Installer unable to find SATA drive

[frank ross]

I was disappointed when I booted Core6 and it reported that it couldn't read partitions on my SATA drive. I spent a couple of days trying various updates for the sata_nv driver without success. This morning a bit of common sense struck: I booted in rescue mode, tried fdisk -l and all the partitions were readable. I mounted the partition where I want to install Fedora and was able to read and write to it!
I'm hoping that someone can tell me how to assign an installation partition that anaconda will recognize. Wiping the drive to start over is not an option since it already contains Windows, all my personal data and several Linux distros.

Thank you
Frank

[Seve]

I was disappointed when I booted Core6 and it reported that it couldn't read partitions on my SATA drive. I spent a couple of days trying various updates for the sata_nv driver without success. This morning a bit of common sense struck: I booted in rescue mode, tried fdisk -l and all the partitions were readable. I mounted the partition where I want to install Fedora and was able to read and write to it!
I'm hoping that someone can tell me how to assign an installation partition that anaconda will recognize. Wiping the drive to start over is not an option since it already contains Windows, all my personal data and several Linux distros.

Thank you
Frank
Hello:
It's not clear from your post [at least to me] ?
Are you unable to install Fedora ?
Or you have installed Fedora and cannot access the other partitions on your SATA drive ?

Seve

[frank ross]

Sorry about that. I am unable to install FC6 because the installer cannot read the partition table.

frank

[Seve]

Sorry about that. I am unable to install FC6 because the installer cannot read the partition table.

frank
Hello:
When you start the FC6 install does that mean that it cannot find a hard drive or is it when you get to the partition section of the install?
If your drive is attached to a software raid controller [whether active as raid or not] you can try to start the install by typing at the install boot prompt:
linux nodmraid
and see if that helps

Seve

[frank ross]

I'm afraid that "nodmraid" has no effect but it's a good suggestion- I hadn't considered the raid controller being a problem. A text mode installation ends with Core6 saying "the partition table was unreadable". At this point I can open a terminal (ctl-alt-f2) run fdisk -l, fsck, mount partitions on sda and even "chroot" to another Linux system-everything seems normal. I think this proves the sata-nv driver is OK and that the problem must be in the installation scripts but I have no idea what to do about it.

Thank you
frank

[Seve]

Hello:
Mmmm seems a little strange.
With the other OS's that you have installed are any of them not ext3 or ntfs.
For example reiserfs or jfs etc ?

Seve

[frank ross]

Hi Seve
Your right on the mark: I'm amazed that you thought of that without knowing any more about my box! The only file systems on the drive are reiserfs and FAT32 (for Linux compatibility).
Just today I discovered Fedora's preference for ext3 and I have formatted a target partition for it. I'll give it another try as soon as possible.

Thank you
frank

[Seve]

Hi Seve
Your right on the mark: I'm amazed that you thought of that without knowing any more about my box! The only file systems on the drive are reiserfs and FAT32 (for Linux compatibility).
Just today I discovered Fedora's preference for ext3 and I have formatted a target partition for it. I'll give it another try as soon as possible.

Thank you
frank
Hello Frank:
You may want to start your installation with typing the following command at the install prompt:
linux selinux=0 reiserfs

This should help the installer recognize the reiserfs file system and also allow you to use reiserfs instead of ext3, if you wish.

Seve

[frank ross]

Hi Seve
Still no go (re:linux selinux=0 reiserfs) and nothing else seems to be working so I decided to try brute force:

1/ I temporarily installed an IDE drive and installed FC6-no problems.
2/ cloned the install to an ext3 partition on my SATA drive and removed IDE drive.
3/ booted with FC6 CD in both install and rescue modes. I can mount the new FC6 partition before the installer tries to find "existing Fedora Installations" but it still can't find the FC6 installation-weird!
4/ booted with Mandriva-64 DVD; it immediately finds Fedora Core 6 and asks if I want repair or upgrade!
5/ My idea was to set the root partition for FC6 by editing fstab but FC6 doesn't seem to use that file. I can now chroot to an installed Core6, is there a practical way to make it recognize its' root partition and to make it bootable?

