Problem with 512MB CF Card

RouterOS General
1

Hi there,

we just tried to install RouterOS on a 512MB CF Card. The netinstall utility finished the installation but the Router didnt boot. The SYSLINUX was startet and then we got a “boot failed” message.

We tried two different 512MB Cards, two different PC’s (from where we wrote the image) but it didnt work.

Then we tried a 256MB CF Card and it works.

Is there a problem with cards > 256MB?

Thanks in advance.

2

no, there have been some problems with some bad 512Mb cards. unfortunately, the only solution is to change card.

3

Hmmm mayby im experiencing the same errors with my 512MB Card.

Although it worked the firsttime Is this problem fixed in some later version ?

4

You don’t say which manufacturer it is.
Sandisk?

5

our tested sandisk worked. problems are with kingston, transcend and some other cheaper brands

6

Apparently there are quite a few ‘fake’ sandisk cards going around too - something to be wary of.

I use Sandisk and ‘Biwin’ (cheap, but they work).

7

Some of the sandisk 512 MB CF cards have DMA issues.
64 MB Biwin cards are incredible when they are fixed.

8

When fixed?

9

HI sten

this is a very bad news. It means also sandisk could have a bad behaviour? What memory do you suggest? please can you tell me the exact model/part number you are using with wrap/routerboard?

Thank you

10

Well there were a whole bunch that had bad firmware.
You could ask the people you got them from, to downgrade the firmwares and at the same time disable DMA access.
I have the firmware but i have to verify if i am allowed to help you.

11

Hmmm

Im trying to run Mikrotik 2.9.39 on my CF-IDE 512MB Dane-Elec flashdisk again.

  • I installed using a USB Cardreader and the netinstall utlity
  • Placed the CF in my MT ( no boot)
  • Changed Bios harddisk mode settings from auto to normal and boot was fine
  • Changed Bios harddisk mode setting from normal to auto and boot was still fine
  • Changed Bios harddisk mode setting from auto to LBA and boot was still fine

Im not sure whats happening and what to do.

MT Running on a ASUS P2B-S Bios version 1013 (old system)
The CF Found as Toshiba THNCF512MPG Using LBA mode 4

The BIOS says:
Note some OSes (like SCO-Unix must use “normal” for installation)

And everytime i placed an new install on the CF-Card there is a bootfaillure reported. So i must switch to Normal mode instaid of Auto (LBA) the first boot

And the solution use a CF-IDE 256MB Dane-Elec flashcard
This wil be Found as Toshiba THNCF256MMA using LBA mode 2 and with this card the first boot is working fine

So it seems that the LBA mode 4 is messing with the linux bootloader because the LBA mode 2 is working fine

Using RouterOS Beta 5 still give problems

Can you MT Guys fix this, and mayby translate it to good english and make it a sticky ??

12

Dude, that’s just common sense!

Are you confusing LBA with DMA?

If you still mean LBA:
Running it in normal mode is just common sense for anything smaller than a 540 mb harddrive. LBA mode is to overcome the problems faced when computers got bigger harddrives (around 540mbyte). Enabling it will result in less storage capacity and different disk layout.

If you meant DMA:
If so, then there is no reason to take it above 16bit (word size) DMA 2.
The higher the performance then the higher probability of errors. Harddrive IO performance will not affect your routers ability to forward packets but an harddrive error will affect your routers ability to function.

If you are still confused then feel free to read up on the subjects. Maybe you could correct me if i’m wrong as well?

13

No sorry realy meaning LBA