System lockup problem when adding more memory - FC5

[Cokey]

Cokey wrote:
> Kam Leo wrote:
>> On 4/6/07, Cokey <fdepercin at sc.rr.com> wrote:
>>> Tony Nelson wrote:
>>> > At 5:12 PM -0400 4/5/07, Cokey wrote:
>>> >
>>> >> Tony Nelson wrote:
>>> >>
>>> >>> At 3:14 PM -0500 4/3/07, Styma, Robert E (Robert) wrote:
>>> >>>
>>> >>>
>>> >>>>> Mikkel L. Ellertson wrote:
>>> >>>>>
>>> >>>>>
>>> >>>>>> Cokey wrote:
>>> >>>>>>
>>> >>>>>>
>>> >>>>>>
>>> >>>>>>> I have an older dual processor server that has been
>>> >>>>>>>
>>> >>>>>>>
>>> >>>>> happily running FC5
>>> >>>>>
>>> >>>>>
>>> >>>>>>> since it was released.  It currently has 4G of memory and 
>>> has the
>>> >>>>>>> capacity for 8G using 1G sticks.   Recently I was given 2
>>> >>>>>>>
>>> >>>>>>>
>>> >>>>> 1G sticks and
>>> >>>>>
>>> >>>>>
>>> >>>>>>> tried to upgrade the system.  The system recognizes the 
>>> memory and
>>> >>>>>>> boots, but then locks up with:
>>> >>>>>>>
>>> >>>>>>> exec of initj(/sbin/init) failed: Exec format error.
>>> >>>>>>> Removing the memory clears the problem.  I have also tried 
>>> some 512
>>> >>>>>>> sticks and they also cause the same problem.  Essentially
>>> >>>>>>>
>>> >>>>>>>
>>> >>>>> anything over
>>> >>>>>
>>> >>>>>
>>> >>>>>>> 4G regardless of the how that's arrived at will cause the 
>>> lockup.
>>> >>>>>>>
>>> >>>>>>> Looking for any hints/ideas.
>>> >>>>>>>
>>> >>>>>>> Tnx
>>> >>>>>>>
>>> >>>>>>> Cokey
>>> >>>>>>>
>>> >>>>>>>
>>> >>>>>>>
>>> >>>>>>>
>>> >>>>>>>
>>> >>>>>> You may want to check how your system handles more then 4G of
>>> >>>>>> memory. I seam to recall a thread a while ago about a system 
>>> leaving
>>> >>>>>> a hole in memory and the BIOS producing an incorrect memory 
>>> map when
>>> >>>>>> the extra memory was added. (I think it was with more then 2G in
>>> >>>>>> that thread.) You should also check to see if there is BIOS 
>>> update
>>> >>>>>> for your machine.
>>> >>>>>>
>>> >>>>>> Mikkel
>>> >>>>>>
>>> >>>>>>
>>> >>>>>>
>>> >>>>> Good idea but unfortunately there's no BIOS updates for this 
>>> system
>>> >>>>> beyond what's installed.  Wish there were...   And there's
>>> >>>>> nothing I can change in the BIOS either.  Manual doesn't say 
>>> anything
>>> >>>>> about a memory hole...  but then it might not.
>>> >>>>>
>>> >>>>>
>>> >>>>>
>>> >>>> You say this is an older system.  If it is 32 bit, 4 gig is the
>>> >>>> maximum amount of memory you can address in 32 bits.
>>> >>>>
>>> >>>>
>>> >>> PAE.
>>> >>>
>>> >>>
>>> >> Ok, so?  PAE is enabled in the kernel and this box has dual 
>>> Pentium III
>>> >> which are PAE enabled.  Am I missing something?
>>> >>
>>> >
>>> > Not you, him, in saying that 4 GB was the max physical memory for 
>>> a 32 bit
>>> > kernel.
>>> >
>>> Ok, now in case anyone's interested, I stuffed 7 G in the box (6 X 1G
>>> and 2 X 512) and Windows 2000 server (install) booted just fine.
>>>
>>> Also received a different message when I tried to boot Linux...
>>> Kernel panic - not syncing: attempt to kill init
>>>
>>> I'm really confused now.
>>>
>>> Cokey
>>
>> Unless you have Advanced Server the box will only see 4GB. Google
>> search produced this:
>> http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/system/platform/server/PAE/PAEmem.mspx
>>
> Your correct and thanks for pointing that out.  Forgot about that.  
> Still, it boots.  My Fedora 5 install barfs.  I'll have to borrow
> a copy of advanced server to see if the install will come up.  Guess 
> that puts and end to this until next week.
>
> Tnx
>
> Cokey
>
Still haven't managed to borrow a copy of M$ advanced server...  but I 
did run the memtest86 from the Fedora 6 CD.  Recognized 6G and
ran for 6 hours with no problems encountered.  I really don't think it's 
a hardware problem.  Still looking for suggestions.

Tnx

Cokey


-- 
This message has been scanned for viruses and
dangerous content by MailScanner, and is
believed to be clean.