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Conference turris::digital_unix

Title:	DIGITAL UNIX(FORMERLY KNOWN AS DEC OSF/1)
Notice:	Welcome to the Digital UNIX Conference
Moderator:	SMURF::DENHAM

Created:	Thu Mar 16 1995
Last Modified:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	10068
Total number of notes:	35879

9842.0. "cannot mount root" by HYDRA::BRYANT () Thu May 15 1997 15:38

I have a partner who is trying to boot up the Digital UNIX 4.0b CD in order to
install.  The system is an Alpha single board computer from Industrial Computer
Source.  They are getting "cannot mount root" errors.

They have a Toshiba 5701 CDROM at SCSI ID 6 and a harddrive at SCSI ID 0.
They were able to install Windows NT.

Any ideas on what may be going wrong?
Thanks.
Pat Bryant
Software Partner Engineering

T.R Title User Personal
Name Date Lines

9842.1 You have 2 options..... SMURF::KNIGHT Fred Knight Mon May 19 1997 18:23 33

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
9842.1	You have 2 options.....	SMURF::KNIGHT	Fred Knight	`Mon May 19 1997 18:23`	33
	Yes, you have 2 options: 1) Install the "Parity" jumper on the CDrom (sometimes it's called the "mode" jumper). You might also see the label mention PC mode or Workstation mode. 2) Request an archived version of the V4.0B CDrom. Of course, I'm sure you're now asking why? This is a new problem that was introduced in the V4.0C version of the V4.0B media. To use the 433au/500au systems (with the TOSHIBA ATAPI CDroms) a new DDR entry was added to the system. This new DDR entry (for TOSHIBA CDroms) impacts ALL TOSHIBA CDroms (ATAPI or SCSI). This new entry operates the device in 2k blocksize mode. However, only a V4.0C kernel knows how to do the 2k blocksize thing. The V4.0B kernel (which is what boots on all non-"au" systems) only knows how to operate with 512 byte blocksize CDroms. So, solution 1 changes your TOSHIBA CDrom into a DEC RRD cdrom (which operates at 512 byte blocksize). Solution 2 gets you the old V4.0B media kit (which does not have the V4.0C DDR data file) so the TOSHIBA drive will again operate in 512 byte mode. It wasn't until VERY LATE in the release cycle (the media was actually already into the production loop) that this problem was found. Since all devices in the SPD worked correctly, and since there was a workaround (the 2 listed above) the decision was made to release the product with this known problem. This problem has already been corrected in the V4.0D pools. Fred Knight

Yes, you have 2 options:

1) Install the "Parity" jumper on the CDrom (sometimes it's
	called the "mode" jumper).  You might also see the
	label mention PC mode or Workstation mode.

2) Request an archived version of the V4.0B CDrom.

Of course, I'm sure you're now asking why?

This is a new problem that was introduced in the V4.0C version
of the V4.0B media.  To use the 433au/500au systems (with the
TOSHIBA ATAPI CDroms) a new DDR entry was added to the system.
This new DDR entry (for TOSHIBA CDroms) impacts ALL TOSHIBA
CDroms (ATAPI or SCSI).  This new entry operates the device in
2k blocksize mode.  However, only a V4.0C kernel knows how to
do the 2k blocksize thing.  The V4.0B kernel (which is what
boots on all non-"au" systems) only knows how to operate with
512 byte blocksize CDroms.

So, solution 1 changes your TOSHIBA CDrom into a DEC RRD cdrom
(which operates at 512 byte blocksize).  Solution 2 gets you
the old V4.0B media kit (which does not have the V4.0C DDR data
file) so the TOSHIBA drive will again operate in 512 byte mode.

It wasn't until VERY LATE in the release cycle (the media was
actually already into the production loop) that this problem
was found.  Since all devices in the SPD worked correctly, and
since there was a workaround (the 2 listed above) the decision
was made to release the product with this known problem.  This
problem has already been corrected in the V4.0D pools.

	Fred Knight