Which version of kernel support all SATA drives ?

mocqueanh · 12-24-2007, 08:16 PM

I'm considering to install Linux, but i saw many people cant install Linux on SATA HDD.

I've tried Xubuntu 7.1 Live CD on my machine, and run well. It can recognise my partition of SATA HDD. So Xubuntu 7.1 support SATA ?
And i want to install Slackware 12, can it recognise my SATA while install ?

P/S: one more question: Slackware has 6 CDs for install, but i hear someone say: just need CD1 and 2 to install. Is it right ?

Nylex · 12-24-2007, 11:26 PM

Most if not all distributions will come with kernels that have SATA support, I'd imagine. You might want to give detail of the SATA controller on your motherboard to see if there's a driver for it. Slackware's kernels do indeed include SATA support.

As for the Slackware CDs, the first two contain most of the important stuff, yes. CD 3 contains the KDE internationalisation packages and part of the packages in /extra (this directory can be found on any Slackware mirror, so you can see which packages are in there). CDs 4, 5 and 6 contain the source code for the packages in Slackware (though 5 contains additional stuff: the Slackware book, /pasture (old packages) and /testing).

AceofSpades19 · 12-25-2007, 01:44 AM

I'm not aware of a linux distro that doesn't recognize sata disks

syg00 · 12-25-2007, 02:24 AM

As Nylex said, it's generally a driver issue rather than strictly S-ATA itself.
jmicron for example ...

mocqueanh · 12-27-2007, 06:42 PM

Okay, thank you. I have completed download 6 CDs and burned them.
Before install, i want to ask some more:

Do i just need 1 CD drive for install or 6 CD drives ? After finish CD1, Slackware will ask me CD 2 ? (i dont have DVD drive)

When install Slack, can i let it install LILO as simple, it will recognise my XP and add XP to LILO boot menu, or i have to choose the option expert of LILO and configure it manually ?

And each times i reinstall Win, i will have to restore LILO, is it easy ?

Slackware support delete/write files on NTFS partition ?

onebuck · 12-27-2007, 07:26 PM

Hi,

Quote:

Originally Posted by mocqueanh

Okay, thank you. I have completed download 6 CDs and burned them.
Before install, i want to ask some more:

Do i just need 1 CD drive for install or 6 CD drives ? After finish CD1, Slackware will ask me CD 2 ? (i dont have DVD drive)

When install Slack, can i let it install LILO as simple, it will recognise my XP and add XP to LILO boot menu, or i have to choose the option expert of LILO and configure it manually ?

And each times i reinstall Win, i will have to restore LILO, is it easy ?

Slackware support delete/write files on NTFS partition ?

You will need to boot with the Slackware install cd1. Prepare your drive for installation by creating the partitions on the selected drive. I like to create and format my partition before running setup. This way I can perform a full test of the drives and partition file systems. That will prevent any unknown problems from occurring or least allow me to prepare for any problems.

As for the Slackware cd1 & cd2 will be the only ones you need to get Slackware installed. If you need KDE international then cd3 will be used. Any of the /extra on cd3 willl be up to you.

If you select a full or select packages for the install then setup will ask for the cd2 when you complete the selected install packages from cd1. During the initial setup you will be prompted for additional partitions that you wish to include in your '/etc/fstab'. The WinXP should be recognized and given to you as the line you wish to include in the fstab file.

You can always edit the '/etc/lilo.conf' file after the installation. Any changes you make will require you to run the 'lilo' command again as root.

AceofSpades19 · 12-27-2007, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mocqueanh

Okay, thank you. I have completed download 6 CDs and burned them.
Before install, i want to ask some more:

Do i just need 1 CD drive for install or 6 CD drives ? After finish CD1, Slackware will ask me CD 2 ? (i dont have DVD drive)

When install Slack, can i let it install LILO as simple, it will recognise my XP and add XP to LILO boot menu, or i have to choose the option expert of LILO and configure it manually ?

And each times i reinstall Win, i will have to restore LILO, is it easy ?

Slackware support delete/write files on NTFS partition ?

As someone posted above, you only need the first 2 cds, the third cd is extra stuff and the 4,5,6 cd are source

mocqueanh · 12-28-2007, 11:02 PM

I've install but have a problem

Before install Slackware, my PC is: Celeron 2.26, RAM 256

Xubuntu 7.1 and Win XP on PC

Win XP on hdb1(primary partition) , file system: NTFS, hdb5,6 is 2 partitions D, E of my Windows.(both FAT 32 file system)
Xubuntu on hdb7 (logical partition, yes, but i still get Xubuntu work with GRUB menu for dual boot).

