I've encountered a really strange problem with RH 6.0 and the kernel
it ships with (2.2.5), and I'm hoping someone here can shed some light
on the matter.

I've installed RH 6.0 onto one system without problem.  Ran like a gazelle.

I also tried installing this same CD onto one of my old test rigs, and run
into
massive problems.  The box is a Midwest Micro 133MHz Pentium, 32MB of RAM
(2 16MB EDO 72-pin SDROM modules), ATI Graphics Xpression/Mach 64 board,
MS serial mouse, network board (but not used), no printer, SB16 sound board
(but
not used).  In other words, this box is about as vanilla as hardware gets.

The problem is that a large number of packages are corrupted upon
installation,
and they fail the md5 checksum test (rpm -Va), leading to an unusable
system.

I worked with Stephen Smoogen at RH on this, and his last note to me on the
topic
read:

>>
Ok I talked to Alan about this, and he thinks it is hardware problems with
memory.
The 2.2 kernels have completely different "access algorithms" which will
show up bad
RAM faster that would have worked in earlier versions of the kernel.
<<

I assume he's talking about Alan Cox here, although he didn't specify.

This concerns me, because I've run various versions of DOS, everything
Windows
variation from 3.0 onwards, RH 5.1 and 5.2, and FreeBSD on this same box
with the
same hardware, without any trouble whatsoever.  I'm NOT saying that I doubt
Stephen's or Alan's assessment; if anything I believe them, but I find it
bothersome
that a change in the kernel could make Linux fail this dramatically on this
same
hardware that so many other OS's have no problem with.  I would hate to be
the
person explaining this to a company that's evaluating Linux for some
large-scale
rollout, ala Burlington Factory.

I haven't yet had a chance to try another 2.2-based distro on this same
hardware,
but I will within the next week, assuming I can make the time.

Is this "bad memory" situation a generally known issue?

If not, is there anything else I can tell you about the system that might
help?


Lou


Here's the output from rpm -Va that I sent to Stephen earlier today:

