Random thoughts:
On Tue, Dec 09, 2003 at 10:09:28AM -0500, Josiah Ritchie wrote:
> ># ./filltape
> >dd: writing to `/dev/nst0': Input/output error
> >285760+0 records in
> >4464+0 records out
> >dd: closing output file `/dev/nst0': Input/output error
> >Command exited with non-zero status 1
> >0.28user 1.74system 18:35.34elapsed 0%CPU (0avgtext+0avgdata 0maxresident)k
> # bin/filltape
> 6491712+0 records in
> 101433+0 records out
> 5.67user 33.95system 34:41.58elapsed 1%CPU (0avgtext+0avgdata 0maxresident)k
The second run got a lot higher data rate -- 48.7 output records
per second, as opposed to 4.0 the first time. Changing the SCSI
ID should *not* have done that if, as you say, the tape drive and
the SCSI adapter are the only devices on the bus. (Even if there
were an ID collision, I'm not sure it would have manifested as a
12-times slowdown -- but then I'm not sure it wouldn't have done,
either.)
> "Kernel Panic: for safety
> In interrupt handler -- not syncing"
>
> Googling around seems to suggest that this is a problem with the card/the rest
> of the hardware,
That's what it smells like to me.
> I've noticed that there is an aic7xxx_old driver. Maybe I should be using
> that instead? Its an AHA2940/aic7870.
At this point, I suspect you'll get much better answers on a
mailing list for your O/S.
> Is there any issue with both having
> parity checking on
If the card and drive both support parity, absolutely you should
turn it on. Enabling it on only one of them won't work, but if
both devices support it, having it enabled is a lot safer than
not.
> Can the SDT-9000 provide the term power to
> the terminator on the end of the cable or is that just for the built-in
> terminator? These are some thoughts that are floating in my head. I also
> noticed
> that the syncing is initialized by the card in the card's bios is it possible
> that this is the source of the issue?
And these are subjects for a SCSI list, or see Gary Field's
excellent SCSI FAQ:
http://fieldhome.net:9080/scsi_faq/scsifaq.html
There's also a SCSI FAQ at:
http://scsifaq.paralan.com/
but I can't offer an opinion, having only just now discovered it.
DON'T use the ones at faqs.org or rtfm.mit.edu; they're Gary
Field's, but ancient versions, not updated since 1998.
> >Card - Start of cable (auto terminate)
Try setting the card's termination explicitly in its BIOS. I've
read that sometimes auto-termination gets it wrong.
> ># ./filltape
> >dd: writing to `/dev/nst0': Input/output error
> >[...]
> >/dev/nst0: No such device or address
OK, that second message suggests that the kernel somehow decided
it no longer had a tape drive. Not sure about that, but it's not
*completely* surprising under the circumstances. Definitely
grounds for a reboot.
> >Than I rebooted to make sure the thing reset...
> >
> ># bin/filltape
> >dd: opening `/dev/nst0': Permission denied
But this is just plain weird. A flaky controller should *not*
have anything to do with the mode on a special file. Are you
sure you ran this "filltape" as root (or as someone with write
permission on /dev/nst0)?
> >[...]
> >/dev/nst0: No such file or directory
And this is weird too. It looks as though the /dev/nst0 special
file itself got deleted (as opposed to the underlying hardware
appearing to go away, which is what the earlier "no such device
or address" suggests.)
> >The jumpers on the back look like this:
> >Description setting
> >--- --- --- --- --- --- ---
> >Disable Compression off
As an aside, for Amanda it's generally better to run with
compression disabled (for details, see many threads in the
archives).
> >SCSI ID Settings above should be ID 6, but there are no other devices on the
> >system (except maybe the card itself if that has an ID). Is it safe for me to
> >set it to SCSI ID 0? I went ahead and did that and it booted up okay.
The only requirement is that no two devices may have the same ID.
The card *does* have an ID, btw -- probably 7; that's the
traditional value. SCSI gives priority to the device with the
higher ID, if both want the bus at once. That's why tapes are
often at ID 6, so that they're less likely to be starved for
data, which in turn means that they're more likely to keep
streaming. See "How should I set the IDs of my devices?" in Gary
Field's FAQ.
But with only the two devices on the bus, priority isn't an
issue, so 0 and 6 are equally good.
--
| | /\
|-_|/ > Eric Siegerman, Toronto, Ont. erics AT telepres DOT com
| | /
It must be said that they would have sounded better if the singer
wouldn't throw his fellow band members to the ground and toss the
drum kit around during songs.
- Patrick Lenneau
|