I decide to install Slackware on Xubuntu partition (delete Xubuntu, use Slackware CD to format hdb7 as ext3). Put CD1 in tray, i type huge.s kernel image because Slackware say: if you have at least Pentium-Pro, choose huge.smp kernel (dont remember exactly the nam). Then Slackware boot, install with full option (Slackware say: it take 4.5 GB for full install).
At the end of installion(complete install CD1,2), i choose install LILO as simple option, then choose install to MBR
, but Slackware complain, cannot overwrite GRUB (or something like error when instal LILO, and tell me install LILO later by edit /etc/lilo.config , i dont remember exactly of this problem).
And i reboot my PC, and have GRUB error (of course, because GRUB still in MBR while Xubuntu has been deleted).

By the way, during install, Slackware require me install USB stick boot, but after it tell me finish, i test my USB in Puppy Linux live CD, the data of my USB before install stick boot is intact, the USB is FAT file system. => Slackware cant install boot onto my USB (Transcend 1 GB)

I install again, but have the same.

Then i boot from CD1, type the command:

Code:

huge.s root=/dev/hdb7 rdinit= ro

This code i searched from forum, and the orginal is bare.i at the first of line, but bare.i is the kernel image, so i replace bare.i by my choosen kernel(huge.s), after boot in a time, i have received a error:

Code:

VF: cant open root device hdb7 or unknow block (0,0)
Please append correct "root= " boot option
Kernel panic - not syncing: VFS: unable to mount root fs on unknow -block (0,0)

Reset my PC, boot from Hiren Boot, use Boot Magic tool of this CD to boot directly to Slackware, but only see the jcharacter like the command promt on my screen.

Reboot PC again and use Hiren Boot CD, convert the partition of Slackware from Logical partition to Primary partition. ( At this time, i see the partition of Slackware is used 3.6 GB, not 4.5 GB when Slackware said me full installion)

Now i use Slackware CD1, type huge.s to boot, then type setup, go to setup menu, I choose Reconfigure Linux system(at this time, Slackware notice my Slackware partition is now: hdb3 (after i convert it from Logical to Primary partition) ??, and reinstall LILO with the expert option and add Slackware and Win XP to LILO menu. This time, install successfully(overwrite GRUB).

Reboot computer, at the LILO menu, i boot to Slackware, but still problem, Slackware say: have error, please login as root to maintaince.

Please help me install Slackware

Nylex · 12-29-2007, 02:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mocqueanh

Reboot computer, at the LILO menu, i boot to Slackware, but still problem, Slackware say: have error, please login as root to maintaince.

Please post the exact error message.

onebuck · 12-29-2007, 09:03 AM

Hi,

You seem to be having problems with the partitioning of your hard disk partition along with knowing what kernel to use for the setup.

Did you read the Slackware 12.0 CHANGES_AND_HINTS.TXT, UPGRADE.TXT and RELEASE_NOTES?

Quote:

excerpt from CHANGES_AND_HINTS.TXT;

It is recommended that you use one of the generic kernels (either the plain
kernel-generic or kernel-generic-smp) for daily use. For most systems,
you should use the generic SMP kernel if it will run, even if your system
is not SMP-capable. Some newer hardware needs the local APIC enabled in
the SMP kernel, and theoretically there should not be a performance penalty
with using the SMP-capable kernel on a uniprocessor machine, as the SMP
kernel tests for this and makes necessary adjustments. Furthermore, the
kernel sources shipped with Slackware 12.0 are configured for SMP usage,
so you won't have to modify those to build external out-of-tree modules
(such as NVidia or ATI proprietary drivers) if you use the SMP kernel.

If you are using one of the non-SMP kernels (huge.s or generic.s) and need
to compile third-party modules (such as the proprietary NVidia driver),
have a look in /extra/linux-2.6.21.5-nosmp-sdk/ for information on what
is needed to build them.

As stated earlier, it is recommended that you use one of the generic kernels
rather than the huge kernels; the huge kernel is primarily intended as
an "installer" and "emergency" kernel in case you forget to make an initrd.
However, if you do use one of the huge kernels, you will likely encounter
errors like this:
kobject_add failed for uhci_hcd with -EEXIST, don't try to register
These occur because the respective drivers are compiled statically into the
huge kernels but udev tries to load them anyway. These errors should be safe
to ignore, but if you really don't want them to appear, you can blacklist the
modules that try to load in /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist. However, make sure you
remove them from the blacklist if you ever decide to use the (recommended)
generic kernels.

You should use the 'huge-smp' to boot the install if possible.

If you want to attempt to use the current install and the 'lilo' boot loader is just the problem. Then the easiest way would be to use the install cd1 to boot the system as if you were going to install.

