What do I do when the install hangs/panics?

What do I do when the install hangs/panics?

One of the most common problems with some mother boards is handling DMA
during the install. Usually, that's the case if you get a hang right
around configuring /dev/devices. Try turning off the caching--external
and internal. Slow the system speed down if it allows you to do this in
the BIOS or through the front panel switch. Leave these settings ONLY
for the install: kick it back up after the install.


[From Bob Palowoda's Solaris 2.4 x86 FAQ]


If you already have a OS installed on your hard drive
(and that's most of you), the Webstart "Installation" disk will not
work. Use the "Software 1 of 2" CD, which is also a bootable CD.


Another common problem is support for new devices. Use the latest driver
update boot and distribution diskettes, especially with newly-supported
hardware. Carefully check the HCL to verify your cards are listed. Try
removing/replacing suspected troublesome cards to isolate the problem.


Sun gives these tips for handling hardware incompatibilities during
installation (see http://access1.Sun.COM/cgi-bin/rinfo2html?115502.faq ):


". . . Disable external cache, . disable synchronous negotiation
on the CD ROM, and disable ROM BIOS shadowing. These may be
re-enabled after installation. Also, if using an un-supported
or clone motherboard, slowing the system clock or changing from
a double- clocked processor to a single-clocked one may help.
Say, for example, a 486DX-50 as opposed to a 486-250 or 486-66."

I would also add (temporary) disabling of these BIOS settings to this list:
video cache, BIOS virus detection (boot block writes),
"OS supports PnP",
and UDMA mode.
Disabling these settings may not be required for your hardware and BIOS,
but it has helped for some hardware setups.
Remember to reenable these after you installed Solaris.


Here's a checklist of typical causes of hangs during installation:


  • Incompatible CD-ROM drives (or mounting on the secondary ATAPI).
  • Incompatible SCSI controller (avoid the clones and cheap cards).
  • Incompatible Motherboard (try changing motherboard settings).



The "Troubleshooting" chapter of the Solaris Advanced Installation Guide
has many additional tips, especially for ATAPI drives and CDROMs. See
http://docs.sun.com/



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