I'm trying to install CentOS 5.2 on a dual-core Athlon box with 2 GB of
RAM. This box had run Win XP without issue. The install hangs up and I
get a message saying "Kernel panic - not syncing". Can anyone tell me
what this is all about?

Bruce Coryell wrote:
> I'm trying to install CentOS 5.2 on a dual-core Athlon box with 2 GB of
> RAM. This box had run Win XP without issue. The install hangs up and I
> get a message saying "Kernel panic - not syncing". Can anyone tell me
> what this is all about?

Well, we're missing important stuff. Your install was normal? No surprised?
Tell us more about the hardware. Can you boot with a rescue CD, do a chroot to
'/mnt/sysimage, and look at logs?

Nico Kadel-Garcia wrote:
> Bruce Coryell wrote:
>> I'm trying to install CentOS 5.2 on a dual-core Athlon box with 2 GB
>> of RAM. This box had run Win XP without issue. The install hangs up
>> and I get a message saying "Kernel panic - not syncing". Can anyone
>> tell me what this is all about?
>
> Well, we're missing important stuff. Your install was normal? No
> surprised? Tell us more about the hardware. Can you boot with a rescue
> CD, do a chroot to '/mnt/sysimage, and look at logs?

No logs yet - this is an install that's failing. I suspect this is a
hardware issue - trying to figure whether it's RAM, the dual-core CPU,
or the motherboard (Biostar).

On 08/17/2008 07:43 PM, Bruce Coryell sent:
> Nico Kadel-Garcia wrote:
>> Bruce Coryell wrote:
>>> I'm trying to install CentOS 5.2 on a dual-core Athlon box with 2 GB
>>> of RAM. This box had run Win XP without issue. The install hangs up
>>> and I get a message saying "Kernel panic - not syncing". Can anyone
>>> tell me what this is all about?
>>
>> Well, we're missing important stuff. Your install was normal? No
>> surprised? Tell us more about the hardware. Can you boot with a rescue
>> CD, do a chroot to '/mnt/sysimage, and look at logs?
>
> No logs yet - this is an install that's failing. I suspect this is a
> hardware issue - trying to figure whether it's RAM, the dual-core CPU,
> or the motherboard (Biostar).

Hello Bruce:

Nico's question about the hardware configuration should be answered if
you're able.

Have you performed a media check on the install media? Are you using
a DVD or CDs?

You might wish to make bootable media for RAM testing with Memtest86+.

Can you disconnect any peripherals that aren't absolutely essential
for installation? Has this hardware configuration ever worked with
another OS?

Have you tried the CentOS 5.2 LiveCD? ...or other LiveCDs?

Best wishes to you.

--
1PW

@?6A62?FEH9E=6o2@=]4@> [r4o7t]

1PW wrote:
> On 08/17/2008 07:43 PM, Bruce Coryell sent:
>> Nico Kadel-Garcia wrote:
>>> Bruce Coryell wrote:
>>>> I'm trying to install CentOS 5.2 on a dual-core Athlon box with 2 GB
>>>> of RAM. This box had run Win XP without issue. The install hangs up
>>>> and I get a message saying "Kernel panic - not syncing". Can anyone
>>>> tell me what this is all about?
>>> Well, we're missing important stuff. Your install was normal? No
>>> surprised? Tell us more about the hardware. Can you boot with a rescue
>>> CD, do a chroot to '/mnt/sysimage, and look at logs?
>> No logs yet - this is an install that's failing. I suspect this is a
>> hardware issue - trying to figure whether it's RAM, the dual-core CPU,
>> or the motherboard (Biostar).
>
> Hello Bruce:
>
> Nico's question about the hardware configuration should be answered if
> you're able.
>
> Have you performed a media check on the install media? Are you using
> a DVD or CDs?
>
> You might wish to make bootable media for RAM testing with Memtest86+.
>
> Can you disconnect any peripherals that aren't absolutely essential
> for installation? Has this hardware configuration ever worked with
> another OS?
>
> Have you tried the CentOS 5.2 LiveCD? ...or other LiveCDs?
>
> Best wishes to you.
>

Yes, to both questions about the media check and whether I've used
another OS (I had Win XP on this same hardware with no problems).
Should also point out that I already have CentOS 5.2 (installed with the
same DVD) running on another box, also with no problems. But for some
reason, I can't install 5.2 on this particular box. When the kernel
panic occurs, everything stops, and the two left keyboard lights (the
caps lock and scroll lock lights) flash in unison.

On Sun, 17 Aug 2008 19:13:45 -0400, Bruce Coryell wrote:

> I'm trying to install CentOS 5.2 on a dual-core Athlon box with 2 GB of
> RAM. This box had run Win XP without issue. The install hangs up and I
> get a message saying "Kernel panic - not syncing". Can anyone tell me
> what this is all about?

