Linux Debian support - Disk Detection

Author

Disk Detection

Christopher W Aiken

2005-11-01, 2:56 am

I tried to set up a dual boot WinXP / Linux system with Redhat WS 3.0
and the install failed due to Redhat unable to detect any HD to
install on.

I then tried SuSE Prof 9.3 and this install worked OK. The HD was
detected w/o any problems.

I would like to purchase/install Debian (I used several years ago and
really liked better than RH or SuSE) but would like to know if Debian
will fail trying to detect my HD like Redhat did. I don't understand
why RH couldn't detect my HD. My system is only six months old.

All I know about the HD is "ST3160023AS" from the WinXP hardware
profile. My system is a Dell 8400 Pentium 4 Processor 560 with HT.

--
-=[cwa]=-
e-Mail: chris at cwaiken dot net
Home: www.cwaiken.net

Neil Woods

2005-11-01, 2:56 am

>>>>> Christopher W Aiken writes:

> I tried to set up a dual boot WinXP / Linux system with Redhat WS 3.0
> and the install failed due to Redhat unable to detect any HD to
> install on.

> I then tried SuSE Prof 9.3 and this install worked OK. The HD was
> detected w/o any problems.

> I would like to purchase/install Debian (I used several years ago and
> really liked better than RH or SuSE) but would like to know if Debian
> will fail trying to detect my HD like Redhat did. I don't understand
> why RH couldn't detect my HD. My system is only six months old.

> All I know about the HD is "ST3160023AS" from the WinXP hardware
> profile. My system is a Dell 8400 Pentium 4 Processor 560 with HT.

The disk is a Seagate Barracuda 160GB drive. I have the equivalent
120GB drive on my Debian system. I have no idea why RH failed to detect
this drive, however if you are concerned then I would recommend you
download the Debian Netinst installation CD. If this detects the drive
OK, then there is every chance a full Debian installation will, too.

You can download the Netinst CD from:

<URL:http://www.debian.org/CD/netinst/>

--
Neil.

Christopher W Aiken

2005-11-01, 5:51 pm

On 2005-11-01, Neil Woods <cnw+usenet@pobox.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> The disk is a Seagate Barracuda 160GB drive. I have the equivalent
> 120GB drive on my Debian system. I have no idea why RH failed to detect
> this drive, however if you are concerned then I would recommend you
> download the Debian Netinst installation CD. If this detects the drive
> OK, then there is every chance a full Debian installation will, too.
>
> You can download the Netinst CD from:
>
><URL:http://www.debian.org/CD/netinst/>
>

Will do. Thanks Neil.
BTW... I bought a magazine at Borders that contained the latest 4 CD
set of Fedora. Fedora also did not / could not detect my drive
either.

--
-=[cwa]=-
e-Mail: chris at cwaiken dot net
Home: www.cwaiken.net

Michael Thomas

2005-11-01, 5:51 pm

On 1 Nov 2005 14:30:09 GMT, Christopher W Aiken <cwaiken@nospam.net>
wrote:

>On 2005-11-01, Neil Woods <cnw+usenet@pobox.com> wrote:
>
>Will do. Thanks Neil.
>BTW... I bought a magazine at Borders that contained the latest 4 CD
>set of Fedora. Fedora also did not / could not detect my drive
>either.

It's probably not a drive issue but a disk controller issue. You
should do some research on what disk controller (possibably SATA?)
your system is using and get the driver for it to use for which ever
disto during installation.

MT

Meat Loaf

2005-11-02, 2:46 am

Christopher W Aiken wrote:

> I tried to set up a dual boot WinXP / Linux system with Redhat WS 3.0
> and the install failed due to Redhat unable to detect any HD to
> install on.
>
> I then tried SuSE Prof 9.3 and this install worked OK. The HD was
> detected w/o any problems.
>
> I would like to purchase/install Debian (I used several years ago and
> really liked better than RH or SuSE) but would like to know if Debian
> will fail trying to detect my HD like Redhat did. I don't understand
> why RH couldn't detect my HD. My system is only six months old.
>
> All I know about the HD is "ST3160023AS" from the WinXP hardware
> profile. My system is a Dell 8400 Pentium 4 Processor 560 with HT.
>
>
>
>
This is a Serial ATA (SATA) hard drive. You will have some difficulties with
several distros as well as any of the older Microsoft OS's. Depending on
your motherboard support chipset. If it is connected to an Intel support
chipset you may have better luck than if it is an off brand like ATI or
VIA. If you attempt the Debian install I suggest you download the
NetInstall CD, which is pretty small, boot it and see. At the boot prompt
when it says press F1 type linux26. This will take you to the newer linux
2.6.x kernel. The default is 2.4.x, which may not support the SATA.

Christopher W Aiken

2005-11-03, 5:47 pm

Christopher W Aiken

2005-11-09, 7:46 am

In article <5N6dnbQFqZV-1fXeRVn-2Q@comcast.com>, Meat Loaf wrote:
> Christopher W Aiken wrote:
>
> This is a Serial ATA (SATA) hard drive. You will have some difficulties with
> several distros as well as any of the older Microsoft OS's. Depending on
> your motherboard support chipset. If it is connected to an Intel support
> chipset you may have better luck than if it is an off brand like ATI or
> VIA. If you attempt the Debian install I suggest you download the
> NetInstall CD, which is pretty small, boot it and see. At the boot prompt
> when it says press F1 type linux26. This will take you to the newer linux
> 2.6.x kernel. The default is 2.4.x, which may not support the SATA.
>

Can't win from loosing. I burned a CD NetInstall and tried to install
on my dell. With "linux26" option I can't get past the hardware
detection of my CD. Doesn't know what CD I have. So I downloaded the
2 cd ISO set from one of the Debian download sites. If I do "NOT"
use "linux26" all goes well until the HD detection where it now fails
with no HD or HD partitions available. If I "USE" the linux26 option
I don't even get that far. It again fails to detect what CD I have.
Damn all this new equipment..........

-=[cwa]=-