Re: Hurd rumpdisk on real hardware

[João Pedro Malhado <phlogiston@sapo.pt>]

Hello Michael,

On Mon, Sep 08, 2025 at 08:54:44PM +0100, Michael Kelly wrote:
> I built an ext2fs disk image of hurd-i386 using mmdebstrap which when dd'd
> onto a partition using Qemu works normally.  The same image on the netbook
> gets as far as reporting the disk geometry and capabilities correctly but
> the boot log reports nothing further. Running a gnumach compiled with
> --disable-linux-groups (is this valid on i386?) results in further progress
> but only to report a number of lost interrupts of the form:
> 
> piixide0:0:0 interrupt lost
> 
> [.....] type ata tc_bcount: 4096 tc_skip: 0

I have seen these errors myself on some hardware.
https://lists.debian.org/debian-hurd/2024/03/msg00037.html
The ide drivers on the gnumach work on that Toshiba netbook.

On other hardware I have been able to make rumpdisk work fine.
This is the output of hwinfo --storage-ctl (running from linux) of a HP laptop
where it works

01: None 00.0: 0102 Floppy disk controller
  [Created at floppy.112]
  Unique ID: rdCR.3wRL2_g4d2B
  Hardware Class: storage
  Model: "Floppy disk controller"
  Config Status: cfg=new, avail=yes, need=no, active=unknown

12: PCI 1f.1: 0101 IDE interface (ISA Compatibility mode controller, supports
both channels switched to PCI native mode, supports bus mastering)
  [Created at pci.386]
  Unique ID: 3p2J.NMKmj2azXu3
  SysFS ID: /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1f.1
  SysFS BusID: 0000:00:1f.1
  Hardware Class: storage
  Model: "Hewlett-Packard Company NX6110/NC6120"
  Vendor: pci 0x8086 "Intel Corporation"
  Device: pci 0x266f "82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) IDE Controller"
  SubVendor: pci 0x103c "Hewlett-Packard Company"
  SubDevice: pci 0x099c "NX6110/NC6120"
  Revision: 0x03
  Driver: "ata_piix"
  Driver Modules: "ata_piix"
  I/O Ports: 0x1f0-0x1f7 (rw)
  I/O Port: 0x3f6 (rw)
  I/O Ports: 0x170-0x177 (rw)
  I/O Port: 0x376 (rw)
  I/O Ports: 0x2240-0x224f (rw)
  IRQ: 16 (26 events)
  Module Alias: "pci:v00008086d0000266Fsv0000103Csd0000099Cbc01sc01i8A"
  Driver Info #0:
    Driver Status: ata_piix is active
    Driver Activation Cmd: "modprobe ata_piix"
  Driver Info #1:
    Driver Status: ata_generic is active
    Driver Activation Cmd: "modprobe ata_generic"
  Config Status: cfg=new, avail=yes, need=no, active=unknown


> I'm not hoping for a specific fix to my particular problem especially with
> so little information presented. I was wondering rather if there were any
> general tips, tricks or guidance to assist me to work it out for myself.

I echo your question: how to debug rumpdisk on real hardware?
I presume it is not possible to run something like a subhurd with rumpdisk on a
system using gnumach ide to already drive the disk?

Regards,
João