[Bug 601986] Re: Disk driver problems on Toshiba NB305Netbook

[Kyle Altendorf]

Although I have not explored every aspect that Jim has described I
believe I may be observing the same (or a related) issue, albeit in
Kubuntu Meerkat RC.  My NB305 has been slow while installing, booting,
running, and shutting down.  The interesting part?  For the first time I
think that my impatience and pressing keys (generally shift) really is
having an affect on the system.  This even applies to the initial boot
message (if I don't press any keys):

Gave up waiting for root device. Common problems:
- Boot args (cat /proc/cmdline)
- Check rootdelay= (did the system wait long enough?)
- Check root= (did the system wait for right device?)
-Missing modules (cat /proc/modules; ls /dev)
ALERT! /dev/disk/by-uuid/<yada-yada> does not exist. Dropping to shell!

If I hold shift down immediately after Grub then this doesn't come up.
During the remainder of the boot process I can practically turn the HD
LED on and off by pressing and releasing the shift key.  I suspect that
the shift key is having a similar effect on the kernel as Jim's infinite
loop program.  I am now booted again after reinstalling and the mouse
seems to be having a similar effect while in X, when the mouse works
that is.

Back on the install topic, when selecting the timezone even the current
time display would not update unless I pressed or held a key.  Also, I
am using a USB to IDE adapter with a normal 'internal' DVDROM drive.
Perhaps this uses a different driver than the CDROM that Jim used?  Just
trying to guess at why I have trouble with the CDROM but Jim doesn't.

I installed bootchart but it had no apparent effect.  I am now trying
the hdparm speed test.  If I hold down shift throughout the test I get
128MB in 3.02 seconds (42.36 MB/sec).  If I only press shift a couple
times to get the test started...  hdparm just hangs after printing
"Timing buffered disk reads:" until I press shift again.  The result
this time was 10MB in 108.42 seconds (94.45 kB/sec).

My experiences certainly don't quite mirror Jim's, but (obviously) I
think they seem to be related.  Jim, does holding down shift do anything
for you when not using any of your other 'solutions'?

-- 
Disk driver problems on Toshiba NB305Netbook
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/601986
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