SATA HARDDRIVE INSTALLATION with LINUX Slackware 10.1/10.2 (TESTED) and works
 

SETUP for Linux with LILO (I know exactly what your running into for problems) this will definetly fix it. Keep in mind this setup is just for linux with lilo, not for windows, it tells u how to do the windows partition later on at the very bottom, read very bottom where it mentions HTPS/NTSF so you know what to do for your windows partition setup. I'll have to make a webpage for SATA setups because I have a feeling its going to get very big in the near future. Go Linux. BELOW are EXACT STEPs for the parts specific to SATA Harddrives only. This will not work for HDA. IF you do not know how to do the regular slackware installation, I suggest someone teaching you first or take a class at college like I am currently doing. (Incase you dont remember what LILO does, it brings up a menu when you reboot your pc that lets you choose which OPERATING SYSTEM you want to use. Like Windows or Linux. This is the setup for LINUX in lilo only. So you'll only see one choice in the LiLO window at bootup.

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Hey Man, I just bought the dell deminsion 9100 with a Pentium D (64bit) has 32bit auto usuage when needed and a 160 Gig Sata harddrive, And I got linux to work, Had to talk to my professor first , he got me straightened out (Thanks DP) . Heres what you need to do.


First as strange as this sounds, you need a WINDOWS bootdisk not a linux bootdisk, and that is not a typo. The bootdisk for Windows XP Pro worked great for me. The linux bootdisk did not work. Verified by my professor.


Second Have both cds of Slackware 10.1 or 10.2 whichever version you prefer.


CTRL ALT DEL your pc, press F2 on startup. Go down to Boot Sequence, Put the Onboard Floppy first, then Cdrom drive then Sata Harddrive. Highlight the onboard floppy and press "U" which will move it up the list to the very top. Do same with cdrom, put second, and sata harddrive third. the rest doesnt matter.


Onboard Floppy
Cdrom
Sata Harddrive
others below


Next Before you exit bios, check the "Drives" section in bios it is right below (Boot Sequence).
Press enter, check all of your SATA harddrives. My Sata-0 harddrive is a 160 Gig harddrive. The rest are empty This is to let you know which Harddrives have what for storage size.


Next Exit and Save from your bios, Remove any CDS, pop in your WINDOWS XP PRO Bootdisk press CTRL ALT DEL


Let it boot from the Floppy disk, if it doesnt boot from the floppy disk you didnt put the floppy disk first in the bootsequence in bios.
When it brings up the A: prompt type fdisk/mbr just like that, with no spaces. That will wipe the masterboot sector clean. YOU HAVE TO DO THIS STEP. It will not delete any files from your floppy. If you don't do fdisk/mbr , then after you do the whole slackware setup and reboot, you will get "MISSING OPERATING SYSTEM" for an error and that sucks because you have to do it all over again so make sure fdisk/mbr is done FIRST.


Dell Demension 9100s are setup for Windows XP pro thats why they require the Windows boot disk.

*** CRITICAL MUST HAVE FOR SATA HARDDRIVES *** i love saying critical
Take out the floppy disk from the drive, put in your Cd Disc 1 of slackware linux. CTRL ALT DEL your pc to reboot. If it doesnt pick it up, put the cd in the other cdrom and reboot. The very first prompt will default to bare.i you dont want that. Bare.i is for HDA (IDE harddrives), you have a SATA harddrive. So type "sata.i" press enter and that will pull the kernal for sata.i harddrives instead of an ide/hda harddrive kernal.


Press enter at Keyboard prompt


Now you need to make your partitions, DELETE ALL PARTIONS using fdisk /dev/sda not fdisk /dev/hda
Type "d" and choose partition number. Delete all your partitions. Start fresh. Create a new partition, type "n" choose "p" for primary, choose "1" for first partition. Make the first partition your SWAP Partition, yes you need this partition. The swap partition can be no bigger then 1 Gigobyte. Or it wont load. For Default 1st cylinder size just press enter. Use Default. For last cylinder size type +1G enter. Now you need to tell the computer what type of partition that is. It will be a LINUX SWAP partition. So type "t" type "L" and from the list look for LINUX SWAP which is 82. Type 82 at bottom. Press enter.
Your first partition is setup correctly. Type "p" to see your first partition. Your SWAP PARTITION is not bootable. Dont make it bootable.


