[SOLVED] compiling kernel from minimal cd freezes new system

ali3nx · Posted: Thu Jul 05, 2018 4:49 pm Post subject:

jagdpanther something you could try if you haven't already. re-seat your ram sticks and see if that changes the results.

Sometimes new ram slots are deceptive about ram sticks having been installed correctly.
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jagdpanther · l33t Joined: 22 Nov 2003 Posts: 754

ali3nx · Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2018 3:34 am Post subject:

One of the other major lessons one has to learn when approaching uefi setup is how the framebuffer kernel config must be entirely different when using uefi boot. legacy framebuffer kernel setup is largely obsolete with uefi and only a specific kernel config will permit a uefi framebuffer console to display correctly.

You should not need to add nomodeset to the kernel boot flags with uefi. keeping kernel mode setting enabled should be preferred IF your kernel config is setup correctly.

Describing the differences of every kernel option between a legacy non uefi system and a uefi framebuffer config could be challenging but perhaps providing the kernel config from my own 6700k intel with an nvidia 1060 that runs the nvidia binary drivers could be worthwhile perspective to investigate the differences on your own.

https://bpaste.net/show/b40aee50d021

jagdpanther · l33t Joined: 22 Nov 2003 Posts: 754

I'll try to figure out the monitor issue tomorrow.

So I tried to "emerge gcc" and the system did not crash. (yea.)
But it got stuck at:

ali3nx · Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2018 3:48 am Post subject:

Which kernel config did you use? try using mine i linked above with minor changes you might require. If you created your own config Like i imagine many people do and I used to do it from scratch you may be missing some chipset drivers.

modern uefi based pc and server hardware platforms are most certainly not as simple to configure a kernel as they used to be. one chipset driver my 6700k requires is pinctl-sunrisepoint and i can assure you i could not locate that driver module in the kernel kconfig. it was buried under the seventh level of kernel kconfig hell and I could not locate it.

Only using the sysrescuecd kernel config as a template allowed me to configure a kernel that provided that driver module.

While that's only one example you may need to be more attentive to any differences between the kernel driver modules loaded in lsmod while booted from sysrescuecd and your own kconfig while booted without sysrescuecd.
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Compiling Gentoo since version 1.4
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Keruskerfuerst · Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2018 3:25 pm Post subject:

You should consider buying a workstation mainboard.
Like from Supermicro.
Or Asus WS C422 PRO/SE Intel C422.

Maybe a different RAM.

krinn · Watchman Joined: 02 May 2003 Posts: 7470

faulty ram may cause error and that error may cause a reboot, but generally, the error should just GPF and maybe a lock down.

really, if your system reboot, it's certainly more because of m/b protection (heat security) or voltage weirdness.
the problem is that compiling will push both (temperature and voltage draining).

you really should consider monitoring heat (and not only cpu heat, people always think about cpu heat, but m/b do also watch north/southbridge heat too) and assume psu fault if heat seems ok. Keep also in mind that running 8 DIMM will create more heat for your memory, and such configuration may need cooling the DIMM too.
your psu is not in your m/b QVL (while some PSU from that vendor are in), it doesn't mean the PSU is not good, but you cannot be certain that PSU model is ok, putting a doubt on it, and doubt is worst thing to have when you have such weirdness. If you can, sadly, pickup a PSU from its QVL list. -> http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/Socket2066/WS_X299_SAGE/QVL/WS_X299_SAGE_add-on_card_AVL_20180122.pdf

jagdpanther · l33t Joined: 22 Nov 2003 Posts: 754

jagdpanther · l33t Joined: 22 Nov 2003 Posts: 754

Tony0945 · Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2018 6:26 pm Post subject:

On that list I see Antec EA-500D 500W and EDG750 750W
The D is for Delta, a good power supply. I have one but they might not be for sale anymore. I bought it a long time ago.

Another of my machines has an EDG550 550W and it is fully modular and high efficiency. I like it very much. I will definitely buy another Antec EDG for my next PS update.
I've never had an Antec fail.

ali3nx · Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2018 6:42 pm Post subject:

jagdpanther · l33t Joined: 22 Nov 2003 Posts: 754

ali3nx · Posted: Fri Jul 06, 2018 11:33 pm Post subject:

krinn · Watchman Joined: 02 May 2003 Posts: 7470

jagdpanther · l33t Joined: 22 Nov 2003 Posts: 754

krinn:

Thanks for the detailed reply.

jagdpanther · l33t Joined: 22 Nov 2003 Posts: 754

Any ideas on getting the console up and running? (Right now I ssh into the new system.)
This would help with testing.

During a boot, the grub menu shows up, I hit return, then I see
"Loading Linux 4.17.4-gentoo ..."
And that stays on the monitor. (Caps led works but nothing I type on the keyboard does anything to the screen)
That is using the default /etc/default/grub and 'grub-mkconfig > /boot/grub/grub.cfg.
I have tried a few hand written grub.cfg (like I do on my old BIOS booted Gentoo system) and usually just get a blank screen.
I also tried using the directions at the bottom of https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/GRUB2 to try to use the frame buffer to no avail.

In grub I can hit 'c' then type:
insmod all_video
videoinfo
and see about 12 different modes.

Keruskerfuerst · Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2018 4:16 am Post subject:

jagdpanther · l33t Joined: 22 Nov 2003 Posts: 754

ali3nx · Posted: Sat Jul 07, 2018 10:33 pm Post subject:

jagdpanther · l33t Joined: 22 Nov 2003 Posts: 754

Good news and bad ....

