Argh!I should have stuck with IDE after the first SATA HD I bought didn't work in Linux. I should have played it safe. This one, a Seagate Barracuda 7200.10, can't be detected either. Can anyone decipher these errors in dmesg?

ata1: SATA max UDMA/133 cmd 0xf880c100 ctl 0x00000000 bmdma 0x00000000 irq 219
ata2: SATA max UDMA/133 cmd 0xf880c180 ctl 0x00000000 bmdma 0x00000000 irq 219
ata3: SATA max UDMA/133 cmd 0xf880c200 ctl 0x00000000 bmdma 0x00000000 irq 219
ata4: SATA max UDMA/133 cmd 0xf880c280 ctl 0x00000000 bmdma 0x00000000 irq 219
ata5: SATA max UDMA/133 cmd 0xf880c300 ctl 0x00000000 bmdma 0x00000000 irq 219
ata6: SATA max UDMA/133 cmd 0xf880c380 ctl 0x00000000 bmdma 0x00000000 irq 219
ata1: SATA link down (SStatus 0 SControl 300)
ata2: SATA link up 3.0 Gbps (SStatus 123 SControl 300)
ata3: SATA link down (SStatus 0 SControl 300)
ata4: SATA link down (SStatus 0 SControl 300)
ata5: SATA link down (SStatus 0 SControl 300)
ata6: SATA link down (SStatus 0 SControl 300

)

If I can'tmake it work by any means, hopefully Newegg will accept incompatibility as a return excuse.

What SATA controller do you have? When I search through the comments on Newegg for the drive, more than one say it works fine under linux. So I would suspect the problem might be elsewhere (or a damaged drive)...

Ehh...all I know is that it's SATA II.

What's the output of lspci?

root@mepis1:~# lspci -v
00:00.0 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation Unknown device 0754 (rev a2)
Subsystem: Biostar Microtech Int'l Corp Unknown device 340b
Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0
Capabilities: [94] HyperTransport: #1a
Capabilities: [60] HyperTransport: Retry Mode
Capabilities: [44] HyperTransport: Slave or Primary Interface
Capabilities: [d0] HyperTransport: #1c

00:01.0 ISA bridge: nVidia Corporation Unknown device 075c (rev a2)
Subsystem: Biostar Microtech Int'l Corp Unknown device 340b
Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0
I/O ports at 2f00 [size=256]

00:01.1 SMBus: nVidia Corporation Unknown device 0752 (rev a1)
Subsystem: Biostar Microtech Int'l Corp Unknown device 340b
Flags: 66MHz, fast devsel, IRQ 15
I/O ports at 2900 [size=64]
I/O ports at 2d00 [size=64]
I/O ports at 2e00 [size=64]
Capabilities: [44] Power Management version 2

00:01.2 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation Unknown device 0751 (rev a1)
Subsystem: Biostar Microtech Int'l Corp Unknown device 340b
Flags: 66MHz, fast devsel

00:01.3 Co-processor: nVidia Corporation Unknown device 0753 (rev a2)
Subsystem: Biostar Microtech Int'l Corp Unknown device 340b
Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 10
Memory at fcf80000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=512K]

00:01.4 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation Unknown device 0568 (rev a1)
Subsystem: Biostar Microtech Int'l Corp Unknown device 340b
Flags: 66MHz, fast devsel

00:02.0 USB Controller: nVidia Corporation Unknown device 077b (rev a1) (prog-if 10 [OHCI])
Subsystem: Biostar Microtech Int'l Corp Unknown device 340b
Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 23
Memory at fcf7f000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
Capabilities: [44] Power Management version 2

00:02.1 USB Controller: nVidia Corporation Unknown device 077c (rev a1) (prog-if 20 [EHCI])
Subsystem: Biostar Microtech Int'l Corp Unknown device 340b
Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 21
Memory at fcf7ec00 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256]
Capabilities: [44] Debug port
Capabilities: [80] Power Management version 2

00:04.0 USB Controller: nVidia Corporation Unknown device 077d (rev a1) (prog-if 10 [OHCI])
Subsystem: Biostar Microtech Int'l Corp Unknown device 340b
Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 20
Memory at fcf7d000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
Capabilities: [44] Power Management version 2

