topic Re: d530 desktop in Operating System - Linux

d530 desktop

A.G.M. Velthof — Wed, 17 Dec 2003 09:44:05 GMT

Hello all,

I installed redhat 9 on a d530 desktop.
Sometimes (2 times a week)the computer stops working. The led from the Harddisk is then green all the time.
I tried it on different systems but with the same result.
I remember that when the Harddisk is new, so the first time, the system shows a warning that if unix has to be installed, you have to run the setup utility first, without telling what to change there.

Anyone any idea??

Re: d530 desktop

Steven E. Protter — Wed, 17 Dec 2003 11:22:25 GMT

Since this issue is following the disk, replace the disk. Whoever sold it to you will take it back based on this testimoney. Linux does not need any add in software to deal with IDE disks.

My notes on this sympton in general.

On the hardware side, check the power supply. This is symptomatic of difficulties with that part.

Its also possible another machine is coming up on the network with the same IP address. That would also cause this problem. Check that.

SEP

Re: d530 desktop

Ragu_1 — Wed, 17 Dec 2003 11:34:54 GMT

My hunch is that some process brought up by the weekly cron job is running amok holding up HDD activity. I have seen hdparm trying to set dma on and holding up the HDD. After this only a hard reset brings the machine up.

Re: d530 desktop

Huc_1 — Wed, 17 Dec 2003 12:55:01 GMT

I would follow SEP advice specialy on the power supply

You can also try out a few parameter with hdparm (do a hdparm -h first to see valid option, or man hdparm )

Beware that changind hd params may sometime be a little tricky and could leave disk hanging... best have a rescue disk close by)

Having say'd that I did try it on my hardisk (no problem) and have set the parameter to

hdparm -X66 -d1 -u1 -m16 -c3 /dev/hdg

(I have written this in /etc/rc.local so it get set at each reboot ...much faster then default that come with redhat install now !

to check speed do
hdparm -Tt /dev/hdX (replace X with yours)
this will take a little while

hdparm /dev/hdX
will show you your hd setup's

hdparm -m16 /dev/hdX
will set multcount to 16

after that check speed and so on ... until no more improvements .

You can more then double your performance of

Timing buffer-cache reads and your Timing buffered disk reads by setting params to other values then default...

Some older HD have problems with DMA set to 1
this could be your case ?

Hope this help you out

J-P

Re: d530 desktop

Martin P.J. Zinser — Wed, 17 Dec 2003 18:39:25 GMT

Well, I think it all really depends if the HD activity goes on forever or ends after a finite amount of time (lets say 10 minutes).

If the first case I tend to agree with the HW problem suggestion, in the second case it really might be a cron job. Prime candidate for such a behaviou are e.g. jobs that update the catman database or the data used by locate (which essentially touches every single directory entry on the disk).

Re: d530 desktop

I.Delic — Thu, 18 Dec 2003 15:26:49 GMT

Hi,

Bios Power settings ?
Lock disk after ....min of somthing like that ?

Succes

Idriz