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OS/2 - Technical => Setup & Installation => Topic started by: Saijin_Naib on 2009.07.22, 01:42:51

Title: eMachines eTower 633ids
Post by: Saijin_Naib on 2009.07.22, 01:42:51
Problem:
Can not start eCS 2.0 RC6a installer on this machine.

Steps:
Insert CD in Secondary Master/Slave (Master: Acer 16x DVD / Slave: HP Burner 9100)
Allow computer to boot from CD
MemBoot will launch, show the first screen. Cursor will automatically select "Boot from eCS CD"
Press Enter
MeMboot displays the next page (Boot with default values / Choose own Values).
This page is non-functional, computer is locked. This page is also not completely drawn.

SysInfo:
1.13ghz P3 Celeron
256mb SDRAM
40gb WDD HDD
Legacy USB Off (I use PS/2 keyboard, USB Mouse)
Large Disk Access Mode (DOS - BIOS too old to address the drive if I use Other)

Help?
Title: Re: eMachines eTower 633ids
Post by: sXwamp on 2009.07.22, 02:32:13
Trying move your sound card or nic to different slots first. If that didn't work for the install, then take them all out if and try to install. I had one box with 2Gb of memory and I had to take out 1Gb for the install the work.  The computer that I'm using now would just not install eCom 2.0rc6a no matter what I did. I had to use eCS 2rc5, then I would have tried eCs 1.2.1

Greggory
Title: Re: eMachines eTower 633ids
Post by: ivan on 2009.07.22, 02:56:42
Another possible reason - though I don't have eCS to try it out - is that there isn't enough memory for the memdisk and what ever the install program is.  Therefore the hang and incomplete screen draw.

I've had this type of problem with a CD created with UPDCD using a memdisk boot and small memory.  I was able to get it working with careful editing of what went on to the memdisk but I doubt that option is open to you.


Title: Re: eMachines eTower 633ids
Post by: Saijin_Naib on 2009.07.22, 03:13:37
eCS install CD is certified to boot with a minimum of 64mb of RAM (and I've tested this before on an old Compaq Laptop).

There is no sound-card, only on-board. NIC and Graphics are in 2/3 slots on the board.
Title: Re: eMachines eTower 633ids
Post by: David McKenna on 2009.07.22, 05:03:30
 Try removing one of the CD drives.... I've seen reports of problems installing when two are attached....

Dave McKenna
Title: Re: eMachines eTower 633ids
Post by: Saijin_Naib on 2009.07.22, 06:10:41
Alright, I'll have to give it a shot. I guess I can add all the hardware in after the fact, right? No HAL to worry about.
Title: Re: eMachines eTower 633ids
Post by: Saijin_Naib on 2009.07.22, 06:55:49
Right, pulled the NIC (Realtek 8139c PCI) and the Graphics Card (MX 420 PCI) [both supported by eCS] and the Secondary IDE Slave (HP 9100 burner). This time the boot allowed me to get to the second page of MemBoot (boot with default / selected values) and would go to the third page where it begins to allocate memory and do the graphical RAM filling thing. Stopped right at the top text. I tried many times. Same spot.

Could I have bad DIMMs or DIMMs that eCS is picky about? I know they are low-density 128mb Mushkin PC100 modules.
Title: Re: eMachines eTower 633ids
Post by: cyber on 2009.07.22, 09:43:59
If You suspect on memory, try to use lowest memory timing settings in BIOS.  If this help, You can try faster setup later.
Is CPU maybe overclocked ?
Title: Re: eMachines eTower 633ids
Post by: Saijin_Naib on 2009.07.22, 23:40:23
Can't adjust anything in the BIOS, it is a very locked-down BIOS version.

I subscribed to eSupport.com BIOSAgent (said they can make updated BIOS) but it turned out to be bullshit. So I guess no chance of a new BIOS saving this rig.