00:04.1 USB Controller: nVidia Corporation Unknown device 077e (rev a1) (prog-if 20 [EHCI])
Subsystem: Biostar Microtech Int'l Corp Unknown device 340b
Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 22
Memory at fcf7e800 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256]
Capabilities: [44] Debug port
Capabilities: [80] Power Management version 2

00:06.0 IDE interface: nVidia Corporation Unknown device 0759 (rev a1) (prog-if 8a [Master SecP PriP])
Subsystem: Unknown device f565:340b
Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0
[virtual] Memory at 000001f0 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [disabled] [size=8]
[virtual] Memory at 000003f0 (type 3, non-prefetchable) [disabled] [size=1]
[virtual] Memory at 00000170 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [disabled] [size=8]
[virtual] Memory at 00000370 (type 3, non-prefetchable) [disabled] [size=1]
I/O ports at ffa0 [size=16]
Capabilities: [44] Power Management version 2

00:07.0 Audio device: nVidia Corporation Unknown device 0774 (rev a1)
Subsystem: Biostar Microtech Int'l Corp Unknown device 820f
Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 21
Memory at fcf78000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]
Capabilities: [44] Power Management version 2
Capabilities: [50] Message Signalled Interrupts: Mask+ 64bit+ Queue=0/0 Enable-
Capabilities: [6c] HyperTransport: MSI Mapping

00:08.0 PCI bridge: nVidia Corporation Unknown device 075a (rev a1) (prog-if 01 [Subtractive decode])
Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0
Bus: primary=00, secondary=01, subordinate=01, sec-latency=32
Capabilities: [b8] Subsystem: Biostar Microtech Int'l Corp Unknown device 340b
Capabilities: [8c] HyperTransport: MSI Mapping

00:09.0 IDE interface: nVidia Corporation Unknown device 0ad0 (rev a2) (prog-if 85 [Master SecO PriO])
Subsystem: Biostar Microtech Int'l Corp Unknown device 5409
Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 219
I/O ports at c480 [size=8]
I/O ports at c400 [size=4]
I/O ports at c080 [size=8]
I/O ports at c000 [size=4]
I/O ports at bc00 [size=16]
Memory at fcf76000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=8K]
Capabilities: [44] Power Management version 2
Capabilities: [8c] #12 [0010]
Capabilities: [b0] Message Signalled Interrupts: Mask- 64bit+ Queue=0/3 Enable+

00:0b.0 PCI bridge: nVidia Corporation Unknown device 0569 (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0
Bus: primary=00, secondary=02, subordinate=02, sec-latency=0
I/O behind bridge: 0000d000-0000dfff
Memory behind bridge: fd000000-feafffff
Prefetchable memory behind bridge: 00000000f0000000-00000000f9ffffff
Capabilities: [40] Subsystem: Biostar Microtech Int'l Corp Unknown device 340b
Capabilities: [48] Power Management version 2
Capabilities: [60] HyperTransport: MSI Mapping

00:10.0 PCI bridge: nVidia Corporation Unknown device 0778 (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0
Bus: primary=00, secondary=03, subordinate=03, sec-latency=0
Capabilities: [40] Subsystem: Biostar Microtech Int'l Corp Unknown device 340b
Capabilities: [48] Power Management version 3
Capabilities: [50] Message Signalled Interrupts: Mask- 64bit+ Queue=0/1 Enable+
Capabilities: [60] HyperTransport: MSI Mapping
Capabilities: [80] Express Root Port (Slot+) IRQ 0

00:12.0 PCI bridge: nVidia Corporation Unknown device 075b (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0
Bus: primary=00, secondary=04, subordinate=04, sec-latency=0
Capabilities: [40] Subsystem: Biostar Microtech Int'l Corp Unknown device 340b
Capabilities: [48] Power Management version 3
Capabilities: [50] Message Signalled Interrupts: Mask- 64bit+ Queue=0/1 Enable+
Capabilities: [60] HyperTransport: MSI Mapping
Capabilities: [80] Express Root Port (Slot+) IRQ 0

