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

[Ramon Hofer]

I have a little update:

Am Montag, den 18.01.2010, 18:06 +0100 schrieb Ramon Hofer:
> 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 have installed Ubuntu again to the CF card (this time with the
alternate iso. Before the system reboots right after the installation I
powered off.
I booted a PC with USB card reader. I have no problem there.
When I put it back into the Alix board the error shows up again.
Afterwards another PC boot with the card: again no problem.

Any suggestion what that could mean?


Cheers
Ramon