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Ultra 60 with dual procs won't boot
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bpoi
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Joined: 14 Jan 2003
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 06, 2004 4:12 am    Post subject: Ultra 60 with dual procs won't boot Reply with quote

Hi,

I've got an Ultra60 450MHz machine. With one processor installed, the machine worked fine and was solid as an ox. I picked up a second CPU module (identical clock speed), and I recompiled my kernel for SMP support. I'm using 2.4.22.

When I boot the SMP kernel with just one processor installed in the machine, everything is fine, regardless of which processor I use.

When I put both processors in, the initial Sun splash screen does show 2 CPUs installed.

However, while the kernel boots, shortly after the messages about finding the hard drives (I think that's when) I get the message

Code:
Unable to handle NULL pointer dereference


Then I get some ASCII art that looks like a guy sticking his tongue out at me. The next line of
output is then

Code:
swapper(1): Oops


Unfortunately, when I reboot the machine none of this is in the log files, because it occurs before the logger is started.

Any ideas?

TIA
Brian
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phygradmarko
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Location: Buffalo, NY

PostPosted: Sat Mar 06, 2004 1:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:

When I put both processors in, the initial Sun splash screen does show 2 CPUs installed.

However, while the kernel boots, shortly after the messages about finding the hard drives (I think that's when) I get the message

Code:

Unable to handle NULL pointer dereference



When you built the SMP kernel, did you do a clean build or add the SMP setting and simply rebuild?

If you did the latter try this:

1) cd to your kernel dir
# this is the dir of the kernel you wish to compile

2) copy .config somewhere else
# this saves your exsisting kernel setup to use later

3) type "make mrproper"
# this cleans all previously compiled object files from the kernel source dir and resets the .config file to the defaults (hence step 2) above)

4) copy your .config back into this dir
# replaces the default .config with the one you setup during your previous kernel compilation

5) type "make oldconfig"
# uses the .config file to set the desired kernel features rather than you manually setting them again using "make menuconfig" or "make xconfig"

6) type "make vmlinux modules modules_install"
#rebuild your kernel (don't forget it needs to be 3.4M in size (IIRC); use strip if needed


I have witnessed problems which were corrected with a full rebuild of the kernel using the above method.

Also, for some reason, the kernel on my U60 lists CPU-0 as CPU0 and CPU-1 as CPU2. There is a setting in the latter kernels (2.4.24 and possibly 2.4.23) which lets you specify the number of procs to use in SMP mode. Setting this to 2 would not allow the second proc to light up. Setting this to 3 (CPU0, CPU1, CPU2 available to use) allow the second CPU to come online. If you upgrade to the latter kernels, don't forget this. I am using 2.4.24 with no problems whatsoever. Very stable.

Hope this helps...

Marko
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ciaranm
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 06, 2004 3:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

2.6.x is your friend.
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cayenne
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 06, 2004 5:25 pm    Post subject: Should I... Reply with quote

ciaranm wrote:
2.6.x is your friend.

I'm starting a fresh install, first one on a Sparc right now...haven't gotten to the kernel part...should I select a 2.6 kernel? Which kernel would you suggest for a new install?

TIA,

cayenne
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ciaranm
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 06, 2004 5:33 pm    Post subject: Re: Should I... Reply with quote

cayenne wrote:
ciaranm wrote:
2.6.x is your friend.

I'm starting a fresh install, first one on a Sparc right now...haven't gotten to the kernel part...should I select a 2.6 kernel? Which kernel would you suggest for a new install?

There should be a 2.6.x kernel on the livecd ('experimental'). development-sources is your best bet for the live system.
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bpoi
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 08, 2004 4:35 am    Post subject: Still no luck Reply with quote

I tried Marko's suggestion of moving my config file and then doing

Code:
make mrproper


and so on using the 2.4.22 kernel. The exact same problem still occurs.

So, I emerged the sources for the vanilla 2.4.25 kernel and tried again. The same damn thing:

Code:
swapper(1): Oops


My new kernel boots fine with just one proc installed; it's just when I install the second one.

??? Unless anyone has any other clues, I guess I'll try the 2.6 series next weekend.

:cry:

Brian
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smeets_marc
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 08, 2004 9:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I know there are different 450MHz cpu's available. I do not know the differences and I don;t know exact detailes of them. But I am not sure you can't mix 2 of them in the same computer. So before you assume it's a software issue, make sure it is not a hardware issue.
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bpoi
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 08, 2004 2:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hmmm.

My machine is at home now, but I know the model number for the 450 MHz / 4MB processor is X1195A. However, there are a couple of different part numbers like 501-xxxx that it goes by.

Does anyone know if you can mix and match different part numbers as long as they are all X1195A models?

I picked the second processor up relatively cheaply on ebay; do I need to relist it???

TIA

Brian
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xming
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 08, 2004 5:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Things that you can try:
- do both cpu work as single cpu?
- try to re-insert both cpu, maybe it is just bad contact
- get the latest OBP from sun
- boot from a solaris install cdrom

AFAIK cpus from the same model should work together, try to seach on sunsolve to see if there is any incompatiblility

xming
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