00:13.0 PCI bridge: nVidia Corporation Unknown device 077a (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0
Bus: primary=00, secondary=05, subordinate=05, sec-latency=0
I/O behind bridge: 0000e000-0000efff
Memory behind bridge: feb00000-febfffff
Prefetchable memory behind bridge: 00000000fbf00000-00000000fbffffff
Capabilities: [40] Subsystem: Biostar Microtech Int'l Corp Unknown device 340b
Capabilities: [48] Power Management version 3
Capabilities: [50] Message Signalled Interrupts: Mask- 64bit+ Queue=0/1 Enable+
Capabilities: [60] HyperTransport: MSI Mapping
Capabilities: [80] Express Root Port (Slot+) IRQ 0

00:14.0 PCI bridge: nVidia Corporation Unknown device 077a (rev a1) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0
Bus: primary=00, secondary=06, subordinate=06, sec-latency=0
Capabilities: [40] Subsystem: Biostar Microtech Int'l Corp Unknown device 340b
Capabilities: [48] Power Management version 3
Capabilities: [50] Message Signalled Interrupts: Mask- 64bit+ Queue=0/1 Enable+
Capabilities: [60] HyperTransport: MSI Mapping
Capabilities: [80] Express Root Port (Slot+) IRQ 0

00:18.0 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] HyperTransport Technology Configuration
Flags: fast devsel
Capabilities: [80] HyperTransport: Host or Secondary Interface

00:18.1 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] Address Map
Flags: fast devsel

00:18.2 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] DRAM Controller
Flags: fast devsel

00:18.3 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] Miscellaneous Control
Flags: fast devsel
Capabilities: [f0] #0f [0010]

02:00.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation Unknown device 084f (rev a2) (prog-if 00 [VGA])
Subsystem: Biostar Microtech Int'l Corp Unknown device 1408
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 11
Memory at fd000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16M]
Memory at f0000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=128M]
Memory at f8000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=32M]
I/O ports at dc00 [size=128]
Expansion ROM at feae0000 [disabled] [size=128K]
Capabilities: [60] Power Management version 2
Capabilities: [68] Message Signalled Interrupts: Mask- 64bit+ Queue=0/0 Enable-

05:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168B PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet controller (rev 02)
Subsystem: Biostar Microtech Int'l Corp Unknown device 2307
Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 18
I/O ports at e800 [size=256]
Memory at febff000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
Memory at fbff0000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=64K]
Expansion ROM at febc0000 [disabled] [size=128K]
Capabilities: [40] Power Management version 3
Capabilities: [50] Message Signalled Interrupts: Mask- 64bit+ Queue=0/0 Enable-
Capabilities: [70] Express Endpoint IRQ 1
Capabilities: [b0] MSI-X: Enable- Mask- TabSize=2
Capabilities: [d0] Vital Product Data

root@mepis1:~#

I didn't suppose lspci would help, because I thought it concerned PCI cards.

No, it helps a lot. Looks like you have an Nvidia chipset that you probably haven't installed the drivers for. What type of motherboard is it? What distro are you using? What is the output of lshw (you might have to install the package for lshw or run it as root)?

It's a Biostar TF720 A2+. The chipset is GeForce...8100 or 8200--can't find my manual right now.My distro is MEPIS 7.

I didn't have lshw, but just downloaded and installed it. (I did have to run it as root.) It says:

