> Ok this may be a shot in the dark but, I remember using Ubuntu
> 10.04(2.6.32) on a Dell Optiplex and had an odd issue like this but not
> exactly and the fix was to specify 1GB of ram in the kernel boot
> parameters like this:
> mem=1G

The machine only has 1g RAM (wish I could stuff more into it), but I
tried it anyway. No effect.

> From what I've read I think there is still one option you haven't tried.
>  That is to remake your boot image. (what is it's proper name, I cannot
> remember)
>
> To do this, boot into the kernel that works, and then do
>
> /sbin/new-kernel-pkg --package kernel --install 2.6.32-131.6.1.el6.i686

That particular command didn't seem to do anything except remove the
initrd line from my grub.conf. There's probably some additional
incantation is needed.

But... AHA!

I tried building an initrd image using --hostonly. This got me past
mounting the root file system and through starting udev. I could see
something happening after starting udev before the reset happened, so
I started video recording the screen as it failed and going over that
frame-by-frame.

I found it was the i915 driver that's apparently killing the system.
If I blacklist it, the system boots ok. After booting, a 'modprobe
i915' results in a reset. I've only been able to catch the following
with video (*'s represent stuff I can't make out, as it's not on the
screen long enough to get a good frame):

[drm[ Initialized drm 1.1.0 20060813
i915 0000:00:02.0: enabling device (0000 -> 0003)
i915 0000:00:02.0: PCI INT A -> GSI 16 (level, low) -> IRQ 16
i915 0000:00:02.0 *** 0* can't allocate resources [bogus alignment)
[0x*-0*0] flags ***
[***] failed to find ***** tables
v****** ****** ******* ******** PCI:0000:04:00.0 ***....
pdr*[ ********* enablling support

This may be something really peculiar to this box. In addition to the
on-board graphics:
   00:02.0 Display controller: Intel Corporation 82915G/GV/910GL
Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 04)
   00:02.1 Display controller: Intel Corporation 82915G Integrated
Graphics Controller (rev 04)
which I don't use, it's got a radeon card that I do use for my
dual-monitor setup:
   04:00.0 VGA compatible controller: ATI Technologies Inc Radeon
RV200 QW [Radeon 7500]
which seems to be implicated by the screen capture.

I'll try to get time to pull the radeon card and see if it's the
combination that's messing it up or something about the i915 driver
itself, but for now I'll consider the problem "worked around".

Thanks for all the help and suggestions.

                                                         - Bluejay Adametz

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