Bug 278533

Summary: Installation fails when pata_ali driver cannnot detect cd/dvd drive
Product: [openSUSE] openSUSE 10.3 Reporter: Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz <forgotten_9WJQF5tTlz>
Component: InstallationAssignee: Tejun Heo <teheo>
Status: RESOLVED FIXED QA Contact: Jiri Srain <jsrain>
Severity: Critical    
Priority: P5 - None CC: albertcc, coolo, hmuelle, joris
Version: Alpha 4   
Target Milestone: ---   
Hardware: i586   
OS: openSUSE 10.3   
Whiteboard:
Found By: Beta-Customer Services Priority:
Business Priority: Blocker: ---
Marketing QA Status: --- IT Deployment: ---
Attachments: Yast2 installation logs
hwinfo --all
/var/log/boot.msg
Boot logs from vanilla kernel 2.6.21
Boot logs of 2.6.22-rc4
use-dma-only-for-rw
Boot messages after applying the patch suggested.
pio-inquiry-horkage.patch
use-irq-driven-IDENTIFY-and-SETXFERMODE.patch
Boot logs after applying pio-inquire-horkage patch
System log after bootting with patch and trying to read CD drive
update-ata_check_atapi_dma.patch
Boot log of 2.6.22-rc5 + update-ata_check_atapi_dma.patch
system logs after booting verbose patch
Debug patch for port 2 only
boot log
Limit ATAPI DMA of pata_ali to specific scsi commands only
Logs of failed installation
Boot messages.
atapi-dma-for-rw-only.patch
Boot log of kernel-source-2.6.22.12-0.1
System log showing errors reading DVD drive.
System log after trying to mount a data CD.

Description Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-05-27 15:29:42 UTC
I'm testing this alpah on a Sony vaio model PCG-FRV25.

During boot, the IDE activation, the driver "pata_ali" is loaded, then I sart getting messages similar to the following in the console:

ata2: port is slow to respond, please be patient (Status 0x0)
ata2: port failed to respond (30 secs, Status 0xd0)
ata2: soft resetting port
ata2: EH

After several tries, the driver gives up and I end up with an error message by the installer that it can't continue the installation, it cannot find the DVD drive.

When I tested the Alpha1 release, I did not have this problem. However, instead of the installer loading "pata_ali", it loaded "alim_15x3".

I've used the boot option "brokenmodules=pata_ali" at last and this time the Alpha4 installer tried the alim_15x3 driver. The DVD drive was detected successfully.

At this time I'm in the middle of the installation.

I'll post the installation logs after the installation is finished.
Comment 1 Tejun Heo 2007-06-07 08:33:57 UTC
PING.  How did it go?
Comment 2 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-06-10 17:00:05 UTC
Created attachment 145201 [details]
Yast2 installation logs
Comment 3 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-06-10 17:00:51 UTC
The installation completed successfully.

Attached the installtion logs above.
Comment 4 Tejun Heo 2007-06-11 05:24:23 UTC
Thanks.  Please post result of 'hwinfo --all' and /var/log/boot.msg.
Comment 5 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-06-11 16:04:58 UTC
Two files follow.
Comment 6 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-06-11 16:06:01 UTC
Created attachment 145362 [details]
hwinfo --all
Comment 7 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-06-11 16:06:37 UTC
Created attachment 145363 [details]
/var/log/boot.msg
Comment 8 Tejun Heo 2007-06-12 04:27:06 UTC
Thanks.  It seems upstream pata_ali driver is broken.  Can you be persuaded into building and testing vanilla kernel (2.6.22-rc4)?
Comment 9 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-06-12 16:59:05 UTC
I can do that, it's been a while, though.
Comment 10 Tejun Heo 2007-06-12 17:03:05 UTC
Yeap, please do that.  The same bug should be in 2.6.22-rc4.  We can report this bug to linux-ide@vger.kernel.org and ask someone more familiar with the driver to take a look (Alan or Bart).  Thanks.
Comment 11 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-06-13 00:51:34 UTC
I am compiling the kernel now.