Thank you
frank

[Seve]

Hello Frank:
FC6 does have an /etc/fstab file which can be edited.
You may want to have a look at /etc/grub.conf
and see what if anything is there and add it to your current bootloader .... mandriva's or whatever you are using and see if you can get anywhere?
Hope this helps somewhat ..... ?

Seve

[frank ross]

I'm sorry that I wasn't very clear. It seems that FC6 doesn't use fstab to assign the root partition. I've been able to start FC6 booting from grub but it quits with the message: "mount:could not find filesystem 'dev/root'...... setuproot: /dev failed: no such file or directory............kernel panic-not syncing"
I suspect it's probably caused by a single entry in a startup file pointing to hda instead of the new partition on sda but I don't know what file to edit
.
thank you
frank

[Seve]

Hello Frank:
Did you use any special boot line parameters to install? If so, you may have to add them to your kernel boot line in grub.

Did you use lvm or a custom partition?

Also, you may want to check you /boot and see if you have and initrd image for the installed kernel ?
If it is not there for some reason you can create and install one with the mkinitrd /boot/initrd-2.6-xxx---xxx---.img 2.6-xxx---xxx----
see the man page for mkinitrd

As well , you can have a peek at the /lib/modules to see if it matches up.

Seve

[fopetesl]

I have exactly the same problem.

Installer cannot see SATA drive but in VC2:sh-3.1# fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 250.0 GB, 250059350016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30401 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 638 5124703+ b W95 FAT32
/dev/sda2 639 4709 32700307+ c W95 FAT32 (LBA)
/dev/sda3 4710 30401 206370990 f W95 EXT'D (LBA)
/dev/sda4 7260 9809 20482871+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda5 4710 7259 20482843+ b W95 FAT32
/dev/sda6 9810 10071 2104483+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda7 10072 12621 20482843+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda8 12622 30401 142817818+ 83 Linux
sh-3.1#

Have read the previous posts but as a Newbie they don't (yet) seem relevant :confused:

BTW the previous installation was Mandriva 2007 and it won't even see the SATA at all.
I'd like to keep at least my /home partition: /dev/sda8

[leigh123@linux]

I have exactly the same problem.

Installer cannot see SATA drive but in VC2:sh-3.1# fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 250.0 GB, 250059350016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30401 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 638 5124703+ b W95 FAT32
/dev/sda2 639 4709 32700307+ c W95 FAT32 (LBA)
/dev/sda3 4710 30401 206370990 f W95 EXT'D (LBA)
/dev/sda4 7260 9809 20482871+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda5 4710 7259 20482843+ b W95 FAT32
/dev/sda6 9810 10071 2104483+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda7 10072 12621 20482843+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda8 12622 30401 142817818+ 83 Linux
sh-3.1#

Have read the previous posts but as a Newbie they don't (yet) seem relevant :confused:

BTW the previous installation was Mandriva 2007 and it won't even see the SATA at all.
I'd like to keep at least my /home partition: /dev/sda8

why dont you buy a supported pci sata card?

[fopetesl]

Ummm. Since the FC6 kernel does see the SATA drive and the Installer doesn't how could I be sure that I won't have the same problem?

Which "pci sata" cards are supported?

[frank ross]

Hi Seve
I just let anaconda do the default install, it seemed to detect all my hardware and after reboot had excellent display resolution,sound,network etc. I copied the Fedora's grub command and added it to my menu.1st I added the Fedora partition using fdisk from a console in FC6; essentially FC6 wrote the partition table that the installer can't read! I'll work through your suggestions when I have time to reboot.
It seems that fopetesl not only has the same problem he may also have that same drive- his results for "fdisk -l" are identical to mine. I have a Samsung ST3250620AS; I wonder if this is just an issue with that drive?
It doesn't seem necessary to buy a sata card when FC6 can mount R/W all the partitions on my drive, It's only the installer that fails to find the drive.

Thank you
Frank

[fopetesl]

Hi Seve, frank. No my drive is a Seagate, (can't see the exact model without pulling the hardware), so it's nothing to do with specific manufacturer(?)

I have just about run out of time to sort this problem and I can't afford the time or £££s to follow up leigh123's suggestion. :rolleyes:

FYI - Konppix 5.1.1 sees my drive and all it's partitions. Pity it wants to over write my /boot partition even if it will preserve my /home! :eek:

[leigh123@linux]

Hi Seve, frank. No my drive is a Seagate, (can't see the exact model without pulling the hardware), so it's nothing to do with specific manufacturer(?)

