SATA and debian

[Juan Piñeros <pinerosgarcet@geru.ucl.ac.be>]

Dear all,

I just wanted to post to you an information about how I managed to install 
debian/testing (netinstall) with 2.6.12 kernel, without recompiling it.

The problem: I have a sata disk (ibm thinkpad R52). If you follow the normal 
installation, it will not work because the disk or the cd drive will not be 
recognized.

Solution in short: load your ide* modules before the ata_piix module, by using 
an initrd

Solution details:
- boot in expert mode for installation
- disable the ata_piix module, this will allow you to have your cd driver 
recognized
- after some menus, debian installer will ask you again if ata_piix module 
must be enabled. Say yes this time. Your sata disk is now working.
- finish the installation and reboot
- now your cd drive is not working
- change your /etc/mkinitrd/modules files (put there the ide* modules 
necessary for your cd drive)
- run mkinitrd command to rebuild your initrd
- remove the ide* modules from /etc/modules
- reboot, now both cd and disk are ok.

Juan.