I'm not quite sure how to test this, though. I'm guessing you want me load the pata_ali driver before the alim15x3 driver.

My initrd modules line looks like this:

INITRD_MODULES="processor thermal alim15x3 fan jbd ext3 edd"

I will create an initrd file with these modules: processor thermal pata_ali alim15x3 fan jbd ext3 edd.

If you want me to try something different, let me know.
Comment 12 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-06-13 02:44:21 UTC
Took forever to compile.

Similar error messages were observed when loading the pata_ali driver. However, it did get past them and booted all the way.

I saved the /var/log/boot.msg file and will attach it shortly.
Comment 13 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-06-13 02:48:48 UTC
Damn, downloaded 2.6.21 instead of 2.6.21-rc4.

I'll try again tomorrow morning.

I'll attach the boot log anyways, sorry.
Comment 14 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-06-13 02:50:04 UTC
Created attachment 145779 [details]
Boot logs from vanilla kernel 2.6.21
Comment 15 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-06-13 14:03:55 UTC
OK, I compiled 2.6.22-rc4. Right version, right release candidate number.

It had trouble with the pata_ali driver, but finished the boot sequence. The DVD drive is not available.

The boot.msg file follows.
Comment 16 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-06-13 14:14:20 UTC
Created attachment 145985 [details]
Boot logs of 2.6.22-rc4
Comment 17 Tejun Heo 2007-06-14 10:49:27 UTC
Created attachment 146256 [details]
use-dma-only-for-rw

Can you test the attached patch?
Comment 18 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-06-14 21:01:07 UTC
The patch made the driver skip whatever was causing the error messages. It booted all the way and seems have found the DVD drive. I'm attaching the boot.msg file.
Comment 19 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-06-14 21:03:24 UTC
Created attachment 146392 [details]
Boot messages after applying the patch suggested.
Comment 20 Tejun Heo 2007-06-18 03:27:30 UTC
Alright, forwarding the patch upstream.  Thanks a lot.
Comment 21 Tejun Heo 2007-06-18 06:34:28 UTC
Hmmm... Let's try one more thing before submitting the patch.  Can you boot with the ide alim15x3 driver and try to burn cd or dvd with wodim and see whether it works?
Comment 22 Tejun Heo 2007-06-18 06:53:27 UTC
Created attachment 146692 [details]
pio-inquiry-horkage.patch

Also, can you please try this patch on top of 2.6.22-rc5 and see whether it fixes pata_ali?  Thanks.
Comment 23 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-06-20 10:47:23 UTC
In ref to #21, I boot with the alim15x3 driver to use this laptop.

It has a cd burner. I've burned a CD with it under the Alpha 4 Suse kernel. I'm not sure what kernel you really wanted. I'll try burning with the 2.6.22-rc5 next.
Comment 24 Tejun Heo 2007-06-20 10:54:53 UTC
Created attachment 147306 [details]
use-irq-driven-IDENTIFY-and-SETXFERMODE.patch

Just testing the alpha kernel is enough (the burning test).  After testing pio-inquiry-horkage, can you also give this patch a shot?  Please remove the inquiry patch before applying this one (patch -R -p1 < pio-inquiry-horkage.patch).

Thanks.
Comment 25 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-06-20 20:49:12 UTC
I'm starting to compile the kernel with the pio-inquiry-horkage.patch patch. Sorry, I've been busy.
Comment 26 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-06-20 21:24:58 UTC
The pio-inquiry-horkage.patch patch allowed to boot without error messages, but I cannot access the cd drive.

I'm getting several errors. while trying to read a CD.
Comment 27 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-06-20 21:27:49 UTC
Created attachment 147483 [details]
Boot logs after applying pio-inquire-horkage patch
Comment 28 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-06-20 21:28:53 UTC
Created attachment 147484 [details]
System log after bootting with patch and trying to read CD drive
Comment 29 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-06-20 23:49:56 UTC
The use-irq-driven-IDENTIFY-and-SETXFERMODE.patch patch did not work either.
Comment 30 Tejun Heo 2007-06-21 02:56:41 UTC
Created attachment 147515 [details]
update-ata_check_atapi_dma.patch

Okay, one more patch to try.  Please test this patch on top of 2.6.22-rc4 or 5 without any patch and report the result.  Thanks.
Comment 31 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-06-21 15:24:14 UTC
It failed to recognize the CD drive at boot.

