I am trying to build a closet linux box for network storage. Here is my system:

Asus A7V motherboard
ATI Radeon video card (original)
512 MB SDRAM
200 GB WD2000JB IDE hard drive w/ 8MB buffer
100 Mbps offbrand ethernet card

The A7V has an onboard Promise ATA100 2 channel IDE controller. If I connect the hard drive to this IDE bus, I can get a good Mandrake 9.2 install only if I don't include any large partitions. The system works with this partitioning:

/ 800MB ext3
swap 1024MB
/usr 4GB ext3
/home 4GB ext3

However, I have about 60GB of files I wish to store on this computer. I have tried making a 175GB ext3 partition, or 3x60GB ext3 partitions, but in either case, the system does not function for more than one boot. If I use a single 175GB partition, the system doesn't get past the format. Using 3x60GB partitions, the system will install, and boot once. The first time I reboot, there is an error that says something about an ext2 error (that's right, 2). It asks if I want to fix the error, I choose yes, and the system drops into a maintenance prompt

I have gotten the system to work in 2 ways.

The first was to use a 20GB hard drive for the root, swap, usr, and home partitions. I would then create an LVM partition out of the whole 200GB hard drive, and put a reiserFS partition on it. This worked fine, but I am concerned about using LVM partitions. It seems like it would add unnecessary overhead.

The other way was to instead connect the hard drive to the A7V's native ATA66 bus. In this config I can put all system partitions and a large files partition on the same drive, all using ext3. The computer is functioning right now using this set up, but samba is limited to about 3MBps, far less than the theoretical 12.5 MBps through a 100 MBps connection.

Both of these workarounds are less than perfect, and I was wondering if anyone else had a problem like mine.

The only things I can think of that might explain this problem are a faulty hard drive, or poor linux support for the ATA100 controller.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I am at the end of my rope.

Use the 20 gigabyte hard drive for LINUX like you said. Then format the 200 gigabyte hard drive. I think Mandrake limits to 137 gigabytes, but I don't know that for sure. You can try specify 200 gigabytes in your boot loader by stating the number of cylinders, heads, and sectors.

About the LVM partitions. Each system is different so you will get different results. Some systems maybe sluggish and others can handle it very well.

I'm using SAMBA that came with Mandrake 9.0. It can output to the maximum throughput of 100Mb ethernet. 100 Mb ethernet is not 12.5 megabytes per second. Its 11.92 megabytes per second. For most of my samba setup, I'm using XFS (high throughput reading and writing).

There are many possiblities that can limit ethernet throughput. Below are a few:

1) Kinks during installation
2) Could be Cat 3 cable being used
3) Connectors are not properly crimped
4) AC is riding on the network wire
5) To much RF in your area.
6) Connectors could be corroded
7) Pairs of wires are not twisted properly or they are untwisted to much for the connectors.
8) To much processes running in LINUX.
9) A device is conflicting with other devices.

My first guess would be that the motherboard/bios is not capable of handling a 200GB hard drive. Check your bios setup program and see if it recognizes the entire 200GB. I don't think 200GB drives were out when that mb was made. Also, check your manual if you sill have it and see if there is a size limit on hard drives. You may need a bios update if one is available.

That motherboard is known to cause problems in linux if plug 'n play is not disabled. Check this in your bios setup and make sure it's disabled.

LINUX bypasses the BIOS information. I have a Highpoint controller with an old firmware. The Highpoint controller detected my 120 gigabyte hard drive as 50 gigabytes but LINUX detected for the full 120 gigabytes.

It could be the LINUX kernel can not detect more than 137 gigabytes. I don't know if the new kernel versions can detect more than 137 gigabytes.

My system:
ABIT KA7-100
Athlon 700 MHz 'Classic' (512 KB cache)

On VIA IDE controller:
20 GB (Primary Master)
20 GB (Primary Slave)
TEAC 40X write 48X read (Secondary Master)

On Highpoint controller:
120 GB (Primary Master)

LINUX works fine on my setup. My board uses the same southbridge chip as A7V for the IDE controller.

fuzzyspud, type
dmesg | grep hd
This should give you information about your drives in your system and if LINUX detected your 200 GB hard drive to the full capacity.