[ILUG] more detail on compaq install...

[Dave Rynne]

> ok, here's the story:
> 
> a compaq presario 3000.
> 
> ---> an on board ncr53c8xx.o scsi card: this is loaded by the installer.
> ---> two smart2 (smart 3200, supposedly supported by cpqarry.o) cards
> loaded in the presario.  we're using the dual channel daughter card so
> we supposedly get two scsi busses per card.
> ---> i think the way it works is that the smart2 array controller
> actually has ncr53xc8xx.o scsi controllers on them.
> ---> right now we have one disk loaded attached to one of the channels
> of the smart2 array controllers.
> 
> problem?  only the onboard scsi gets detected.  doing a ctrl-alt-f2
> gives a bash prompt where i can run insmod cpqarray.  this returns a

I've found that 'normal' installs don't seem to be able to autodetect
any of the RAID controllers I've tried. Using 'expert' mode for the
install gives you the opportunity to manually select SCSI controllers
+ NICs.

> status of 1, ie it fails (fun fact for any newbies that get this far
> (see it hasn't been a waste): 0 is true in the shell, all other numbers
> false).  so, why?

I had problems a few months back getting a Compaq (can't remember which
model) to see a Smart Array controller. Kernel couldn't load the cpqarry
driver either. Ended up putting my own kernel onto the boot floppy which
had the cpqarray driver build in directly -- far from an ideal solution
but it did the trick.

> 
> any knowledge of this particular setup or general knowledge about
> loading multiple scsi drivers would be appreciated.

Not much help to you but cpqarray.c isn't actually a SCSI driver (same
goes for the driver for DAC960's/DAC1100's) -- they both appear to
function at block device level.


Dave