Mepis doesn't find my hard drive.

ffadmraven, if you're trying to load to a laptop, I question that the hard drive uses a SCSI or SATA interface. Can you please give us specifics on your laptop (Brand, Model, RAM, CPU, stuff like that). Also, what version of Mepis are you trying to load and where did you get the CD from?

If Ubuntu loads, is it still loaded? If so, you can get some of your hardware info from there too.

Please post back more information and we can go from there.

Jon

Sorry, I took off Ubuntu. But I'm running an alienware area-51 m7700

P4 3ghz, 1gb ram, sound card is the 6ch intel, nvidia graphics card.

I do remember that Ubuntu showed my harddrive as sda, which is why I know it is scsi or sata. That and when I restore my windows, it loads a promise sata driver.

ffadmraven, thanks for the additional info. I went to Alienware's website to see what they would show. Most interesting (I'm not a game computer person)! Apparently it is possible to configure their laptop with a SATA drive.

As far as I know, SimplyMepis 3.4+ will install to SATA drives, but I don't use that version (the 3.3.1-1 version will not).

Did you perform an actual install of Ubuntu/Kubuntu? If so, that would allocate the space that you need and could use for Mepis.

Rather than using QTParted with the intent of "partitioning" your drive, how about just getting some info from the Live CD form of Mepis (the problem may be with QTParted). Start up the Live CD and then open a konsole (the little "s>" icon just to the right of the "K" menu). From there, do the command "cat /etc/fstab" to show what Mepis thinks it sees of your drive partitioning as it currently stands. It will not necessarily "mount" these partitions, but it will show what's "possible". Please post the results.

Hopefully, some of the other folks here who have had experience with the SATA drives and the latest version of Mepis will chime in too

Jon

I can confirm that Mepis 3.4-3 installs fine to a Sata 3.0 Gb/s drive, /dev/sda1 in my system. Qtparted on the CD picked up that drive plus two other ide drives. Only issue I had is that I could not boot to Grub in the mbr of the sata drive until I switched it to the 3rd sata connector on the motherboard. I had to initially boot it from a floppy, then from an ide drive. This is on an Epox 9NPA+ Ultra ATX motherboard.

Hi - I posted my attempt to grub-boot my sata drive after installing 3.4-3 successfully on a separate IDE (see post on Grub fails on SATA drive). Can you please share your experience on how you booted from floppy? I made a grub boot floppy but am unable to identify the correct (hdx,x) of linux root partition. I am rather hesitant to change any hardware or bios config, unless abs really necessary.

Rgds,
KianT

Thanks for the info on the version, I'll have to check and see which version I'm running for the liveCD. if it is 3.3, I'll see if I can pull down 3.4 (got the liveCD from a friend at work). I'll have to check the fstab when I get home from work.

edit: K, here is a copy of my /etc/fstab file for the liveCD(3.4.3)

# Static entries below, do not use 'users' option in this area
none /proc proc defaults 0 0
none /proc/bus/usb usbfs devmode=0666 0 0
none /sys sysfs defaults 0 0
none /dev/pts devpts mode=0622 0 0

# Dynamic entries below, identified by 'users' option
/dev/cloop0 /mnt/cloop0 auto noauto,users,exec 0 0

Hmm ffadmraven, your /etc/fstab does indeed show that you don't have any hard drives

I have not worked on any systems that have the SATA drives, so unfortunately I don't have any more ideas.

Awk, can you shed some light on this problem? Since it's a laptop there aren't as many opportunities to plug/unplug wires and switches and such. There may be some settings that can be made through the BIOS. Is it possible to get into your system's BIOS and check the boot order of the different disk drives? On most systems they are set to boot first from the hard drive, then CD or floppy. It is usually possible both to change the order as well as change the controller. Perhaps you can get more information on your system by looking in there?

Let us know what you find.

Jon

As far as my sata install, the Bios wouldn't boot off the sata drive no matter what setting I put in the Bios until I switched it to the third sata plug (the fact that Sata 3/4 always displayed before Sata 1/2 on Bios screens gave me this idea). Once I switched it over, it booted up just fine from Grub in it's MBR. My initial fix before I tried this was to boot up the 3.4-3 CD again and have the OScenter make a boot floppy. This floppy booted up the Sata install fine. My second fix was to edit the /boot/grub/menu.lst on a second IDE drive in the system that had grub installed and use that to boot the sata install, which also worked.

