Public bug reported:
Setup:
Asus A8N5X
2GB RAM
320GB SATA HD (1st sata)
80GB SATA (2nd sata)
eVGA GeForce 7900 GT
LG GSA-H22N DVD writer (using a 40-pin cable)
Kubuntu AMD64 LiveCD. Although this apply to all the Ubuntu flavors.
In fact, from what I read, this seem to apply to 2.6.26 (and later)
kernel in general.
Description:
I was unable to boot liveCD. Try/Install/Check CD all start to load,
and then I get dumped to BusyBox/initramfs text page.
Loading with splash screen disabled, I see:
Sense key: Hardware Error [Current]
Add_Sense: Logical unit communication CRC error (Ultra_DMA/32)
I/O error, dev sr0, sector 128
repeating for a couple of times, before getting dumped to command
prompt.
I looked the Web, and found many people with BusyBox prompt problem.
Many of the threads suggested workaround of setting SATA mode to 'RAID'
(from 'IDE') in the BIOS, or using 'all_generic_ide' on the command line
in the boot.
Changing to RAID mode didn't help me. Setting 'all_generic_ide' did let
me boot normally. However, I'm concerned that this only patch the real
problem, and I worry about the consequences of setting that parameter.
Will my IDE run slower for example?
Also, from the error above, I deducted that the problem was related to
my DVD (dev sr0).
I finally found a thread about using a 80-pin cable for the CDROM, which
I did (I had 40-pin), and it worked. Now booting without problem.
Investigation:
I found out, from the BIOS boot screen (the one that show you your
devices, when you boot, just after POST, just before booting to HD/CD),
that before, with the 40-pin DVD cable, I was in ATA33 mode. Now, I'm
in ATA66 mode. This cause no problem with Windows, but seem to have an
effect in 2.6.26 kernel.
My guess is that the most likely cause is that the kernel try to boot
with the device (DVD in my case) in ATA66 mode, even though the 40-pin
cable does not allow for more than ATA33 (due to electrical noise
consideration). This was causing error after the kernel took over and
continue in reading the LiveCD.
Is my reasoning right? I could be wrong though :)
Conclusion:
It appear that using a 40-pin IDE cable for the CDROM (or other devices
in the PC), ubuntu fail to access the device because it try to access it
in ATA66 mode. The kernel does not properly sense 40-pin cable, in
which case it would revert to ATA33 mode.
** Affects: ubuntu
Importance: Undecided
Status: New
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Ubuntu fail loading in ATA33 mode with 40-pin cable, dump to busybox/initramfs
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/275335
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