Using ali3nx's configuration https://bpaste.net/show/b40aee50d021, and "make oldconfig" to update it to 4.17.4-gentoo, the console is working. (Yea) The difference between my configuration in ali3nx's is huge. I really wish I new what kernel configuration settings I need for a working console when using a UEFI boot. The bad news is that using that same kernel, within 15 seconds of starting "emerge gcc" the system freezes and self-reboots in another 20 seconds. Because the console is working I see a message similar to:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/go58lo8z5s48d57/AACJ3lrHNmGEQrYlVxAjVY0ia
This is the first time since I switched over to a UEFI boot from a BIOS boot that I froze my system.

Using a configuration I generated years ago (plus lots of make oldconfig) on a (BIOS boot) two month old Dell workstation (Xeon instead of I9) at work (running Gentoo) the console still fails (I used grub-mkconfig > /boot/grub/grub.cfg ... On the console I see " Loading Linux 4.17.4-gentoo ..." and that is all.) However, good news, I can emerge gcc without any error. I did this twice. On that Dell system, the console works. Probably a UEFI boot vs BIOS boot kernel configuration issue.

Considering the failures and sytem freezes I have had using kernels configured by me, ali3nx, the Gentoo minimal install and system rescue CD. I am probably going to take krinn's advice and send back my cpu, motherboard and memory. Then I'll start again (same model cpu, i9-7940X and memory, Corsair 4 x 16GB, but probably a SuperMicro motherboard.)

ali3nx · Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2018 12:21 am Post subject:

jagdpanther · l33t Joined: 22 Nov 2003 Posts: 754

Thanks again for all the suggestions and comments.

The original parts were purchased less than 30 days ago so I returned the memory, cpu and motherboard for a full refund and I bought an identical cpu, memory kit and different motherboard. (It has been years since I used a supermicro board ...)

The new system is working well so far. (first emerge after reboot: gcc: no issues.) I am still in the post-install phase.
(currently watching 367 packages emerge from a 'emerge --emptytree @world' using my CFLAGS and useflags.)

johngalt · Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2018 5:07 am Post subject:

@jagdpanther - glad you got it all worked out. If I had seen this earlier I would have posted my own two cents.

I have a much older system - Gen 1 Core i7 965 EE on an eVGA X58 (Intel) based mobo with 12 GB DDR3 (triple channel, 3 * 4 GB DIMMs).

I have had 0 hardware issues running Windows on this machine (Windows 7 --> Windows 10) for the last 6 years. It's also a homebrew, as all my desktops are, and I build with future proofing in mind, hence why I'm using a decade old architecture successfully.

When I decide to make the move back to Gentoo as my daily OS, I learned something really, really quickly.

The eVGA BIOS (no (u)EFI at all) has extended settings in terms of overclocking for this chipset. Not only am I able to dig down deep into the settings of both the CPU and RAM (adjusting QPI, voltages, CAS and other timings, using Vdroop or not, etc.) but also more general settings, like 1) XMP versus standard profiles, 2) Turbo mode (for a single core) and 3) Dummy OC (which gives very safe OC of ~ 12.5%, from 3.2 GHz across all cores to 3.6 GHz across all cores, and this DummyOC works well with both standard and XMP RAM profiles.

I had all three enabled, and for years I had 0 issues in Windows. Everything just worked.

Then I decide to move to Gentoo. Since the mobo is BIOS based, I tried booting the Gentoo minimal disc. No go. I then tried Live DVD. No go. I then tried CloneZilla, Ubuntu, GPartEd, even SystemRescueCD - none of them would boot.

I played with all my settings, over the course of a few days, in the BIOS - I probably reset my BIOS over 50 times, even replaced the CMOS batter, and reflashed the latest BIOS 3 different times. If I had any of those three settings enabled in BIOS, I could not get a Linux kernel to boot. I even tried USB versus CD-R/DVD-R for these - as long as I had all three of them, or any combination of them including just XMP profile - the linux kernel would not boot.

As soon as I disabled all three of those and left everything else exactly as I had it set when I was running Windows (and I mean everything, VTx, AHCI (no RAID), FireWire enabled, PXE disabled, my SSD set as default boot device, the whole nine yards) - every one of those distros started booting perfectly fine.

Now, I realize this is completely different from your issue, in that you were actually compiling, and / or emerging gcc.

But, as I was finalizing the installs across 3 different machines, including that BIOS desktop and 2 (u)EFI-based laptops, I was looking everywhere for answers. And I mean everywhere.

And I found a great resource in the 15+ yr old FAQ - only the link was dead. Fortunately, I just PMd pjp about it a couple of days ago, and he was kind enough to link me to the web archive of the post.

https://web.archive.org/web/20050629085215/http://www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/library/l-hw1/

The article was written by one Daniel Robbins. And he points out that a really, really good CPU test is to run repeated (and parallel) kernel compiles to determine if your hardware is bad.

Since you've now returned the hardware, it's pretty moot - but it's interesting to note that this article pretty much aligned exactly with what krinn (and others I think) were saying in this thread - and the coincidence that I see your last reply (and thus the thread) 1 day after asking about the broken link to Daniel's post covering exactly what you found out yourself....
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Keruskerfuerst · Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2018 5:14 pm Post subject:

What mainbaord and memory kit did you buy?