Kian, from your post at http://www.mepis.org/node/9442 , you had identified your Mepis root partition as (hd1,0), /dev/hdb1. Once grub has started, you should be able to drop down to the command line pressing 'Esc' and 'c' and try some grub commands there to verify how to boot the linux install, eg.

find /boot/grub/menu.lst
root (hd..,0)
cat /boot/grub/menu.lst
kernel /boot/vmlinuz... (press Tab)
boot

Check your /boot/grub/device.map for your Grub drive mappings.

Raven, do you have a /dev/sda? Check the output of:

ls /dev/sd?

If you don't have any devices, you could try making one, eg. for /dev/sda:

mknod /dev/sda b 8 0

Then, try:

fdisk /dev/sda
--press 'p'

Then you could try Qtparted again.

Hi awk,
Thks but did as you stated - Grub cannot find the kernel file whatever (hdx,y) I tried so cannot boot -eg kernel /boot/vmlinuz... or kernel (hdx,y)/boot/vmlinuz, returning "cannot mount partition". Windows doesnt like x and y not zeros but mapping to bluff it also fails (I believe /dev/sda2 is hd1,1). Strange that altho grub cannot find my linux partition on hdb1, grub can only boot on (hd1,0) like: rootnoverify (hd1,0) makeactive chainloader +1 boots windows OK on my grub floppy.
Im running out of ideas - even making a lilo floppy fails on PCLinuxOS

Rgds and still hoping...

KianT

Normally, the find command will search for the path+file you specify on all mountable partitions and give you a list of grub (hdx,y) devices that contain the file:

http://www.gnu.org/software/grub/manual/grub.html#find

That said, your install is confusing the heck out of me ... feels like Abbott and Costello ... If windows is booting off (hd1,0), then that appears to be the Sata drive at present, and the first partition of that would be an NTFS partition as you mentioned in your other post. So then, your Mepis /dev/hdb1 root would probably be either (hd0,0) or (hd2,0) to Grub. It seems likely that (hd0,0) would be /dev/hda1, in that case Mepis on /dev/hdb1 would be at (hd2,0). But the Grub find command should tell you this, eg.
Grub>find /boot/grub/stage1.

Did you try just booting up the Mepis 3.4-3 CD again and having OScenter make a boot floppy? I believe that's what I did.

Im sorry awk - my mistake - Windows boot only on (hd0,1) but linux on /dev/hdb1 doesnt boot at all on (hd0,0) - the screen just flashes with no response. Heres what I get on find:
grub> find /boot/grub/menu.lst
(fd0)
grub> root (hd0,0) found ext2 system
gurb> cat (hd0,0)/etc/fstab prints out the fstab table properly

Here are 2 grub floppies that failed to boot either linux (IDE hdb1) or XP (SATA sda2). The first made entirely from MEPIS Control is:
title MEPIS...
kernel (hd0,0)/boot/vmlinuz... root=/dev/hdb1 ...
title WindowsXP...
rootnoverify ,1) #BUG? changed to ...hd0,1) works for Windows
chainloader +1
makeactive AND the second floppy uses the map bluff:

title Windows XP
rootnoverify (hd1,1) (hd1,1 was formed by another Lilo install)
map (hd0) (hd1)
map (hd1) (hd0)
chainloader +1
makeactive
(Note* If I change to (hd0,1) windows will boot without remapping)
title LinuxOS
kernel (hd0,0)/boot/vmlinuz...
initrd (hd0,0)/boot/vmlinuz...

Both floppies failed to boot both partitions - screen flashes on selection. I do not believe recompiling the kernel for SATA support is the problem because the 3.4-3 LiveCD is already having this CONFIG for SATA otherwise it would not even see /dev/sda2

Has any one else suffers this comisery? Much appreciate help.
My hardware: DELL Optiplex GX620 Western Digital Caviar (XP) WDCWD800JD-75MSA1, IBM 10G-IDE DJNA-370910 (Linux). SATA Storage controller Intel 8280/1GB -27C0 and Ultra ATA Storage Controller -27DF

Best rgds,

KianT

Kian,

We probably should have moved this back over to your previous thread, since you're a step ahead of Raven in that at least you can see your Sata drive, so these problems may not be related. But it's a tad late now ... I'm wondering if you have a drive on hda (primary IDE) and what is the exact contents of your /boot/grub/device.map file? Also, have you tried using the CD to reinstall Grub to the MBR of /dev/sda? What you initially had with Grub written all over the screen on boot was pretty odd, it could be that it didn't install properly.

