Very Computer

I am trying to install Solaris 2.6 on a PC with a Tyan 1836DLUAN
motherboard. The SCSI interface is an Adaptec 7895 chipset.

Channel A of the 7895 contains an internal Plextor UltraPlex CD-ROM (SCSI ID
6), an internal IBM UW hard drive (SCSI ID 0) and an external Plextor
PlexWriter 4X12 CD-W. Channel B contains 4 UW hard drives (SCSI IDs 8-11).

I had problems getting anywhere with the install until I changed the
internal CD-ROM SCSI ID from 4 to 6. I now install with the external CD-W
powered off. I boot off of the Driver Update 3 disks (config manager and
driver updates). When the drivers are loaded and Solaris boots, I get
through the various selection screens (bypassing OpenWindows config) to the
disk drive selection screen. The only drive shown available is the drive on
Channel A, the SCSI ID 0 drive. This drive has no free space, as it contains
Win 95, Win 98, Win NT and Linux.

I want to install to my SCSI ID 11 drive, which is totally empty. However,
no joy.

Is there an issue with the installation program not recognizing drives on
the B channel, or SCSI IDs beyond 7? It sure shows them when it asks me
which drive I want to initially boot Solaris install from. (where I choose
the CD-ROM to boot from the installation media)

Any help would be appreciated. I'd hate to try and solve this by trail and
error; I already went through that with the CD-ROM SCSI ID.

Mike

--

Michael T. Reddy Jr

Remove SPAM-guard text from email address to reply

The opinions expressed are my own and not supported or endorsed
by my employer

I reset all the SCSI ID's on channel B below 7. (using 1-4) When I hit disk
selection/partitioning, it now recognizes the drives. Seems like a pretty
silly way to run a railroad. Can anyone explain why Solaris ignores these,
when Linux and all the Windows OS do not?

Mike

--

Michael T. Reddy Jr

Remove SPAM-guard text from email address to reply

The opinions expressed are my own and not supported or endorsed
by my employer

Quote:> I am trying to install Solaris 2.6 on a PC with a Tyan 1836DLUAN
> motherboard. The SCSI interface is an Adaptec 7895 chipset.
> Channel A of the 7895 contains an internal Plextor UltraPlex CD-ROM (SCSI ID
> 6), an internal IBM UW hard drive (SCSI ID 0) and an external Plextor
> PlexWriter 4X12 CD-W. Channel B contains 4 UW hard drives (SCSI IDs 8-11).

I'd suggest investing in a cheap 32X ATAPI cd-rom drive for the install.
I was having all kinds of problems getting 2.6 to install on a couple of
Tyan 1832D boards with Mylex BT-952 (dual fast/wide/ultra busses) and
a variety of SCSI CD-ROMS.  I happened to have a 32X TEAC ATAPI CD
drive laying around and tried that (with the DU3 disks) and everything
worked fine.

Historically, Slowlaris likes the CD to live on ID 6 and the boot drive
to live on ID 3, but 2.6 worked OK with the boot disk on 0 and the
ATAPI CD-ROM.

Chris

--
Crack the RSA RC5-64 encryption algorithm.  Use your idle cpu
cycles to take part in the fastest computer on the planet.
See:   http://www.distributed.net
Join:  http://www.execpc.com/~silby/teamamd.html

I've successfully installed Solaris 2.6. It was a real pain in the tail,
because I had to re-configure my CD-ROM to SCSI ID 6 from 4, power off my
CD-W drive (an external that lives at SCSI ID 5) and reset the SCSI IDs on
my Channel B drives to 1-4, down from 8-11. I would never have thought that
Solaris would have such a problem. At least I didn't have to move the
Solaris drive to Channel A, which was a real worry. (Linux would probably
have been screwed up)

I use System Commander Deluxe as a boot controller, and it automagically
found Solaris and added it to the menu. There was a small wrinkle on boot;
the Solaris default boot drive had to be reset from the SCSI ID 0 drive
(where 95, 98, NT and Linux live) to SCSI ID 4 (where Solaris lives, with
its root fs).

I now have to change the CD-ROM drive letters in 95, 98 and NT. Hopefully
Linux won't have too much trouble. I'll just leave the CD-W powered off when
I use Solaris.

Unfortunately, Solaris doesn't seem to play well with the Tyan 1836DLUAN
BIOS. I suspect something with ACPI (even though I have disabled the two
ACPI settings) and ATX. Windows 95 (haven't yet tried 98 or NT) hangs after
loading the drivers for my Soundblaster Live! if I re-boot from Solaris.
This is only resolved if I re-load the BIOS settings, or unplug the power
cord.

Mike

--

Michael T. Reddy Jr

Remove SPAM-guard text from email address to reply

The opinions expressed are my own and not supported or endorsed
by my employer

Solaris 2.6 for Intel limited the SCSI ID scan to ID's 0..7 because not
all of the O/S HBA drivers could handle out of range ID's.  In Solaris
2.7, they have fixed this.  For example, if you change the cmdk.conf
file to scan for ID's > 7, the system will panic upon boot because the
IDE driver in Solaris 2.6 can't handle that.

Actually, all you have to do is edit the appropriate .conf file, to make
solaris ignore that SCSI ID.

Unfortunately, I know the correct file on sparc (/kernel/drv/sd.conf)
I do NOT know the correct file under x86.

--
[trim the no-bots from my address to reply to me by email!]
 --------------------------------------------------
"initiating.. 'getting the hell out of here' maneouver" - Lennier, babylon5