My computer:
Pentium Dual-Core CPU
E6300 @ 2.80GHz
2GB RAM
XP SP3
2 X 500GB SATA HDD's
Motherboard: ASUS P5Q-EM DO

I would like to install Linux Ubuntu 9.10 on my new computer, on a separate hard drive, and create a dual boot Linux and XP.

I already own another 500GB HDD but this one is IDE. I would like to install Ubuntu on this one. The other two are SATA. The second one is used only to mirror the first one and protect me from a single drive failure.

I hooked up my IDE drive to IDE controller and connected the power cable. However, BIOS doesn't show recognize this drive; it is not visible in Windows explorer, or in disk management either. The jumper is on cable select (so I thought motherboard will decided on boot order, and as the first drive is SATA, it will boot first which is fine).

I double checked all cable connections and tried again, and there was no change. The drive (WD Caviar Blue PATA 500GB) is not registered.

Any clues?

Thanks,

Nermi

Try changing the jumper to primary master. It won't effect the SATA drives. SATA and IDE usually get treated separately by the BIOS anyway and once the BIOS sees the drive you can arrange the boot order. Make sure the drive is powered up (humming, light on)

I have change the jumper to master, and yes it apparently is powered up (I can hear humming sound, but there's no light - I don't think there's light on this model); still BIOS doesn't see the drive.

Well, that's very odd. Is there an option in the BIOS to disable the IDE controller? If so, perhaps it isn't enabled. Is there a different IDE connector (there are usually at least two) that you can connect the drive to? If that doesn't work I would suspect that there's something wrong with the drive and that you should return it.

Could be an IDE cable issue, so I have read on ASUS forum. Try an old 40 pins (instead of 80 pins) IDE cable. Maybe it will solve your problem also.