Bug#399120: [johan.spee@orange.nl: Re: Bug#399120: RC1 bugreport]
----- Forwarded message from Johan Spee <johan.spee@orange.nl> -----
From: Johan Spee <johan.spee@orange.nl>
To: Geert Stappers <stappers@stappers.nl>
Subject: Re: Bug#399120: RC1 bugreport
Date: Sat, 18 Nov 2006 17:14:24 +0100
Reply-To: johan.spee@orange.nl
User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1) Gecko/20061109 Thunderbird/2.0b1pre Mnenhy/0.7.4.0
Geert Stappers wrote:
>
>Please provide more information about the JMicron controller.
>
>Things that are important:
>
>* What is the policy of the hardware manufactor
> for supporting his hardware in a true free[1] software environment?
>
>* Is there a GPL or another libre drive available?
> - Do you know the name of the driver?
> - What is the name of the driver?
>
>* Where are the hardware specifications?
> - Are chipset datasheets about it available?
>
Hi Geert,
The JMicron incompatibility is well known (Bug#385697, see for instance
www.mail-archive.com/debian-kernel@lists.debian.org/msg20298.html). I
reported the 'bug' again because I'd hate to see a new Debian version
released that cannot be installed on many new motherboards.
But since you ask, here is more information:
The Intel P965 chipset only supports SATA, not the parallel IDE iterface
that preceded it. Since most CD/DVD drives still use parallel IDE most
P965 motherboards come with a separate PATA/SATA interface. On ASUS
boards this interface uses the JMicron controller (JMB363). According to
JMcron, kernels 2.6.16 and above should support this controller
(http://www.jmicron.com/JMB363.html), but the truth is that even 2.6.17
does not recognize it (with the exception of Ubuntu 6.10).
As a consequence the installation CD cannot be mounted and Debian cannot
be installed.
I have worked around this (using a customized iso) and have Debian with
the 2.6.18 kernel from unstable on my pc now. Works like a charm!
Best wishes,
Johan Spee
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