I have just about run out of time to sort this problem and I can't afford the time or £££s to follow up leigh123's suggestion. :rolleyes:

FYI - Konppix 5.1.1 sees my drive and all it's partitions. Pity it wants to over write my /boot partition even if it will preserve my /home! :eek:


heres a link for supported sata chips , a pci sata card costs around £10 -15 or $15 -20

http://linuxmafia.com/faq/Hardware/sata.html

[frank ross]

Well, no luck. I guess I'll have to try some hardware changes when I have the time. My unresolved issues are the inability of the installer to find the drive even when it's already mounted and the surprising difficulty in moving an installed Fedora to a different partition. Thanks to Seve and the other helpful people.

frank

[fopetesl]

Well, no luck. I guess I'll have to try some hardware changes when I have the time. My unresolved issues are the inability of the installer to find the drive even when it's already mounted and the surprising difficulty in moving an installed Fedora to a different partition. Thanks to Seve and the other helpful people.

frankYou probably won't like it. However for me it works :)
Mandriva 2007 + http://forums.viaarena.com/messageview.aspx?catid=28&threadid=75362&enterthread=y

frank: if you can patch this to work with FC6 ... let us know!

Sigh .. it would have been nice to get FC6 working :cool:

[frank ross]

Hi fopetesl
The funny thing about your link is that Mandriva 2007 is the only 64 bit Linux that installs effortlessly on my box-good thing since the directions for building a driverdisk look terrifying!
I've experimented with creating new partitions using fdisk,cfdisk and diskdrake in hopes that the partition table would become visible to FC6. I've also learned how to unzip and edit "initrd" to make the FC6 partition usable but I still can't get Fedora to play.

Thanks
frank

[fopetesl]

Wait a while then ..Hi fopetesl
The funny thing about your link is that Mandriva 2007 is the only 64 bit Linux that installs effortlessly on my box-good thing since the directions for building a driverdisk look terrifying!
I've experimented with creating new partitions using fdisk,cfdisk and diskdrake in hopes that the partition table would become visible to FC6. I've also learned how to unzip and edit "initrd" to make the FC6 partition usable but I still can't get Fedora to play.

Thanks
frank .. since it appears we need kernel 2.6.20 with the 'correct' SATA driver.


FC7 then? :rolleyes:

[pajout]

MB Asus M2N-PV, nForce 430, nvidia (hw:)raid->2xSATA mirrored

I have installed FC6 to NEW, not previously partitioned harddisks, and IT WORKED SMOOTHLY with kernel 2.6.18, the result was
hd0,0 ... boot partition, ext3
hd0,1 ... root partition, ext3
hd0,2 ... swap
,grub on mbr, very common installation. Now I decided to do clean reinstallation, but without partitioning. I have the same problems as you described.

Just one point I forgot - if I set some special parameters when firstly installed it...

[pajout]

I have tried to use nodmraid option when installing. Though sata_nv is loaded early, it is wrong choice - two disks appears, sda and sdb, and no mapper/nvidia_hfdifffa (which nick is hd0).

Additionally, I have F7 on hd0,4-5 which have identical problem. It does not seem that kernel >= 2.6.20 solves it :( I spent some time strolling through various websites. Somebody suspected bug around mkinitrd...

[LisaMontero]

I downloaded the Fedora7 KDE Live x64 version and burned a DVD. I put it in my newly built box, booted from the DVD and after some time it goes to a black screen with a root # prompt
and just before this it says:

---------------------------------------------------
WARNING: Cannot find the root file system!
---------------------------------------------------

Create symlink /dev/root and then exit this shell to continue
the boot sequence.

bash: no job control in this shell
bash-3.2#


---
It was my assumption that I would be able to install Fedora7 KDE to an unformatted, unpartitioned disk (brand new).

This was what I was led to believe. What am I doing wrong or what have I wrongly assumed?

thanks


Lisa M

[pajout]

Definitely, I have successfully reinstaled FC6, forcing new partitioning. I think there is a bug somewhere near by partitioning-formatting-labeling-mkinitrd-grubconfiguring-rootfirstmounting. Nvidia sata raid can play some role, but it works fine once installation successfully done.