(Another) Slack10.2 install on SATAII Help wanted

Satriani · 02-16-2006, 02:44 PM

Hi all,

Im getting a bit stuck here, and googling around only confuses me more...

I want to install Slackware 10.2 on my brand new PC:
Asus P5LD2
2xMatrox SATAII disks configured in BIOS as RAID0

I load the bootdisk with kernel sata.s
It then shows me that I do have SATA disks, and they both show in the messages. However, when i run fdisk, it cannot find any disks..

Is anyone so kind to help me with this step by step? The whole SATA thing is new to me, but im not a complete Linux Newbie.. (Although, when does one leave the status newbie??

I already have a windows installation on this machine, which I prefer not to destroy (By breaking my raid config)

Thanks to everyone who's willing to help me with it!!!

Satriani

gilead · 02-16-2006, 04:10 PM

What was the device you tried to access with fdisk? I have a Dell PC here with a SATA drive that gets recognised as /dev/hda if the BIOS is set to the old compatibility mode, but it's /dev/sda when the BIOS is set to normal SATA mode. Trying `cat /proc/partitions` may provide some info.

I'm not sure how the RAID config affects what you're doing though...

Satriani · 02-16-2006, 04:45 PM

Hi Gilead,

I loaded the sata.i kernel from the Slack10.2 installation disk

cat /proc/partitions gives me

Code:

major   minor   #blocks      name
  8       0     293057352    sda
  8       1      73103751    sda1
  8       2     102398310    sda2
  8       3     204796620    sda3
  8       4             1    sda4
  8      16     293057352    sdb

So it seems it sees my disks alright..
However, fdisk /dev/sda gives me the error "Unable to seek on /dev/sda"

Satriani · 02-16-2006, 04:55 PM

update: when I do a fdisk /dev/sda1 i can see partitions (with p)
the devices are named /dev/sda1p1 to sda1p4

However, it does not recognize any of them,
IDs are 72, 74, 65 and 0
(Unknown, Unknown, Novell Netware, Empty)

The disk is partioned already for WinXP, and there is still some free space left...

titopoquito · 02-16-2006, 04:56 PM

You will have to use /dev/sda1 (or one of the others) instead.

Satriani · 02-16-2006, 05:32 PM

I will try that tomorrow, i have to move some data and then I will try again...

headrift · 02-16-2006, 09:29 PM

First thing you'll want to figure out is if your RAID controller is a hardware or software solution. It looks like the RAID for your board is configured in system BIOS, so I'd guess it's a software RAID setup - I can't google up anything solid one way or the other on that, though.

If it's software/BIOS, you're in for a bunch of fun - I've been working on a similar problem with a Via 8237 SATA RAID 0 setup, existing win2k install, etc. If it does turn out to be software, post about it, and I'll come back with what I've learned about the topic.

Satriani · 02-18-2006, 07:25 AM

Thanks for helping me out! I am still stuck...
I have an ASUS P5LD2 mainboard, which has the intel ICH7, and I have the feeling thats the chipset responsible for the RAID config (Is it??)
Also, i think Intel Matrix Storage Manager has something to do with it...

In Intel Storage Manager on XP i find this information, hopefully it rings some bells:

Code:

Intel 82801GR/GH SATA Raid controller:
 Array 0:
   Volumes:
      MainRaid     (The Name i gave the raidset...)
        Raid-disks
            Maxtor 6V300F0
            Maxtor 6V300F0

As you see, I am trying hard to find information on how to do this, but my lack of knowledge prevents me from finding the correct information. (I run into the problem that I dont know if the stuff I am reading is relevant for my problem... Learning a lot though

)

headrift · 02-18-2006, 08:09 AM

Bad news - the ICH7 is software (fake) RAID.

That means you need dmraid, which requires device mapper, which needs a 2.6 kernel. Slackware's test2.6.s kernel has module support for device mapper, and I have a floppy-sized kernel with device mapper built in, but I can't get my USB flash drive working on test26.s, and mine can't load compressed floppies (finds the drive, has the correct fs built in, but won't decompress the image, grr) - so you can take your pick there. :-/

There are also proprietary drivers, but they're closed source. Good luck with 'em, I haven't messed with them.

Of course, provided you get dmraid installed, there's still getting lilo to work with it, which I haven't dealt with yet. Lilo does use a map to target the bootable partitions, so there is hope there. Maybe.

If you do want to get Slackware working on your setup, pm me or something. I found another person on the Ars Technica forums that's trying to do the same thing, so we might be able to collabarate.

Satriani · 02-18-2006, 09:30 AM

I have found a great walkthrough for Ubuntu (which I havent tested yet)... Since its Linux also, i figured, this might work on Slack also... So im trying to see if i can get Ubuntu to run on my pc, and if so, use that to create a slack-way of doin it...
(BTW: walktrough is on http://wiki.ubuntu.com/FakeRaidHowto )

I will keep trying to get Slack running, and if you have more info (or if i have, i will PM you (or you could pm me).
When we figure out a good howto, I think we should post it back here....

Satriani · 02-20-2006, 04:56 AM

Just for all of you who are fighting the same fight here: I have managed to install Linux Ubuntu on my SATA RAID0 disk, using the walktrough i mentioned above.

So, theres the proof of concept. Slack should be able to run in the same way I guess

headrift · 02-20-2006, 09:21 AM

Good to hear. Still fighting with root disk issues here.

If you want to install gentoo, there's a live cd on this page as well as a patch for lilo, and a script to make a dmraid initrd.

The gen2dmraid cd is no good for installing Slackware, but it should help with installing gentoo, or fdisking your array.