One of the error messages during boot was the "model number mismatch" related to cd drive name "QSI CD-RW/DVD-ROM SBW-241". Similar to the error messages during boot I've posted before.

I modified libata-core.c (on top of your latest patch) and blacklisted this particular drive with ATA_HORKAGE_NODMA. Booted again and was able to use the drive and burn a cd.

I suspect my monkeying around with the code didn't really resolve the problem, since there appears to a problem with the driver. Let me know what you want me to do next.
Comment 32 Tejun Heo 2007-06-26 17:36:32 UTC
Can you post the boot log with?  INQUIRY shouldn't have failed.  It's still being done using PIO.  Can you use the device using the alim driver?
Comment 33 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-07-06 20:48:30 UTC
Created attachment 150145 [details]
Boot log of 2.6.22-rc5 + update-ata_check_atapi_dma.patch

Here is the boot log of 2.6.22-rc5 with your last patch.

The CD/DVD drive is unavailable after the boot process is finished.
Comment 34 Albert Lee 2007-07-07 07:42:09 UTC
So, INQUERY of the QSI SBW-241 drive still fails under PIO.

Rafael,

Could you please apply the following debug patch to 2.6.22-rcX kernel
(http://bugzilla.kernel.org/attachment.cgi?id=11883).

It will flood /var/log/messages with a lot of debug traces. Please reproduce
the INQUIRY timeout and submit the full debug trace (better with bzip2
compressed). Hopefully we can see if any clue from the debug trace, thanks.
Comment 35 Albert Lee 2007-07-07 10:00:39 UTC
> So, INQUERY of the QSI SBW-241 drive still fails under PIO.

Ah, I'm wrong. The INQUIRY here is 96-bytes so it's not PIO. Given previous "limit DMA to R/W only" works, maybe this drive requires the DMA_RW_ONLY horkage?

This reminds of the TORiSAN drive problem, I will ask that bug submitter to test if TORiSAN works under "ATAPI DMA for multiple of 16-bytes" again.
Comment 36 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-07-09 14:00:42 UTC
Do you still want me to try the patch?
Comment 37 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-07-09 20:09:40 UTC
Created attachment 150327 [details]
system logs after booting verbose patch
Comment 38 Albert Lee 2007-07-10 07:39:17 UTC
Created attachment 150401 [details]
Debug patch for port 2 only

Rafael,

Thanks for the trace. However, the log was overrun by the hard drive traces. (I should limit the trace to port 2 only...)

Could you please try the attached debug patch on 2.6.22 kernel and collect the debug traces again. Thanks.
Comment 39 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-07-10 21:15:42 UTC
Created attachment 150596 [details]
boot log

The only debug messages were output during boot.
Comment 40 Albert Lee 2007-07-17 10:14:49 UTC
Hi Rafael,
From the boot log, the first INQUIRY was executed in PIO mode and successful. However, the second 96-bytes INQUIRY was executed in ATAPI DMA mode and failed. Looks like yet another piece of "designed for microsoft windows (tm) but not standard" hardware. Also, it seems Tejun's limit ATAPI DMA to multiple of 16-bytes doesn't catch them all. :(

I'm wondering whether the problem is in the ALi M5229 controller or the QSI SBW-241 drive? There is a previous report about M5229 ATAPI DMA problem by Andrey Borzenkov (http://marc.info/?l=linux-kernel&m=116500554505311&w=2).

