Sorry to dampen the party --STILL UNINSTALLABLE
 

Hi everyone

I'd love to try out MANDRIVA but can anyone actually tell me what install actually doesn't hang when using a SONY VAIO laptop with the SIS chipset.

I've tried the following

!0.0
10.1
10.2
Mandriva 2005 Limited Edition

2006 RC1


No problem on the Desktop --but I'd like the SAME distro on the laptop.


(The actual laptop model is SONY VAIO PCG GRT816S -- And NO THE HARD DISK ISN'T BROKEN).

Has anyone got an install to work on a Sony VAIO laptop --and if so what did they do.

(I have successfully installed Fedora various versions and SUSE on the same laptop --at different times --without problems so the laptop is definitely capable of running some flavour of Linux).


Cheers

-K

On which part of the installation does it hang. I have installed Mandriva on a Sony viao laptop and it worked fine. I installed it recently on a Tiny laptop that is based on sis chipsets and it also worked fine.

I insert the disk
Get the Spash screen
Press ENTER

Hangs


Or in Text Mode

starts up and gets as far as hda: Max request size 1024Kib

Then a whole lot of hda lost interrupt messages

then hangs completely.

There are some messages SIS5513 Sis 962/963 MuTIOL controller BIOS settings : hda DMA, hdb Pio

eventually get a message hda 15630148 sectors (80026 MB) w/7884Kib cache, CHS-16383/25/63 UDMA=100

After more long waits you get messages like p6<4> had dma_timer_expiry: dma status == 0x24

hda lost interrupt

finally after the last partition (p9) it just stops altogether.

I can't believe that this STILL doesnt work or is there a hidden option which I've missed.

Cheers

And PLEASE no replies like "Are your CD's burned correctly -- I KNOW they are and in any case it installs on a Desktop just fine).

-K

Try changing your dma settings in the bios. Its just a wild guess because of the error message.

(DOn't know if your problem is AFTER the CD installtion or during. This tip applies to during the CD installation)

I have had the installation stall problem that you mentioned, but it's on a Dell Inspiron 600m laptop with Mandriva 2006 RC1. I got farther with RC2 where I was at least able to install the file. I know Mandrake 10.0, 10.1, and Mandriva 2005LE don't allow you to copy the WHOLE CD for the installation, but Mandriva 2006 does and that fixed my installation problems. I guess my CD drive and the data weren't getting along. So, if it's possible, try installing from the hard drive or from a network source without having to go through the CD.

Anothere wild guest is trying to give the "nodma" option after the "linux:" prompt.

'Fraid the Sony BIOS doesn't allow any user settings of the DMA --I think the Bios is hobbled as very few user settable options apart from Time and Boot devices.

Cheers

-K

Done it -- still the same probs.

I guess this is ONE laptop where I'll just give this up. Can happen that a particular piece of equipment just won't work.

Cheers

-K

Have you tried an older version? Is your CD-ROM/HDD drive SCSI?

I ask because I could NOT get Mandrake 10.0+ to install on my server with ATA HDD and SCSI CDROM. However Mandrake 9.2 (as well as Debian woody 3.0) worked fine.

You can still find Mandrake 9.2's around..... if you have trouble post back and I can give you some URLs.