Re: installing 6.1 on Compaq Proliant 5000
- Original Message - From: Lee Shackelford [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Ted Mittelstaedt [EMAIL PROTECTED] Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Sent: Monday, September 11, 2006 9:23 AM Subject: Re: installing 6.1 on Compaq Proliant 5000 Good morning, Mr. Mittelstaedt. Again, many thanks for your response to my question. My original purpose in purchasing the computer was to install multiple operating systems for hobbyist purpose. The computer's major selling point was that it has five hard drives. My original idea was to install a different operating system on each one. When I discovered that it had the rather sophisticated RAID-5 system implemented in hardware, I discarded that idea in favor of partitioning the hard drive to install the operating systems. The next operating system that I wanted after Windows Server 2000, with which it came equipped was FreeBSD. This project has become painfully involved, first of all, because I did not understand the fact, documented nowhere, that the BIOS of a computer intended to be a server is totally different from the BIOS of a computer intended to be a workstation. With experience, and with information eventually traded across the internet from other computer enthusiasts trying to do the same thing, I have eventually gained enough understanding of the BIOS to proceed. OK, you bought the computer to install operating systems on to do - what? Seems to me you wanted to install them to LEARN. Well, a computer OS is an integral part of the computer - like ying and yang, each requires the other. How exactly did you think that you were going to be able to learn anything whatsoever of value about an operating system by completely ignoring the hardware it was running on? Seems to me your money has been well spent on training. I'm sorry if the training isn't teaching you things that you think you thought you needed to know. But guess what, life is like that. Let me put it another way. If I needed to hire someone to install a Windows server, which would be a better choice? Someone who actually knows that server BIOS's are somewhat different than Workstation BIOSES? Someone who has actually installed a server OS and solved problems with getting it to work on hardware they are unfamiliar with? Or, some newly-minted MSCSE who has only installed Windows on his desktop computer, but by golly, knows all the definitions in the Microsoft literature? Think about it. The process has also been stymied by the fact that the developers of the boot program for sysinstall have failed, even in its latest edition, to install in BOOT the necessary features to read the output of a Compaq server BIOS, in particular the ability to correctly interpret the size of memory. The developers know all about the Compaq issues. Those are first of all solved in the latest Compaq BIOSES that ship with the current HP/Compaq servers. Secondly, there's workarounds. Thirdly, Compaq did it wrong back then. What good reason do we want to break sysinstall to have it do things the wrong way, so that it can work with old Compaq gear? Thanks to you, other respondents, and experience, I feel that I now have a grip of that issue. My latest problem stems from the fact that I had intended to install a portion of the BSD operating system in a primary Windows partition (BSD slice) below the 1024 cylinder limit, and the rest of it in a larger Windows logical partition within the extended partition, above 1024 cylinders. You need to throw most of this cylinder nonsense out the window it is meaningless to any OS that will run on that hardware, with the exception of DOS. Even though the handbook, as well as several other documents, clearly states that the operating system cannot be loaded into a logical partition, the implication of that statement did not register in my brain until I tried to do it. More learning that a lot of more advanced techs than you still don't understand. I wonder if system designers realize the extent to which the requirements that the entire system, or at least the boot BSD partition be loaded below 1024 cylinders, and the requirement that the operating system not be loaded into the extended Windows partition are in conflict in a multiple operating system environment. They do. They don't care. Multiple boot systems are for the birds. Mostly what happens is that people load multiple OS's on a system, intending to use all of them, then discover 3-4 months into it that it's too much of a PIA to keep rebooting all the time to get into a different system, and end up spending all their time in one system. If you really want multiple OS, buy multiple computers and plug them into a single console with a KVM switch. Much more practical. But, by all means, do it anyway, you probably won't really understand what I mean when I say they are for the birds until you have experienced a multiboot system. One again, more learning. Some
Re: installing 6.1 on Compaq Proliant 5000
Good morning, Mr. Mittelstaedt. Again, many thanks for your response to my question. My original purpose in purchasing the computer was to install multiple operating systems for hobbyist purpose. The computer's major selling point was that it has five hard drives. My original idea was to install a different operating system on each one. When I discovered that it had the rather sophisticated RAID-5 system implemented in hardware, I discarded that idea in favor of partitioning the hard drive to install the operating systems. The next operating system that I wanted after Windows Server 2000, with which it came equipped was FreeBSD. This project has become painfully involved, first of all, because I did not understand the fact, documented nowhere, that the BIOS of a computer intended to be a server is totally different from the BIOS of a computer intended to be a workstation. With experience, and with information eventually traded across the internet from other computer enthusiasts trying to do the same thing, I have eventually gained enough understanding of the BIOS to proceed. The process has also been stymied by the fact that the developers of the boot program for sysinstall have failed, even in its latest edition, to install in BOOT the necessary features to read the output of a Compaq server BIOS, in particular the ability to correctly interpret the size of memory. Thanks to you, other respondents, and experience, I feel that I now have a grip of that issue. My latest problem stems from the fact that I had intended to install a portion of the BSD operating system in a primary Windows partition (BSD slice) below the 1024 cylinder limit, and the rest of it in a larger Windows logical partition within the extended partition, above 1024 cylinders. Even though the handbook, as well as several other documents, clearly states that the operating system cannot be loaded into a logical partition, the implication of that statement did not register in my brain until I tried to do it. I wonder if system designers realize the extent to which the requirements that the entire system, or at least the boot BSD partition be loaded below 1024 cylinders, and the requirement that the operating system not be loaded into the extended Windows partition