Maybe we can test the ALi M5229 controller with another known-to-be-good CD-ROM drive to see if this is the problem of M5229 or not. However, both your and Andrey are notebook computer and the CD-ROM drive is difficult to replace...
Comment 41 Andreas Jaeger 2007-08-10 05:31:19 UTC
Why is this one still in NEEDINFO?
Comment 42 Tejun Heo 2007-08-10 08:23:18 UTC
Hmmm... The weird thing is that the IDE driver can detect and use the device without problem.  With ata_check_atapi_dma() updated, libata should behave the same way as the ide counterpart.  Or did we something else?  Rafael, are you up for more debugging patches?
Comment 43 Albert Lee 2007-08-10 08:56:16 UTC
Hi Tejun,

We have yet another one report of ATAPI device times out on INQUERY of 96-bytes when connected to ALi controllers: 

http://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=7500

I guess maybe the ALi driver needs to have adapter specific check_atapi_dma(), something like pata_pdc2027x has...
Comment 44 Tejun Heo 2007-08-10 09:21:13 UTC
I see.  What I'm curious about is why the IDE driver works.  Can it be because the IDE cdrom driver doesn't issue the 96 byte INQUIRY?  It would be nice to issue 96byte INQUIRY (could sg_inq do this?) to the IDE driver and see what happens.

Also, if we're gonna implement check_atapi_dma() for ali, what condition should we check against?

Thanks.
Comment 45 Albert Lee 2007-08-10 10:09:20 UTC
> ... why the IDE driver works

Don't know. Maybe the ATAPI devices are configured to PIO? 

> if we're gonna implement check_atapi_dma() for ali,
> what condition should we check against?

I guess maybe we can use the same logic of pata_pdc2027x for pata_ali.
The logic seems to be what the Windows atapi driver uses. And some hardware vendors design their hardware specifically for that logic...
Comment 46 Albert Lee 2007-08-10 10:11:20 UTC
Created attachment 156739 [details]
Limit ATAPI DMA of pata_ali to specific scsi commands only
Comment 47 Tejun Heo 2007-08-10 10:22:27 UTC
(In reply to comment #45 from Albert Lee)
> > ... why the IDE driver works
> 
> Don't know. Maybe the ATAPI devices are configured to PIO? 

It's actually configured to UDMA33.

  https://bugzilla.novell.com/attachment.cgi?id=145363

> > if we're gonna implement check_atapi_dma() for ali,
> > what condition should we check against?
> 
> I guess maybe we can use the same logic of pata_pdc2027x for pata_ali.
> The logic seems to be what the Windows atapi driver uses. And some hardware
> vendors design their hardware specifically for that logic...

Hmmm... My memory of MMC is fading.  When ripping a CD or writing one, does MMC use READ/WRITE commands?  Or are there different dedicated commands?  If we don't pay a lot of penalty for common cases, I think we better default to what windows defaults to.
Comment 48 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-08-10 14:43:33 UTC
(In reply to comment #42 from Tejun Heo)
> Rafael, are you up for more debugging patches?

Sure, I'll be installing beta1 later today.

I'll apply the patch above and test.
Comment 49 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-08-10 19:57:57 UTC
I'm booting the DVD with the usual "brokenmodules=pata_ali."

When it gets time to start the installation, it cannot mount the DVD.

I had the same problem with the Alpha 7 version.

I'm attaching the Yast logs.

I will mount image and do a network install.
Comment 50 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-08-10 20:02:31 UTC
Created attachment 156868 [details]
Logs of failed installation

Yast logs, dmesg and boot.msg of failed Beta 1 installation. Installer could not mount the DVD.

Notice the warning messages about the serial interface in the dmesg file.

There may be more than one thing going on here, and may or may not be related to this bug. Please let me know if they are, and if I should file separate reports.
Comment 51 Tejun Heo 2007-08-14 07:22:24 UTC
This is being debugged in upstream.  It seems to be the controller/driver's problem but isn't clear yet whether mwdma mode programming is wrong or the controller chokes on DMA transfer request for INQUIRY which is pretty short.  Please be patient.
Comment 52 Stephan Kulow 2007-09-08 06:40:25 UTC
any update on this bug?
Comment 53 Tejun Heo 2007-09-08 20:49:17 UTC
Rafael, please give a shot at beta1.  It contains ATAPI DMA filter update which should fix the QSI case.  Thanks.
Comment 54 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-09-09 15:24:54 UTC
I have tried Beta2 and still have the same problem.