CPU is at stock speeds (1.13ghz), I will try WMD (Windows Memory Diagnostics) or memtest86, whichever floppy I find. Don't know where I put either :C
Title: Re: eMachines eTower 633ids
Post by: David McKenna on 2009.07.23, 00:39:14
  You could try re-seating the RAM, or swapping positions. MemTest86 is a good idea too....

  Are you trying to use ACPI? Try not..... Also, does DANIS have the /!BIOS switch? If yes, remove it. If no, add it. Also might be worth trying the IBM IDE driver.

  I have also had trouble with the most recent USBUHCD drivers on certain hardware - any chance you could try with a PS/2 mouse (somebody you know probably has one of those PS/2 to USB adapters all mice used to come with)? For grins I would also try turning 'Legacy USB' on...

Dave McKenna
Title: Re: eMachines eTower 633ids
Post by: Saijin_Naib on 2009.07.23, 05:09:30
ACPI is enabled in the BIOS, but god knows what level of ACPI support the thing has (BIOS date of 2001 if I am correct).

I can't even get far enough to choose what IDE driver to choose :C

I'll have to try memtest tonight. The computer has always been stable so I doubt it is a bad DIMM but maybe I'm wrong. I hope not, legacy memory is costly.
Title: Re: eMachines eTower 633ids
Post by: Saijin_Naib on 2009.07.24, 08:22:10
Disabled ACPI: Same behavior.

RAM checks out as OK.

Any other thoughts? Could it simply just be incompatible?
Title: Re: eMachines eTower 633ids
Post by: cyber on 2009.07.24, 10:26:43
Quote from: Saijin_Naib on 2009.07.24, 08:22:10
Disabled ACPI: Same behavior.

RAM checks out as OK.

Any other thoughts? Could it simply just be incompatible?

It should not be for PIII Celeron, but can You try boot eCS 1.2 or bootable Warp 4? 
It also can be some weird stuff related to CD connecting. I will try to set HDD primary master and CD primary slave (not forgot to check jumpers on back side !).
Title: Re: eMachines eTower 633ids
Post by: David McKenna on 2009.07.24, 14:18:27
  The only other thing I would try is the other CD drive.... could you try eCS 1.2.5?

Dave McKenna
Title: Re: eMachines eTower 633ids
Post by: Saijin_Naib on 2009.09.02, 07:34:25
Well, eCS 2.0RC7 installs and works brilliantly.

Thanks guys!

However, my Realtek 8139C PCI Network adapter will not get power. It gives a message when booting that the BIOS has not assigned an address. It then says to use PCIConf.SNP to autoconfigure it.

How do I do that? I'd like to have network working on it so I can use it as a back-up.
Title: Re: eMachines eTower 633ids
Post by: Saijin_Naib on 2009.09.02, 22:07:23
I've tried to track down a PCIConf.SNP and it looks like it was, at one point, hosted/built by Veit Kannegieser (http://ewiki.ecomstation.nl/pciconf) but both the Binary and Source links appear to be down.

Hobbes is similarly empty.

I'll try and attach a screenshot of the NIC setup page in MPTS later. I really need this computer ready to be used as a backup before I head back to school. My primary desktop motherboard is on its last leg (for the 4th time) and I think it may finally bite the dust permanently.
Title: Re: eMachines eTower 633ids
Post by: warpcafe on 2009.09.03, 00:12:00
Hey,

I'm only guessing on this... but could it be that this snooper is already somewhere on the distro media or even installed already?
If not, perhaps this one can help?
http://hobbes2.nmsu.edu/download/pub/os2/util/misc/pciutils_2.2.3_os2_dos.zip (http://hobbes2.nmsu.edu/download/pub/os2/util/misc/pciutils_2.2.3_os2_dos.zip)

Did he (Veit) perhaps move te stuff over to Netlabs? Or Mensys directly? I have no idea...

Is there some way to make the BIOS force assign resources (aka legacy mode) for the card?

