New install boot does not see disks
 

Hi - I have an old i think 486 computer that I used to have Linux (slackware) and Win98 on. I tried to upgrade from an OLD version - something like from a 1999 version to a a couple of newer distros but none would work. In fact I was left with no Linux at all, having as worst case formatted all the disks except one which was a FAT32 Win98 storage disk of a whole lot of TV shows I still want... and oh yah mananged to get Win98 reloaded too.

But now all the versions of Linux I have tried, after the initial floppy or CD boot cannot see any of the 3 disks. I have tried the original Linux from 14 years ago (Slackware and Redhat), as well as the latest Ubunto and Slackware.

The disk are not seen, fdisk cannot open any device... i tried them all... hda-z sda-z....

I have no clue what changed... nothing that I can tell.

OK - it does have a Promise Ultra 66 controller card for the hard disks but there are no more slots for IDE open on the motherboard after the Floppy and CDROM.

And BIOS does not see any disks... no primary anything... like the Promise card makes them invisible... it does see the CDROM, Floppy, and ZIP drive.

It's an old Gateway.

Can anyone help? does anyone ever have this happen to them? like i said I do think it's the controller card but Win98 works fine... just not Linux... and I can't pull the card...

Thanks for any help..

It's the controller card that is the problem, you need a driver for it.
I couldn't find it on http://www.promise.com, they have a "Legacy Download Center".
But I found this: http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/...roller-support
Some tips that might help.

Re: one try for no see hard disks
 

Thanks a lot for your help, and pointing me to a future source of info.

Late last night I lost my cool and pulled the Ultra66 Promise card, but also had to lose one disk as 2 are the limit with no controller card - and it works now, speeds are not noticably different.

So I think you are right about no driver.. it's just uncomprehensable to me what is going on as I have a copy of the - at the time - latest Windows driver for the Promise card loaded, and everything works fine under Windows even though the BIOS did not see the Disks under IDE configuration.

AND under my old Linux install - which I've lost... it all worked fine. So I guess on the Linux side none of the 3 newer distros and different kernels supported the Promise Controller.. ?? ...

And sad to say I cannot seem to get the new distros (Slackware, Ubunto) to load on the old PC. Probably not unreasonable, considering it's a 15 year old computer. I'd like to catch up on some years of Linux development.

If any help on that from anyone would appreciate it.

I know... $300 would get me a new computer with no hassles but I happen to have this one and its here and free... and I've learned a lot for when I load a new computer...

And thanks pingu for your assistance and answering me. :)

Maybe try an older distro, personally I'd go for Debian. Here's a link for old Debians: ftp://ftp.sunet.se/pub/Linux/distrib...ian/debian-cd/
You'll also find pretty old Slack's and other distros. Older distros are more likely to include drivers for that card.

And then... Here comes the tricky thing: try to upgrade that old distro, it *should* keep the driver, touch-wood...

Not easy, no guarantee. Just a suggestion that *might* help.