ML310-G3 and Adaptec 1420SA

[iilluzion]

Hello

I have Proliant ML310-G3 server with embedded Intel SATA controller. Kubuntu boots normally from software raid md0 device. Recently I just installed second SATA controller to be able to hook up another 4 disks for the system. Second controller is Adaptec 1420SA (PCI-X). During BIOS checking the controller is found and could be configured with embedded utility. But after GRUB starts load initrd.gz (2.6.20.15 kernel, kubuntu 7.04) image the system just crashes with screen message like that: Int 6: CR2 00000000 err 00000000 EIP c03eb1c8 CS 00000060 flags 00010016 Stack: ..... . The attempt to remove splash and quiet parameters did not help since crash happened even before kernel image is completely loaded.

What it could be? Driver problem? Impossible to install two controllers ? Other ideas ?

[saxa]

Perform the firmware upgrade on 1420SA.

[Timur S Lukovkin]

Firmware update!

[iilluzion]

Thanks for reply. So the firmware update did not help. Unfortunately, the problem is something like PCI bus or interrupts conflict, I suppose. I probed several Linux distors and Win2000/2003 and all the time the same: crash sometimes with "unknown interrupt" message. During the BIOS check both controllers are being recognized as controller #0. So is it the limitation of ML310G3 design (inability to work with two pci-x controllers) or is it Adaptec 1420sa controller incomatibility ?

[iilluzion]

This is the final post for that subject. I've just got the answer from Adaptec support that will be shared here in case somebody will needed later.

***
Hello from Adaptec. This is in response to the issues you are having
with your Adaptec Serial ATA Raid 1420SA RoHS.

This effect often turns up if the motherboard bios does not offer
enough Option ROM to initialize both controllers, which is resulting in
a bios resource conflict.
There are some things you can try to hopefully resolve the conflict:

- try different slots for the PCI Raid controller
- disable other onboard components (sound, NIC,..), epecially if they
are using an own bios
- disable the boot option/bios of the Raid controller that is not used
as the boot controller (e.g. Runtime Bios in the Adaptec Controller
bios, not sure about your onboard controller)
- update the motherboard and/or controller bios
- disable the BBS support for one or both Raid controllers (especially
for the one that is not used as the boto controller)
- remove the controlelr that is not used to boot the OS from the
motherboards boot listing

Hope one of these suggestions helps in your case.
***