Oh yes - make sure you check if that message is actually correct:
Veit's excellent sniffer package will show what resources the NIC was *really* assigned.
http://hobbes2.nmsu.edu/download/pub/os2/util/misc/pci104vka.zip (http://hobbes2.nmsu.edu/download/pub/os2/util/misc/pci104vka.zip)

(That reminds me... perhaps fiddling with the protocol.ini key/value pairs for the NIC can help too...?)

Good luck!!
Thomas
Title: Re: eMachines eTower 633ids
Post by: Saijin_Naib on 2009.09.03, 00:16:45
Searched the CD and the OS for all *.SNP files. PCIConf.snp is not on either.

I can't force the BIOS to assign any IRQs as far as I know. It just has a PnP Aware OS option of Yes or No (currently set to Yes).

I've used the PCI104 file, it doesn't even find my Network card. It does complain about some values not matching however.

The only other PCI NIC I have is a Linksys LNE100TX which I don't believe is supported by OS/2.

What does your last suggestion mean?
Title: Re: eMachines eTower 633ids
Post by: Saijin_Naib on 2009.09.03, 00:36:00
Problem solved:

Turned Disk access from DOS to Other, Legacy USB to OFF, and PnP Aware OS to "No".

Willing to bet I only needed to change the PnP setting. Glad to be posting this from eCS 2.0RC7 on my eMachines. Now to get me some softwares...
Title: Re: eMachines eTower 633ids
Post by: warpcafe on 2009.09.03, 10:34:46
Hi,

Quote from: Saijin_Naib on 2009.09.03, 00:36:00
Willing to bet I only needed to change the PnP setting.

Yep, I think too. ;)
However, perhaps only a PnP "refresh" (rediscover all devices) would have been enough, who knows. Sadly I don't recall what that option is called in the BIOS and unfortunately not all BIOSes have it (well, Award surely has it).

Glad it works for you. My last suggestion (for the sake of completeness) was about manually editing OS/2's "protocol.ini" file. There are sections for each NIC that *could* allow to manually override some of the configuration parameters.
But since I now know what the cause was, I doubt this would have made any difference...

Cheers,
Thomas

Oh, BTW: Can we expect some sort of "review" on RC7...? :)
(Just trying to make people give some feedback, regardless if that is a positive or negative one)
Title: Re: eMachines eTower 633ids
Post by: Saijin_Naib on 2009.09.03, 22:21:53
Sure, I will write an impression/mini-review of 2.0RC7 in a little. I'm just about to move back to school to start my grad work so things are a bit hectic.

More notes:
ACPI must be on to install.
PnP must be set to "off"
Legacy USB must be set to ON to install. Does not matter after install.
----> If legacy USB is off, then installer will not get past the "Boot from Hard disk" or "Boot from CD-ROM" page.

I will be posting this to the ecomstation.ru hardware database.

Thanks all for the help!
Title: Re: eMachines eTower 633ids
Post by: Saijin_Naib on 2009.10.19, 10:15:51
Hey guys. This computer is just sitting around now because I isolated the issue on my primary computer (secondary IDE channel on mobo is flaky).
Therefore, this computer no longer has a purpose.

It is a good eCS computer and will install and run eCS if you follow the notes above.

I would like to sell it to someone here.
Hard drive options are: 8gb, 40gb, none.

Please let me know if anyone is interested.
Title: Re: eMachines eTower 633ids
Post by: Saijin_Naib on 2009.10.20, 17:00:21
Some preliminary pricing to get things going?

I'm thinking about 30$ + shipping for the computer with no HDD.

Maybe 35$ + shipping for the computer with the 8gb HDD.

Maybe 50$ + shipping for the computer with the 40gb HDD?
Title: Re: eMachines eTower 633ids
Post by: Saijin_Naib on 2009.10.25, 08:12:34
Anybody? Buehler?
Title: Re: eMachines eTower 633ids
Post by: Saijin_Naib on 2009.11.06, 12:33:16
Nobody? Works decently as for Haiku and eCS.
Title: Re: eMachines eTower 633ids
Post by: Saijin_Naib on 2009.12.09, 06:17:34
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160385799538

I've re-posted it for sale. Starts bidding at 35$.