it's a 160 gig western digital wdcwd1600JB. i am using it with the ultra ATA controller <thinks this may be the issue> :/.

Now, I have partitioned it into an f: <my XP archival> and a g: using standard xp disc utilities. f: is 110 gig and g: is 30+. it was my intention to use it <g:> in a duel boot config.

anyway... XP recognizes it.. and i can read and write to it with no issues. But it does not show up as an option when i am in the partition disk menu of the debian install. I am assuming it <f:> would/should as /dev/sda and <g:> as /dev/sdb??

any ideas on how i might change this? one thought i had was to wipe it clean again but would rather not as I am already using one of the partitions as my archival. But! i certainly will if that's what's needed and/or called for here!

And if it's because the ultra drivers are not available to recognize it?? <another brillant noob deduction on my part :/>... how can i make that happen? <thinks Really hard> hmmm... would making a boot area within the free space on my c: drive by an option? without destroying my XP system?

Thanks for any and all advice!,

toadlilly

Which method are you using to install debian? I assume you're using the debian woody CDs but what are you typing at the "boot:" prompt. Most people type "vanilla" or just press enter. If you type "bf24" then it may work out better for you. It's a newer kernel.

kk... will give that a try thanks for the tip! i'll get back here and let you know....

bah :<

tried all boot options stated... linux, bf24 <interestinigly enough, bf24 would not recognize my keyboard at all>, vanilla, compact and enter. I have a dell 8250... 6 month old...standard xp etc..etc..

i am using debian 3.0 R1 i386 cd's from AACDS.com.

as it scrolls through before reaching the gnu install menu, i can see the scsi identified... man i wish i had a way of pausing this stuff.. at least i could identify which /dev it is using for the SCSI...

any ideas would be greatly appreciated...

found out a few things about promise 33/66/100 ultra ata controllers and debian... the most helpful i think i will try next is from this thread...

I´ve the same board installed.
> You just can boot either Windows or from your Debian CDs. In windows use the Systeminformation programm (win98) to finds out the E/A and IRQ Values the controller uses. The same things can be looked up under Linux ind the /proc/pci file, which i find is more clear to see. I use the biggest and the third biggest E/A numbers. When you have got these numbers you type into the
linux boot prompt:
linux ide2=0x<value>, 0x<value>, <IRQvalue>
(at my system linux ide2=0x8800, 0x8000, 10)
after that the kernel should be able to find the hdd. You can append this line to your lilo.conf. Take care with new PnP devices. I installed a new soundcard after linux was running, and the E/A values of the Promise controller had been changed, and i couldn´t boot linux again until deinstalling the card, booting
linux,disabling or changing the append line in lilo.conf and booting with the new values.

i'll tinker with this idea some...will post if/when i am successful...:/

or........ is there a way to exit from the partition menu and get to console? can i input a dev path from there that would be used?

If all that fails you can do a knoppix install. Get knoppix, it's got some of the best autodetection I've ever seen and then either pillage the set vaules or just do a straight install.

hehe... thanks, will give it Good consideration...<Good = at the point where i am about ready to die from thrist and hunger after sitting here stubbornly <stupidly> determined to get this>

I did get to console <Alt F2> and can switch back and forth to gnu menu <alt F1>.... and so i can see all the goodies.... wish i could just toss info into /etc/fstab or... <tries despertly to engage the old gray hp-ux matter in her brain from her old sys admin days... whats that file i can insert devices in???...!!>

but i am closer!!

i did send an email to psychoholic.... he had the same issues a few months back... his thread is at:

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...threadid=56663

so... i can see 'how' i need to get some ultra modules from floppies... and also see what a grind it is to create them with rawrite... ugh

http://people.debian.org/~blade/install/preload/


and....so... i thought if... IF... i could get my keyboard recognized when i boot: bf24 the modules arent required <i can see bf24 picks up on the hdb and hdc drives on my ultra100 card YEA!!!!>

and... so... i tried

boot: bf24 bootkbd=qwerty/us

and *sigh* no luck.... why all other boot scenarios WILL recognize my keyboard is beyond me at this stage....LOL

bleh... tired... and will start a new post that speaks to just the keyboard issue

thanks for the responses all!