Setup your second partition.
Type "n" ,
Type "p" ,
Type "2" ,
First Cylinder just press enter for default
Last Cylinder just press enter for default, which will be 159 gigs for my harddrive.
Type "a" ,
Type "2" , (a = You've just made your second partition Bootable),
Type "t" , (Specifys your partition Type, YOU WANT "Linux System" which is 83"
Type "L" ,
Type "83" ,

Ok now your second partition is setup correctly to check to make sure you didnt make any typos type "P"
and you should see two lines one for each partition.
Make sure there is an asterisk * next to partition 2 to make the Linux System partition bootable. If you dont have it you pc wont boot.

Keep in mind, if you have a second Sata harddrive, to put partitions on your second harddrive use fdisk /dev/sdb but do not make any partitions on your second harddrive bootable. The LILO setup will detect your second harddrive configuration.

Your almost done, type "w" which will write your partitions to the harddrive. Wait for it to bring up a prompt and
type "setup"


This will launch your Linux slackware installation, choose "Addswap"
Set this up normally, Use expert Lilo when you get to it.
When you get to the section asking if you want a bootdisk, choose "From Slackware cdrom" instead of skip.
This will choose the kernal for sata harddrives off the cdrom. Next it asks you if you want to make a linux bootdisk, say NO, skip it.
In the LILO configuration section, under expert,


(I have my computer setup for Linux and thats it. If you wanted windows on another partition, you'd have to go back and make a partition in fdisk /dev/sda make windows your third partition using HTPS/NTFS, dont use fat16 or fat32 its less secure then NTFS).


Install whatever packages you want. (Extras like KDE desktop which is similar to windows desktop)
First choose Begin, go through each part like you normally would.
Second choose Linux go through it like normal
Third choose Lilo,
Set this up normally, Use expert Lilo when you get to it.


***** THIS IS CRITICAL FOR SATA HARDDRIVES (MUST HAVE)*****
When you get to the section asking if you want a bootdisk, choose "From Slackware cdrom" instead of skip. ** IT WILL EJECT YOUR CDROM, pull out CDROM 2 and INSERT CDROM 1. Because it has the kernal files on disk 1. From here on leave cdrom disc 1 in.
This will choose the kernal for sata harddrives off the cdrom. Next it asks you if you want to make a linux bootdisk, say NO, skip it.


- Set it up for DHCP or Static whichever your router uses. If you dont have a router it will be DHCP(Because you just have a cable modem or dsl modem).


If you are planning on having windows xp choose "WINDOWS" if not skip. You must have a windows partition already created. If you dont have a windows partition made and in this example we dont have a windows partition, If you do want windows you must go back to the very beginning, repeat entire process but add a partition for windows using HTPS/NTFS, If I typoed that, sorry doing this from memory.


When it says your done installation, cursor down to "Exit" press enter. Then Press CTRL ALT DEL to reboot, if you did it right, it will boot up to a red box saying "LILO 22.5.9 Boot Menu, Choose Linux or Windows and load it up.


VERY IMPORTANT, Dell Dimension doesnt come with regular mouse ports, it comes with USB mouse ports. Linux Makes you configure usb usuage manually, So you wont be able to use your mouse to navigate through the kde desktop. Use your keyboard, Press the Windows key to launch the program menu for kde and choose system, and Terminal program(KCron). In there look for the mount point for usb which I cannot remember, still figuring this out, word of wise, look at www.linuxquestions.org for a forum on setting up usb mouses, you can set it up from the Terminal console instead. Make sure you get the right instructions for the right mouse you have. Yours is the black ball Dell mouse like mine probably. Good Luck. If you didnt get to this point, email JLAPALME@maine.rr.com and I'll walk u through it on instant messenger if you have another pc available.
JML


P.S. I was surprised during the launch of Linux it recognized my usb keyboard. It stalled on it for about a minute and kept going. So be patient with it dont reboot it again. First reboot needs to work correctly or you muck it up. I did not go through every step of slackware, its just too long. but the important steps specific to SATA harddrives I did enlighten you with. Knock yourself out. IF ANYONE has the process for setting up a USB mouse on linux slackware I could use your help here. Very much appreciated. Thanks