I/O errors with CD or DVD after updating to the 2.6.16.60-0.25 kernel

This document (7001037) is provided subject to the disclaimer at the end of this document.

Environment

SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 Service Pack 2
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 Service Pack 2

Situation

Running on physical hardware

After installing the 2.6.16.60-0.25 kernel, the system's CD-ROM or DVD drive cannot be used anymore. /var/log/messages includes messages similar to the following Message:

Jul 21 14:29:42 sled10sp2 kernel: ide-cd: weird block size 524288

possibly followed by a low-level ATAPI error report and a buffer I/O error for the drive device, similar to the following Message:

Jul 21 14:30:36 sled10sp2 kernel: ATAPI device hda:
Jul 21 14:30:36 sled10sp2 kernel:   Error: Medium error -- (Sense key=0x03)
Jul 21 14:30:36 sled10sp2 kernel:   (reserved error code) -- (asc=0x10, ascq=0x90)
Jul 21 14:30:36 sled10sp2 kernel:   The failed "Read 10" packet command was:
Jul 21 14:30:36 sled10sp2 kernel:   "28 00 00 00 00 40 00 00 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 "
Jul 21 14:30:36 sled10sp2 kernel: end_request: I/O error, dev hda, sector 64
Jul 21 14:30:36 sled10sp2 kernel: Buffer I/O error on device hda, logical block 8

Running as a VMware guest

When the 2.6.16.60-0.25 kernel is used in a VMware guest, attempts to use a virtual IDE CD-ROM or DVD drive crash the VMware guest session and a VMware crash log file is generated, with contents similar to the following Message:

Jul 24 14:29:32.351: vmx| CDROM: Connecting ide1:0 to '/usr/lib/vmware/isoimages/linux.iso'. img=1 raw=0 excl=0 remote=0
Jul 24 14:29:32.701: vcpu-0| CDROM: switching CDROM state from 3 to 4 using error sense key.
Jul 24 14:29:34.063: vcpu-0| CDROM: switching CDROM state from 4 to 0 using error sense key.
Jul 24 14:29:34.063: vcpu-0| VIDE: Already in check condition 06 28 00 Jul 24 14:29:34.086: vcpu-0| CDROM: Emulate GET CONFIGURATION RT 0 start feature 0
Jul 24 14:29:34.093: Worker#16| FILEIO: pread got 0 out of 16384 bytes.
Jul 24 14:29:34.094: vmx| VIDE: ATAPI DMA 0x28 Failed: key 0x5, asc 0x20, ascq 0x0
Jul 24 14:29:34.096: vcpu-0| VIDE: ATAPI DMA 0x28 Failed: key 0x5, asc 0x20, ascq 0x0
Jul 24 14:29:34.099: vcpu-0| CDROM: Emulate GET CONFIGURATION RT 1 start feature 0
Jul 24 14:29:34.103: vmx| Caught signal 11 -- tid 9884

Resolution

For SP2 systems: update to kernel 2.6.16.60-0.27 or newer.
For SP1 systems: update to kernel 2.6.16.54-0.2.10 (all but x86_64), 2.6.16.54-0.2.11 (for x86_64) or newer).

Disclaimer

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