Have you tried Fedora 9? CentOS uses an antique kernel, it might not
support the chipset on your motherboard.

On 08/18/2008 03:21 AM, Bruce Coryell sent:
> 1PW wrote:
>> On 08/17/2008 07:43 PM, Bruce Coryell sent:
>>> Nico Kadel-Garcia wrote:
>>>> Bruce Coryell wrote:
>>>>> I'm trying to install CentOS 5.2 on a dual-core Athlon box with 2 GB
>>>>> of RAM. This box had run Win XP without issue. The install hangs up
>>>>> and I get a message saying "Kernel panic - not syncing". Can anyone
>>>>> tell me what this is all about?
>>>> Well, we're missing important stuff. Your install was normal? No
>>>> surprised? Tell us more about the hardware. Can you boot with a rescue
>>>> CD, do a chroot to '/mnt/sysimage, and look at logs?
>>> No logs yet - this is an install that's failing. I suspect this is a
>>> hardware issue - trying to figure whether it's RAM, the dual-core CPU,
>>> or the motherboard (Biostar).
>>
>> Hello Bruce:
>>
>> Nico's question about the hardware configuration should be answered if
>> you're able.
>>
>> Have you performed a media check on the install media? Are you using
>> a DVD or CDs?
>>
>> You might wish to make bootable media for RAM testing with Memtest86+.
>>
>> Can you disconnect any peripherals that aren't absolutely essential
>> for installation? Has this hardware configuration ever worked with
>> another OS?
>>
>> Have you tried the CentOS 5.2 LiveCD? ...or other LiveCDs?
>>
>> Best wishes to you.
>>
>
> Yes, to both questions about the media check and whether I've used
> another OS (I had Win XP on this same hardware with no problems). Should
> also point out that I already have CentOS 5.2 (installed with the same
> DVD) running on another box, also with no problems. But for some
> reason, I can't install 5.2 on this particular box. When the kernel
> panic occurs, everything stops, and the two left keyboard lights (the
> caps lock and scroll lock lights) flash in unison.

You can download a precompiled .iso for RAM testing from here:



FWIW - a .iso of a CentOS 5.2 LiveCD can be downloaded by Googling:

CentOS-5.2-i386-LiveCD.iso

A LiveCD can exclude your hard disk(s) and controller(s).

Are any USB devices in use? Can you see any error message(s) just
before the kernel panic? How far into the installation does the kernel
panic occur?

Are you attempting to set-up a RAID array during installation?

Does your Biostar motherboard have hardware RAID capability?

--
1PW

@?6A62?FEH9E=6o2@=]4@> [r4o7t]

1PW wrote:
> On 08/18/2008 03:21 AM, Bruce Coryell sent:
>> 1PW wrote:
>>> On 08/17/2008 07:43 PM, Bruce Coryell sent:
>>>> Nico Kadel-Garcia wrote:
>>>>> Bruce Coryell wrote:
>>>>>> I'm trying to install CentOS 5.2 on a dual-core Athlon box with 2 GB
>>>>>> of RAM. This box had run Win XP without issue. The install hangs up
>>>>>> and I get a message saying "Kernel panic - not syncing". Can anyone
>>>>>> tell me what this is all about?
>>>>> Well, we're missing important stuff. Your install was normal? No
>>>>> surprised? Tell us more about the hardware. Can you boot with a rescue
>>>>> CD, do a chroot to '/mnt/sysimage, and look at logs?
>>>> No logs yet - this is an install that's failing. I suspect this is a
>>>> hardware issue - trying to figure whether it's RAM, the dual-core CPU,
>>>> or the motherboard (Biostar).
>>> Hello Bruce:
>>>
>>> Nico's question about the hardware configuration should be answered if
>>> you're able.
>>>
>>> Have you performed a media check on the install media? Are you using
>>> a DVD or CDs?
>>>
>>> You might wish to make bootable media for RAM testing with Memtest86+.
>>>
>>> Can you disconnect any peripherals that aren't absolutely essential
>>> for installation? Has this hardware configuration ever worked with
>>> another OS?
>>>
>>> Have you tried the CentOS 5.2 LiveCD? ...or other LiveCDs?
>>>
>>> Best wishes to you.
>>>
>> Yes, to both questions about the media check and whether I've used
>> another OS (I had Win XP on this same hardware with no problems). Should
>> also point out that I already have CentOS 5.2 (installed with the same
>> DVD) running on another box, also with no problems. But for some
>> reason, I can't install 5.2 on this particular box. When the kernel
>> panic occurs, everything stops, and the two left keyboard lights (the
>> caps lock and scroll lock lights) flash in unison.
>
> You can download a precompiled .iso for RAM testing from here:
>
>
>
> FWIW - a .iso of a CentOS 5.2 LiveCD can be downloaded by Googling:
>
> CentOS-5.2-i386-LiveCD.iso
>
> A LiveCD can exclude your hard disk(s) and controller(s).
>
> Are any USB devices in use? Can you see any error message(s) just
> before the kernel panic? How far into the installation does the kernel
> panic occur?
>
> Are you attempting to set-up a RAID array during installation?
>
> Does your Biostar motherboard have hardware RAID capability?
>

For a number of reasons, I'm most suspecting the RAM as the cause of my
problems. I may try RAM testing as suggested above: also swapping
various RAM modules in and out.

General Schvantzkopf wrote:
> On Sun, 17 Aug 2008 19:13:45 -0400, Bruce Coryell wrote:
>
>> I'm trying to install CentOS 5.2 on a dual-core Athlon box with 2 GB of
>> RAM. This box had run Win XP without issue. The install hangs up and I
>> get a message saying "Kernel panic - not syncing". Can anyone tell me
>> what this is all about?
>
> Have you tried Fedora 9? CentOS uses an antique kernel, it might not
> support the chipset on your motherboard.

Thanks, General, but the 2.6.18 kernel is not too ancient for the
motherboard I'm using. But that gives me an idea: maybe I'll try
loading a 32 bit version of CentOS or Fedora instead of 64 bit and see
if I still have a problem.

If this hardware-related at all, I'm most suspecting the RAM as
discussed in my other post.

On Mon, 18 Aug 2008 20:01:21 -0400, Bruce Coryell wrote:

> General Schvantzkopf wrote:
>> On Sun, 17 Aug 2008 19:13:45 -0400, Bruce Coryell wrote:
>>
>>> I'm trying to install CentOS 5.2 on a dual-core Athlon box with 2 GB
>>> of RAM. This box had run Win XP without issue. The install hangs up
>>> and I get a message saying "Kernel panic - not syncing". Can anyone
>>> tell me what this is all about?
>>
>> Have you tried Fedora 9? CentOS uses an antique kernel, it might not
>> support the chipset on your motherboard.
>
> Thanks, General, but the 2.6.18 kernel is not too ancient for the
> motherboard I'm using. But that gives me an idea: maybe I'll try
> loading a 32 bit version of CentOS or Fedora instead of 64 bit and see
> if I still have a problem.
>
> If this hardware-related at all, I'm most suspecting the RAM as
> discussed in my other post.

I wrote a hardware exerciser called sys_basher, it will run on any Linux.
You might try putting Fedora 9 Live on a USB FLASH drive along with
sys_basher. Run sys_basher overnight to test the reliability of your
system.

http://www.polybus.com/sys_basher_web/

Bruce Coryell wrote:
> General Schvantzkopf wrote:
>> On Sun, 17 Aug 2008 19:13:45 -0400, Bruce Coryell wrote:
>>
>>> I'm trying to install CentOS 5.2 on a dual-core Athlon box with 2 GB of
>>> RAM. This box had run Win XP without issue. The install hangs up and I
>>> get a message saying "Kernel panic - not syncing". Can anyone tell me
>>> what this is all about?
>>
>> Have you tried Fedora 9? CentOS uses an antique kernel, it might not
>> support the chipset on your motherboard.
>
> Thanks, General, but the 2.6.18 kernel is not too ancient for the
> motherboard I'm using. But that gives me an idea: maybe I'll try
> loading a 32 bit version of CentOS or Fedora instead of 64 bit and see
> if I still have a problem.
>
> If this hardware-related at all, I'm most suspecting the RAM as
> discussed in my other post.

I think my kernel panics are cured - looks like my memory modules needed
some burning in.

I ran Memtest86 (right on the Fedora/ CentOS installation DVD's). At
first it was so bad that Memtest couldn't even continue. But it got
better as time went on and finally I could run Memtest for over an hour
with no errors. Then tried the install again and it went without a
hitch. So everything's good now. The box is running right now, just
cruising along.

Bruce Coryell wrote:
> Bruce Coryell wrote:
>> General Schvantzkopf wrote:
>>> On Sun, 17 Aug 2008 19:13:45 -0400, Bruce Coryell wrote:
>>>
>>>> I'm trying to install CentOS 5.2 on a dual-core Athlon box with 2 GB of
>>>> RAM. This box had run Win XP without issue. The install hangs up
>>>> and I
>>>> get a message saying "Kernel panic - not syncing". Can anyone tell me
>>>> what this is all about?
>>>
>>> Have you tried Fedora 9? CentOS uses an antique kernel, it might not
>>> support the chipset on your motherboard.
>>
>> Thanks, General, but the 2.6.18 kernel is not too ancient for the
>> motherboard I'm using. But that gives me an idea: maybe I'll try
>> loading a 32 bit version of CentOS or Fedora instead of 64 bit and see
>> if I still have a problem.
>>
>> If this hardware-related at all, I'm most suspecting the RAM as
>> discussed in my other post.
>
> I think my kernel panics are cured - looks like my memory modules needed
> some burning in.
>
> I ran Memtest86 (right on the Fedora/ CentOS installation DVD's). At
> first it was so bad that Memtest couldn't even continue. But it got
> better as time went on and finally I could run Memtest for over an hour
> with no errors. Then tried the install again and it went without a
> hitch. So everything's good now. The box is running right now, just
> cruising along.

