Who done it? Dell, GParted or me?

lynnevan · 04-09-2008, 12:29 AM

I knew I would be using someone elses computer for a while, so when I came I brought a partitioned and formatted usb drive - used GParted Live CD - no label attached to partitions - never touched except by GParted.

When I got here I installed fedora 8. Fedora decided the usb drive was sda and the original ide drive was sdb. I thought I screwed up installing fedora so installed opensuse 10.3 more carefully. Same result:
From suse's /dev/disk/by-path:

lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 9 Apr 8 18:19 pci-0000:00:1d.7-usb-0:3:1.0-scsi-0:0:0:0 -> ../../sda
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 Apr 8 18:19 pci-0000:00:1d.7-usb-0:3:1.0-scsi-0:0:0:0-part1 -> ../../sda1
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 Apr 8 18:19 pci-0000:00:1d.7-usb-0:3:1.0-scsi-0:0:0:0-part2 -> ../../sda2
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 Apr 8 18:19 pci-0000:00:1d.7-usb-0:3:1.0-scsi-0:0:0:0-part3 -> ../../sda3
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 Apr 8 18:19 pci-0000:00:1d.7-usb-0:3:1.0-scsi-0:0:0:0-part4 -> ../../sda4
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 Apr 8 18:19 pci-0000:00:1d.7-usb-0:3:1.0-scsi-0:0:0:0-part5 -> ../../sda5
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 Apr 8 18:19 pci-0000:00:1d.7-usb-0:3:1.0-scsi-0:0:0:0-part6 -> ../../sda6
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 Apr 8 18:19 pci-0000:00:1d.7-usb-0:3:1.0-scsi-0:0:0:0-part7 -> ../../sda7
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 9 Apr 8 18:19 pci-0000:00:1f.1-scsi-0:0:0:0 -> ../../sdb
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 Apr 8 18:19 pci-0000:00:1f.1-scsi-0:0:0:0-part1 -> ../../sdb1
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 Apr 8 18:19 pci-0000:00:1f.1-scsi-0:0:0:0-part2 -> ../../sdb2
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 9 Apr 8 18:19 pci-0000:00:1f.1-scsi-1:0:0:0 -> ../../sr0
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 9 Apr 8 18:19 pci-0000:00:1f.1-scsi-1:0:1:0 -> ../../sr1

and this:

sfdisk -l
Disk /dev/sda: 14593 cylinders, 255 heads, 63 sectors/track
Units = cylinders of 8225280 bytes, blocks of 1024 bytes, counting from 0

Device Boot Start End #cyls #blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 0+ 2549 2550- 20482874+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 2550 5099 2550 20482875 83 Linux
/dev/sda3 5100 7649 2550 20482875 83 Linux
/dev/sda4 7650 14592 6943 55769647+ 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 7650+ 7779 130- 1044224+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda6 7780+ 10329 2550- 20482874+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda7 10330+ 14592 4263- 34242547 7 HPFS/NTFS

Disk /dev/sdb: 4865 cylinders, 255 heads, 63 sectors/track
Units = cylinders of 8225280 bytes, blocks of 1024 bytes, counting from 0

Device Boot Start End #cyls #blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 0+ 3 4- 32098+ de Dell Utility
/dev/sdb2 * 4 4861 4858 39021885 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sdb3 0 - 0 0 0 Empty
/dev/sdb4 0 - 0 0 0 Empty

Fortunately GRUB got it right - /boot/grub/device.map:
(hd0) /dev/sda
(hd1) /dev/sdb

So I'm planning on installing ubuntu. I'd like to get it right this time.

Any suggestions, clues, hints, criticisms, links, or question would be welcome.

Thanks in advance, lynnevan

lynnevan · 04-09-2008, 12:40 AM

quick addition:
Everything from lshw, hwconf, to fdisk to /dev/disk has the device order backwards - all but grub - strange?

syg00 · 04-09-2008, 01:19 AM

What makes you say grub is any different to the rest of them ???.
Get into grub (CLI, as root) and try this

Code:

geometry (hd0)
geometry (hd1)

ronlau9 · 04-09-2008, 02:01 AM

Just one question when you where installing with drive was set in you,re BIOS option as the first boot drive ?

