Adaptec 2940 UW (general)

[Bernd Kreimeier <bk@gamers.org>]

Not Debian only (was an issue with rescue problems, though).

I have a SCSI setup that runs perfectly with kernels
like 1.3.88. It includes an Adaptec 2940 UW, BIOS v1.23,
1996 (PCI), and an IBM DORS wide SCSI disk.

Repeat: the hardware worked for months,
        this is NOT a cable/termination problem.

I have to use a more recent kernel (ISDN).

The kernels 2.0.25, 2.0.27, 2.0.28, 2.1.15, 2.1.16 do
not work with the very same hardware. During the
"Partition check", access to the disk seems to fail,
aborts, resets, negotiation follow and are repeated
w/o giving up or succeeding.


In my increasingly desparate search for a solution,
I found a statement on USENET about a patched image
on www.redhat.com (Errata section), and on an
experimental image at ftp.teleport.com (users/deang).
In both cases, I found neither a hint on a patch for the
kernel sources, nor a statement on the nature of the
problem.
I found a statement in the december RedHat (4.1?)
claiming that some, but not all Adaptec have problems
since 2.0.12.

I have been stuck with this for quite some time now.
I would appreciate any comment from people who have
encountered the same problem, or are actually involved
in the aic7xxxx maintenance, regarding:

a) is this a known problem?
b) is there a fix,
        that is URL of patch or working kernel source?
c) is there any other possible workaround
        except for disconnecting the wide disk?

Thanks a bunch,

                                regards,

                                          b.