Status on 1.9.15 (2.0 Beta) Updated 11-18-10

[Davesworld]

Update! 2.0 Beta now runs fine on a 3000 series as of recent builds.

Hello all! I had been keeping and regularly building from, a parallel Cobalt Friendly branch of IPCop 2.0svn which at 1.9.15 is beta. Somewhere in the pre 1.9.15 revisions, specifically revision r4719, it no longer ran on the few 3000 series that I tried it on but runs fine on the Raq 550.  To clarify, it will boot on the 3000 series up to when init starts and then I get the error:
______________snip______________________________
kjournald starting.  Commit interval 5 seconds
EXT3-fs: mounted filesystem with ordered data mode.
VFS: Mounted root (ext3 filesystem) readonly on device 3:1.
Freeing unused kernel memory: 156k freed
INIT: version 2.88 booting
Kernel panic - not syncing: Attempted to kill init!

_______________________________________________

Now, 1.9.15 is r4889 and I have uploaded an iso image to install on either a donor machine or VMWare, a 512MB flash image and the diff from svn file.

I am going to debug init as root is mounted read only at this stage which leaves us with the serial console so this is the only output we can have.

While contemplating that, I am in the process of trying raid1 on two flash drives no less. The Cobalts have always been able to boot up to md devices. The only problem is that when the md module is embedded in the kernel as are the ide drivers for ali and serverworks chipsets, system information loses it's ability to read drive info when using non raid.

[Titox]

Nice to know that you are still working on RaqCop!!!! A lot of time without notices.

I'm using raqCop since some years ago with good results but on 300 series hardware (RaQ 550 is too noisy)

Well, I hope you keep working on it. Thank you for your efforts

Alberto.

[weizen_42]

Nice to know that you are still working on RaqCop!!!! A lot of time without notices.

Maybe no notices, but Dave sure is still active 

[Davesworld]

Yes, I've been very busy lately trying to sort this but I see no reason why the 3000 series won't be made to work. Now, thinking outside the box, read below.

I'm experimenting (in a totally separate tree of course) with taking complete advantage of the embedded command line option with recent kernels and will try using an initrd. The command line is optional and also has the option of overriding the one the rom sends very early in the boot cycle. I took the partition.c and started with a stock one, commented out anything to do with extlinux and making the partition bootable and in the depmod before building initrd, instead of depmod -a I did depmod KVER-cobalt. I hope it works. I just want to make sure the cobalt kernel is depmodded since the standard lib/modules/kver for 486 is not in the install. I do not include any of extlinux nor the standard kernel in the cdrom. The installer already has what it needs to actually install without the standard kernel and modules in the install image (tarball). I just would rather only install what will actually run the system and depmod the kernel that will be used.

I really hope the ipcoprd will load from the built in command line. This way every module known to man (within reason) is available. Once this build finishes, then I will make another kernel config to modularize everything akin to the standard 486 config plus add initrd support. The only modules that would remain in the kernel image itself are the cobalt drivers as they do not give you the modular option.

I think it was 2.6.29 that added the embedded command line option. This is really the first significant 2.6 kernel upgrade that will actually benefit a Cobalt. Without it the only benefits are the same as any other platform, improving 3G etc.

I'll let that one compile while I sleep. I would love to see a ramdisk image load well before sysinit. The kernel itself has a 1.8MB compressed limit, 8MB once inflated for the rom to boot it but once the kernel actually starts and uses it's own command line, the rd image size should not matter. I've been keeping the kernel images under 1.2MB bzipped and if initrd works it should be smaller still. I really like the idea of shoving a partial OS with drivers into ram and THEN starting init. 

I'll post back if it works or not.

[Davesworld]

Nice to know that you are still working on RaqCop!!!! A lot of time without notices.

I'm using raqCop since some years ago with good results but on 300 series hardware (RaQ 550 is too noisy)

Well, I hope you keep working on it. Thank you for your efforts

Alberto.

The RAQ550 takes a bit of work to make it quiet without getting too hot. I have a workable solution which is simply buying lower rpm versions of the same fans. In an extreme environment this would be inadequate so I'm still looking. SilenX does not make 40x28mm fans. I thinl Pabst does even though they are not as available in the US as they are in Germany.

