PROBLEM
When I boot the installation CD, it starts to install but when it gets to automatic partition option, it gives this error :-

No drives found
An error has occurred- no valid devices were found on which to create new files. Please check hardware for the cause of this problem.

Now, I restart the installation process and select the option 'linux dd' to add the installation driver I downloaded from Adaptec, I tried to add it with fd0 and hdc but to no avail.

SETUP

Host
Compaq Professional Workstation SP 750
Pentium III Xeon Processor 1000MHz
Devices on system
-Intel Ether Express/100 driver e100
-Adaptec AHA-2740, 28xx, 29xx,39xx (aic 7xxx)
Mouse - Microsoft IntelliEye 3 button Mouse PS2
Video card - NVIDIA Ge Force 2MX
Monitor - Sceptre
Hard disk drive - Not sure???

I have tried installing RedHat Enterprise Linux (ES) version 4 (shipped media)

On bootup, I see
Adaptec AIC 7899 SCSI BIOS v2.55

On RedHat Installation, I see
loading AIC 7xxx driver


When I check adaptec website, I was able to download this driver
aic7xxx-6.3.9-i686-rhel3qu2.img
but can not load it to system.


Unfortunate for me, this is a fresh installation so there is no OS on it. I have tried adding the driver during installation but to no avail then I tried install it first but still to no avail.

Does anyone have this kind of problem? Pleas help!!!

Hi,

I have experience with RHEL 2.1/3.0 on Dell PE with perc RAID controller.
During the CD boot up, I type in
boot: expert noprobe <===expert nonprobe

Later, select the megaraid2 driver from the subsequent menu.
(Make sure megaraid2 is showing on the boot up screen, if not, choose the corresponsive one)

I hope thie help your situation.

SCSI controllers require version 2.0.8-3 or higher of the aic79xx module. This module is not present in the initial release, Update 1, or Update 2 of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3. Support for these devices was added in the Update 3 release.

One of the above two solution must work

The driver disk needs to match the architecture and revision/update of the RHEL you are trying to install. It is very unlikely that an RHEL3 driver disk will work for RHEL4.

Also, if you are trying to install, say for example, RHEL4 update 3, then a driver disk for RHEL4 update 2 may not work.

Then what should I do?
I know that what I have is RedHat Enterprise Linux ES version 4. So what next?
However, I have check redhat online documentation and I have found no clue there. However, I have a spare SCSI drive. Do you suggest I change it? It is an ADAPTEC SCSI Card 39160

My main point was "Don't waste your time with the wrong driver disk."

Not having used the card, but after looking it up on the Adaptec support site, my best guess is that the driver being loaded automatically is the correct driver and that a driver disk is not needed.

If a card BIOS reconfiguration menu is available during bootup (and again, I haven't used the card, so I don't know), you should look through the card BIOS setup and see if some feature is misconfigured.

As you already know, you might be experiencing a hardware failure, so yes, swapping parts is a good idea.

After 7 days of telling my seperiors that I am a few minutes away from installing RHE V4 with RAID 1 ( w the Adaptec 2400A SCSI Card). I tried 50 times using drivers from websites and diff BIOS options and everything under the kitchen sink. I then thought that maybe if I install another RH Version and it worked, I could then install RHE and it would work. It did.

Recipe:

Install RH 9
The ios Driver for the SCSI card will install.
Then Install RHE right over RH 9, boot loader intact.
Worked like a dream and now I have RAID 1 and RHE.

Thats it, I think there maybe a driver issue with RHE.

Hm...nice solution for you. In my original case, I doubt if it would work at all.
Anyway, I just decided to swap hard disk and try installing again. You know what? It install without any hitch with the old driver I was using before. So I know in my case it was a hardware problem which has been resolved. However, it would be nice if could look into driver compartibility on a wider range.
Thank you.