Alex

Thks Alex and how stupid I feel. Here's actually what happened:

Cold booting the grub floppy Bios can only see my 2 SATA partitions because grub edit THERE gives the following:
grub> root (hd0,0) -> Unknown partition type 0xde (sda1 Windows)
grub> root (hd0,1) -> Unknown partition type 0x7 (sda2 NTFS type 112)
grub> root (hdx,y) -> No partition found for any other x,y
When the Mepis LiveCD was booted CD drive at dev/hda, from there I get into grub:
grub> root (hd0,0) -> Journalized ext3 partition type 0x83(=131 hdb1)
grub> root (hd0,1) -> Unknown partition type 0x5(=80 hdb2??)
grub> root (hd1,0) -> Unknown partition type 0xde (sda1 Windows)
grub> root (hd1,1) -> Unknown partition type 0x7 (sda2 NTFS)
grub> root (hd0,4) -> Unknown partition type 0x82 (=130 swap hdb5)
grub> cat (hd0,0)/etc/fstab -> confirms all above
I did not state the 2 different grub conditions - sorry for the confusion. Here's what I can do:
1 Re-partition sda2(XP) another partition sda3 for linux
2 Get another SATA drive for linux partition (sdb?)
3 Reconfig Bios - and possibly trade off drive speeds, I heard
4 Challenge the Mepis developers for the next release - can software improve poor firmware? so that grub boot makes the Bios see the IDE drives the way the LiveCd does. Dell sells many SATA systems and a fix here will stop many newbies freaking out.
Btw I did not check /boot/grub/device.map on my HDinstall - actually switched to PCLinux later. I can try re-installing grub on sda2/MBR but I think that like Mepis-install with a screenful of GRUB on reboot it won't work - Bios will not see IDE drives. I even removed my IDE drive, fdisk /MBR and remounted a new one - same thing.

Thanks for the patience - I love forums it make fools of us and hopefully teach some. Best rgds,

KianT (sheepish Costello)

"If it ain't fixed don't break it"

Well, I guess that could be the connection to ffadmraven's issue: Bios and/or hardware setup. As Jon said for ffadmraven, I wonder what would happen if you switched your boot order in your Bios to make /dev/hdb boot as first hard drive. I also wonder if switching your IDE HD to /dev/hda (master on primary controller) and CD to /dev/hdb (slave) would allow it to be detected, or switching your IDE HD to /dev/hdc (master on secondary controller). Also, make sure the jumpers on those drives are configured correctly.

Hi - Im a bit hesitant to switch the bios now as suggested for fear of breaking something (The F12 key allows me to boot from USB devices though)
Now that that is clear how about other problems such as post http://www.mepis.org/node/9380#comment-33261 - for which I have no answer to this day: modprobe ndiswrapper hangs the system for some reason related to the windows partition?
I presume this belongs to some other thread but comes back to sata detection? I suspect so because my old IDE-based Data Mini works in Mepis (except browser crawls at 2Mps)
I hope it is not an anaconda we're pulling out!

KianT

I have only one problem with your suggestion awk, I have a laptop, therefore I can not change anything hardware wise, and as for the drive jumpers, if your harddrive is sata and your other drives are ide, the sata is SUPPOSED to be the primary, with the ide being secondary, but something is not working correctly. I will check and see if the hardrive can be jumpered, but I doubt it at the moment.

Oh, and I doo have an sda in /dev, but since it is not in my fstab, I can't fdisk it (says can't find device in fstab)

To ffadmraven and KianT:

I understand your hesitance to change anything in the BIOS. However, I would recommend at least booting into it and become familiar with the "stuff" that's there.

Most BIOS configurations allow you to quit without saving changes, so you can usually go in safely, check the different sub-menus and "see what you can see". I would recommend going into the BIOS and see what information exists as to the various hard drives and controllers. You will not be shown any information regarding the partitions but it should show you the hard drive controllers, order, and type, as well as the types of hard drives. Also, see if there's a way of "logically changing the jumpers". Yes, a laptop doesn't have as many options for "opening the case", but you may be able to effect the changes through the BIOS settings.

However, at this point, I'd recommend taking a peek but not changing anything, and posting what you find here. Whatayathink?

