From: Mark Buckaway <mark@cibbs.north.net> Subject: Re: Debugging possible hardware problems Date: Sat, 24 Apr 1993 12:38:29 EDT
jfc@athena.mit.edu (John F Carr) writes:
> I'm running Linux on an 80486 EISA system, and I'm having what I think are
> hardware problems. It could be software, but I don't see why I'd be the
> only one having trouble. I'd like some advice on how best to debug this.
[stuff deleted]
>
> What I'm looking for:
>
> . A system test program to run under DOS or Linux
>
> . Suggestions about the cause of the problem
>
> . Suggestions about how to debug the problem
First, I agree with you. Hardware problem. I'd like to share with you my
experience and this MIGHT shread some light on the subject.
I was running Linux on a couple MFM drives until they went south. I buy a new
Conner IDE 240M drive and had no end of trouble installing Linux. My problem
was a bit more sever that yours, but it might something similar. I coould not
install Linux from the SLS diskettes without at least one program dumping core
and the formating of the hard disk failing. I spent lots of time working on it
and discovered that in my AMI BIOS setup, I had zero wait states on the I/O
bus. I set this to one, and everything worked fine.
The above may not be the solution to your problem, but this is how I would
troubleshoot the problem:
-remove ALL unnecessary cards from your system. Leave only the video card and
the SCSI host adapter. Try again.
-If you machine has a Turbo button that actual works, run the machine in
non-turbo mode and see if the problem goes away (have lots of coffee handle,
this will take a bit)
-If non-turbo works, check the CMOS for the I/O Bus speed...slow it down.
-Also, if this is not a new machine, look at one you were doing (new
software/hardware) before/after the problem started.
Works from there to attempt to elliminate the problem. As a tech support rep
(day job) for a local firm, I have some idea of what I am talking about.
Mark