I set up a web/file server by retrofitting a Dell Optiplex 170L desktop (Pentium 4 processor, 2gig DDR ram) with Ubuntu Server 12.04. This is not a dual boot, just Linux.

I wanted to expand my disk space and use a second hard drive to store files for a samba share. The machine had an 80G IDE Seagate internal hard drive installed at the factory. I was able to find some specs from dell by searching google which said that two hard drives could be run simultaneously as long as one has IDE and the other has a SATA interface. So, I purchased a 2TB western digital 7200rpm SATA interface hard drive, along with a SATA data cable and SATA power converter cable. I found the SATA connection labeled on the motherboard, and installed the addition hard drive. When I plugged everything back in and turned the power on, the grub menu appeared. I chose the top option (it seemed like it basically said boot up as usual). I logged in then typed sudo fdisk -l. /dev/sda shows up as an 80G physical volume, and all of my logical volumes are listed as well (/dev/mapper/...), but I see no sdb with 2TB. If I can't see it, I can't format it, mount it, and add it to fstab. Can someone help? Did I miss something? I tried to do all of my homework on this to make sure I used compatible hardware.

Here is a link to the user manual for the Dell Optiplex 170L I'm working with http://support.dell.com/support/edoc...g/smtabout.htm

Is there any mention of the disk or it's controller in the output of dmesg?

And, if not, does your (current) BIOS know anything about the drive? There might be a BIOS upgrade you need to install.

I'll post dmesg output. Also, I was reading somewhere that some BIOS configuration for master and slave drives has to be done. Is that the case?

dmesg output is attached. I don't see anything a about a second drive.

Attached Files

dmesg.txt (37.2 KB, 41 views)

Nope, me neither.
Check BIOS, is it seeing it?
Check cables, check the disk has power, can you hear it spinning?

These lines:
[ 0.644276] ata3: SATA max UDMA/133 cmd 0xfe00 ctl 0xfe10 bmdma 0xfea0 irq 18
[ 0.644284] ata4: SATA max UDMA/133 cmd 0xfe20 ctl 0xfe30 bmdma 0xfea8 irq 18
would lead me to believe the controller is functional and the kernel is talking with it.

Ok I figured it out. I had to go into BIOS and first enable SATA primary drive. Then set Primary slave drive to auto. Now fdisk -l picked up 2TB drive at sdb. Now I'm up and running. Thank you.