[syslinux] Intel Z-U130 SSD

[Rich Mahn]

> Robert DeLaGarza wrote:
>> 
>> My hardware is an embedded system using an off-the-shelf COM Express
>> module with a Phoenix BIOS.  Mass storage is provided by an Intel
>> Z-U130 Solid State Drive (aka "Intel Value SSD").  The SSD is much
>> like a standard USB Flash drive.  The main differences are, of course,
>> the packaging and connector, and the fact that it is a non-removable
>> device ('/sys/block/sda/removable' is 0).
>> 
>> The SSD is initially loaded with a version of Fedora 8 created using
>> 'livecd-creator'.  A build script takes the livecd ISO and produces a
>> binary file containing a disk image: MBR, partition table, and two
>> partitions.  The first partition is active and contains the Fedora
>> files and a syslinux installation.  This disk image is written to the
>> SSD using 'dd'.
>> 
>> Fedora 8 is configured to load into memory and leave the active
>> partition on the SSD unused.  The idea is that the Linux installation
>> can then be updated in-system by mounting the partition, and simply
>> changing the kernel, initrd, and 'syslinux.cfg'.
>> 
>> When implemented on a standard USB Flash drive, this works!  The SSD
>> implementation is a different story.  Fedora 8 boots reliably, but
>> updating the kernel, initrd, or syslinux.cfg often (but not always)
>> yields a system which hangs during boot, usually during load of the
>> initrd.  The error message is "Boot failed: please change disks ..."
>> 
>
>This implies a disk I/O error.  Syslinux will try to address a failing 
>sector at least six times before giving up, but in your case it keeps 
>getting the error repeatedly.

>This can be caused either by an actual disk error, a corrupt filesystem, 
>or a bug in the code which causes access beyond the end of the disk.

>> 2. Are there any issues with the Intel Z-U130 SSD that could cause this?

>None that I know of, but it's not exactly like I have ever seen one of 
>these devices.  It sounds to me that there might be a compatiblity issue 
>between the Z-U130 and the USB storage stack in the mainboard BIOS.

>The method you describe should normally work; there isn't anything 
>inherently flawed.

>	-hpa

There are some firmware problems with some SSDs.  I don't know anything
about the Z-U130 SSD, including whether it's a relabeling of another
manufacturer's drive.  I do know about this one:

  MemTech AT2550 Wolverine 2.5" IDE Solid State Drive

The problem is MemTech's mis-reading of the ATA specs, resulting in an
"off-by-one" error.  What happens is that when inquiring about the
last block address, the drive returns the number of blocks, not the
address of the last block.  Since blocks are numbered starting at 0,
not 1, you get an off-by-one error.  When you try to access the "last
block", you are actually past the end of the disk.

This has been fixed in recent versions of MemTech's SSDs.

>From hpa's comments above, it sounds like this drive has the same
problem.  See if there's an update to the firmware.  At one time, I
had the firmware versions for MemTech, but they were written on paper,
and I have misplaced them or thrown them out.


Rich