Re: HELP: can't boot into woody due to HD problem

["S.Salman Ahmed" <ssahmed@pathcom.com>]

>>>>> "PS" == Philipp Schulte <philipp.schulte@arcormail.de> writes:
    PS>  On Tue, Aug 29, 2000 at 10:04:51PM -0400, S.Salman Ahmed wrote:
    >> >>>>> "PS" == Philipp Schulte <philipp.schulte@arcormail.de>
    >> writes:
    PS> Did you test the partition with #badblocks ?  Try turning DMA
    PS> off for the check.
    PS> 
    >>  No, I am about to now. How do I turn off DMA for the check ?
    >> There doesn't seem to be an option to badblocks to do that.
    PS>  Turn it off by #hdparm -d0 /dev/hda or turn DMA off completely
    PS> in the BIOS.  See #man hdparm for details
    PS> 
    PS> 

Phil,

Thanks a lot for your suggestion. Without DMA turned off, doing a
badblocks check (using e2fsck -c -C 0 /dev/hda9) would cause the system
to lockup hard when, I think, it hit the bad sector(s).

Turning off DMA with hdparm solved the problem. I was able to e2fsck the
partition and repair it. And now am back using my woody system!

It would have a been a lot of work getting my potato installation in a
usable state since I installed it when it was is in test-cycle 3 and
hadn't maintained or customized it one bit.

Thanks once again for your suggestion, as it never occurred to me to try
turning off DMA.

BTW Nate, this HD is a Quantum 10.2Gb Fireball EL HD (ATA66/5400 RPM). I
am surprised with the bad sectors as the HD has been very speedy and
problem-free otherwise.

Thanks for all your replies guys,

-- 
Salman Ahmed
ssahmed AT pathcom DOT com

http://www.pathcom.com/~ssahmed
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