Bug#357448: Boot hangs on SATA harddrive

["Tibor Radvanyi" <tibor.radvanyi@gmail.com>]

Package: linux-image-2.6.15-1-686-smp
Version: 2.6.15-8

I'm using Debian testing on a Dell Optiplex GX280 desktop machine with
standard Debian kernel package of linux-image-2.6.12-1-686-smp. This
computer has a SATA hard drive which is handled by the kernel
perfectly.

I've installed linux-image-2.6.15-1-686-smp. The installation went
fine installing all the dependencies as well.
The boot process with this kernel is running smoothly up to the point
when after loading modules from the initial ramdisk the hard drive
should be accessed. This is a point when the process hangs. I suspect
the problem is related to loading the SATA modules.

The problem has been recognized by others as well, but I could not
find it in the list of reported bugs:
http://lists.debian.org/debian-kernel/2006/01/msg00716.html

The SATA relevant part of lspci -vvv:
0000:00:1f.2 IDE interface: Intel Corp. 82801FB/FW (ICH6/ICH6W) SATA
Controller (rev 03) (prog-if 8f [Master SecP SecO PriP PriO])
        Subsystem: Dell: Unknown device 0179
        Control: I/O+ Mem- BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop-
ParErr- Stepping- SERR- FastB2B-
        Status: Cap+ 66MHz+ UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=medium
>TAbort- <TAbort- <MAbort- >SERR- <PERR-
        Latency: 0
        Interrupt: pin C routed to IRQ 217
        Region 0: I/O ports at fe00 [size=8]
        Region 1: I/O ports at fe10 [size=4]
        Region 2: I/O ports at fe20 [size=8]
        Region 3: I/O ports at fe30 [size=4]
        Region 4: I/O ports at fea0 [size=16]
        Capabilities: [70] Power Management version 2
                Flags: PMEClk- DSI- D1- D2- AuxCurrent=0mA
PME(D0-,D1-,D2-,D3hot+,D3cold-)
                Status: D0 PME-Enable- DSel=0 DScale=0 PME-


Regards,
Tibor Radvanyi