After you get to the login then from the cli (command line);

Code:

~#mkdir /slacktemp                   #temporary mount point
~#mount /dev/your_device /slacktemp  #this is the device you installed to
~#chroot /slacktemp                  #change to yours
~#cd /slacktemp/etc                  #change to directory with lilo.conf 
~#vi lilo.conf                       #edit lilo.conf, if need be
~#lilo -v -t -b /dev/your_device     #sda, hda this will only test 
~#lilo -v -b /dev/your_device        #this will write MBR to your_device

When you edit the 'lilo.conf' file to include any additional stanza for windows, another Linux or whatever then you will need to re-run the 'lilo' command as illustrated above. If you follow the above and your original install was OK then you should now be able to re-boot your system.

In the future, please provide information about your kernel, system or any other relative information for your problem(s) since we are not looking over your shoulder. You are our eyes for your system therefore information must be provided. Any errors or messages can assist in the diagnosis of a problem.

If you continue to have problems with the cd install then you could use the 'lm-install-0.2.iso' do a 'ftp' install. The 'lm-install-0.2.iso' took about 2 Hrs over a 3.6M DSL for me.

BTW, you don't have to do a full install to get a operating system.

mocqueanh · 12-30-2007, 08:53 PM

OK, i have found the cause of my problem

Very simple: By default, LILO install on MBR of hda(Primary Master hard disk) while my hard disk on the Primary Slave (hdb). I replace hda by hdb and boot nomally to Slackware. Thank you.

But each times boot to Slack, it's command line mode default, i have to type: startx to go to GUI mode. Do you have way to boot to GUI mode default ?

And if i install LILO on Linux partition (not MBR), what wil happen ?

The last problem with Slack is: video files, after install. I try playing some video, but the audio of file work well, and video has problem. See my screen shot:

http://img165.imageshack.us/img165/1...apshot1et0.png

AceofSpades19 · 12-30-2007, 10:25 PM

to get x to launch on start up, as root type vim /etc/inittab and change the default run level to 4. Also I noticed you are using Gxine, Gxine is a really crappy video player and doesn't even play video on my rig half the time

onebuck · 12-31-2007, 08:47 AM

Hi,

Quote:

Originally Posted by mocqueanh

Very simple: By default, LILO install on MBR of hda(Primary Master hard disk) while my hard disk on the Primary Slave (hdb). I replace hda by hdb and boot nomally to Slackware. Thank you.

You write the 'lilo.conf' to your primary master of the ide(0) channel which is your boot device. A drive can be reconfigured to boot as primary master via the BIOS if the BIOS supports such. This is due to the boot loader action. When the system POST is performed then the boot order is set via the BIOS setup. Each device is polled until a boot init action is performed. This implementation allows the system to have alternate boot devices.

Most modern systems have a hot key to allow you too select the boot device therefore allow the user to select alternate devices.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mocqueanh

And if i install LILO on Linux partition (not MBR), what wil happen ?

You can write to the superblock. You will still need to have a means to boot the configuration. This is called 'chain loading'. If you are using 'grub', 'lilo' or whatever then you will have to include the new installation in a stanza within the initial loader.

As for the 'X' boot, look at the inittab;

Quote:

excerpt from '/etc/inittab';

:~# cat /etc/inittab |most
#
# inittab This file describes how the INIT process should set up
# the system in a certain run-level.
#
# Version: @(#)inittab 2.04 17/05/93 MvS
# 2.10 02/10/95 PV
# 3.00 02/06/1999 PV
# 4.00 04/10/2002 PV
#
# Author: Miquel van Smoorenburg, <miquels@drinkel.nl.mugnet.org>
# Modified by: Patrick J. Volkerding, <volkerdi@slackware.com>
#

# These are the default runlevels in Slackware:
# 0 = halt
# 1 = single user mode
# 2 = unused (but configured the same as runlevel 3)
# 3 = multiuser mode (default Slackware runlevel)
# 4 = X11 with KDM/GDM/XDM (session managers)
# 5 = unused (but configured the same as runlevel 3)
# 6 = reboot

# Default runlevel. (Do not set to 0 or 6)

Quote:

excerpt from 'man inittab';

INITTAB(5) Linux System Administrator's Manual INITTAB(5)

NAME
inittab - format of the inittab file used by the sysv-compatible init
process

DESCRIPTION
The inittab file describes which processes are started at bootup and
during normal operation (e.g. /etc/init.d/boot, /etc/init.d/rc, get-
tys...). Init(8) distinguishes multiple runlevels, each of which can
have its own set of processes that are started. Valid runlevels are
0-6 plus A, B, and C for ondemand entries. An entry in the inittab
file has the following format:

id:runlevels:action

rocess

Lines beginning with `#' are ignored.

id is a unique sequence of 1-4 characters which identifies an entry
in inittab (for versions of sysvinit compiled with the old libc5
(< 5.2.18) or a.out libraries the limit is 2 characters).

Note: traditionally, for getty and other login processes, the
value of the id field is kept the same as the suffix of the cor-
lines 1-26

BTW, if you do a search on LQ or Google for the questions you posted you will find loads of information!