mepis1
description: Desktop Computer
product: TF720 A2+
vendor: BIOSTAR Group
version: 6.x
serial: None
width: 32 bits
capabilities: smbios-2.5 dmi-2.5
configuration: boot=normal chassis=desktop uuid=00020003-0004-0005-0006-0007
00080009
*-core
description: Motherboard
product: TF720 A2+
vendor: BIOSTAR Group
physical id: 0
version: 6.x
serial: None
slot: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
*-firmware
description: BIOS
vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
physical id: 0
version: 080015 (05/06/2008)
size: 64KB
capacity: 960KB
capabilities: isa pci pnp apm upgrade shadowing escd cdboot bootselect
socketedrom edd int13floppy1200 int13floppy720 int13floppy2880 int5printscreen
int9keyboard int14serial int17printer int10video acpi usb ls120boot zipboot bios
bootspecification
*-cpu
description: CPU
product: AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 4600+
vendor: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD]
physical id: 3
bus info: cpu@0
version: 15.3.3
serial: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
slot: CPU 1
size: 2400MHz
capacity: 2400MHz
width: 64 bits
clock: 200MHz
capabilities: fpu fpu_exception wp vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic
sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush mmx fxsr sse sse2 ht syscall nx mmxext
fxsr_opt rdtscp x86-64 3dnowext 3dnow pni cx16 lahf_lm cmp_legacy svm extapic cr
8legacy ts fid vid ttp tm stc cpufreq
*-cache:0
description: L1 cache
physical id: 5
slot: L1-Cache
size: 128KB
capacity: 256KB
capabilities: pipeline-burst internal varies data
*-cache:1
description: L2 cache
physical id: 6
slot: L2-Cache
size: 512KB
capacity: 1MB
capabilities: pipeline-burst internal varies unified
*-cache:2 DISABLED
description: L3 cache
physical id: 7
slot: L3-Cache
capabilities: internal
*-memory:0
description: System Memory
physical id: 24
slot: System board or motherboard
size: 2GB
*-bank:0
description: DIMM [empty]
product: ModulePartNumber00
vendor: Manufacturer00
physical id: 0
serial: SerNum00
slot: DIMM0
*-bank:1
description: DIMM [empty]
product: ModulePartNumber01
vendor: Manufacturer01
physical id: 1
serial: SerNum01
slot: DIMM1
*-bank:2
description: DIMM Synchronous 400 MHz (2.5 ns)
product: ModulePartNumber02
vendor: Manufacturer02
physical id: 2
serial: SerNum02
slot: DIMM2
size: 1GB
width: 64 bits
clock: 400MHz (2.5ns)
*-bank:3
description: DIMM Synchronous 400 MHz (2.5 ns)
product: ModulePartNumber03
vendor: Manufacturer03
physical id: 3
serial: SerNum03
slot: DIMM3
size: 1GB
width: 64 bits
clock: 400MHz (2.5ns)
*-memory:1 UNCLAIMED
description: RAM memory
product: nVidia Corporation
vendor: nVidia Corporation
physical id: 4
bus info: pci@00:00.0
version: a2
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz (15.2ns)
capabilities: bus_master cap_list
configuration: latency=0
*-isa
description: ISA bridge
product: nVidia Corporation
vendor: nVidia Corporation
physical id: 1
bus info: pci@00:01.0
version: a2
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz
capabilities: isa bus_master
configuration: latency=0
resources: ioport:2f00-2fff
*-serial UNCLAIMED
description: SMBus
product: nVidia Corporation
vendor: nVidia Corporation
physical id: 1.1
bus info: pci@00:01.1
version: a1
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz
capabilities: cap_list
configuration: latency=0
resources: ioport:2900-293f ioport:2d00-2d3f ioport:2e00-2e3f irq:15
*-memory:2 UNCLAIMED
description: RAM memory
product: nVidia Corporation
vendor: nVidia Corporation
physical id: 1.2
bus info: pci@00:01.2
version: a1
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz (15.2ns)
configuration: latency=0
*-processor UNCLAIMED
description: Co-processor
product: nVidia Corporation
vendor: nVidia Corporation
physical id: 1.3
bus info: pci@00:01.3
version: a2
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz
capabilities: bus_master
configuration: latency=0 maxlatency=1 mingnt=3
resources: iomemory:fcf80000-fcffffff irq:10
*-memory:3 UNCLAIMED
description: RAM memory
product: nVidia Corporation
vendor: nVidia Corporation
physical id: 1.4
bus info: pci@00:01.4
version: a1
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz (15.2ns)
configuration: latency=0
*-usb:0
description: USB Controller
product: nVidia Corporation
vendor: nVidia Corporation
physical id: 2
bus info: pci@00:02.0
version: a1
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz
capabilities: ohci bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=ohci_hcd latency=0 maxlatency=1 mingnt=3
resources: iomemory:fcf7f000-fcf7ffff irq:23
*-usbhost
product: OHCI Host Controller
