SETUP for Linux with LILO (I know exactly what your running into for problems) this will definetly fix it. Keep in mind this setup is just for linux with lilo, not for windows, it tells u how to do the windows partition later on at the very bottom, read very bottom where it mentions HTPS/NTSF so you know what to do for your windows partition setup. I'll have to make a webpage for SATA setups because I have a feeling its going to get very big in the near future. Go Linux. BELOW are EXACT STEPs for the parts specific to SATA Harddrives only. This will not work for HDA. IF you do not know how to do the regular slackware installation, I suggest someone teaching you first or take a class at college like I am currently doing. (Incase you dont remember what LILO does, it brings up a menu when you reboot your pc that lets you choose which OPERATING SYSTEM you want to use. Like Windows or Linux. This is the setup for LINUX in lilo only. So you'll only see one choice in the LiLO window at bootup.

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Hey Man, I just bought the dell deminsion 9100 with a Pentium D (64bit) has 32bit auto usuage when needed and a 160 Gig Sata harddrive, And I got linux to work, Had to talk to my professor first , he got me straightened out (Thanks DP) . Heres what you need to do.


First as strange as this sounds, you need a WINDOWS bootdisk not a linux bootdisk, and that is not a typo. The bootdisk for Windows XP Pro worked great for me. The linux bootdisk did not work. Verified by my professor.


Second Have both cds of Slackware 10.1 or 10.2 whichever version you prefer.


CTRL ALT DEL your pc, press F2 on startup. Go down to Boot Sequence, Put the Onboard Floppy first, then Cdrom drive then Sata Harddrive. Highlight the onboard floppy and press "U" which will move it up the list to the very top. Do same with cdrom, put second, and sata harddrive third. the rest doesnt matter.


Onboard Floppy
Cdrom
Sata Harddrive
others below


Next Before you exit bios, check the "Drives" section in bios it is right below (Boot Sequence).
Press enter, check all of your SATA harddrives. My Sata-0 harddrive is a 160 Gig harddrive. The rest are empty This is to let you know which Harddrives have what for storage size.


Next Exit and Save from your bios, Remove any CDS, pop in your WINDOWS XP PRO Bootdisk press CTRL ALT DEL


Let it boot from the Floppy disk, if it doesnt boot from the floppy disk you didnt put the floppy disk first in the bootsequence in bios.
When it brings up the A: prompt type fdisk/mbr just like that, with no spaces. That will wipe the masterboot sector clean. YOU HAVE TO DO THIS STEP. It will not delete any files from your floppy. If you don't do fdisk/mbr , then after you do the whole slackware setup and reboot, you will get "MISSING OPERATING SYSTEM" for an error and that sucks because you have to do it all over again so make sure fdisk/mbr is done FIRST.


Dell Demension 9100s are setup for Windows XP pro thats why they require the Windows boot disk.

*** CRITICAL MUST HAVE FOR SATA HARDDRIVES *** i love saying critical
Take out the floppy disk from the drive, put in your Cd Disc 1 of slackware linux. CTRL ALT DEL your pc to reboot. If it doesnt pick it up, put the cd in the other cdrom and reboot. The very first prompt will default to bare.i you dont want that. Bare.i is for HDA (IDE harddrives), you have a SATA harddrive. So type "sata.i" press enter and that will pull the kernal for sata.i harddrives instead of an ide/hda harddrive kernal.


Press enter at Keyboard prompt


Now you need to make your partitions, DELETE ALL PARTIONS using fdisk /dev/sda not fdisk /dev/hda
Type "d" and choose partition number. Delete all your partitions. Start fresh. Create a new partition, type "n" choose "p" for primary, choose "1" for first partition. Make the first partition your SWAP Partition, yes you need this partition. The swap partition can be no bigger then 1 Gigobyte. Or it wont load. For Default 1st cylinder size just press enter. Use Default. For last cylinder size type +1G enter. Now you need to tell the computer what type of partition that is. It will be a LINUX SWAP partition. So type "t" type "L" and from the list look for LINUX SWAP which is 82. Type 82 at bottom. Press enter.
Your first partition is setup correctly. Type "p" to see your first partition. Your SWAP PARTITION is not bootable. Dont make it bootable.


Setup your second partition.
Type "n" ,
Type "p" ,
Type "2" ,
First Cylinder just press enter for default
Last Cylinder just press enter for default, which will be 159 gigs for my harddrive.
Type "a" ,
Type "2" , (a = You've just made your second partition Bootable),
Type "t" , (Specifys your partition Type, YOU WANT "Linux System" which is 83"
Type "L" ,
Type "83" ,

Ok now your second partition is setup correctly to check to make sure you didnt make any typos type "P"
and you should see two lines one for each partition.
Make sure there is an asterisk * next to partition 2 to make the Linux System partition bootable. If you dont have it you pc wont boot.

Keep in mind, if you have a second Sata harddrive, to put partitions on your second harddrive use fdisk /dev/sdb but do not make any partitions on your second harddrive bootable. The LILO setup will detect your second harddrive configuration.

