[SLE] Is this a hardware, software or finger problem?
I have an older system (Athlon 1.1GHz, a gig of memory, and somewhat newer IDE hard disks -- meaning that the hard disks are newer than the box). Also, the power supply is 450W and good quality. I'm not aware of any hardware problems... Software problems include having Windows XP as a dual boot option (that's a joke - Win XP boots and runs fine) via GRUB. For the whole time that I had SUSE 10.0, YaST (or whatever is behind that component) would lose my DVD drive as a software source. That is, it worked fine to initially install from DVD, it worked fine to burn CDs and DVDs, it worked fine to view and copy files on a data CD, and it worked fine to view movies (after I did the new xine and libdvdcss thing). But every second time that I wanted to add or fiddle with some software (from Packman and a couple of other reputable sources), the system would look for something on the DVD and be unable to find it - even though DVD1 was sitting in the drive and I could be looking at its contents in a Konqueror window. In the software source configuration dialog, the DVD drive was present, though it often got replaced by something like /media/DVD://// Every time I saw the four slashes, I knew I was doomed. So, after some months, I read something in an old thread from somewhere (not a SuSE list) that caused me to boot from DVD and perform Repair. Then, the next time I booted and tried a software change, the DVD was found without issue. But later, I'd try again, and the DVD would be unacceptable again. Back to boot from DVD and run Repair. Since I was not having other failures, I decided that, either I had a very specific hardware problem affecting only fstab, or else I had a software/config problem that was inadvertently _telling_ it to do this. When I installed 10.1, I formatted everything except the Win XP partition - so as not to have any lingering issues from my previous SUSE life on that machine. I did all new config, creating fresh users and not supplying any old config. Yes, I have had to Repair two times since installing 10.1. YaST decides not to see the DVD as software source anymore. Just like before. Aside from jokes about it being the Win XP partition, does anybody have any idea what would keep doing this? When the system runs its filesystem checks there's never any corruption mentioned. I figure that if the boot sector were corrupt/damaged, then I would have far more significant symptoms. What's left? Informed opinion welcomed. Speculation and wild-assed guesses welcomed. Thanks, Kevin The information contained in this electronic mail transmission may be privileged and confidential, and therefore, protected from disclosure. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by replying to this message and deleting it from your computer without copying or disclosing it. -- Check the headers for your unsubscription address For additional commands send e-mail to suse-linux-e-help@suse.com Also check the archives at http://lists.suse.com Please read the FAQs: suse-linux-e-faq@suse.com
On Tuesday 13 June 2006 1:52 pm, mlist@safenet-inc.com wrote:
When the system runs its filesystem checks there's never any corruption mentioned. I figure that if the boot sector were corrupt/damaged, then I would have far more significant symptoms. What's left?
Informed opinion welcomed.
Speculation and wild-assed guesses welcomed.
Oh good. Then I have something to contribute...
Thanks,
Kevin
Haven't heard of this happening with that kind of regularity. Are you sure that WinXP doesn't have problems also? Do you use WinXP enough to know that it doesn't have trouble(s) with the DVD drive? Usually Linux can stress the hardware more than Win-whatever so the problem may show up more in Linux. I'd suspect that there is something with the DVD drive subsystem (power, IDE cable, drive itself) causing it to 'disappear' long enough to let YaST Install Sources think it really did go away. My first hunch is power. The PS may be good quality but it may also be getting old and putting out less power than before. On either the 5V logic side or the 12V power to the motor side. Why not copy the DVD to a directory and then point YaST to that? Or make sure that an online source is listed instead. That way you eliminate the DVD drive itself. Stan -- Check the headers for your unsubscription address For additional commands send e-mail to suse-linux-e-help@suse.com Also check the archives at http://lists.suse.com Please read the FAQs: suse-linux-e-faq@suse.com
Tirsdag 13 juni 2006 22:18 skrev S Glasoe:
On Tuesday 13 June 2006 1:52 pm, mlist@safenet-inc.com wrote:
When the system runs its filesystem checks there's never any corruption mentioned. I figure that if the boot sector were corrupt/damaged, then I would have far more significant symptoms. What's left?
Informed opinion welcomed.
Speculation and wild-assed guesses welcomed.
Oh good. Then I have something to contribute...
Thanks,
Kevin
Haven't heard of this happening with that kind of regularity. Are you sure that WinXP doesn't have problems also? Do you use WinXP enough to know that it doesn't have trouble(s) with the DVD drive? Usually Linux can stress the hardware more than Win-whatever so the problem may show up more in Linux.
I'd suspect that there is something with the DVD drive subsystem (power, IDE cable, drive itself) causing it to 'disappear' long enough to let YaST Install Sources think it really did go away. My first hunch is power. The PS may be good quality but it may also be getting old and putting out less power than before. On either the 5V logic side or the 12V power to the motor side.
Why not copy the DVD to a directory and then point YaST to that? Or make sure that an online source is listed instead. That way you eliminate the DVD drive itself.
Stan
Hi guys, - I've experienced this odd DVD behaviour for a long time. This is what I do... I try to install som sw from the DVD. It fails. I then insert a standard CD (not DVD) with some photos and stuff on. It gets recognized and all. Eject. Insert DVD -and install...which works now. It's a long time ago I gave up understanding what's going on. This oddest behaviour was present in SuSE9.3 and is in SuSE10 also. It may even have been present in SuSE9, 9.1 and 9.2 as well. I just don't remember... -- ------------------------------ Med venlig hilsen/Best regards Verner Kjærsgaard -- Check the headers for your unsubscription address For additional commands send e-mail to suse-linux-e-help@suse.com Also check the archives at http://lists.suse.com Please read the FAQs: suse-linux-e-faq@suse.com
participants (3)
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mlist@safenet-inc.com
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S Glasoe
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Verner Kjærsgaard