Topic: Booting problem ("kernel panic"?)

[Christian Sandberg]

Hi everyone!

I really have an annoying problem. I've downloaded SME Server 5.6 and the installation worked out without any problems.
But when it boots I receive a message and it all stops, here's the last three lines:

CPU: Cyrix 6x86MX 2x Core/Bus Clock stepping 03
Kernel panic: Kernel compiled for PPro+, requires PGE feature!
No idle task - not syncing

Does anyone know what's the problem here? The computer is old, a Pentium 133 Mhz with 32 MB RAM.

/ Christian S

[Andy Parkinson]

I wouldn't run it with that small an amount of ram for a start. I think 64 is the very minimum.

[schotty]

the problem has nothing to do with memory (but it is correct to say that you have not got enough :

Looging around by goole for "PGE feature" I have found out that it is a cpu problem. The only way to get round it would be to make a new kernel or get a new cpu!!!

I advise the latter

[THE DON]

Hi All,
         I must agree with schotty here.  The problem is that the new 2.4 kernels can now be used for AMD chipsets and the older kernels are really only for Intel Chipsets.  Unless you compile your own kernel you probably won't get it working.

The best thing you can do is simply pull out your CPU and replace it for a Intel Pentium 133 Chip.

That WILL fix your problem.

As far as RAM goes although 32 won't do a great job (It will struggle with Server-Manager, and as a Domain Controller if you choose that option) but it will still work.

Hope that helps

DON

[Christian Sandberg]

Thanks for all the answers!

It's a shame I can't run SME but I was thinking of getting a newer computer anyway. Does this mean that I can't run any Linux at all on this computer?

/ Christian

[Christian Sandberg]

Hi again.

I found a page on internet where I saw that the Cyrix 6x86MX was supported by Linux (http://www.linux.org/docs/beginner/platforms.html). Why doesn't it work for me then? Is it just E-smith that won't work?

Have a nice day!
/ Christian S

[dave]

Christian,

What you're seeing is a more generic install that's included with mainstream Linux distros (like Redhat or Mandrake).  Those distros can be installed to a wide variety of platforms and based on the discovered hardware, will install what's necessary to work.  Many will have different distros for different platforms too like MIPS or Alpha or PowerPC.  I think in your case, the processor is just too old for SME to run, which is based on a Redhat distribution but geared toward a specific minimum processor configuration for Intel processors (SME may support different processors/architectures but I have no experience with running SME on them).

I'm sure you can find a distribution of Linux that will run on your system but it looks like SME may not be your best choice, unless you want to upgrade the hardware or go with an older version of SME server.

Dave

[phillip ramirez]

looks like it saw the cpu during install as a cirix and not the correct cpu. did you happen to swap cpus? this will run on 32meg BTW

[phillip ramirez]

ok i have a question. what sme are you trying to run? since this is a hacked version of redhat it should run on the cirix cpu. try doing another fresh instal or you can gothrough the docs on recompiling the kernal for the cpu to work.

[Christian Sandberg]

phillip ramirez wrote:
>
> ok i have a question. what sme are you trying to run? since
> this is a hacked version of redhat it should run on the cirix
> cpu. try doing another fresh instal or you can gothrough the
> docs on recompiling the kernal for the cpu to work.


Well, as I said before I'm trying to install version 5.6, and I've tried to install it twice, with the same result.

I thought it was a Pentium because that's what they said when I bought it used. But when I looked in my BIOS I saw that it was a Cyrix-processor, with 166 MHz (SME showed that it found a processor with 133 MHz, why?).

Thanks for helping me!

[Dan Brown]

IIRC, the old Cyrix 6x86 P166+ actually ran at 133 MHz.

[Christian Sandberg]

Dan Brown wrote:
>
> IIRC, the old Cyrix 6x86 P166+ actually ran at 133 MHz.


Allright, that explains it.

I just looked at Red Hat's hardware site. This processor SHOULD work with Red Hat 7.3 (http://hardware.redhat.com/hcl/?pagename=details&hid=3410)...

[phillip.ramirez]

the reason is because the cirux isnt a true 166 the software detects the actual clock

[phillip.ramirez]

then try running 5.1.2 it still rocks. and you will actually run better on the memory and cpu you are trying to run it on faster and better.

[Stuart]

I had 5.6 running on a Cyrix P166+(133 MHz) chip. It ran fine.
Stuart