Jon

As far as I know, a drive doesn't have to be in /etc/fstab in order to be able to partition it. Make sure you specify the device, /dev/sda, not a partition like /dev/sda1. What happens if you just type, as root in konsole:

qtparted /dev/sda

This works in a standard install without the drive being in /etc/fstab.

ffadmraven, Alex, Jon

I finally found the simple solution to boot the IDE Linux HD on the SATA PC without rewiring or changing the Bios:
http://www.mepis.org/node/9442#comment-33520
I also realized ffadmraven, that you can check whether the Bios can see your sda devices at boot - for my Dell Desktop I use the F12 key and it shows which of my SATA /PATA drives are detected (in the order SATA-0, SATA-1, PATA0, etc). If it doesnt you can change the preference (if you are adventurous) - mine is a combination SATA/PATA - but I already have the solution...

Rgds to all!

KianT
PS- However cannot see my Windows XP on SATA drive

Glad you got it working booting from a USB drive, instead of the SATA or floppy drive. But I wonder if you could also boot everything off the IDE drive, installing Grub there, using F12 in the Bios to choose to boot off that drive.

You say you can't see your Sata drive when running Mepis on the IDE drive? Yet, the Mepis CD can see both the IDE and Sata drive? I have had an issue in Mepis 3.4-3 where often my system can't see my IDE zip100 drive partition on /dev/hda4, sometimes the device is there, sometimes it disappears, if I recreate it manually with "mknod /dev/hda4 b 3 4" I can access it. Seems like udev strangeness, sometimes I get persistent zip drive activity, if I kill udevd things return to normal. Also the drive can't be properly mounted/unmounted from desktop icon, I think people have talked about that. Still working on that one.

Hi awk
I guess they make each differently but my F12 on boot allows me only 4 choices: Floppy, Onboard SATA, Onboard CDROM or USB device. I guess it can be changed by selecting SATA/PATA combinations but I read somewhere that it may cause v slow speed access in SATA. Im afraid to do this as it might be irreversible.
MEPIS LiveCD sees every device (including IDE) but cold boot still sees only SATA partitions. But I did not install MEPIS on my IDE HD because of the modprobe ndiswrapper hang problem I posted earlier for which I have no answer today. So I installed PCLinuxOS instead (allows me to post here) which uses Lilo. So I had to create a boot partition in order to install Grub(0.97 version). The reason is that MkBootDisk uses GRUBBY on default cases and thus requires a menu.lst It worked (including my Siemens Gigaset 54 wireless USB adapter) but it brings up some other issues:
1. My installed fstab doesnt have a root (/) entry compared to LiveCD fstab. However I can still boot OK without any parameters.
2. USB devices map rather inconsistently: Eg In LiveCd zip mounts /dev/sdb4 while installed system mounts as /dev/sda4 but not intermittent as you described. The issue is that the WinXP sata drive has the same fstab entries:
/dev/sda2 mnt/win_c ntfs (primary) user,exec,ro,noauto,iocharset=iso8859-1,umask=0 0 0
But only LiveCD sees it. I wonder whether making auto be different??
Sometimes the zip drive goes on whirring but it is not persistent.

Hope these info helps with the next release.

KianT

There is a missing "/" character in that /etc/fstab line, maybe just a typo. If the folder /mnt/win_c exists, does the command

mount -t ntfs /dev/sda2 /mnt/win_c

show the ntfs partition in /mnt/win_c?

I seem to have fixed the persistent activity issue with my IDE zip100 by upgrading udev.

Alex, Raven,

root> mount -t ntfs /dev/sda2 /mnt/win_c
"mount: special device /dev/sda2 does not exist"
root> mknod /dev/sda b 8 0
"mknod: '/dev/sda': File exists"
root> fdisk /dev/sda
p-> /dev/sda * 1 96 98288 6 FAT16
My comment abt your 3rd cable is that you're probably changing from SATA master to the SATA slave and probably made your IDE the master drive. Right?
Rgds,
KianT

Yes, it seems like Mepis can't see your Sata drive. And I'm not sure what the FAT16 is about. You could try creating the partition device, though I'm not sure if it will do anything:

mknod /dev/sda2 b 8 2

I switched my Sata drive to the 3rd Sata port on the motherboard. It's on a separate cable and I don't think it's a slave of anything. I have 4 Sata ports, 2 IDE ports. On IDE (PATA) I have a zip drive (hda), a cdrom (hdb) and another hard drive (hdc). This is a home-built computer.

Hi,

root> mknod /dev/sda2 b 8 2
root> mount -t /dev/sda2 /mnt/win_c
-> "mount: /dev/sda2 is not a valid block device"

Im at the point of giving up and living in different countries of SATA and PATA.

Thanks for your patience greatest respect to the developers for a newer and better MEPIS release.

KianT