"Burning in"?????

Hmm. That sounds like a connection problem, eased by the kind of contact
softening and annealing of metal exposed to heat. Have you tried reseating
this RAM, and checking the contacts?

On Sun, 24 Aug 2008 06:34:46 -0400, Bruce Coryell wrote:

> Bruce Coryell wrote:
>> General Schvantzkopf wrote:
>>> On Sun, 17 Aug 2008 19:13:45 -0400, Bruce Coryell wrote:
>>>
>>>> I'm trying to install CentOS 5.2 on a dual-core Athlon box with 2 GB
>>>> of RAM. This box had run Win XP without issue. The install hangs up
>>>> and I get a message saying "Kernel panic - not syncing". Can anyone
>>>> tell me what this is all about?
>>>
>>> Have you tried Fedora 9? CentOS uses an antique kernel, it might not
>>> support the chipset on your motherboard.
>>
>> Thanks, General, but the 2.6.18 kernel is not too ancient for the
>> motherboard I'm using. But that gives me an idea: maybe I'll try
>> loading a 32 bit version of CentOS or Fedora instead of 64 bit and see
>> if I still have a problem.
>>
>> If this hardware-related at all, I'm most suspecting the RAM as
>> discussed in my other post.
>
> I think my kernel panics are cured - looks like my memory modules needed
> some burning in.
>
> I ran Memtest86 (right on the Fedora/ CentOS installation DVD's). At
> first it was so bad that Memtest couldn't even continue. But it got
> better as time went on and finally I could run Memtest for over an hour
> with no errors. Then tried the install again and it went without a
> hitch. So everything's good now. The box is running right now, just
> cruising along.

There is no such thing as burning in on a DRAM. Changing the temperature
will change the speed of the RAM, if you have a hold time problem then
heating it up might have helped. I'd suggest that you try a couple of
things in your BIOS. First I'd try lowering the RAM clock speed, that's
completely safe and has the best chance of resolving your problems
assuming you don't have a bad RAM. The other thing you could try is
raising the voltage to the DIMMs a little, be sure that you keep it in the
safe range.

General Schvantzkopf wrote:
> On Sun, 24 Aug 2008 06:34:46 -0400, Bruce Coryell wrote:
>
>> Bruce Coryell wrote:
>>> General Schvantzkopf wrote:
>>>> On Sun, 17 Aug 2008 19:13:45 -0400, Bruce Coryell wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> I'm trying to install CentOS 5.2 on a dual-core Athlon box with 2 GB
>>>>> of RAM. This box had run Win XP without issue. The install hangs up
>>>>> and I get a message saying "Kernel panic - not syncing". Can anyone
>>>>> tell me what this is all about?
>>>> Have you tried Fedora 9? CentOS uses an antique kernel, it might not
>>>> support the chipset on your motherboard.
>>> Thanks, General, but the 2.6.18 kernel is not too ancient for the
>>> motherboard I'm using. But that gives me an idea: maybe I'll try
>>> loading a 32 bit version of CentOS or Fedora instead of 64 bit and see
>>> if I still have a problem.
>>>
>>> If this hardware-related at all, I'm most suspecting the RAM as
>>> discussed in my other post.
>> I think my kernel panics are cured - looks like my memory modules needed
>> some burning in.
>>
>> I ran Memtest86 (right on the Fedora/ CentOS installation DVD's). At
>> first it was so bad that Memtest couldn't even continue. But it got
>> better as time went on and finally I could run Memtest for over an hour
>> with no errors. Then tried the install again and it went without a
>> hitch. So everything's good now. The box is running right now, just
>> cruising along.
>
> There is no such thing as burning in on a DRAM. Changing the temperature
> will change the speed of the RAM, if you have a hold time problem then
> heating it up might have helped. I'd suggest that you try a couple of
> things in your BIOS. First I'd try lowering the RAM clock speed, that's
> completely safe and has the best chance of resolving your problems
> assuming you don't have a bad RAM. The other thing you could try is
> raising the voltage to the DIMMs a little, be sure that you keep it in the
> safe range.

Your second tip, raising the voltage, seems to have helped. The voltage
was at 1.90V. I raised it to 2.05V (the next higher setting in the
BIOS) and that seems to have stabilized things quite a bit.