are in conflict in a multiple operating system environment. Some documentation says that the 1024 cylinder limit does not apply in many cases, but it never says when it applies and when it does not apply. I feel, that to make this system work, I will have to use some type of exotic partition manager such as Ranish or XOSL that can create a large number of primary partitions. I had originally wished to stick with GNU tools such as parted and grub. I realize my explanation is a bit long winded, but I hope it clarifies my goals. Yours truly, Lee Shackelford Ted Mittelstaedt [EMAIL PROTECTED] To o.comfreebsd-questions@freebsd.org, Lee Shackelford 09/06/2006 11:07 [EMAIL PROTECTED] PM cc Subject Re: installing 6.1 on Compaq Proliant 5000 This isn't unusual, it happens with certain array cards. If the disk drivers of each different operating system don't agree in how the disk is laid out that the intelligent driver array controller presents to them, then your screwed - you cannot use the array card for a multi-boot system. Sometimes you can get away with it by installing FreeBSD on part of the disk, and a subsequent disk driver will see the FreeBSD partition and understand not to overwrite it. But, sometimes not. It strikes me that Win 2003 Server is going to run dogpile slow, I simply cannot fathom why you want to multiboot this system in the first place. The only OS's that are going to run worth a damn on it are Linux and FreeBSD, and you just need to pick one or the other. Ted PS: You do understand
Re: installing 6.1 on Compaq Proliant 5000
This isn't unusual, it happens with certain array cards. If the disk drivers of each different operating system don't agree in how the disk is laid out that the intelligent driver array controller presents to them, then your screwed - you cannot use the array card for a multi-boot system. Sometimes you can get away with it by installing FreeBSD on part of the disk, and a subsequent disk driver will see the FreeBSD partition and understand not to overwrite it. But, sometimes not. It strikes me that Win 2003 Server is going to run dogpile slow, I simply cannot fathom why you want to multiboot this system in the first place. The only OS's that are going to run worth a damn on it are Linux and FreeBSD, and you just need to pick one or the other. Ted PS: You do understand the difference between FreeBSD slices, FreeBSD partitions, and IBM/BIOS partitions don't you? That is your not doing something incorrect like trying to install another OS within a FreeBSD logical slice - Original Message - From: Lee Shackelford [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Sent: Wednesday, September 06, 2006 10:00 AM Subject: installing 6.1 on Compaq Proliant 5000 Initial message posted on 8/24/2006: Good morning dear FreeBSD enthusiasts. I am attempting to install FreeBSD 6.1 on a Compaq Proliant 5000. The computer is equipped with four Pentium Pro processors clocked at 200 mhz and with a Smart 2/P hardware-RAID array. The BIOS indicates that the first two processors have failed. They are actually okay, but there is something wrong with their socket on the motherboard... Current message: Thank you to the two people who responded to my original message. With their help, I have progressed to the point of specifying the slice into which I want the system installed. There are three primary slices on this computer, plus one extended slice. The three primary slices all end within the 1024 cylinder limit. The two primary slices that do not contain FreeBSD are reserved for the installation of other operating systems. I wish to place the swap slice/partition in the extended slice. The fdisk program supplied with FreeBSD sees all of the extended slice as one slice, and does not seem to be able to see the logical slices within it. Most of my 15 gb. drive is in the extended slice. Does anyone know how to solve this problem? All suggestions are appreciated. Yours truly, Lee Shackelford ___ freebsd-questions@freebsd.org mailing list http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions To unsubscribe, send any mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ freebsd-questions@freebsd.org mailing list http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions To unsubscribe, send any mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: installing 6.1 on Compaq Proliant 5000
Give it up. First, you need to set Windows or DOS in the BIOS setting not SCO. SCO sets up the SMP table all wrong. that should also fix the mem reporting problem. But the big problem is that the ida driver crapped up support for EISA cards some time ago. I keep meaning to setup a test Proliant and bug the ida driver author to fix it, but I have never got round tuit. If you can find a PCI compaq raid card you might get somewhere. Ted - Original Message - From: Lee Shackelford [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Sent: Thursday, August 24, 2006 10:27 AM Subject: installing 6.1 on Compaq Proliant 5000 Good morning dear FreeBSD enthusiasts. I am attempting to install FreeBSD 6.1 on a Compaq Proliant 5000. The computer is equipped with four Pentium Pro processors clocked at 200 mhz and with a Smart 2/P hardware-RAID array. The BIOS indicates that the first two processors have failed. They are actually okay, but there is something wrong with their socket on the motherboard. The following sequence is being quoted from human memory. I ran SmartStart with the request to install S.C.O. OpenUnix. Of the operating systems supported by SmartStart, this one sounded the most similar to FreeBSD. Then I rebooted with the CD containing FreeBSD 6.1 in the SCSI CD-ROM reader. To my surprise, the computer booted off of the CD-ROM. Initially, the screen displayed in black-and-white. When a list box appeared, I entered the request for a command prompt. The monitor immediately displayed a command prompt. I entered the following commands: load ida load sym set Hint.acpi.0.disabled=1 set Hw.physmem=1048576K boot The fourth command was entered because the boot program does not correctly interpret the memory size from the information transferred to it from the BIOS. Then a lengthy list of device drivers either installed, or failed-to-install, scrolled down the face of the monitor, still in black-and-white. Then the screen displayed a blue background, and a colored message appeared saying probing for devices. Then it displayed a message to choose a country code. The display delayed response to keyboard entries by two minutes or more for each keystroke. I selected United States. Several minutes later, the list box disappeared, and screen became blank blue. One-half hour later, another list box displayed which gave the user choices of the type of install desired. There was absolutely no response on the screen to any keyboard entry. What am I doing wrong? Any and all suggestions will be appreciated. Yours truly, Lee ___ freebsd-questions@freebsd.org mailing list http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions To unsubscribe, send any mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___ freebsd-questions@freebsd.org mailing list http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions To unsubscribe, send any mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED]