2.4.x crash Siemens mainboard 512+ ram

[andreas]

hi,

trying to solve a problem here:

Siemens Mainboard S26361-D with Intel Chipset (having some extra
features for beeing used rackmounted / in cabinets), currently running
with Intel P-III 933MHz and 512 MB Ram.

As soon as i try to upgrade Ram to something more than 512 MB the
kernel crashs while booting, right after unpacking its image or a
little bit later after detecting ide-devices.

Now i tried to install 768 MB in 3 x 256 MB 133MHz ... (same results
with 3 x 512 or 2x256 + 1x128 - simply anything above 512)

Kernel 2.4.6-ac2:

- kernel unpacks and detects 770xxx KB Ram (768 MB)
- it shows 4 rows of hash table informations and hangs, the last line
  is about "Page-cache hash table", then deadlock.

Kernel 2.4.2:

- kernel boots up until it detects the ide-devices, showing ide0 with
  its information, ide1 with its information, then it stands still,
  deadlock, before it can show the partition informations

Another try with 2.4.2 does a kernel Oops 0002 at the same point.

Siemens does not to provide any information on the mainboard, i didn't
find any newer bios version i could try, nor did i find any more
information about crashing kernels with installed 512+ MB with these
kind of problems i've got here.

Someone has an idea, what i could try to do or try to debug, to get
more information on this? I'm willing to really work hard on it :)

Thank you very much for reading.

Andreas