I can't install 10.2 on a Dim 9150 with sata disk.
Of cause bare.s don't work, sata.s won't detect the disk. The test2.6 image locks on keymap select.
AFAIK, none of those use libata, it's oldfashioned IDE SATA, right?

Anyone solved this install on a Dim 9150?

I also tried:
Vectorlinux (slack based) doesn't detect the cdrom (NEC 3520 ATA) when searching for an install media, though I can exit the setup and manually mount the cdrom and use it. Can't even continus the installer after manually mounting the cdrom.
Slamd64 also has problems, just don't remember which.

I've install Kubuntu on another Dim 9150; only problem was that it couldn't autodetect the Intel Pro/1000.
That was easily solved by adding 'alias eth0 e1000' to modprobe.conf, insmod'ing the e1000.ko module, and manually editing the network setup.

Haven't tried other *nux'es as yet. XP (Dell install) works fine.

So kubuntu basically works. Why not stick with it until you have more linux experience.
SW will require more hands on configuring from you and requires that you know your hardware specs. You may need to compile your own kernel. Check out linux mafia site sata section for details on sata and sata/ide combo hw in linux.

Kernels and HW specs are not the problem. On my own systems, I solve such things, like installing using non-libata, compiling 2.6 and moving from /dev/hdX to libata and /dev/sdX.
This is not my home computer, it's on the job, and I can't spend time solving special install probs. I don't _need_ to use Slack, just wanted to because it's what I'm most used to.

I tried booting the relevant images without ioapic etc.. to see if that would solve the lockup. No go.
I could choose to install on a PATA, compile a 2.6 kernel, mount the SATA disk, and dd it all to that, but it's too much time for a single computer. I'm the sysadm, so I can do what I want on my own system, but as we're not going to use Slack in production, it's not worth using if I can't install in a quick fashion.

Just wanted to see if others had an easy fix for identifying the Intel SATA controller in the Dim 9150.

EDIT:Personally, I prefer 'standard' pc solutions over proprietary stuff. No legacy disk mode in a Dell BIOS, AFAIR. I'll check for 'compatibility mode' tomorrow; don't think it's there.
No errors, just didn't find the SATA disk.
I'll give the test26 image another go; it should detect the disk. Maybe I misspelled noapic, so it still used ioapic, which then caused it to lock up.

It's odd that the sata kernel didn't detect the disk. I have a Dell Optiplex GX280 that it worked fine with. The only problem I had was that I had to disable the local APIC to get the network card recognised (http://www.linuxquestions.org/hcl/sh...t=2021&cat=202).

The BIOS was set to the default SATA mode (compatibility mode off) and the installer picked it up no problems. Did you get an error or did it just not find it?