Module for Intel RAID SRCS14L controller (gdth.ko) missing? How do I install CentOS 6?

[branded]

Hello,

I'm fairly new when it comes to dealing with compiling kernel modules and the kernel, but have spent about a week doing research on getting CentOS 6 installed on my Dell Poweredge 800 server.

It appears that the Intel SRCS14L is supported by the kernel module gdth, which is present in the initrd.img loaded during install of CentOS 5, but is not on CentOS 6. I did spot the source for gdth in the kernel source for the kernel which is running when I attempt to install CentOS 6.


How do I handle this situation?

Should I be compiling the gdth.ko and including it in an initrd.img that I place on the CentOS 6 DVD?
Is it even as simple as building gdth.ko and using modprobe or insmod to load the module during the CentOS 6 install?

I have attempted to follow [url=http://wiki.centos.org/HowTos/BuildingKernelModules#head-d2e4c05886f94c701e4ae74387d41d8c40c25d01]the wiki entry on building a module[/url] without luck.

I'm very lost as to what to do. Any assistance is appreciated.


Thanks,

Matt

[branded]

Here is some information that may be relevant that I spotted in an investigation in other threads:

I located the VID and DID using lspci -nn.

It is [url=http://cateee.net/lkddb/web-lkddb/SCSI_GDTH.html]8086 0600[/url] ([url=http://pci-ids.ucw.cz/read/PC/8086/0600]PCI VID and DID database[/url], and [url=http://www.pcidatabase.com/search.php?device_search_str=0x0104&device_search=Search]PCI hex database[/url]).

[code]02:02.0 0104: 8086:0600[/code]

I then greped modules.alias without nothing returned:

[code]grep -i 8086 /lib/modules/*/modules.alias | grep -i 0600[/code]


To me, it's clear that gdth is the necessary module. Is this correct? If so, how do I build it and include it in an initrd.img?


Thanks for your time,

Matt

[pschaff]

Welcome to the CentOS fora. Please see the recommended reading for new users linked in my signature.

That driver is listed as [url=http://docs.redhat.com/docs/en-US/Red_Hat_Enterprise_Linux/6/html/Migration_Planning_Guide/sect-Migration_Guide-Package_Changes-Driver_Changes.html]discontinued upstream[/url].
[code]# grep -i gdth /boot/config-2.6.32-131.17.1.el6.x86_64
# CONFIG_SCSI_GDTH is not set[/code]
It does not seem to be in the CentOSplus kernel either.

You could file a RFE at [url=http://elrepo.org/bugs/]ELRepo[/url] to see if a driver for EL6 can be provided, but that will not help with installation without a driver update disk - still [url=http://elrepo.org/bugs/view.php?id=163]problematic for EL6[/url].

[branded]

Thanks for getting back to me.

This is unfortunate news.


Is it possible for me to compile my own kernel and integrate this kernel into a CentOS 6 installer? Additionally is it possible to generate an initrd.img for use "with" this installer?

Once installed, I suppose it would be interesting to look into DKMS to solve the problem of rebuilding the driver/module for use with the kernel(s) as they are updated?


The [url=http://dup.et.redhat.com/]procedure to build a driver package[/url] does seem quite convoluted, as reported in the provided RFE, and the RFE looks quite stagnant :(


Since the source for gdth exists in the kernel source tree (from [url=http://ftp.redhat.com/pub/redhat/linux/enterprise/6Server/en/os/SRPMS/]kernel-2.6.32-71.el6.src.rpm[/url]), I would suspect it to be quite easy to build the kernel module? Then following the procedure to [url=http://docs.redhat.com/docs/en-US/Red_Hat_Enterprise_Linux/6/html/Deployment_Guide/sec-Verifying_the_Initial_RAM_Disk_Image.html]create a new initrd.img in EL6[/url] should do the trick? Then again, I'm new to dealing with kernel compilation, etc. If you believe this will work, could this be another route to take?


Regardless, I have filed an RFE (with hope) citing this thread: [url=http://elrepo.org/bugs/view.php?id=201]RFE 201 for el6[/url]

Any further input or ideas is sincerely appreciated.



Thanks very much for your time,

Matt

[r_hartman]

If Dell or the manufacturer of that controller do not have a driver disk for download, a long shot would be to try a ScientificLinux 6.1 install DVD, which should use the later kernel (I *think* kernel-2.6.32-71 was the last 6.0 kernel).

[branded]

Thanks for your input Rene.

Dell doesn't have anything for this kernel and/or el6, only support up to RHEL5.2.

I'll consider using ScientificLinux over CentOS for the el6-ness I want. Searching, I did come across a [url=ftp://linux1.fnal.gov/disk/disk4/.snapshot/2011-11-24_2010-0600.r6sata-0-daily/linux/fermi/obsolete/61rolling/i386/images/]gdth-driver-disk.img[/url] from fermilab, but I do believe it's built for Red Hat 6.1 explicitly (not RHEL).

[pschaff]

That driver disk link is in the SL-6.1 (built from RHEL-6.1 sources) tree. It looks like it should work with the SL-6.1 installer.

[branded]

Rene: ScientificLinux also does not have the module loaded for gdth. Thanks for the suggestion though.

pschaff: Is that not for just Red Hat Linux 6.1? Not EL6?


Thanks!

Matt

[pschaff]

You are correct - that driver disk image is vintage 1999. I was mislead by the 61rolling. The SL6 rolling directory is "[url=ftp://linux1.fnal.gov/disk/disk4/linux/scientific/6rolling/]6rolling[/url]".

[branded]

Ahh... Okay thanks for confirming.

Thanks for following this issue along, Phil.

Hopefully toracat will post a driver disk over at ELrepo shortly!


Thanks again,

Matt