----------------------------------

S.5....T c /etc/services
..5.....   /usr/X11R6/bin/Script
Unsatisfied dependencies for AfterStep-APPS-990329-2: /usr/sbin/utempter,
libutempter.so.0
..5.....   /lib/libdb-2.1.1.so
..5.....   /usr/lib/gconv/SJIS.so
..5.....   /usr/sbin/rpcinfo
S.5....T c /etc/info-dir
..5.....   /sbin/install-info
..5.....   /usr/lib/libbfd.a
..5.....   /usr/lib/libopcodes.a
..5.....   /usr/lib/gcc-lib/i386-redhat-linux/egcs-2.91.66/cpp
.M......   /dev/log
.M......   /dev/pts
......G.   /dev/tty0
......G.   /dev/tty2
......G.   /dev/tty3
......G.   /dev/tty4
......G.   /dev/tty5
......G.   /dev/tty6
......G.   /dev/tty7
..5.....   /usr/lib/gcc-lib/i386-redhat-linux/egcs-2.91.66/cc1
..5.....   /usr/lib/gcc-lib/i386-redhat-linux/egcs-2.91.66/cc1plus
..5.....   /usr/bin/emacs
..5.....   /usr/bin/emacs-20.3
..5.....   /usr/X11R6/bin/fvwm
..5.....   /usr/X11R6/bin/fvwm2
..5.....   /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fvwm2/FvwmConfig
.......T   /usr/share/icons/desktop.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/folder.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/keyboard.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-ball.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-bball.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-bomb.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-book1.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-book2.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-bug1.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-bug2.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-bx2.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-calc.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-camera.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-cdlabel.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-clock.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-colors.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-connect.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-connected.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-cross.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-default.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-display.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-doc.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-edit.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-exclam.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-exp.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-eyes.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-filemgr.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-fractal.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-gball.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-gv.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-hammer.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-happy.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-hextris.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-k.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-lock.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-lower.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-mail.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-manual.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-max1.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-maze.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-modules.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-move.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-move1.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-nscape.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-ofolder.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-olwm.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-paint.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-pencil.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-question.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-raise.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-ray.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-rball.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-resize.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-roach.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-run.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-sh.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-sh1.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-slon.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-stop.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-term.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-tetris.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-turn.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-up.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-wilbur.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-windows.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-x.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-x2.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-xmahjongg.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-xv.xpm
.......T   /usr/share/icons/mini/mini-zoom.xpm
..5.....   /usr/bin/gdb
..5.....   /usr/bin/gs
..5.....   /usr/bin/gimp
.......T   /usr/src/linux-2.2.5/README.kernel-sources
..5.....   /usr/lib/libdb.a
..5.....   /usr/lib/libdb1.a
..5.....   /usr/lib/libnsl.a
..5.....   /usr/share/sounds/startup3.wav
Unsatisfied dependencies for gnome-libs-1.0.8-8: utempter
..5.....   /usr/lib/libgnomeui.so.32.9.0
..5.....   /usr/lib/libgtkxmhtml.so.1.0.1
..5.....   /usr/lib/libzvt.so.2.2.2
.M....G.   /usr/sbin/gnome-pty-helper
..5.....   /usr/lib/libgtk-1.2.so.0.1.0
..5.....   /usr/lib/libgtk.a
..5.....   /usr/lib/libgtk.so.1.0.6
..5.....   /usr/bin/ical-2.2
..5.....   /usr/X11R6/lib/libMagick.so.4.0.22
..5.....   /usr/lib/libImlib.so.1.9.5
.......T c /etc/inittab
missing    /etc/rc.d/rc3.d/S10network
missing    /etc/rc.d/rc3.d/S15netfs
missing    /etc/rc.d/rc5.d/S10network
missing    /etc/rc.d/rc5.d/S15netfs
..5.....   /usr/bin/kdat
..5.....   /usr/bin/kcminfo
..5.....   /usr/bin/kcmkpanel
..5.....   /usr/bin/kmenuedit
..5.....   /usr/bin/kpanel
..5.....   /usr/bin/kwm
..5.....   /usr/share/wallpapers/produce.jpg
..5.....   /usr/bin/kreversi
..5.....   /usr/bin/kfract
..5.....   /usr/bin/kiconedit
..5.....   /usr/bin/kpaint
..5.....   /usr/lib/libkspell.so.2.0.0
..5.....   /usr/bin/karchie
..5.....   /usr/bin/kmail
..5.....   /usr/bin/knu
..5.....   /usr/bin/kppp
..5.....   /usr/bin/krn
..5.....   /usr/bin/ksirc
..5.....   /usr/lib/ksirc/libplined.a
..5.....   /usr/bin/kfloppy
..5.....   /usr/bin/kljettool
..5.....   /usr/bin/kwrite
..5.....   /boot/vmlinux-2.2.5-15
.......T c /etc/sysconfig/pcmcia
..5.....   /sbin/cardmgr
..5.....   /usr/bin/alarmd
..5.....   /usr/bin/korganizer
..5.....   /usr/share/apps/korganizer/pics/knlogo1.gif
..5.....   /usr/bin/kpilot
..5.....   /usr/share/apps/kpilot/conduits/todoconduit
..5.....   /lib/ld-linux.so.1.9.5
..5.....   /lib/libdl.so.1.9.5
..5.....   /usr/i486-linux-libc5/lib/libXt.so.6.0
..5.....   /usr/i486-linux-libc5/lib/libc.so.5.3.12
..5.....   /usr/i486-linux-libc5/lib/libvga.so.1.2.13
..5.....   /lib/security/pam_filter.so
..5.....   /bin/linuxconf
.M...... c /etc/conf.linuxconf
..5.....   /usr/lib/linuxconf/modules/firewall.so.1.14.4
.M......   /var/log/htmlaccess.log
.M......   /var/log/netconf.log
..5.....   /usr/lib/liblinuxconf.a
missing    /etc/rc.d/rc3.d/S60lpd
missing    /etc/rc.d/rc5.d/S60lpd
..5.....   /usr/lib/libform_g.a
..5.....   /usr/lib/netscape/java/classes/scd10.jar
..5.....   /usr/lib/netscape/netscape-communicator
..5.....   /usr/lib/libnewt.so.0.40
..5.....   /usr/bin/mhbuild
S.5....T c /etc/pam.d/passwd
..5.....   /usr/bin/passwd
..5.....   /usr/lib/libpisock.a
..5.....   /usr/bin/python
..5.....   /usr/bin/python1.5
..5.....   /usr/lib/python1.5/formatter.pyc
..5.....   /usr/lib/python1.5/threading_api.pyc
..5.....   /usr/lib/libqt.so.1.44
..5.....   /bin/rpm
..5.....   /usr/bin/rpm2cpio
Unsatisfied dependencies for rxvt-2.6.PRE2-5: libutempter.so.0
..5.....   /sbin/sash
......G.   /etc/aliases.db
missing    /etc/rc.d/rc3.d/S80sendmail
missing    /etc/rc.d/rc5.d/S80sendmail
..5.....   /usr/lib/libslang.a
..5.....   /usr/lib/libtcl8.0.so
..5.....   /usr/lib/libtix4.1.8.0.so
..5.....   /usr/lib/libtixsam4.1.8.0.so
..5.....   /usr/lib/libtk8.0.so
S.5....T c /etc/pam.d/login
..5.....   /usr/X11R6/bin/xanim
..5.....   /usr/X11R6/lib/libXaw3d.so.6.1
missing    /usr/X11R6/include/X11/Xaw3d
..5.....   /usr/X11R6/lib/libXaw3d.a
Unsatisfied dependencies for XFree86-3.3.3.1-49: utempter  ,
libutempter.so.0
..5.....   /usr/X11R6/bin/Xprt
..5.....   /usr/X11R6/bin/bitmap
..5.....   /usr/X11R6/bin/nxterm
..5.....   /usr/X11R6/bin/twm
..5.....   /usr/X11R6/bin/x11perf
..5.....   /usr/X11R6/bin/xterm
..5.....   /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/xkb/xkbcomp
..5.....   /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/pex5.so
..5.....   /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/xie.so
..5.....   /usr/X11R6/lib/libICE.a
..5.....   /usr/X11R6/lib/libX11.a
..5.....   /usr/X11R6/lib/libXaw.a
..5.....   /usr/X11R6/lib/libXmu.a
..5.....   /usr/X11R6/lib/libXt.a
..5.....   /usr/X11R6/lib/libxkbfile.a
..5.....   /usr/X11R6/lib/libXaw.so.6.1
..5.....   /usr/X11R6/lib/libXt.so.6.0
..5.....   /usr/X11R6/bin/XF86_Mach64













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