Re:Old Compaq Server

[Adam <adam@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

 From          : klug>klug-request
 To            : adam
 Subject       : Old Compaq Server
 Date          : 09/02/99 10:00


>I have an old  Compaq ProSigna 486-33 that is begging me for LINUX.
>Internally in has only SCSI connections.  I'd like to add a CDROM to this
>unit.  Installed a $20 multi I/O card w/ everything disabled except the
>IDE.  System refuses to recognize it.

Why insult the poor thing,  you can get a SCSI CD-ROM from compgeeks fo
$15.00.   What IDE channel is the card taking,  make sure it is the
primary ide,  (ide0),  sometime ide1 won't be recognized without ide0.  But I~
suppose this greatly depends upon the hardware.

>It is an EISA system, which I have little experience with.  I downloaded
>the latest config utility from Compaq & ran it through its paces with all
>cards installed.  It configures everything that was previously installed,
>but does not recognize the existence of my IDE controller.

Possible the IDE card is conflicting with the IRQ/address of the SCSI
controller?  Is the SCSI controller on the M/B or an add in card itself?
Maybe Compaq never intended the machine to have an IDE card and used it's
default I/O address and IRQ for the SCSI card.  Can you cat
/proc/interrupts and  cat /proc/ioports and send us that?


>I'm tired of beating my head against this, and I have the feeling I'm
>overlooking something simple.  So go ahead & tell me what stupid thing I'm
>forgetting!

Thats what wall are for.~

>I'm starting to get in the mood to go looking for a SCSI CD drive.  Hate to
>spend the $$, but this is really pissing me off.


Yes!  IDE sucks anyway,  and on a 486 you don't have lots of CPU cycles to
waste on dumb busses.  (If you haven't guessed I'm a SCSI promoter).