All the best

lynnevan · 04-09-2008, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by syg00

What makes you say grub is any different to the rest of them ???.
Get into grub (CLI, as root) and try this

Code:

geometry (hd0)
geometry (hd1)

I told you this was confusing, or I should have.
Note: GParted sees (hd0) as hda, (hd1) as sda
used version 0.3.1
>>>>>>>>>>Correct!!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>From command line during boot "option c"

Quote:

grub> geometry (hd0)
drive 0x80: C/H/S = 1023/255/63, number of sectors = 78125000, LBA
Partition num: 0, Filesystem type unknown, partition type 0xde
Partition num: 1, Filesystem type unknown, partition type 0x7

grub> geometry (hd1)
drive 0x81: C/H/S = 234441648, LBA
Partition num: 0, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
Partition num: 1, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
Partition num: 2, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
Partition num: 4, Filesystem type unknown, partition type 0x82
Partition num: 5, Filesystem type unknown, partition type 0x7
Partition num: 6, Filesystem type unknown, partition type 0x7
===============================================================

from /root/anaconda-ks.cfg >>>>>>>>>>This is correct!!
[QUOTE]# Kickstart file automatically generated by anaconda.

install
lang en_US.UTF-8
keyboard us
xconfig --startxonboot
network --device eth0 --bootproto dhcp
rootpw --iscrypted $1$sQBVbssf$QApPpXuuKc6kFAIs42Bem.
firewall --enabled --port=22:tcp
authconfig --enableshadow --enablemd5
selinux --enforcing
timezone America/Chicago
bootloader --location=mbr --driveorder=sda,sdb --append="rhgb quiet"
# The following is the partition information you requested
# Note that any partitions you deleted are not expressed
# here so unless you clear all partitions first, this is
# not guaranteed to work
#clearpart --linux --drives=sdb
#part / --fstype ext3 --onpart sdb1
#part swap --onpart sdb5
==============/boot/grub=================================
[root@fed8 grub]# cat device.map >>>>>>>>>>>>Correct!!
# this device map was generated by anaconda
(hd0) /dev/sda
(hd1) /dev/sdb[\QUOTE]

Then, once I'm up and running in Fedora or Suse:

Quote:

>>>>>>>>>From gnome-terminal window:>>>>>>WRONG!!
grub> geometry (hd0)
drive 0x80: C/H/S = 14593/255/63, The number of sectors = 234441648, /dev/sda
Partition num: 0, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
Partition num: 1, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
Partition num: 2, Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
Partition num: 4, Filesystem type unknown, partition type 0x82
Partition num: 5, Filesystem type unknown, partition type 0x7
Partition num: 6, Filesystem type unknown, partition type 0x7

grub> geometry (hd1)
drive 0x81: C/H/S = 4863/255/63, The number of sectors = 78125000, /dev/sdb
Partition num: 0, Filesystem type unknown, partition type 0xde
Partition num: 1, Filesystem type unknown, partition type 0x7
==================================================================
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>from gnome-terminal

grub> cat (hd0,0)/boot/grub/grub.conf>>>>>>>>CATING WRONG DRIVE/PARTITION
but the grub.conf/menu.lst gets it right!!
# all kernel and initrd paths are relative to /, eg.
# root (hd1,0)
# kernel /boot/vmlinuz-version ro root=/dev/sdb1
# initrd /boot/initrd-version.img
#boot=/dev/sda
default=0
timeout=15
splashimage=(hd1,0)/boot/grub/splash.xpm.gz
#hiddenmenu
title Windoz
rootnoverify (hd0,1)
chainloader +1
title Fedora (2.6.24.4-64.fc8)
root (hd1,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24.4-64.fc8 ro root=LABEL=fed8 rhgb quiet
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.24.4-64.fc8.img
title Fedora (2.6.24.3-50.fc8)
root (hd1,0)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.24.3-50.fc8 ro root=LABEL=fed8 rhgb quiet
initrd /boot/initrd-2.6.24.3-50.fc8.img
title openSUSE 10.3 - 2.6.22.17-0.1
root (hd1,1)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-default root=/dev/disk/by-id/usb-Initio_ST3120026A_0010100500030OM2-0:0-part2 vga=0x305 resume=/dev/sdb5 splash=
silent showopts
initrd /boot/initrd-default
title Failsafe -- openSUSE 10.3 - 2.6.22.17-0.1
root (hd1,1)
kernel /boot/vmlinuz-default root=/dev/disk/by-id/usb-Initio_ST3120026A_0010100500030OM2-0:0-part2 vga=normal showopts ide=nodma apm
=off acpi=off noresume nosmp noapic maxcpus=0 edd=off 3
initrd /boot/initrd-default
title Debug -- openSUSE 10.3 - 2.6.22.17-0.1
kernel (hd1,1)/boot/vmlinuz-debug root=/dev/disk/by-id/usb-Initio_ST3120026A_0010100500030OM2-0:0-part2 vga=0x305 resume=/dev/sdb5 sp
lash=silent showopts
initrd (hd1,1)/boot/initrd-debug

