[SOLVED] CentOS 5 Hardware Detection Failure

[willywep]

I have a Xeon/SuperMicro server that will not load CentOS 5 (I've tried 5.7, 5.8, 5.10), but will load 6.5. With CentOS 5, the install hangs at /sbin/loader for a very long time. When it does proceed, anaconda hangs for a long time after the video card probe. If it gets past there (occasionally), the screen either goes blank or gets weird colors on the righthand side. I can do text mode install, but then the boot is just a basically inoperative grub prompt.

I have tried all manner of load options, to no avail. nohz=off, nores=off, noapic, nolapic, resolution=1024x768, skipddc, xdriver=vesa, nomodeset, etc, etc -- if it's somewhere on google, I've probably tried it. I have also tried 2 different monitors, with the same results -- no CentOS 5 load. I have also tried using an old video card in a PCI-E slot (nVidia QuadroFX 540), but no lovin' there, either.

Though it hangs at things that appear to be related to video, I think the OS load problem is actually related to the next step, which is detecting hardware; but I'm not totally sure. I do know that all works swimmingly when I use CentOS 6.5, & the system does first boot just fine in to 6.5.

The mobo, SuperMicro X9QRi-F+, is certified with RHEL 5.7 & 5.8, as well as CentOS 6.3. Memory is 2x8gb Samsung M393B1K70 per cpu, 64gb total installed. CPUs are 4x Xeon E5-4650. Only 1 hard drive is attached, a WD velociraptor 250gb. A sata DVD/CD is attached for the OS load. The onboard video is Matrox MGA G200eW WPCM450.

Thanks to anyone who has mercy on this hapless non-IT person!

[drk]

If 6.5 installs and works fine why not use it? It will have a longer support window than 5.10.

[willywep]

Thanks for the reply! I agree, I'd rather run 6.5. Unfortunately, the older software I'm installing is only certified to operate on the CentOS 5 kernel. I have attempted to run this software on the 6.x kernel, but it doesn't work. I am therefore stuck with trying to get CentOS 5.x installed -- I should've made that clear in the original post.

[gerald_clark]

What you should have said up front is what software you want to run that requires CentOS 5 since that is the real problem.

[willywep]

The software is for seismic data processing (oil industry stuff), but I don't quite see how that matters. At this point, the software is a given. If possible, I need to get CentOS 5 loaded on a system that should be able to accommodate it but for some reason does not. Thanks in advance!

[drk]

With that much memory you're presumably using 64bit 5.10.

Even though 6.5 installs fine I'd look at making sure the BIOS is up to date. Make sure your SATA controller for the disk is set to AHCI. I'd even try limiting the memory during installation by adding mem=2048M to the boot options.

[TrevorH]

If you press Ctrl-Alt-F2 or F3 or F4 during the install you should find a root command prompt and two screens full of logs. Maybe one of those will have something interesting on it.

[willywep]

Thanks for your helpful suggestions. What difference does mem=2048m make? Does CentOS 5 gag on too much memory? I've installed 5.8 several times with 64gb without a hitch, but that was on AMD/Tyan hardware. The BIOS is from a couple of months ago -- I think it's dated 21Feb2014 -- so I don't think that's an issue. And yes, I'm using x86_64 CentOS 5.10.

[willywep]

Thanks TrevorH with the nifty Reepicheep pic! Does it matter whether I use F2, F3, or F4, or do all work the same? When should I hit ctrl-alt-F# -- when the loader hangs for a long time at /sbin/loader, or at the anaconda video card message? Thanks for helping out!

[TrevorH]

If it's to work then the installer may need to be loaded up so I am not sure that it will since I'm not entirely sure how far along it has got. The key combination is Ctrl-Alt + one of F2, F3 or F4 and switches you to another virtual console. To get back to the original you use Ctrl-Alt-F1. Each console contains a different thing, F1 is the installer, F2 is a root command prompt, F3 and F4 are the installer log and the system log though I can never remember which order.

One other thing, will it boot in rescue mode? Hit esc when you see the initial menu and append a space and the word rescue to the end of the kernel command line.