If I use "brokenmodules=pata_ali" it recognizes the dvd drive, but cannot mount the DVD. I reported that here and in bug #307400.
Comment 55 Tejun Heo 2007-09-17 09:03:52 UTC
On the next beta, there will be a sledgehammer option to turn off ATAPI DMA and I'll suppress ATAPI DMA for data transfers < 2048, which should hopefully fix the problem.  So, please test -rc1 when it comes out (even if the < 2048 trick doesn't work, the sledgehammer should be able to get you going).  Thanks.
Comment 56 Tejun Heo 2007-09-21 05:53:39 UTC
The sledgehammer is in but the < 2048 trick isn't.  Please specify "libata.pata_dma=1" at the kernel prompt and try installation.

Thanks.
Comment 57 Albert Lee 2007-09-21 07:02:58 UTC
Hi Tejun,

Is this " < 2048 " trick being pushing to the mainline?
If yes, I am worried it will impact the performance of devices such as GoVault ATAPI hard drive, which has a sector size of 512. Maybe we need a better logic on the usage of ATAPI DMA...
Comment 58 Tejun Heo 2007-09-21 07:11:11 UTC
I'm not sure yet but one way or the other we definitely need some improvements in ATAPI dma filtering.  Too many ATAPI devices are falling out.
Comment 59 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-09-21 15:41:16 UTC
Booted RC1 with the "libata.pata_dma=1" option and got error messages and the DVD drive was not detected.
Comment 60 Tejun Heo 2007-09-21 20:01:54 UTC
Can you post /var/log/boot.msg?  Thanks.
Comment 61 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-09-21 20:35:40 UTC
Created attachment 173973 [details]
Boot messages.
Comment 62 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-09-21 20:38:48 UTC
Humm, the boot message indicates:

<3>Unknown boot option `libata.pata_dma=1': ignoring

The kernel in RC1 does not seem to have the patch you are talking about.
Which kernel do you want me to try?
Comment 63 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-09-21 21:36:16 UTC
I have installed RC1 using a network install.

I've downloaded and installed the kernel available in the online update, 2.6.22.5-25, recreated the initrd file to load the pata_ali driver, edited the boot options to add the libata.pata_dma=1 option and rebooted the system.

I get a message about waiting for /dev/hda7 (my root partition) to appear. The boot sequence fails. I do not get the error messages associated to the DVD drive.


Comment 64 Tejun Heo 2007-09-28 11:40:32 UTC
Okay, here's what I've found out.

* During installation you need to specify the following to pass libata.pata_dma=1 to libata.

  options="libata.pata_dma=1"

* When booting from the harddisk after installation is complete, you can simply add the following.  Kernel will generate a warning message but the parameter will be passed to the module by initrd.

  libata.pata_dma=1

* You can verify the parameter was passed by running the following.

  cat /sys/modules/libata/parameters/pata_dma

Regarding the last comment, how come /dev/hda7 is root not /dev/sda7?  After failing to mount root, you'll be dropped into emergency shell, can you access your harddrive from there?
Comment 65 Benjamin McCann 2007-10-15 16:52:33 UTC
Rafael,
A correction Tejun gave me in Bug 229260.  For install, you should use:
    options="libata=pata_dma=1"
Comment 66 Tejun Heo 2007-10-17 09:55:45 UTC
(back from a series of family events and moving)

Sorry about the confusion.  Please report how it went.
Comment 67 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-10-17 20:29:23 UTC
(In reply to comment #65 from Benjamin McCann)
> A correction Tejun gave me in Bug 229260.  For install, you should use:
>     options="libata=pata_dma=1"

I'm using the corrected option above with the gold master dvd.

The boot sequence proceeded without error messages. The DVD drive was detected. It is installing the os at this time. I will report more after it finishes.
Comment 68 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-10-18 21:39:10 UTC
Installation went smooth until after online update (while still installing.) The computer was rebooted and it appears the special boot option was not added to the boot loader configuration. The installed menu.lst does not mention the libata option. The system starts having problems with the DVD drive again.

