one or two drives?

[Kinghtflyer]

I am setting up the dialer with 2 Sata 1TB Drives as a raid1. I will use the 3TB for voice recording Storage.
The raid shows up as 2 drives, I select the first, and all is well until the installer tries to repartition. (only on the 3TB)
I get the same error no matter if Raid or Single Drive. I already tried GoAUtodial RC, and it craps out, in such an ugly way by tying to bring an X session to the train wreck.

[DomeDan]

Took a better look at the motherboard (MSI 970A-G46) and could not find anything about linux support
and at the driver download section only windows was mentioned, maybe there are no linux drivers for that raid chipset.

I read the manual for raid configuration, but didn't find much, only this notice:
Important
Be sure to enable the RAID function for SATA device in BIOS before configuring the
RAID Option ROM Utility.
(http://www.msi.com/service/download/manual-17990.html AMD_RAID_Manual.zip)