----------------------------------------------------
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>from lshw

Quote:

class: HD
bus: USB
detached: 0
driver: usb-storage
desc: "Initio ST3120026A"
usbclass: 8
usbsubclass: 6
usbprotocol: 80
usbbus: 1
usblevel: 1
usbport: 1
usbdev: 2
vendorId: 13fd
deviceId: 0540
usbmfr: Initio
usbprod: ST3120026A
-
class: HD
bus: SCSI
detached: 0
device: sda
desc: "Initio ST3120026A"
host: 0
id: 0
channel: 0
lun: 0
-
class: HD
bus: SCSI
detached: 0
device: sdb
desc: "ATA WDC WD400BB-75DE"
host: 1
id: 0
channel: 0

from dmesg

Quote:

SCSI subsystem initialized
Driver 'sd' needs updating - please use bus_type methods
Initializing USB Mass Storage driver...
scsi0 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
usb-storage: device found at 2
usb-storage: waiting for device to settle before scanning
usb 4-2: new full speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 2
usb 4-2: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
usbcore: registered new interface driver usb-storage
USB Mass Storage support registered.
usb-storage: device scan complete
scsi 0:0:0:0: Direct-Access Initio ST3120026A 0.43 PQ: 0 ANSI: 0
sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] 234441648 512-byte hardware sectors (120034 MB)
sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] Write Protect is off
sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] Mode Sense: 86 0b 00 02
sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] Assuming drive cache: write through
sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] 234441648 512-byte hardware sectors (120034 MB)
sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] Write Protect is off
sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] Mode Sense: 86 0b 00 02
sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] Assuming drive cache: write through
sda: sda1 sda2 sda3 sda4 < sda5 sda6 sda7 >
sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] Attached SCSI disk
-------------------------------------------------
scsi 1:0:0:0: Direct-Access ATA WDC WD400BB-75DE 05.0 PQ: 0 ANSI: 5
sd 1:0:0:0: [sdb] 78125000 512-byte hardware sectors (40000 MB)
sd 1:0:0:0: [sdb] Write Protect is off
sd 1:0:0:0: [sdb] Mode Sense: 00 3a 00 00
sd 1:0:0:0: [sdb] Write cache: enabled, read cache: enabled, doesn't support DPO or FUA
sd 1:0:0:0: [sdb] 78125000 512-byte hardware sectors (40000 MB)
sd 1:0:0:0: [sdb] Write Protect is off
sd 1:0:0:0: [sdb] Mode Sense: 00 3a 00 00
sd 1:0:0:0: [sdb] Write cache: enabled, read cache: enabled, doesn't support DPO or FUA
sdb: sdb1 sdb2
sd 1:0:0:0: [sdb] Attached SCSI disk
sd 1:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg1 type 0
----------------------------------------------------
EXT3 FS on sda1, internal journal
Adding 1044216k swap on /dev/sda5. Priority:-1 extents:1 across:1044216k

EXT3 FS on sda3, internal journal
EXT3-fs: mounted filesystem with ordered data mode.
kjournald starting. Commit interval 5 seconds
EXT3 FS on sda2, internal journal
EXT3-fs: mounted filesystem with ordered data mode.

cd /dev/disk/by-id

Quote:

lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 9 2008-04-09 19:47 ata-WDC_WD400BB-75DEA0_WD-WMAD1A175839 -> ../../sdb
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 2008-04-09 19:47 ata-WDC_WD400BB-75DEA0_WD-WMAD1A175839-part1 -> ../../sdb1
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 2008-04-09 19:47 ata-WDC_WD400BB-75DEA0_WD-WMAD1A175839-part2 -> ../../sdb2
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 9 2008-04-09 19:47 scsi-SATA_WDC_WD400BB-75DWD-WMAD1A175839 -> ../../sdb
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 2008-04-09 19:47 scsi-SATA_WDC_WD400BB-75DWD-WMAD1A175839-part1 -> ../../sdb1
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 2008-04-09 19:47 scsi-SATA_WDC_WD400BB-75DWD-WMAD1A175839-part2 -> ../../sdb2
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 9 2008-04-09 19:47 usb-Initio_ST3120026A_0010100500030OM2-0:0 -> ../../sda
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 2008-04-09 19:47 usb-Initio_ST3120026A_0010100500030OM2-0:0-part1 -> ../../sda1
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 2008-04-09 19:47 usb-Initio_ST3120026A_0010100500030OM2-0:0-part2 -> ../../sda2
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 2008-04-09 19:47 usb-Initio_ST3120026A_0010100500030OM2-0:0-part3 -> ../../sda3
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 2008-04-09 19:47 usb-Initio_ST3120026A_0010100500030OM2-0:0-part4 -> ../../sda4
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 2008-04-09 19:47 usb-Initio_ST3120026A_0010100500030OM2-0:0-part5 -> ../../sda5
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 2008-04-09 19:47 usb-Initio_ST3120026A_0010100500030OM2-0:0-part6 -> ../../sda6
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 2008-04-09 19:47 usb-Initio_ST3120026A_0010100500030OM2-0:0-part7 -> ../../sda7
-----------------------/dev/disk/by-label-----------------------------
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 2008-04-09 19:47 DellUtility -> ../../sdb1
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 2008-04-09 19:47 Disk\x200 -> ../../sdb2
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 2008-04-09 19:47 ext3-3 -> ../../sda3
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 2008-04-09 19:47 fed8 -> ../../sda1
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 2008-04-09 19:47 hd1-6 -> ../../sda6
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 2008-04-09 19:47 hd1-7 -> ../../sda7
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 2008-04-09 19:47 suse -> ../../sda2
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 10 2008-04-09 19:47 SWAP-sdb5 -> ../../sda5

------------------------------------------------------------------
TO ronlau9:
In the bios under Drive Configuration:
Diskette .......... Drive A
Primary Master..... HardDrive
Primary Slave ..... OFF
under HardDrive Sequence:
1. System bios boot devices
2. USB device
under Boot Sequence:
1. Diskette
2. IDE CD-Rom
3. HardDrive Drive C

I was tempted to put USB device first, to see if it would boot off pendrives, which it won't do now, but so far USB has been the second choice.
I just now notices that Primary Slave is off. Wonder what would happen if I set it to "auto". Do jumpers on a usb drive make any difference to master/slave status?

So, GRUB works from the console, but it's as confused as anybody else, once the OS is loaded.
A while ago, while I was running from the GPartd CD, I ran sfdisk -l. It got the drive order correct. Tried to copy it to somewhere, but couldn't.

I'm thinking about swapping HardDrive Sequence order and setting Primary Slave to Auto and checking the jumper on the usb drive. Don't know if that would do anything since the usb drive doesn't have any partitions flagged 'boot'. Re setting Primary Slave to 'auto', will it see the usb drive as a slave? Don't think so. Do jumpers in a usb drive make any difference? Don't thinks so.

BTW, the Dell hard drive is jumperd as Cable Select. I changed it to Master once and then it couldn't find Hard Drive 0. Dell really rocks.........

Anyway, I imagine your eyes are glazing about now. Any other comments, ideas, questions definitely appreciated.

thanks, lynnevan

syg00 · 04-10-2008, 06:35 AM

This is the result of the libata change that now assigns P-ATA (IDE) drives in the SCSI namespace.
Basically the distro devs can't get their collective heads around the fact people may have a mix of drives. Ubuntu royally screwed this with gutsy - I opened a bug during the beta (yes gutsy, not the current hardy beta). Never did get a decent answer. They blamed the libata change when they hadn't bothered rethinking their udev rules.

If you go to Ubuntu, you may be worse off - I still have one machine that I have to adjust at the boot menu to get Ubuntu to come up. Archlinux on the same box is fine.

lynnevan · 04-10-2008, 03:13 PM

Yeah, I filed a bug report w/ Fedora the first time they labeled all drives starting w/ drive 0 as scsi. All I had were 2 IDE drives. The reply was that all drives were basically scsi and it wasn't a bug.

I've got ubuntu (7.04 upgraded to 7.10) at home one of my machines on the second IDE drive. I believe it labels all drives in scsi order too. I don't know what it would do if I tried installing it on a usb drive though. Replaced Slack w/ Archlinux (love it) and it's also on the same second IDE drive as ubuntu and also uses scsi ordering. No problems w/ either one.

Mandriva2008 still mixes hda,hdb,sda,sdb,etc. Maybe if I install Mandriva it will come out right.

I still think it's a Dell glitch though.

This is basically a throw away situation. When I get back home, this drive will be sdc to all but Mandriva,

Actually I suppose I ought to spend my time trying out OSs I haven't used before.

Thanks or the time and comments. Any further thought are very welcome.

lynnevan