I did go into the boot loader configuration panels, but I don't remember seeing the libata option in there.

I have added
    options="libata=pata_dma=1"

to the Grub when booting from the hard drive, but it does not seem to be recognized.

Is there a different format for this option when booting from the installed kernel?

How is the libata option added to the boot options after the system is installed?
Comment 69 Tejun Heo 2007-10-19 00:15:50 UTC
Yeah, the installer was using its own format.  After installation, you should use.

  libata.pata_dma=1

Now you see where my confusion came from. :-)

Can you please apply a patch and see whether it fixes your problem (ie. works w/o libata.pata_dma=1)?
Comment 70 Tejun Heo 2007-10-19 00:46:13 UTC
Created attachment 179366 [details]
atapi-dma-for-rw-only.patch

Here's the patch.  Please test all common cd/dvd operations - reading, recording, ripping cd, etc - and report any anomaly including too high cpu usage and slow transfer speed.  Thanks.
Comment 71 Tejun Heo 2007-10-24 10:37:08 UTC
Ping.
Comment 72 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-10-24 14:39:26 UTC
The boot option "libata.pata_dma=1" did allow me to boot the laptop.

I have not had time to compile a new kernel with the patch. Give me a little more time.
Comment 73 Stephan Kulow 2007-11-22 10:34:53 UTC
ping2
Comment 74 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-11-27 21:37:36 UTC
Compiled and installed the kernel kernel-source-2.6.22.12-0.1 and applied the patch above.

The boot process went well. I removed the "libata.pata_dma=1" option before booting.
Comment 75 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-11-27 21:39:44 UTC
Created attachment 184967 [details]
Boot log of kernel-source-2.6.22.12-0.1
Comment 76 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-12-11 17:13:59 UTC
OK.

After installing the patched kernel, I re-booted it with the "libata.pata_dma=1" option and verified no obvious error messages showed up. Launched k3b and burned an ISO image successfully.

After that I re-booted the laptop without "libata.pata_dma=1" and again no abvious error message. Then I launched k3b and it could not read the DVD drive.

I am attaching the error messages collected in /var/log/messages.
Comment 77 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-12-11 17:18:24 UTC
Created attachment 186964 [details]
System log showing errors reading DVD drive.
Comment 78 Tejun Heo 2007-12-12 05:57:49 UTC
What happens if you put a data cd in and mount and read files from it?
Comment 79 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-12-12 17:02:47 UTC
Created attachment 187272 [details]
System log after trying to mount a data CD.
Comment 80 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2007-12-12 20:08:25 UTC
(In reply to comment #79 from Rafael Herrera)
> Created an attachment (id=187272) [details]
> System log after trying to mount a data CD.

Needless to say, I cannot read the CD.

With the "libata.pata_dma=1", I can access the CD and read its files.
Comment 81 Tejun Heo 2008-02-08 00:20:36 UTC
*** Bug 359213 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 83 Forgotten User 9WJQF5tTlz 2008-05-30 16:31:32 UTC
The laptop that had this problem is broken at this time.

I do not think we will repair it, so you may want close this report.
Comment 84 Tejun Heo 2008-05-31 00:38:03 UTC
This has been worked around on SL103 w/ the use of kISO and SL110 should work out of the box (I have a test machine here).  Hmmm... I thought I wrote it here.

The workaround is, well, workaround, it just turns of ATAPI DMA on pata_ali.  I spent quite some time trying to determine the different between IDE alim and pata_ali and asked other ATA developers but we haven't succeeded yet.  I'm keeping the problem on mind and will try more proper solutions as they come up.

Resolving as FIXED for now.  Thanks.
Comment 85 Tejun Heo 2008-05-31 00:38:41 UTC
For, SL103, kISO is...

 http://htj.dyndns.org/export/kiso/SL103-x86_64-KISOTD-20080221152521.iso

For information on how to use kISO.

 http://htj.dyndns.org/export/kiso/SL103-kISO-doc.txt