Hi,

I got a new Dell Dimension 8400 PC with Windows XP pre-installed. I want to wipe out windows and install Redhat Linux on it. I am facing this problem when I try to install Linux:

"No hard drives have been found. You probably need to manually choose drivers for installation to succeed. Would you like to select drivers now?"

When I choose Yes, I get to next screen where I get the message: "No special drivers have been loaded for your syste,. Would you like to load any now?" On saying Yes for this, I get to choose between SCSI and Network drivers in the next screen.

I dont get a chance to select any hard drive drivers. Also, I do not have any drivers for my hard drive. I checked online, but I couldnt get any drivers. I saw that many people had a similar problem with SATA drives, so I want to know if someone had a more clearer idea about it.

My machine has:
- WD800JD western digita 80GB SATA l hard drive
- Motherboard: (Not sure how to get this, but got this number by opening the system) Intel SL79N
- Intel P4 3.4 GHz
- How to find out what SATA controller am I using? my BIOS says it as just Serial ATA controller.

I tried installing RH 9.0, Enterprise, Fedora Core 1, 2, and 3... And, all of them gave the same error. Can you pl ease help me?

Thanks a lot,
Manudath

I'm having the same problem with a new XPS with 2-Maxtor 80gig hd's. If you find a fix please let me know.............thanks

I checked in all possible locations (i think) and I was not able to get a driver... I have installed linux on sata drives earlier, but I dont know what might be the problem with this one... even Dell site does not have any information on this one...

Can anyone tell me how to to check for the SATA controller?

THanks,
Manudath

You can see the chipset information by using the command:

lspci

or its verbose version

lspci -vv

I'm having the same problem trying to install FC3 (X86_64) on a new system containing a single SATA drive. I've been searching all evening for a solution. Someone suggested somewhere else that FC2 would install, but FC3 wouldn't. I'll try this tomorrow. In the mean time, let me know if you find a solution.

Thanks,
Bob

OK peoples if um try linuxiso.org and download knopix(misspelled) and see if that recognizes your hdd and see your config others might help you better if you elaborate

PS this os requires no hdd but (40-128+ megs ram) and has no new wireless capability's i think

if you like it it can also be installed to a hdd

Hi everyone,

I have been trying to get some info about this for a while now...

I just called up Red Hat support and spoke to a representative... He said the update 4 of RHEnterprise should work... But since I tried everything from RH8.0 to Enterprise to FC1,2 and 3 and none of them worked, he was looking for some options to put in the BIOS to recognize the SATA controller...

He told me that the support might not be present for my Dell... But in a couple of weeks, a new version of RH Enterprise 4 is ocming up and it would have the modules for SATA...

So, I am not sure whther should I wait till the new RH comes or go ahead and buy a SATA controller that fits by motherboard.

-manu

GET A NEW ONE

http://www.linuxmafia.com/faq/Hardware/sata.html

it maybe help

There have been several new kernels released since the original FC2 installation kernel (2.6.5). As of yet none of these new kernels is able to recognize my SATA HDs. I believe this is because the new kernels all have SATA support configured as a loadable kernel module. When I compiled the 2.6.10 kernel with SATA support compiled in (in my case all I needed was the nVidia SATA support), everything was fine. This had the side effect of treating all my disks as SCSI disks, but fortunately /etc/fstab was laid out in such a way that the system was able to boot to the point that I could fix the rest of fstab for the partitions which didn't get mounted.

I'm hoping that future versions of FC will include SATA support (even in kernel module form) that will recognize my SATA drives. Otherwise I will try to build my own custom install DVD with a boot kernel that has SATA support compiled into the kernel. Life is one continuing process of education.

Thanks,
Bob Buchanan

hello guys,

i'm also having a problem to install fedora core 3 on dell 2850 which included perc4e/di. Installation doesn't work smoothly when it stucks (no hard drives found), if we disable raid, installation can go through. something come in my mind that it needs megaraid driver but not included on core 3..has anyone encounter this problem and got a solution about this?

i try DEll PE 1850...
and it works ...

try to install the "raid drivers" using FC 3...