Install wizard of Mandrake does not find HDs connected through my IDE Controller
 

I am trying to install Linux Mandrake 9.1 on a 40GB HD connected to an ATA 100 RAID controller (since my motherboard is too old to recognise HDs larger than 4GB).

However the install Wizard (Drax) does not find the HD. I guess my RAID controller is not recognised. I do have a Linux driver on a floppy disk, but I do not get the option to load it through Drax.

I'm a newbie in Lunix. Would someone have any idea?

Thanks in advance.

short answer no idea,

have you considered a bios software upgrade?

Make sure you have a working boot disk b4 any of my suggestions

2) are you using lilo boot loader? use your filemanager to have a PREVIEW at a file called /etc/lilo.conf if you want to and it is not there, open the file and add "lba32" on the new line without the quotes.

3) if that does not do it it you, go back to mandrake control centre, mcc, and choose the pulldown and select GRUB bootloader. its smarter but harder to understand than lilo.

the Mdk cc will install it so U don't need to understand it. then reboot

4) b4 making the attempt copy and paste the file /etc/fstab to this thread, its possible someone could spot something and

5) assuming you selected services in mcc of SYSLOG turned on, it will show you what it THINKS it is detecting.

some clarifications
 

Thank you for your reply.

Maybe I was not exact enough. I am trying to install Mandrake straight from the CD. The standard installation program is DrakX. When I am prompted to choose the HD where I want to install Mandrake the HDs connected to my UltraDMA ATA 100 RAID controller are not displayed in the list.
Therefore I presumed that my RAID controller is not supported.

There is no LiLo booter installed on my system. My other operating system is Windows. This is the first attempt to install Linux.

A BIOS update is out of the question. I have tried it, but it won't help.

your raid controller may be supported, you just might have to load the module (like drivers in windows) for the controller. if you're using the mandrake cd, i think there is hardware setup options somewhere in there. find the model number of the controller, as that may be the name of the module (if the generic one doesn't work) or plug the model into google and see what comes up for drivers under linux

sorry to be vague, but i haven't installed drake in a while. i do remember you have to look carefully, as you can't go back in their setup program.

oh, well I don't have a raid, boo hoo,

try a cd install but press F1 and try expert install, it gives you more options, you don't have to use them, but when diskdrake starts, it may give you a options button.

look around b4 clicking on the next button when you get close to this.

2) as posted, the kernel you get from mdk is a GENERIC kernel with most things moduled, so when you do a first RE BOOT the kernel should load whatever modules it thinks it needs. Its slower than compiliing your own kernel but safer for newbies (and me)

give that a shot as you have nothing installed

What's the make and model of your IDE controller card? Since your only using one hard drive, you obviously don't have a a raid configuration set up so I assume the card should act like an ordinary IDE controller. Is there some setting on the card for turning raid off?