vendor: Linux 2.6.22-1-mepis-smp ohci_hcd
physical id: 1
bus info: usb@3
logical name: usb3
version: 2.06
capabilities: usb-1.10
configuration: maxpower=0mA slots=6 speed=12.0MB/s
*-usb:0 UNCLAIMED
description: Generic USB device
product: i850
vendor: Canon
physical id: 1
bus info: usb@3:1
version: 1.02
serial: 206ODP
capabilities: usb-1.10
configuration: maxpower=2mA speed=12.0MB/s
*-usb:1 UNCLAIMED
description: Generic USB device
product: AlphaSmart
vendor: AlphaSmart, Inc.
physical id: 3
bus info: usb@3:3
version: 0.00
capabilities: usb-1.00
configuration: maxpower=80mA speed=12.0MB/s
*-usb:1
description: USB Controller
product: nVidia Corporation
vendor: nVidia Corporation
physical id: 2.1
bus info: pci@00:02.1
version: a1
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz
capabilities: ehci bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=ehci_hcd latency=0 maxlatency=1 mingnt=3
resources: iomemory:fcf7ec00-fcf7ecff irq:21
*-usbhost
product: EHCI Host Controller
vendor: Linux 2.6.22-1-mepis-smp ehci_hcd
physical id: 1
bus info: usb@1
logical name: usb1
version: 2.06
capabilities: usb-2.00
configuration: maxpower=0mA slots=6 speed=480.0MB/s
*-usb:2
description: USB Controller
product: nVidia Corporation
vendor: nVidia Corporation
physical id: 5
bus info: pci@00:04.0
version: a1
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz
capabilities: ohci bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=ohci_hcd latency=0 maxlatency=1 mingnt=3
resources: iomemory:fcf7d000-fcf7dfff irq:20
*-usbhost
product: OHCI Host Controller
vendor: Linux 2.6.22-1-mepis-smp ohci_hcd
physical id: 1
bus info: usb@4
logical name: usb4
version: 2.06
capabilities: usb-1.10
configuration: maxpower=0mA slots=6 speed=12.0MB/s
*-usb:3
description: USB Controller
product: nVidia Corporation
vendor: nVidia Corporation
physical id: 4.1
bus info: pci@00:04.1
version: a1
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz
capabilities: ehci bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=ehci_hcd latency=0 maxlatency=1 mingnt=3
resources: iomemory:fcf7e800-fcf7e8ff irq:22
*-usbhost
product: EHCI Host Controller
vendor: Linux 2.6.22-1-mepis-smp ehci_hcd
physical id: 1
bus info: usb@2
logical name: usb2
version: 2.06
capabilities: usb-2.00
configuration: maxpower=0mA slots=6 speed=480.0MB/s
*-usb UNCLAIMED
description: Generic USB device
physical id: 1
bus info: usb@2:1
version: 1.10
capabilities: usb-2.00
configuration: maxpower=500mA speed=480.0MB/s
*-ide:0
description: IDE interface
product: nVidia Corporation
vendor: nVidia Corporation
physical id: 6
bus info: pci@00:06.0
logical name: scsi6
version: a1
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz
capabilities: ide bus_master cap_list emulated
configuration: driver=pata_amd latency=0 maxlatency=1 mingnt=3
resources: iomemory:1f0-1f7 iomemory:3f0-3ef iomemory:170-177 iomemory
:370-36f ioport:ffa0-ffaf
*-cdrom
description: CD-R/CD-RW writer
product: 52MAXX 3252AJ
vendor: Memorex
physical id: 0.0.0
bus info: scsi@6:0.0.0
logical name: /dev/cdrom
logical name: /dev/scd0
logical name: /dev/sr0
version: QWS6
capabilities: removable audio cd-r cd-rw
configuration: ansiversion=5
*-disc
physical id: 0
logical name: /dev/cdrom
*-disk
description: SCSI Disk
product: MAXTOR STM316081
vendor: ATA
physical id: 0.1.0
bus info: scsi@6:0.1.0
logical name: /dev/sda
version: 3.AA
serial: 9RA1S138
size: 149GB
capabilities: partitioned partitioned:dos
configuration: ansiversion=5
*-volume:0
description: W95 FAT32 (LBA) partition
physical id: 1
bus info: scsi@6:0.1.0,1
logical name: /dev/sda1
capacity: 29GB
capabilities: primary bootable
*-volume:1
description: Linux filesystem partition
physical id: 2
bus info: scsi@6:0.1.0,2
logical name: /dev/sda2
capacity: 51GB
capabilities: primary
*-volume:2
description: Extended partition
physical id: 3
bus info: scsi@6:0.1.0,3
logical name: /dev/sda3
size: 43GB
capacity: 43GB
capabilities: primary extended partitioned partitioned:extended
*-logicalvolume:0
description: Linux filesystem partition
physical id: 5
logical name: /dev/sda5
capacity: 41GB
*-logicalvolume:1
description: Linux swap / Solaris partition
physical id: 6
logical name: /dev/sda6
capacity: 3004MB
capabilities: nofs
*-volume:3
description: W95 FAT32 partition
physical id: 4
bus info: scsi@6:0.1.0,4
logical name: /dev/sda4
capacity: 3067MB
capabilities: primary
*-multimedia
description: Audio device
product: nVidia Corporation
vendor: nVidia Corporation
physical id: 7
bus info: pci@00:07.0
version: a1
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz
capabilities: bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=HDA Intel latency=0 maxlatency=5 mingnt=2