Your almost done, type "w" which will write your partitions to the harddrive. Wait for it to bring up a prompt and
type "setup"


This will launch your Linux slackware installation, choose "Addswap"

(I have my computer setup for Linux and thats it. If you wanted windows on another partition, you'd have to go back and make a partition in fdisk /dev/sda make windows your third partition using HTPS/NTFS, dont use fat16 or fat32 its less secure then NTFS).


Install whatever packages you want. (Extras like KDE desktop which is similar to windows desktop)
First choose Begin, go through each part like you normally would.
Second choose Linux go through it like normal
Third choose Lilo,
Set this up normally, Use expert Lilo when you get to it.


***** THIS IS CRITICAL FOR SATA HARDDRIVES (MUST HAVE)*****
When you get to the section asking if you want a bootdisk, choose "From Slackware cdrom" instead of skip. ** IT WILL EJECT YOUR CDROM, pull out CDROM 2 and INSERT CDROM 1. Because it has the kernal files on disk 1. From here on leave cdrom disc 1 in.
This will choose the kernal for sata harddrives off the cdrom. Next it asks you if you want to make a linux bootdisk, say NO, skip it.


- Set it up for DHCP or Static whichever your router uses. If you dont have a router it will be DHCP(Because you just have a cable modem or dsl modem).


If you are planning on having windows xp choose "WINDOWS" if not skip. You must have a windows partition already created. If you dont have a windows partition made and in this example we dont have a windows partition, If you do want windows you must go back to the very beginning, repeat entire process but add a partition for windows using HTPS/NTFS, If I typoed that, sorry doing this from memory.


When it says your done installation, cursor down to "Exit" press enter. Then Press CTRL ALT DEL to reboot, if you did it right, it will boot up to a red box saying "LILO 22.5.9 Boot Menu, Choose Linux or Windows and load it up.


VERY IMPORTANT, Dell Dimension doesnt come with regular mouse ports, it comes with USB mouse ports. Linux Makes you configure usb usuage manually, So you wont be able to use your mouse to navigate through the kde desktop. Use your keyboard, Press the Windows key to launch the program menu for kde and choose system, and Terminal program(KCron). In there look for the mount point for usb which I cannot remember, still figuring this out, word of wise, look at www.linuxquestions.org for a forum on setting up usb mouses, you can set it up from the Terminal console instead. Make sure you get the right instructions for the right mouse you have. Yours is the black ball Dell mouse like mine probably. Good Luck. If you didnt get to this point, email JLAPALME@maine.rr.com and I'll walk u through it on instant messenger if you have another pc available.
JML

Hi,

Thks a lot. This definitely will help lot of Linux newbies.

I also is one of them & my problem is I already have WIN XP SP2 pro installed on my system. I have seagate 80 GB sata drive with Gigabyte motherboard having intel 915 GV chipset.

Can u pls. suggest me some similar way of installing Linux? I heard if I use Linux with kernel version 2.6 then that should help. If you can pls. list the exact procedure of doing that.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Whats up? , Here is how you install both windows and linux from a blank harddrive. I have to consult some folks before I tell u how to do it with windows already installed. If you have the money, buy partition magic. Its around $60.00 at bestbuy, just checked last night, may be different in your area. That may be of more help to you then what I wrote below. But just in case you do it from scratch use the instructions below. (Not partition magic instructions).

I just want to make you aware that Im halfway through a Slackware 10.1 Linux class in college, I havent played with the 2.6 kernal yet. But I want to make you aware, from what other experienced helpdesk guys in my class have told me, If you want Linux and Windows on your pc at the same time, there is a certain order, and different ways to partition for two operating systems. I would read up more on which version of linux you have, find out if its plug in play for your usb devices, kernal version, your brand of ethernet card, harddrive type if its Sata or IDE (Makes a big difference) you didnt really tell me which just that you had linux. Is it Fedora, Slackware, Redhat which one ? Windows will bully other Operating systems in setup. First step, clear the masterboot sector on the floppy disk, type "fdisk/mbr" This will not delete anything on your floppy disk, if you don't you'll get a missing operating system error after linux has been setup. Fdisk/mbr some people are scared to use. Viruses are stored in the masterboot sector of floppies and if you dont wipe it first before using the bootdisk in your pc, you might get a bootvirus from another pc if you've used the floppy on another system.

I've been told you must use the fdisk partition utility from a windows xp pro bootdisk to make 3 partitions. Type " fdisk " , set Partition 1 for Windows give it a 30 gig size also set the partition type for HPFS/NTFS, Partition 2 being the Swap make it 1 gigobyte in size set the partition type to Linux swap, and the Third partition Linux use the rest of the harddrive for space. Use the default, specify it as "linux system" for patition type. Before you get out of the fdisk utility, make the Linux System partition is Bootable it lists it as "Set Active" Dont set windows or the swap as active just linux. Next, remove the bootdisk, put in the windows cd. Go through the installation and set windows to the first partition of course.

