Re: Fwd: libata-pmp patch for 3.2.x and later for eSATA Port Multiplier Sil3726

["ANEZAKI, Akira" <fireblade1230@yahoo.co.jp>]

Hello Gwendal,

Thank you for your kindness response.

(2012/03/26 00:28), Gwendal Grignou wrote:
> I reread your logs.
> 
> Assuming you don't mind long boot from cold power, the remaining
> problem is with the 4 disk enclosures [ata7-ata10] on the second
> machines where the first disk is not found and boot from warm reboot
> is very long.

Not only first disk. 2 or more HDDs are missed for every PMP.

> I try to understand why it works with the other 4 enclosures
> [ata5-ata6] on the first and second machines.
> 
> Also, just to be sure I understand you configuration correctly, your
> second machine has 30 disks total, not 40:
> 2 direct on ata1.00  and ata1.01
> 8 on 2 enclosures [ 2 * 4] on ata5 and ata6
> 20 on 4 enclosures [ 4 * 5] on ata7 - ata10

Oops! You are right. I'm very sorry!

> Also, from the log, ata5 and ata6 is behind a Sil3132 based
> controller, while ata7-ata10 behind a single Sil3124, not the opposite
> as you said in a precedent mail.
> 
> If possible, could you switch 2 of the 4 enclosures [with their disks]
> that fails to the port controlled by the Sil3132 controller, reboot
> the machine with all its 30 drives and see if the failures follow the
> controller or the enclosure.

Yes, I will do it as soon as possible. (Sorry, resyncing is runnning now.)

> If you based your raid configuration on signature that should be fine,
> but if it based on kernel device name [sdX] that will confuse md and
> will mess with your data.

The problem is that some HDDs on every PMP from ata7 - ata10 are missed.
The RAID problem seems to be caused by it. mdadm.conf uses uuid. So I
think that kernel uses uuids of RAIDs.

Best Regards,
Akira

> I am sorry I don't have any other suggestion right now,

The HDDs connected to ata7 -- ata10 are very old and support only Serial
ATA 1.0a. I checked data sheet and chip(JM20330) supports SRST command.
While booting, indicator LED brinks repeatedly. And more than half of
HDDs are identified. So, I have thought that the HDD side is not a
problem. How is your opinion about it?

> Regards,
> Gwendal.
> 
> On Sat, Mar 24, 2012 at 6:19 PM, ANEZAKI, Akira
> <fireblade1230@yahoo.co.jp> wrote:
>> Hello Gwendal,
>>
>> I want to confirm one thing.
>> The kernel 3.1.x driver still works?
>>
>> It seems to take long time to solve the problem. Of course I understand
>> staggered spin-up is better solution. But I can't wait it so long. And
>> it affects only SiI3726 only.
>>
>> Best Regards,
>> Akira
>>
>> (2012/03/23 18:59), ANEZAKI, Akira wrote:
>>> Hello Gwendal,
>>>
>>> (2012/03/23 17:31), Gwendal Grignou wrote:
>>>>>>>> I notice however some messages I did not see before:
>>>>>>>>>> [    4.856382] ata7.15: Port Multiplier 1.1, 0x1095:0x3726 r23, 6 ports, feat 0x1/0x9
>>>>>>>>>> [    4.858742] ata7.00: hard resetting link
>>>>>>>>>> [   14.843039] ata7.00: softreset failed (timeout)
>>>>>>>>>> [   17.836402] ata7.15: qc timeout (cmd 0xe4)
>>>>>>>> The later indicates that the PMP is stuck and the host can not read
>>>>>>>> its internal register.
>>>>>>>> Is it possible that the PMP in these 4 enclosures you are using have a
>>>>>>>> different firmware than the other ones?
>>>>>>>> Firmware 1.0114 is available at:
>>>>>>>> http://www.siliconimage.com/support/searchresults.aspx?pid=26&cat=23
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> From the release notes:
>>>>>>>> """- Fix SRST and initial two RegFIS Problem."""
>>>>>
>>>>> I'm still fixing broken RAID. Sorry for my slow response.
>>>
>>> I checked those firmware version. All of them use version 1.0114.
>>>
>>> Best Regards,
>>> Akira
>>