Sharky,
I have a problem here. I can't find that install_mandrake9_hpt372.tgz anywhere. The site that the link points to doesn't seem to have that file, althought the link to RedHat8 file works.
Can you help me, please?
I'm a TOTAL n00B, so I apologize for bothering you.

both of these are working


http://www.clockwatching.net/%7Efin/...ke9_hpt372.tgz

http://www.bandaancha.st/deposito/de...ke9_hpt372.tgz

Thank you so much, dude. I was starting to get a little upset...

Ehm.... I have a problem here.
I followed the instructions and was successful 'til the very last stage of the installation where I'm supposed to do this:

Once the installation ends, we must replace the original kernel with our working kernel (that we have on the 2nd floopy). Go to the "virtual terminal 2" (control + alt + f2) and write:

#mkdir fdtemp
#mount /dev/fd0 fdtemp
#cp fdtemp/* /mnt/boot

Here we must overwrite both files.

#cd /mnt/bin
#./chroot /mnt

#lilo

And I can't get this ./chroot /mnt line to execute, the system tells me that there is no such directory or something. And if I finish the installation without this, I can't boot into Linux, I just end up with an error message.

Any hints???

if you did the install to the end there must be a /mnt folder with the system in it. However you must enter the full path to chroot, It's in sbin not bin. try this..

when it comes to putting the kernel and init image in the /mnt/boot folder try to remove the old one first.



If you cannot chroot you can do it anyway, like this

Thank you very much, David, you've been so helpful.
One very last thing I hope:

I had a great deal of problems with this line as well:
#mount /dev/fd0 fdtemp
I didn't know which floppy should be in the drive. If it's the second one with the new kernel, the operation doesn't complete succesfully. I end up with an error message that mount operation wasn't successful because
a bad argument given in - a very long line I can't reproduce, but there is the word "perl" in it - there was an arror in line "number obove 400 (think it's like 455)" or something like that

However, the operation is successful if I let the first floppy in and swap them after this line.
Am I doing something wrong again? I don't know if the second floppy is OK, I can't see anything under winxp (says the floppy is not formatted) and don't know how to check in Linux
I tried something like:
# cd /dev/fd0
# dir
yet to no avail, says can't find the device or directory. I'm probably doing everything wrong as usual, can you give me some more hints?
I made the second floppy using rawwrite just as was suggested, but I can write only one thing at a time there and I don't know whether I didn't screw something up. The first floppy is fine though and I can even see the files in winxp.

I'm very sorry for bothering you, I just can't figure this out myself. Please be patient with and IDIOTIC n00B...

Eh... How do I do that? I don't know the commands...

overwrite all the filles (when it asks for it)

if you are using lilo do:

Yep,... this is the floopy

Format the floopy under your windows xp and copy the kernel and initrd inside. Then reboot and try again in the linux install.

The 2nd floopy must NOT be made with rawwrite (only 1st one).
The 1st floopy is a floopy image and the 2nd one 2 files you must copy inside a floopy .

by other hand:

You can't do:

# cd /dev/fd0

because fd0 is a FILE!!!

you must especify where you want to "mount" the floopy:

# mount /dev/fd0 /somewere

and then you can do:

# cd /somewere
# ls

note that you can only mount this in 1 directory.

when you finish with the floopy you must do:

# umount /somewere

(Note: In mandrake, once it's installed you will use supermount,... so you can do ls /mnt/floppy without mount)

sharky:
thank you for the instructions, now I really feel like a complete idiot... Had I read the readme, I would have known that the second floppy was not to be made with rawwrite...

Sadly, I have another question:
There is an errata list regarding Mandrake 9.0 on http://www.linux-mandrake.com and they state that there is a problem with RAID installs and provide a patch.pl with the instructions how to use it. Shall I use it or will it hamper your workaround???

Wich is the errata url?

I don't know witch is the ACTUAL mandrake solution but when i build the floppies there where no documentation about this. (ther where for patch.pl but not for HPT + patch.pl)

If someone have time to do this,... he can make a "patch.pl" to copy the 2nd floopy files and re-run lilo. I ACTUALY have no time to do this (I have no HD free space and cant install mandrake today)

sharky:
here is the URL: http://www.linux-mandrake.com/en/errata.php3#raid but I think it's not specific for HPT... So, I'll probably ignore that and see what happens.

Again, thank you very much for your help.

you can do it with the images you downloaded. It sounds like you were there, you just need the two files on a formated floppy, and follow the instructions



I had seen the info about raid on Mandrakes website before installing the system. However it is not really what it takes to install it.

That patch ( http://www.linux-mandrake.com/patche...idtab/patch.pl ) is for mdraid (not your case).

Probably with a kernel binnary + custom patch.pl you will not need to overwite this files manually,... (but someone must write that patch.pl :P)

Thanx so much again, I'll try it tonight and let you know if I succeeded or not but I also think that if there wasn't for my stupidity, I would be writing this from my Mandrake...
No, wait, I wouldn't have to write this at all...