Adaptec 2940: Adaptec 2940 Timeouts

Support knowledgebase (cg_seltime)
Applies to

SuSE Linux: Versions since 6.4
Kernel: Versions since 2.2.14

Symptom:

You are using an adaptec SCSI controller like models 2940U or 2940UW and have connected some devices to it. Unfortunately not all devices were detected during Linux-side initialization of the controller. The computer stops with an error message like this one: 
Freeing unused kernel memory: 64k freed
SCSI disk error: host 0 channel 0 id 1 lun 0 return code=1
scsidisk I/O error: dev 08:01, sector 147978
  SCSI 0: channel 0 target 1 lun 0 request sense failed, performing reset.
  SCSI bus is being reset for host 0 channel 0.
SCSI disk error: host 0 channel 0 id 1 lun 0 return code=1
scsidisk I/O error: dev 08:01, sector 81932
  EXT2-fs error (device sd(8,1)): ext2_read_inode: unable to read inode block - inode=10201, block=40966
(scsi0:0:1:0) Synchronous at 40.0 Mbyte/sec, offset 8.
(scsi0:0:1:0) Performing Domain validation
(scsi0:0:1:0) Successfully completed Domain validation
Kernel panic: No init found. Try passing init= option to kernel.
SCSI disk error: host 0 channel 0 id 1 lun 0 return code=1
scsidisk I/O error: dev 08:01, sector 152532

Cause:

The selection timeout of the modul aic7xxx defaults to 64ms. Nevertheless, some devices, especially older ones, need more time, for instance the ANSI SCSI-1 standard conforming 256ms.

Solution:

Use the option seltime on loading of the module aic7xxx: 
aic7xxx=seltime:0
This options sets the controller to selction timeout of 256ms.


In the README file for the aic7xxx module are the following parameters for seltime defined:
          0  -  256ms
          1  -  128ms
          2  -   64ms
          3  -   32ms
See also:
o SCSI-checklist
Keywords: ADAPTEC, AIC7XXX, SELTIME, SELECTIONTIME, ABORTINGCOMMANDDUETOTIMEOUT, SCSI, ERROR, TIMEOUT
Categories: SCSI
SDB-cg_seltime, Copyright SuSE Linux AG, Nürnberg, Germany - Version: 28. Feb 2001
SuSE Linux AG - Last generated: 28. Feb 2001 by jsj (sdb_gen 1.40.0)