resources: iomemory:fcf78000-fcf7bfff irq:21
*-pci:0
description: PCI bridge
product: nVidia Corporation
vendor: nVidia Corporation
physical id: 8
bus info: pci@00:08.0
version: a1
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz
capabilities: pci subtractive_decode bus_master cap_list
*-ide:1
description: IDE interface
product: nVidia Corporation
vendor: nVidia Corporation
physical id: 9
bus info: pci@00:09.0
version: a2
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz
capabilities: ide bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=ahci latency=0 maxlatency=1 mingnt=3
resources: ioport:c480-c487 ioport:c400-c403 ioport:c080-c087 ioport:c
000-c003 ioport:bc00-bc0f iomemory:fcf76000-fcf77fff irq:219
*-pci:1
description: PCI bridge
product: nVidia Corporation
vendor: nVidia Corporation
physical id: b
bus info: pci@00:0b.0
version: a1
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pci normal_decode bus_master cap_list
*-display
description: VGA compatible controller
product: nVidia Corporation
vendor: nVidia Corporation
physical id: 0
bus info: pci@02:00.0
version: a2
size: 128MB
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: vga bus_master cap_list
configuration: latency=0
resources: iomemory:fd000000-fdffffff iomemory:f0000000-f7ffffff io
memory:f8000000-f9ffffff ioport:dc00-dc7f irq:11
*-pci:2
description: PCI bridge
product: nVidia Corporation
vendor: nVidia Corporation
physical id: 10
bus info: pci@00:10.0
version: a1
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pci normal_decode bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=pcieport-driver
*-pci:3
description: PCI bridge
product: nVidia Corporation
vendor: nVidia Corporation
physical id: 12
bus info: pci@00:12.0
version: a1
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pci normal_decode bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=pcieport-driver
*-pci:4
description: PCI bridge
product: nVidia Corporation
vendor: nVidia Corporation
physical id: 13
bus info: pci@00:13.0
version: a1
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pci normal_decode bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=pcieport-driver
*-network
description: Ethernet interface
product: RTL8111/8168B PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet controller
vendor: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
physical id: 0
bus info: pci@05:00.0
logical name: eth0
version: 02
serial: 00:e0:4d:89:47:5f
capacity: 1GB/s
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: bus_master cap_list ethernet physical tp 10bt 10bt-fd
100bt 100bt-fd 1000bt-fd autonegotiation
configuration: autonegotiation=on broadcast=yes driver=r8169 driver
version=2.2LK-NAPI duplex=half latency=0 link=no multicast=yes port=twisted pair
resources: ioport:e800-e8ff iomemory:febff000-febfffff iomemory:fbf
f0000-fbffffff irq:18
*-pci:5
description: PCI bridge
product: nVidia Corporation
vendor: nVidia Corporation
physical id: 14
bus info: pci@00:14.0
version: a1
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pci normal_decode bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=pcieport-driver
*-pci:6
description: Host bridge
product: K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] HyperTransport Technology Configuration
vendor: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD]
physical id: 100
bus info: pci@00:18.0
version: 00
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
*-pci:7
description: Host bridge
product: K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] Address Map
vendor: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD]
physical id: 101
bus info: pci@00:18.1
version: 00
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
*-pci:8
description: Host bridge
product: K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] DRAM Controller
vendor: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD]
physical id: 102
bus info: pci@00:18.2
version: 00
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
*-pci:9
description: Host bridge
product: K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] Miscellaneous Control
vendor: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD]
physical id: 103
bus info: pci@00:18.3
version: 00
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
*-network
description: Wireless interface
physical id: 1
logical name: wlan0
serial: 00:0c:41:16:84:ca
capabilities: ethernet physical wireless
configuration: broadcast=yes driver=ndiswrapper+wusb54g driverversion=1.4 7+Linksys,09/09/2003, 0.6.0.0 ip=192.168.1.102 link=yes multicast=yes wireless=I EEE 802.11g

I'm afraid I never bothered to look through the motherboard's driver/utility CD. The board seemed to run fine without installing anything, until I tried to use SATA devices.
It looks like I bought a Linux-unfriendly motherboard, because the driver files on this CD, including the SATA drivers, all appear to be Windows files. Besides that most or all the folders have "vista" in their names, most of the files inside them are EXEs and DLLs. Some INFs, though. Guess I'll go to Biostar and see if it offers any Linux SATA drivers.

EDIT: Nope, the drivers for this model are all Windows.

I would try some of the tips in the reviews for the board at newegg.

It looks like some people got the SATA's working by changing the SATA mode in the BIOS (basically making them appear as IDE drives to linux). Others said they had no problems with different distros (like Ubuntu 8.10). For Mepis, you could try going to the nVidia site and see if there's source or drivers available for Mepis to compile some drivers.

Maybe it is a Mepis specific problem. Try *buntu or Fedora

Check SATA settings in BIOS

RAID +AHCI or AHCI or Native

All of them should work in any recent distro

Native may be very safe

OK. I'm downloading drivers from NVidia; hopefully they help. Biostar may not be Linux-friendly, but I guess Nvidia is, because it has Linux drivers.

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...6/#post3410448

This has to be it: I seem to be missing the "sata_nv.c" driver file that Nvidia says is included on certain distributions. Shoot--I might possibly have to learn how to compile.

Or, like I mentioned before, you can try changing the SATA mode in the computer BIOS so that it thinks the SATA drive is an IDE drive. That usually works, but you probably lose some performance...

I have a Biostar TA8200 A+ board running Ubuntu 8.10 Server without problem. I have 2 Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST3750330AS 750GB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM drives connected to SATA1 and SATA2 which set up with software RAID1. I have a third identical drive connected to SATA3 for backups. The third drive is connected in an internal removable drive rack. This system has been running continuously for the past 3 months without problem.

The system also has an IDE CD/DVD RW drive connected.

You need to make sure that your BIOS setup is set for SATA or AHCI and set the system to allow both IDE and SATA to reside on the same system.

The "unknown device" problem is probably best fixed by running update-pciids from the pci-utilities package. There are prerequisites to running that command, so read man update-pciids for details.

The messages you show in the first post are just housekeeping messages, telling you that the kernel found six hard disk ports, and that only port 2 was connected to a "real" hard drive.

To me, this implies that the cable to the drive (probably on port 1) is either not seated correctly or broken. Try replacing the drive cable(s). Note that bad or broken cables are the most common (and easiest to fix) problem with hard drives.

Thanks, PT, I'll update the pciids soon. I have two SATA cables; I suppose they could both be bad... But about the ports, port 2 is the port connected to this HD, and the other five ports are unused. (This HD is my only SATA device.)

Everyone who suggests I change the BIOS as needed: I can check whether the BIOS is in SATA or AHCI mode; but The thing is, it has to be set for one of those, because my BIOS has only SATA, AHCI and RAID modes, and I never use RAID.
Actually, I have to hold off tinkering with the BIOS until I cn buy a new keyboard. I ruined it while cleaning it yesterday, and had to plug in my PC-keyboard-emulating notetaking keyboard to have any keyboard at all. (That's the "Alphasmart" listed in the lshw output.) Unfortunately, it lacks a Delete key, and the Delete key is what opens my BIOS. But I'll change the BIOS settings once I have a new keyboard. Thank you.

I ran into another problem while trying to install NVidia's Linux SATA driver. http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...3/#post3410554
(I don't like asking about different problems in the same thread, and prefer to start a new thread. )