If the Windows Fdisk utitilty doesn't let you set the partition "types", you'll have to do it through the fdisk utility thats on the linux cd. Hopefully it has one. Put in linux cd, reboot. Remember your using a sata harddrive, so the first prompt will want the sata kernal, type " sata.i ", at next prompt type " root ", and then type " fdisk /dev/sda " If you couldnt make the partitions listed in paragraph 2, do it here now exactly as listed in paragraph 2. Heres a list of commands to get through the fdisk utility

p = print (Show partitions made)
n = make new partition
t = change partition "type"
a = make bootable
w = write partitions
h = Shows lists of commands

After you type "n" it asks which partition remember ur setting it up like this in this example

Partition 1 Windows HPFS/NTFS(partition type) First cylinder: default Last cylinder: total size of first partiton you want. +30G
Partition 2 Swap Linux Swap (partition type) First cylinder: default Last cylinder: Type +1G
Partition 3 Linux Linux System (partition type) First cylinder: default Last cylinder: Press enter for the rest of available space

Make sure Partition is set active * Bootable type " a " choose partition 3
When you are 100% sure you have made the three partitions correctly, type " w " which will write the partitions to your harddrive and your done partitioning. Pull out Linux cd, Insert Windows cd, Reboot and do windows installation. When done windows installation, pull out cd, put in Linux cd and reboot, at first prompt type " sata.i " login as root, and type " setup ". Do the linux installation and to get both operating systems to work, you must setup "LILO" which is the utility that prompts your pc to give you a choice of which OS you want to use at startup. Also remember the other step which pulls the kernal from the cd. It may or may not do this automatically. Unsure what other versions of linux will do for that step. Good luck.

Excellent how to. I think that this would be better suited to the Tutorials section. Could I ask you to post this there?

Great job!

Hello,

This again is helpful for newbies. Just wanted to share my experience with the community.

I downloaded the ubuntu linux latest version 5.10. It is just 617.15 MB so can be out into a single CD. It is very user friendly in terms of installation. It didn't had any problem detecting the my GIGABYTE ST380013AS SATA drive.

I think for newbies, ubuntu linux is the better one around. I don't have any problem as of now but only using it for last 3 days so haven't explored it much.

Thanks

Hey for you college newbies like me, Im getting Fedora Core 4 the newest version of Fedora its being sent to me in a few days, I've been told by a dude at Circuit City it has a very user friendly installation. He says it will recognize USB 1.0 and 2.0 devices as well as ethernet and Sata/IDE harddrives a whole lot faster. Newbie friendly. I'm still waiting for it to come in the mail, so I'll test it out here in a few days and see how smooth she loads and get back to you. I dont know if you are aware of this.. but if you ever have a hardtime installing Slackware or other OSs and need to find out if a certain device is broke or if your OS didnt install correctly whether it be a kernal issue or whatever, get a copy of Knoppix. Its a OS that is contained within a single cd. It will boot up your pc as long as partitions are setup and tell you step by step what is loading and what is not loading, works great. I had an issue getting slackware to recognize my ethernet 10/100 card. So I reboot with a knoppix cd and bam, it recognized all my ethernet cards, usb ports you name it, it found it. Worth the 2 bucks I paid for it. Plus its Free on the net, Im just too lazy to burn it. Oh some one recommended I write a tutorial, I'll try that later down the line when I get more experience, right now, its my professor who gets all the credit.

Hey ubuntu looks cool, where can I get that? Havent seen it on the linux sites I normally browse.
jml

Ash,
During your ubuntu installation, did it automatically detect the sata.i kernal ? Or did you have to specify it manually? Lets say I gave ubuntu to my dumb sister, could she install it without any problems ?
jml

Hi JML,

Yes, during ubuntu 5.10 installation, it automatically detected the SATA drive, I also have USB devices (20 GB gard disk & one pen drive) which it detected w/o any problems.

That was the first time I installed any OS so you can understand what I was going through especially I already had Windows XP. I was just thinking that I shouldn't end up ruining the other stuff on my disk. But it went peacefully, I just had to put some effort in correct partitioning but it gives you all information so shouldn't be a problem. At the end, Ubuntu detected that there is one more OS so it gave me GRUB option which I accepted.

Ubuntu latest edition 5.10 comes in one CD only & it also gives you option of free download from http://www.ubuntu.com/download/ (approx. 617.15 MB for downloading). You may also ask for free shipping of CD's as well from https://shipit.ubuntu.com/

I downloaded this into my hard disk & then burnt the CD as image file using Nero .

It comes with kernel ver 2.6.12

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Experienced Linux users may find it odd that the Ubuntu installer does not prompt them for a root password. Instead of having a root user, Ubuntu uses the first normal user as the admin user. Instead of having root privileges all the time, however, Ubuntu uses sudo to manage system administration tasks. Mac users will recognize this behavior, since Mac OS X works essentially the same way. You can set up a root user if you need to, but this system works well for newer Linux users who may not be used to working as root.
================================================================

Ashish