Ubuntu Server 9.10 on Embedded Board Alix2d2 (AMD Geode & CF card over IDE)

[Ramon Hofer]

Hi all

I wanted to set up a small server on an embedded board: Alix2d2
(http://www.pcengines.ch/alix2d2.htm)
It has a 500 MHz AMD Geode LX800 processor, 256 MB DDR DRAM, a
CompactFlash socket (44 pin IDE header) and no VGA port.

On a computer with a CF card reader, I installed iMedia Linux (Alix
headless build) (http://www.imedialinux.com/) to the card, copied the
ubuntu server image (ubuntu-9.10-server-i386.iso), vmlinuz and initrd.gz
(both from here:
http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/karmic/main/installer-i386/current//images/hd-media/) to that partition.

I put the CF card into the embedded board and was able to install Ubuntu
server.
After the installation I adjusted /etc/init/ttyS0.conf
and /etc/default/grub and updated the bootloader to enable the serial
port.


Now to my problem: After some restarts I get an UNEXPECTED INCONSISTENCY
error message for the first partition (/boot):
http://paste.ubuntu.com/358211/
When I run fsck on the ro mounted filesystem it tells me that 2.4%
non-contiguous and no error message: http://paste.ubuntu.com/358216/
But when I reboot the problem is still there.

So (on the computer with the CF card slot) I copied the /boot files
manually from the card, reformatted it, put the files back, the card
into the embedded board, adjusted grub to the new UUIDs and booted. Now
the same problem was there for the next partition.


The german Ubuntu wiki tells me that most of the problem occur because
of the wrong kernel and I should use the 386 kernel instead of the
generic one (http://wiki.ubuntuusers.de/Alix#Installation).
That's why I installed Ubuntu server again, did the serial console
changes and installed the 386 kernel right after the installation.

But after the first restart the problem with the UNEXPECTED
INCONSISTENCY was there again.


After another clean install, I backied up the whole CF card,
reformattied, putted the files back to it and changed the UUID in the
grub.cfg and fstab the problem is still there.


I couldn't find a way to choose the kernel during the installation.
Should I try to use the alternate Ubuntu installation and can I install
the server edition with it too?

Or if the problem is not because of the kernel, what could be a possible
way to solve it?

Could this be a CF issue?

I am trying for three days now and have no clue. Please help me :-)


Thanks alot in advance
Ramon