abit KR7a-Raid HPT372 SuSE 8.0
 

Has anyone successfully got SuSE 8.0 installed and booting using the HPT372 raid?

highpointhttp://www.highpoint-tech.com/372drivers_down.htm has drivers for 7.1 - 7.3 along with the open source code, but no 8.0 driver.

I've posted a support request with highpoint, but no response so far.

HELP!!

 

Get this linux open source driver version, unpack and follow the instructions from readme. It looks as it will work with all distros.

Unforunately I can't use the open source, as I cannot install SuSE 8.0 on my machine (for the reason stated above) . Bit of a catch 22...

 

Hmm...
You need someone with SUSE 8.0 to compile the driver for you...
I can't help.

This is exactly the point I am at except with RedHat 7.3...

I know what needs to be done, however I don't know how to do it hehe. Maybe you guys can help.

I have a RedHat 7.3 system install in a VMWare session with Windows XP as my host OS. This way I can compile the kernel and drivers.

I need to make a RedHat 7.3 boot Installation disk that doesn't try to load any HPT support AT ALL.

Then I need a Driver disk hat contains the drivers for the controller so that when I boot in expert installation mode I can feed it the drivers from floppy. based on the source from high points website

Then I need a kernel to replace the default kernel after the installation is complete (before the syste is rebooted the first time) that has support for the controller.

So to summarize,

1. I need a small kernel with no HPT support
2. RedHat 7.3 Driver disk (modules.cgz and all on it)
3. A bigger kernel with all the suport I need to replace the default kernel.


Or I can wait for high point to make these disks.

In the same boat.
 

I'm also trying to install SuSE 8.0 Pro on a KR7A-RAID board with an existing RAID 0 configuration. I created the Linux primary partition (ext2) and swap partitions using Partition Magic in XP. Booted up YaST2, it properly recognized all of my partitions (as /dev/ataraid/d0px), but then failed when trying to mount the swap and / partitions.

The Highpoint site says that you need to have BIOS v2.1.x for the HPT372 to work in linux, but that you need to contact the mobo manufacturer for the upgrade ... Well, of course Abit only has a BIOS upgrade to 2.0.1024 (something like that), so are we screwed? I've tried to contact both Abit and Highpoint, but no luck yet.

Also, the SuSE site mentions something about supporting KT7-RAID, but that you cannot use an existing RAID volume(http://sdb.suse.de/en/sdb/html/ide_raid.html)? I'm not sure exactly what this means? Do I have to wipe out my existing RAID 0 setup to get this to work? Also, the KR7A is not listed in their supported hardware database ...

Hope someone figures this out.

If that's all it joshd then here is the latest bios for your board with 2.31 HPT bios. This will work for you.

http://www.biosmods.com/bios/abitkr7...ied/6n_231.zip

While you are at it check out http://www.biosmods.com. maybe something good there.

Thank for the link esamatti! I'm going to check that out right now and I'll let you know how it goes.

still no luck
 

OK, well I upgraded the BIOS and have v2.31 loaded now. I still get the exact same error during install. YaST2 sees the partitions perfectly it seems, but when I try to tell it to mount /dev/ataraid/d0p2 (my fresh ext2 partition) as /, it errors out during the install saying that it can't mount. Ugh. Sounds like I also need someone to compile the open source driver for me ...

Since I actually purchased the Pro version which comes with 90 days free installation support, I plan on calling SuSE tommorow morning to see if they can help.

SuSE support is a JOKE!!!
 

Here's an update...
SuSE refuse to support this issue, and will point you to a web page on there site that you never heard of before buying the product.
They say that the HTP372 requires a bios update (but joshd proves this ain't the answer)

I have been running SuSE 7.3, booting from my hpt372, and it works fine with the lastest ABIT bios (this doesn't contain the lastest htp372 bios), just use the boot disk provided by highpoint, and follow the instructions. So the bios upgrade is mostly a smoke screen.

If Highpoint could provide a boot disk for 8.0 like they did for 7.3 then i believe 8.0 would work aswell.
I have sent highpoint (and SuSE) an email pleading for them to provide a hpt372 boot disk for 8.0, but have not had a response so far.

Highpoint has made the code opensource, so it can be intergrated into linux.

linux 2.4.19(still in testing) appears to have support for this chipset, so here's hoping.

Anyway one else having the same problems, please send support requests to highpoint (for a boot disk), abit (for a supported bios), and your distro support team (cause that's the reason you PAY for a distro). Hopefully if enough people complain they might listen.

called SuSE support ...
 

I called support this morning at 9am sharp. They also pointed me to rshaw's link about rebooting after partitioning. That solution is clearly a joke and definitely doesn't work. So then they told me my best bet was to contact HighPoint to have them create a boot disk for 8.0. I replied that they have an open source driver, so why doesn't SuSE create the disk! I then asked bottom line if they plan to support the problem or not. At that point, he urged me to send an e-mail to support@suse.com requesting a boot disk ... basically implying that if enough people complain, they'll create one for download. So ... I suggest that everyone who is having this problem e-mail SuSE support and request a boot disk with a working HPT372 driver ... unless someone who has a working 8.0 install can create one for us with the open source driver compiled into the 2.4.18 kernel (and the other native support removed).

Abit doesn't support Linux!
 

Get this ... before I got the link from esamatti for the BIOS update, I fired off an e-mail to Abit about the HPT 37x BIOS and installing linux. Here is their response:


Dear Customer,

Sorry, we currently do not support Linux OS yet. The latest bios for this motherboard is embedded with HPT37x v2.0 bios, which does not support Linux at all.

Thank you.

Regards


ABIT FAE

I am trying to install Linux RedHat 7.3 and Windows XP dual boot on a raid system using the HPT 370 driver..
does anyone know where i can get the updated driver and instructions for doing so Please E-mail me if you know how

The linux kernal 2.4.18 in red hat 7.3 should support the htp370 chipset.

If you have trouble setting up the dual boot side, drop me an email, and I'll send you a paint by numbers.

glen@operamail.com