Re: [TCLUG:20455] linux crashed :-(

[^chewie <chewie@wookimus.net>]

On Wed, Aug 16, 2000 at 12:02:03PM -0400, Brian wrote:
> I never thought it would happen, but there's a first time for
> everything I guess.  Last night I was trying to burn a CD and linux
> left me no option but to reboot my system.  I did a mount /dev/scd0
> /mnt/cdrom (scd0 is my writer) and it hung.  I popped open another
> console, did a kill -9 on the mount process, and it wouldn't end.  I
> tried removing and reinstalling the aha1542 module, it couldn't do
> it.  In desperation, I typed 'shutdown -r now' to clear the problem.
> /home wouldn't umount cleanly for some reason.  I thought this only
> happened in the 'other' OS's.  Any ideas as to why mount hung and
> why I couldn't kill it?


You wouldn't by chance be using a Yamaha Internal 4x4x16 CDRW SCSI
burner, would you? ;-)  I had the same problem, and it was because of
a combination of things, but the largest problem I had was because the
actual CDRW drive was in SERIOUS need of a flash BIOS upgrade.  Yes,
the CDRW has a flashable upgrade path, just like your SCSI cards.  So,
in order of importance, check:

	1. Termination of the SCSI chain.

	I sometimes have problems with Passive termination (termination at
	by the device.  I purchased an active terminator for the SCSI
	cable and things seem to be running fine now.

	2. Flash your SCSI to it's newest BIOS (save a backup!)

	3. Flash your device to it's newest BIOS (save a backup!)

	4. Make sure your kernel is compiled correctly (needed modules are
			available, etc.)

As far as speed it concerned, remember that your SCSI channel runs at
the speed of it's slowest connected device.  If you have a blazingly
fast U2W LVD harddrive, keep it on a separate channel from your 10MB
Wide SCSI device, aka, the CDRW drive.

-- 
Chad "^chewie" Walstrom <chewie@wookimus.net>
        http://wookimus.net/chewie

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