Re: Tekram DC-390: RESTORE POINTER...

[Eddie Maddox <eddie@mngovsci.com>]

On 27 Jan 2000, Adam Di Carlo wrote:

> > > I've seen the previous three messages this month on the Tekram DC-390.
> > > I'm not sure I've seen the same problem, but I could not get it to boot
> > > from 2.2.4 or 2.1.12 boot floppies. Same error for each:
> > > 
> > > DC390: RESTORE POINTER message received ... reject
> > > scsi: aborting command due to timeout: pid 24,... (status 4)
> 
> Please test both the vanilla and the "compact" 2.2.5 boot-floppies,

> If it doesn't work, please file a bug against 'kernel-image-2.2.14'.

> > I found four messages in the Dec. 99 Debian-boot archive. They mention
> > "tmscsim" and "AM53C974". I know the AM53C974 is the correct driver. But
                                         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
                                         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
                                         ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Thanks, Adam, for your email, including the tmscsim doc. I did do some
testing with 2.2.5 boot floppies, compact (chocolate) and bloated
(vanilla). No help at all.  Exactly the same behavior and messages. 

Furthermore, I tested the Mandrake 7.0 downloadable hd.img boot
floppy, too, to compare. It works fine, except in expert mode.

Mandrake 7.0, hd.img boot floppy (downloadable from mirrors), non-expert
(autodetect) mode (from virtual consoles 3 & 4): 

* in loadDeviceDriver, ks=0, typName=SCSI
* pci probing for SCSI devices
* pci probe found 1 SCSI devices
[ put your thumb here. we'll be back.]
* found driver for AMD SCSI
* running: /bin/insmod /bin/insmod /modules/AM53C974.o
                                            ^^^^^^^^
Works just fine, as I said.

Now, same Mandrake disk, but in expert (pick it out for yourself) mode:

[first three lines the same as above]
* picked driver tmscsim
* running /bin/insmod /bin/insmod /modules/tmscsim.o

Fails ** exactly ** the same as with Debian 2.1.12, 2.2.4 and now 2.2.5
boot floppies.

Remember my previous emails: Debian boot floppy 2.1.9 works. So does
Mandrake 6.1.

And I asked: what did Debian do between 2.1.9 and 2.1.12 to break the
driver? 

And why does Debian boot floppy 2.2.4 not work, when Mandrake 6.1 does,
yet both use the Linux 2.2.13 kernel? 

And now, of course, there is also the question, why does Mandrake 7.0
work, but not Debian boot floppy 2.2.5, when both are using Linux 2.2.14?

Does the comparison help show what works as the correct driver for the
DC-390? Wasn't that already obvious from my previous emails which
attempted to point this out as a possible explanation for the problems
Debian has with this card, but did not have until after the 2.1.9 boot
floppies?

As for compiling my own kernel: no. I download or use CDs. If not Debian
(my preference, when possible) then I use Mandrake. No compiling needed.

------------------
Eddie Maddox
eddie@mngovsci.com