As far as the 3000 series, having it (IPCop/RaqCop) run on these is essential since the bulk of Raqs out there are 3000 series. The Qube 3 is included in this. One could actually make a table lamp out of a Qube 3, the LCD and everything is on the back. The stock Raq3/4 draws about 12 watts typically with a flash install, 20 when loaded. I crammed some 40mm SilenX fans into my Raq4. The temp still stays well under 40C even when the temp in the room is almost unbearably warm and you really don't hear it. Trying to stuff 40mm into 35mm mounting space takes some work. The rubber plugs that come with them to use instead of screws, can be pulled through the stock three holes since rubber is flexible.

BTW Weizen_42, The fans that Brian put in yours were the nearest thing available to the stock ones at that time but run higher rpm and are louder than stock. Sunon now makes a ROHS replacement that is the same speed as the originals. You need very little CFM on these.

[weizen_42]

Sunon now makes a ROHS replacement that is the same speed as the originals. You need very little CFM on these.

Do you have a part# for those?
After moving, I initially planned to have some of my 'toys' in the cellar, but now I think I'll get things in my workroom (same as before).

[Davesworld]

Sunon now makes a ROHS replacement that is the same speed as the originals. You need very little CFM on these.

Do you have a part# for those?
After moving, I initially planned to have some of my 'toys' in the cellar, but now I think I'll get things in my workroom (same as before).

GM1235PFV2-8.GN is the one. They are 6.5cfm rather than 7 and run a few thousand rpms less than the 7cfm ones that were the closest available in 2008.

[Titox]

Two years ago I bought some Sunon KDE1235PFB2-8 on eBay. If I recall correctly these are 6.5 CFM (-0.5 than original fans). I'm so happy with them but unfortunately this model seems out of market. Maybe the KDE1204PFS3-8 is a good replacement: http://cgi.ebay.com/10-Sunon-KDE-Series-40-mm-12V-5W-Brushless-Fans-/190430500150?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c568ad536#ht_1784wt_1379

Also Digi-Key has a lot of Sunon fans, here you are the specifications: http://parts.digikey.com/1/parts/436426-fan-12vdc-40x10mm-7w-4-2cfm-kde1204pfs3-8.html

Alberto.

[weizen_42]

Digi-Key has plenty of stock  http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail&name=259-1392-ND

You'll be wanting 35mm not 40 mm for a better fit 

Just for reference, specs from cobaltfaqs (google can be pretty cool if you know the keywords  ) http://cobaltfaqs.com/index.php/Fans_and_fan_connectors_on_a_RaQ_3_and_4

[Davesworld]

6.5 was the original. If you had 7.0cfm then someone replaced them at some point. Anytime I got a Raptor or Raq3/4, I could tell as soon as I powered up if they were replaced. The slightly audible whine of the 9500 rpms give it away. On the other hand, if the thing makes strange squeals and noises to make it sound like farm animals mating, yup probably the originals and way overdue for replacement.

The fan you pointed out is really 4.5cfm and out of stock at Digikey. For whatever reason the 4.5cfm noise is rated at 22.8 but the GM1235PFV2-8.GN is rated at 22 and there are over 900 in stock, at least here. Digikey is everywhere I would imagine. You could easily get away with 4.5cfm though. 6.5 is plenty in more extreme environments. The lower rpm of the fans you found should certainly have a lower sound pitch.

The one major design difference I see with fan placement and the 550 versus the 3000 series except the qube is that the 550 places all fans upstream of the heat source whereas the raq3/4 place them right in the heat path downstream, pulling heat through them. How this affects fan life I am not sure exactly but it is certain that the raq3/4's go through their share of fans, especially ones that just came off of lease and were worked to death.

If noise wasn't so, err, noisy, I would not be splitting hairs over it. The less sources of noise the better. Could always throw a heat pipe out the back instead of fans.  

[weizen_42]

Digikey is everywhere I would imagine.

The 'German version' of Digikey does not have the Sunon fans, 35x35 fans are NMB 1404KL-04W-B50-B00 and 1404KL-04W-B59-B00 and Delta AFB03512HA-A.