Linux clash with SATA/SCSI mix?

redoaks · 10-08-2006, 12:09 AM

I've had 3 versions of Suse-up to 10.1, self destruct into oblivion on units with different hardware. Common was Suse on a 200GB SATA with 18GB SCSI drives running off a 29160N. On one I removed the SCSI and have 2 200GB SATA drives- no loss of Suse. On one I cannot remove the SCSI so I tried Mandriva 2007, as Susu 10.1 went into kernel panic. Mandriva ran for the same couple of times then froze on bootup, right about where it runs the SCSI drives going by the panel drive lights. It would not boot in safe mode either, but did boot into "Linux-NonFB" whatever that is. I reinstalled grub from the install disk and it booted up, but will fail again.
Is there a known problem mixing drive types with Linux, and what is nonFB?

Thanks
Louis

JZL240I-U · 10-10-2006, 04:38 AM

nonFB might mean non-framebuffer -> amounts to VESA mode, but I'm not 100% sure.

Are you sure SuSE doesn't try to use the SCSI devices as RAID devices? That might cause some problems (hearsay, have no hard facts here) and is perhaps a first step to the resolution of your problem...

redoaks · 10-10-2006, 08:06 PM

I'm not sure of anything so the suggestion is appreciated. Mandrake will usually boot after a kick or two and does not trash itself but I can tell if I find the problem by how it boots. It generally freezes early, before remounting root and the file system so I can reset safely.
Thank you for the reply.

JZL240I-U · 10-12-2006, 01:37 AM

You might pop in the install CD / DVD and imitate a new install. What I mean is, while you don't commit, nothing will change. But you will see what SuSE proposes do do with your drives, at least when you select expert mode for the partitioning scheme. Maybe you can see some problems here...

redoaks · 10-12-2006, 10:12 PM

Actually I was very pleased at how Suse handled this as it chose the freespace I made for it, suggested a separate /home partition and a swap. As it does not see OS/2 but knows the partitions are used (I have 7 HPFS on two drives) it was a relief that my existing stuff was not "attacked" as some OS's are wont to do. I found Mandriva also very friendly in this respect.

JZL240I-U · 10-13-2006, 01:47 AM

That's good. From my experience SuSE is made to install with a minimum of fuss when you choose the defaults. When you start "prodding" her, she will be much more informative, that's why I suggested an expert mode install for the partitioning part. I also found that one can repair things that way independent from the repair mode SuSE offers as well.

BTW did you check on the various compatibility lists, whether your hardware will work with linux?

redoaks · 10-14-2006, 09:23 AM

Checking hardware is something I do after the install. If it don't work, I try to fix it- but I do not let hardware choose my OS. If the OS refuses to install on a system that others have or I think it should, as Kubuntu did, I find another distro. I will, however, do the same with Linux as I did with OS/2 for so many years-check compatability before adding new stuff. If they do not support my choice of OS I will not consider buying their products, and will let them know.

Louis