Comment 0 for bug 897777

I am using a Unicorn computers ENDAT-2794A motherboard http://www.unicorn-computer.com.tw/products/itx/2794a.html
With the stock latest release of ubuntu 11.10.
The boot process is very slow and jams for a period of time, when it is booted I cannot install to the harddrive as it reports an IO error.
Looking at dmesg | grep ata I see that there are lots of 'failed command READ DMA EXT' errors.
After some googling I have found that there was a previous bug with the ata_piix driver (the driver in use) with the ICH7, where the UDMA rate was set to 133 but the max supported by hardware is 100. However, in the dmesg I see that it is backing right down to 33, I presume that this point is where the system becomes responsive again.

Best Regards,
Ben

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.10
Package: linux-image-3.0.0-12-generic 3.0.0-12.20
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.0.0-12.20-generic 3.0.4
Uname: Linux 3.0.0-12-generic i686
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.24.
ApportVersion: 1.23-0ubuntu3
Architecture: i386
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: ubuntu 4193 F.... pulseaudio
CRDA: Error: [Errno 2] No such file or directory
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'Intel'/'HDA Intel at 0xfdff8000 irq 44'
   Mixer name : 'Realtek ALC888'
   Components : 'HDA:10ec0888,10ec0888,00100001'
   Controls : 40
   Simple ctrls : 22
CasperVersion: 1.287
Date: Tue Nov 29 11:49:55 2011
IwConfig:
 lo no wireless extensions.

 eth0 no wireless extensions.

 eth1 no wireless extensions.
LiveMediaBuild: Ubuntu 11.10 "Oneiric Ocelot" - Release i386 (20111012)
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
ProcKernelCmdLine: noprompt cdrom-detect/try-usb=true persistent file=/cdrom/preseed/hostname.seed boot=casper initrd=/casper/initrd.lz quiet splash --
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.0.0-12-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.0.0-12-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.60
RfKill:

SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 06/10/2009
dmi.bios.vendor: Phoenix Technologies, LTD
dmi.bios.version: 6.00 PG
dmi.board.name: 945GSE
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnPhoenixTechnologies,LTD:bvr6.00PG:bd06/10/2009:svn:pn:pvr:rvn:rn945GSE:rvr:cvn:ct3:cvr: