Old Motherboard IDE2 problem + old cd-rom
 

I'm trying to install a minmal linux on a pentium-s 120 and would like to distribute it over several hdds. I have a 300mb hdd as my IDE1 master and cd-rom as IDE1 slave (for more on the cd-rom read on...)

I also have two 200mb hdds I'd like to connect to IDE2, but as soon as I connect an IDE cable to the socket on the motherboard the bios refuses to start up, even if there's nothing connected to the cable!! The cable is ok (tried it on another PC so I think it may be a problem of the motherboard jumper settings.

I have a Gemlight GMB-P54IPS motherboard, and a web-search tells me there have been other people looking for jumper setting info, but apparently to no avail. What should I look for on the motherboard, provided I'm right in the assumption this might be solved by setting the right jumper(s)?




As for the cd-rom, it's a Mitsumi CRMC-FX400C which is not recognised by the BIOS, but when I boot from a linux boot disk it comes up as /hdb in some distros. In slackware however when I get to the part where it asks where I want to install from it isn't recognised, but if I ignore the message installation starts from the cd-rom drive?? DSL simply can't find it. What's going on?

cd-rom problems
 

I've been reading up and found out I should use a different kernel to start Slack (old_cd.i) for this cd-rom brand. But even with this kernel Slack can't find my cd-rom. I didn't have this problem with RedHat 6, but it doesn't have a fats Xwindow manager so I'd really like to use Slack.

Mea culpa, mea máxima culpa
 

I actually found the mother board manual and read it through and ther are no jumpers to be set. Also checked the BIOS ands everything is OK. Then I checked the cables, again, and realised I connected the IDE cable backwards!!! All HDDs running smoothly now.

I'm still mistified about the cd-rom driver problems, but I'll close this thread and post a specific one in the slackware forum.