Re: Newbie first-time install advice: Highpoint Rocket 133SB
Paul E Condon wrote:
>
> I joined this thread late. Now I have a better idea of what you need.
> You want to preserve Windows on the old smaller drive. To do this remove the
> old drive while you work at gettind Debian up and running on new drive.
> Pretend everything is going to work, it probably will. Don't worry about
> special drivers. Maybe the special drivers are already in place.
I have a few days yet before I can even attempt my Debian install.
(Still backing up old drive.) Last night, another helpful responder
showed me some source code from kernel 2.6.0b5 that looks like there is
support for my IDE controller after all. Since I have some time, I
emailed the manufacturer and I am going to do a bit more looking into it
myself. In short, it looks like you are right about it probably being
in place... as long as I use a kernel that is new enough.
> Connect you big new drive as 'master'. Your old small drive was
> 'master', but you have removed it. Your computer won't boot without a
> 'master' drive even if it is empty.
The big drive requires some special installation steps and utils,
which I have obtained from that manufacturer. Another user, with a
similar drive, responded last night and confirmed that following those
steps works without a hitch. Performing that part of the process is
pretty clear for me.
> Use the Sarge net-install CD. You should be able to boot from it, since
> boot from CD does not access HD.
>
> Read intro carefully. There is an 'expert' mode. You are not an expert
> but you should know that it is there. If you ask for help, you may be
> told the answer to give to a question that you have no recollection of
> ever having seen. This is because the person giving help assumes that
> you are using expert mode, and surely saw the screen to which he
> refers.
>
> First time through, you should just go with whatever the install
> program suggests. Don't worry about HD partitioning, etc. Just see if
> it works. Use grub. It is what the install prefers. Don't try to pick up
> bits and pieces of code from outside Debian. Just see what happens.
>
> If it works, you know you have no serious problems with a 'real'
> install in which you partition HD as you want, reconnect the old HD,
> dual boot Windows, etc.
>
> And if it doesn't work, you have really specific questions to ask and
> error messages to report here.
I agree. None of us knows how it will work for me until I actually
try it. Your advice about just trying a simple install to see if it
works, skipping expert mode, is well-taken.
I posted the original thread hoping to hear from one or more folks who
faced a similar situation -- using the same IDE controller, or having
used Sarge netinst over an SBC DSL connection. Those folks would have
first-hand knowledge about issues they faced (if there even were any
problems at all) in trying to install Debian.
Thanks for your advice and responses just the same!
Dave W.
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