RE: aacraid, Adaptec 2410SA on RH9?

I think Mark was referring to the Retail CD-ROM
that comes packaged with the Adaptec 2410SA controller.

On this CD-ROM are a number of directories, which are
loosely described in the file [ Packages.txt ] in the root.

The problem is the CD-ROM does not entirely follow the
layout described in the file [ Packages.txt ]

Anyway.. under the [ /Packages ] directory is [ ../Linux ] and

/Apps
/DRIVER_PACKAGE
/Redhat_7.3
/Redhat_8.0

The Apps directory is the browser based management tool.

The DRIVER_PACKAGE directory contains the actual driver source
code that was used to create the RedHat driver disks.

The Redhat_7.3 and Redhat_8.0 directories contain subdirectories
that contain modules and driver disk images.

The driver has been an evolving collaboration between several
people including Alan Cox of Redhat who has modified 2.4.20
versions of the kernel and released them as 2.4.20-rcX-acX
kernels.

The driver source code on the CD-ROM is just the code required
to compile the loadable [ aacraid.o ] kernel module.

To make a RedHat driver disk one would download the DD-Kit
(Device Driver kit?) from [ http://people.redhat.com/dledford/ ]

And basically "import" the proper kernel source code and run the
DD-kit utility to contruct modules and then "dd.img" driver disk images
which could be written to a floppy.

The aacraid driver first appeared in kernel 2.4.17-pre1 but it doesn't
always recognize and work for the Adaptec 2410SA controller.

Redhat 9 by default uses kernel 2.4.20-8, although it has had an update
release that took it up to 2.4.20-13

The Redhat system and driver have to continually be updated with 
PCI bus "identifiers" so that when the system boots it recognizes 
the hardware by its PCI identifier and loads the proper module and
sets up the card correctly for use.

The Adaptec 2410SA is a member of a family of controllers which share
a common driver.. the same driver "in theory" works for many cards,
but new cards (like the 2410) may have special needs or features that
are gradually discovered, developed, and exploited.. and sometimes
features have to be backed away from for stability reasons.

Marks "point" I believe, was that the driver exists in the default
kernel for Redhat 9, but it was not mature enough to be functional,
hence Adaptec/Alan Cox and others released a later version that 
was compatible across several versions of Redhat.. the same source
code used to create driver disks for 7.3 and 8.0 could in theory
be used to create driver disks for 9.0 in fact the "diff" files in
the patches indicate its already been tested to some degree.

However there are certain quality standards at Adaptec that prevents
him from releasing a driver disk, before its thoroughly tested.

There's nothing stopping anyone else however from taking the source
code and compiling a driver disk for Redhat 9.

But.. from my own research, I've noticed people experiencing a 
SCSI hang problems, and kernel panics, when using the driver.. 
the driver isn't really a SCSI device driver, but masquerades 
as one.. several people have been closely following the latest 
releases through the Alan Cox's series of kernel releases.

Alan seems far ahead, or "in tune" with the people making strides
towards improving the driver.. work continues on a "version" of
the driver for the 2.5 kernel.. but it seems until recently to
have been a bit behind the advances on the 2.4 driver, and recently
someone took a look at the 2.4 version and was moving towards 
adding more functionality to the 2.5 version.

.. so.. good news is RH9 driver basically exists, but not as a
driver disk yet, also improvements are being made faster than
Adaptec is able to release the latest driver.. to get the truly
latest you may have to change the kernel your using in your Redhat 
distribution to one of the 2.4.20-rcX-acX versions..

but then you have the chicken and the egg problem of installing 
Redhat on the controller and keeping up with the initrd file
required for booting.

- john w.

-----Original Message-----
From: Greg Padberg [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Fri Aug 15 11:37:00 2003 
To: [email protected]
Subject: aacraid, Adaptec 2410SA on RH9?


Thanks for the prompt reply!

This morning I tried the RH "Severn" beta which seems to properly recognize
the controller and drives.

Yes I had attempted the dd install, from RH9 and RH8 CDs.  The strangeness
is that RH8 doesn't access the floppy drive even for a moment to seek for a
driver disk.  RH9 accesses the floppy drive OK although the RH8 driver disk
doesn't work with RH9 and a RH9 driver disk could not be found on the
Adaptec website.

I just got delivery of the hardware earlier this week.  The release notes on
the CD included with the 2410SA indicates that it is quite recent (as of
July 2003) but there isn't anything available for RH9 on the CD or Adaptec
website.  Your email address indicates that you work for Adaptec, can you
prod the appropriate folks at Adaptec to post RH9 driver disk on the
website?

So far I haven't found anything on the Adaptec website or CD that I can use
to install RH9 easily.  To have a RH9 driver disk image file available would
certainly be useful!

Greg Padberg

-----Original Message-----
From: Salyzyn, Mark [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Friday, August 15, 2003 8:59 AM
To: 'Greg Padberg'; [email protected]
Subject: RE: aacraid, Adaptec 2410SA on RH9?


Yes, tested RH9.

The RH9 drivers (RH9INT and RH9US) were released with the product, I am not
sure if we released the driver disks (as they were not matrix tested) but
the rpm has the modules.

We are still working out the kinks for an unsupported driver page so that
you can have the latest driver build products available for download. This
would be the mechanism where I would place the RH9 install disks.

The failure to access the floppy is a hardware (motherboard and/or OS
interaction with the floppy hardware) issue, I would assume you are
selecting the dd install. RH8' aacraid driver did not have the product ids
for the 2410SA, you will need the updated driver as provided on the install
disk (or post-install, using the rpm).

Sincerely -- Mark Salyzyn

-----Original Message-----
From: Greg Padberg [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Friday, August 15, 2003 10:37 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: aacraid, Adaptec 2410SA on RH9?


Red Hat Linux seems to detect the Adaptec 2410SA SATA RAID controller as
using the "aacraid" driver.
Has anyone got this card working with RH9?
I also tried installing RH8 with Adaptec's driver disk after updating the
firmware (2003 July 29 version) and still no luck (RH8 doesn't even access
the floppy drive for the driver disk).
Adaptec doesn't seem to have RH9 drivers for the 2410SA available at this
time.

Anyone with further info?

Greg Padberg

Computer / Network Technician
Eston-Elrose School Division #33
Box 430 Elrose, Saskatchewan S0L 0Z0
Tel (306) 378-2505     Fax (306) 378-2338
Email [email protected]

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