[debian-non-standard] Problems installing debian on FSG-3 (boots from flash, but cannot see internal disk)

[juan--nsd82 at lavera.dnsalias.net]

Tomasz Chmielewski wrote:
 >
 > 1) could you post your *full* dmesg when you boot FSG from a USB stick?
 > 2) could you post hdparm -i and hdparm -I for that drive using original
 > firmware (I'm not sure they have hdparm, though)? Maybe it's some drive
 > which is not supported (I've no idea where to look for)
 >

  3) are you familiar with compiling your own kernels? you could compile a
 > new kernel and boot it without flashing using kexec. A serial cable
 > (preferred; you need to open your FSG) or a USB-serial cable would be
 > helpful here, but not necessarily needed.
 > 4) if you can open your FSG and try with another HDD, it would be some
 > starting point, too.
 >

 >
 > The next mail will contain dmesg, fdisk -l etc. for a FSG booted from a
 > HDD.
 >

Hi Tomasz,

Thanks a lot for the info. I'll try to boot again from flash and get a 
complete dmesg (plus trying with different ide disk). After my 1st 
Debian I used "recovery" to go back to FSG firmware, after 
repartitioning and reformatting the disk on a PC.

So if my 2nd attempt fails, is there an easier way to go back to 
original SW provided I haven't touch the disk. I suppose it must be 
something along the way of:

1) Boot on standard FSG kernal. Do
    dd if=/dev/mtd3 of=configbackup
    dd if=/dev/mtd2 of=kernelbackup

2) Save both backups to (another) flash drive

3) Boot in debian, experiment. At the end:
    dd kernelbackup of=/dev/mtd3
    dd configbackup of=/dev/mtd5

But I'm not sure neither if some "erase /dev/mtd....." command is needed 
in between, nor the exact parameters needed. And I DON'T have (yet) the 
serial cable, so I'd prefer to play on the safe side.

BTW: Do you know if the "recovery" of Freecom FSA does delete all data 
or just rewrites kernel. If it doesn't "reformat" then I could just do 
"recovery" after my experiments without loosing any data. I've got 
backups for everything, but restoring it is a PITA.

Meanwhile, I tried hdparm on the FSG kernel . There is an hdparm 
included, but to my surprise:

/ # hdparm -?
hdparm: invalid option -- ?
BusyBox v1.2.1 (2007.11.21-17:49+0000) multi-call binary

    (just in case you want to know the hdparm version)

/dev/sda1:
hdparm: HDIO_GET_IDENTITY: Inappropriate ioctl for device  <===OOOH!

(in fact  the hdparm parameters -d, -k, -m -n -r -u all give 
"Inappropriate ioctl for device"

But at least -I is working:


/ # hdparm -I /dev/sda1

/dev/sda1:

ATA device, with non-removable media
         Model Number:       Hitachi HDT725050VLAT80
         Serial Number:      VF4401R4D02SMH
         Firmware Revision:  V56OA4NA
Standards:
         Used: ATA/ATAPI-7 T13 1532D rev.1
         Supported: 7 6 5 4
Configuration:
         Logical         max     current
         cylinders       16383   16383
         heads           16      16
         sectors/track   63      63
         --
         CHS current addressable sectors:   16514064
         LBA    user addressable sectors:  268435455
         LBA48  user addressable sectors:  976773168
         device size with M = 1024*1024:      476940 MBytes
         device size with M = 1000*1000:      500107 MBytes (500 GB)
Capabilities:
         LBA, IORDY(can be disabled)
         Queue depth: 1
         Standby timer values: spec'd by Standard, no device specific 
minimum
         R/W multiple sector transfer: Max = 16  Current = 0
         AdvancedPM level: unknown setting (0x0000)
         Recommended acoustic management value: 128, current value: 254
         DMA: mdma0 mdma1 mdma2 udma0 udma1 udma2 udma3 udma4 udma5 *udma6
                 Cycle time: min=120ns recommended=120ns
         PIO: pio0 pio1 pio2 pio3 pio4
                 Cycle time: no flow control=240ns  IORDY flow control=120ns
Commands/features:
         Enabled Supported:
            *    READ BUFFER cmd
            *    WRITE BUFFER cmd
            *    Host Protected Area feature set
            *    Look-ahead
            *    Write cache
            *    Power Management feature set
                 Security Mode feature set
            *    SMART feature set
            *    FLUSH CACHE EXT cmd
            *    Mandatory FLUSH CACHE cmd
            *    Device Configuration Overlay feature set
            *    48-bit Address feature set
                 SET MAX security extension
                 Address Offset Reserved Area Boot
                 SET FEATURES subcommand required to spinup after power up
                 Power-Up In Standby feature set
                 Adv. Power Management feature set
            *    DOWNLOAD MICROCODE cmd
            *    General Purpose Logging feature set
            *    SMART self-test
            *    SMART error logging
Security:
         Master password revision code = 65534
                 supported
         not     enabled
         not     locked
         not     frozen
         not     expired: security count
         not     supported: enhanced erase
         192min for SECURITY ERASE UNIT.
HW reset results:
         CBLID- above Vih
         Device num = 0 determined by the jumper
Checksum: correct

And just in case...
/ # cat /proc/scsi/scsi
Attached devices:
Host: scsi1 Channel: 00 Id: 00 Lun: 00
   Vendor: ATA      Model: Hitachi HDT72505 Rev: V56O
   Type:   Direct-Access                    ANSI SCSI revision: 05
/ #

Regarding kernel compilation, I'm "fluent" at compiling kernels, but 
never did a cross compilation. I suppose I can resort to this if the 
rest fails, and woudl be grateful if you could provide links to to the 
toolchain, needed kernel patches (if any) and a valid ".config" to start 
playing with.


Thanks again:
    Juan


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