F7 installer running very, very slowly [resolved]

[Langdon Stevenson]

I thought it worth posting the solution to this problem for anyone else 
with a Dell Poweredge 2300 server.

There is a bios setting for CPU speed.  The options on the server I am 
working on are: 450MHz and "Compatible".

I had switched the original 450 MHz CPU for a pair of 550MHz CPUs.  To 
get the server to recognize them I had to set the CPU speed setting in 
the bios to "compatible".

For whatever reason, that seems to mean run extraordinarily slow. 
Switching to a 450 and using a pair of 450 CPUs solved the problem. 
Machine is running very nicely.  Currently working through the F7 install.

Langdon



Langdon Stevenson wrote:
> Hi
> 
> I am running an F7 install on a Dell PowerEdge 2300 (another one - 
> previous one that caused me problems is running fine).
> 
> Machine boots up fine, but when the F7 Rescue CD boots up everything 
> goes into slow motion.  This happens right from the word go.  For 
> instance the initial graphical screen to select the type of install 
> takes about 20 seconds to paint, keyboard response is slow as well. This 
> is the same throughout the install, both graphical and non-graphical.  I 
> expect that the installer would complete in due course, but haven't had 
> the patience to see it any further through than selecting hard drives.
> 
> I have had a look at "top" through a console during the install and it 
> reports that there is plenty of RAM available, and no processes hogging 
> the dual CPUs.
> 
> I can't see any bios settings that might effect the installer.
> 
> I have removed all of the RAM and tried RAM from an identical machine 
> that doesn't have this problem, but no luck.  It still does the same
> 
> I have removed all of the PCI devices (save for the SCSI controller) and 
> no improvement.
> 
> Is this symptom familiar to anyone?  Can anyone suggest how I might work 
> out what is going on?
> 
> Any suggestions greatly appreciated.
> 
> Langdon
>