Re: trying to install
jh wrote:
> Hi. I have a few problems. I am trying to install debian on a 408mb hard
> drive. I also have a 345mb drive. I have tried every combination of jumper
> settings to get one to act as a master and one a slave. For some reason the
> computer (still in dos) does not recognize both drives. Does anyone have
> any suggestions?
>
> I decided to try installing debian just on the 408mb drive as the sole
> operating system. I managed to paw my way through cfdisk and everything was
> going ok till I got to the point where the kernel was to be copied to the
> hard drive. I was asked "choose the type of cd interface" or something
> similar. I was confronted with choices like /dev/scd0 and /dev/hda I tried
> every interface but the cdrom would not mount. The cdrom on my computer is
> connected to an interface card with 2 rca jacks out the back.
>
> This is my first install. Does anybody have any ideas for making the cdrom
> work. Or is there another way to install. I only have debian on cd. I am
> just a home user.
>
> Thanks for your time.
>
> Jeff
If the drives won't work in DOS, they won't work in Linux (even though Linux is in
most respects better, this is a hardware issue, not a software one). In my
experience, some drives don't like to be slaves, or don't like to have slaves. If
you're positive that you've got the jumpers set properly, you might suspect your
cable of being bad. However, I'd suspect a "picky" drive, as mentioned above. In such
a case, try setting both drives to master and putting them on separate controllers
(most systems have two IDE controller ports); this means you'll need a second cable.
Also, you might want to try one drive at a time in this machine, just to make sure
both drives work with the controller.
Concerning the CD-ROM, it is probably a proprietary drive, rather than the standard
IDE. In such a case, you'll have to figure out the manufacturer/model of the drive
(MUCH MUCH easier said than done in many cases), then you may have to get a custom
kernel built for that model. If you aren't a dirt-poor college student, you might
find it easier on your sanity to just go purchase a new $40 IDE drive and be done
with it.
Oh, wait a minute; you said you only have Debian on CD. So how are you getting the
install started? Are you booting off the CD? In which case, the kernel recognizes the
CD, so save your forty bucks. Try /dev/hdc. Generally /dev/hda refers to the first
device on the first IDE port (generally the first hard drive), /hdb to the second
device on the first IDE port, /hdc to the first device on the second IDE port, and
/hdd to the second device on the second IDE port. Generally a CD-ROM is the first
device on the second IDE port, so it'd be /dev/hdc.
Reply to: