Re: Hrdware question
On Wed 15 Aug 2018 at 21:08:50 (+0200), john doe wrote:
> On 8/15/2018 7:19 PM, Stephen P. Molnar wrote:
> >
> >
> >On 08/11/2018 04:50 PM, David Christensen wrote:
> >>On 08/11/2018 08:19 AM, Stephen P. Molnar wrote:
> >>>I am running Debian Stretch on my 64bit Linux platform.
> >>>
> >>>I am planning on installing a 500B SSD as the boot HD and have
> >>>a question about the SATA connectors on the ASUS M5A97 R2.0
> >>>MB.
> >>>
> >>>I have what I thought was a simple question, but Google has
> >>>not been a friend to me. What I found via that route was that
> >>>the 6 SATA ports are the same. Should the boot drive be
> >>>plugged into SATA8G_1?
> >>>
> >>>Thanks in advance.
> >>
> >>On 08/11/2018 10:21 AM, Stephen P. Molnar wrote:
> >>> I appreciate the responses. I have looked a the MB Manual and the BIOS
> >>> in both the easy mode and the advanced mode. (incidentally, the BIOS
> >>> is current)
> >>>
> >>> I have three dives on the platform:
> >>>
> >>> *-cdrom
> >>> description: DVD-RAM writer
> >>> product: DVDRAM GH24NSB0
> >>> vendor: HL-DT-ST
> >>> physical id: 0.0.0
> >>> bus info: scsi@0:0.0.0
> >>> logical name: /dev/cdrom
> >>> logical name: /dev/cdrw
> >>> logical name: /dev/dvd
> >>> logical name: /dev/dvdrw
> >>> logical name: /dev/sr0
> >>> version: LN00
> >>> capabilities: removable audio cd-r cd-rw dvd dvd-r dvd-ram
> >>> configuration: ansiversion=5 status=nodisc
> >>> *-disk
> >>> description: ATA Disk
> >>> product: ST2000DM006-2DM1
> >>> vendor: Seagate
> >>> physical id: 0.0.0
> >>> bus info: scsi@2:0.0.0
> >>> logical name: /dev/sda
> >>> version: CC26
> >>> serial: Z560Q2JW
> >>> size: 1863GiB (2TB)
> >>> capabilities: partitioned partitioned:dos
> >>> configuration: ansiversion=5 logicalsectorsize=512
> >>> sectorsize=4096 signature=0bc7db76
> >>> *-disk
> >>> description: ATA Disk
> >>> product: WDC WD5000AAKS-0
> >>> vendor: Western Digital
> >>> physical id: 0.0.0
> >>> bus info: scsi@3:0.0.0
> >>> logical name: /dev/sdb
> >>> version: 3B01
> >>> serial: WD-WMASY0223768
> >>> size: 465GiB (500GB)
> >>> capabilities: partitioned partitioned:dos
> >>> configuration: ansiversion=5 logicalsectorsize=512
> >>> sectorsize=512 signature=0003d403
> >>>
> >>> I installed the current Debian Version on the 2TB HD as it was new at
> >>> the time.
> >>>
> >>> Unfortunately, the boot sequence on the EZ Mode screen is only shows
> >>> the WD 500GB drive and the cdrom drive. I can only see the 2TB drive,
> >>> upon which I installed grub, by hitting F8 and selecting the 1TB drive
> >>> for booting. Now the last time I installed a HD on the system I can't
> >>> say as I paid any attention as to which connector each drive was
> >>> plugged into. Hence, the question that started this thread.
> >>>
> >>> As I am strictly a user of computers I am very hesitant to mess around
> >>> with the hardware and the BIOS.
> >>>
> >>> let me finish his email by saying that I am most appreciative of the
> >>> patience and consideration of most of the users of this list!
> >>
> >>I will assume that you have one computer, an Internet gateway,
> >>and an Ethernet cable between them.
> >>
> >>
> >>Hardware can be easy. Get an anti-static wrist strap and take
> >>your time. Read the users manual for the various components.
> >>STFW and watch YouTube videos to learn more.
> >>
> >>
> >>BIOS can be easy. Load the defaults and only change those
> >>settings which you have a compelling reason. Again, learn as
> >>required.
> >>
> >>
> >>Linux, FOSS services and applications, and their myriad settings
> >>and interactions are all never-ending learning curves.
> >>
> >>
> >>Looking at the motherboard users manual:
> >>
> >>http://dlcdnet.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mb/SocketAM3+/M5A97_R2.0/E7438_M5A97_R20_Manual_web_hi-res.pdf
> >>
> >>
> >>Section 1.2.9, item 4, is titled "Serial ATA 6.0 Gb/s connectors
> >>(7-pin SATA6G 1~6)". Unfortunately, the motherboard and
> >>connector diagram has been badly pixelated, but the SATA
> >>connectors appear to be labeled SATA6G_1 through SATA6G_6 (?).
> >>Please confirm.
> >>
> >>
> >>I recommend:
> >>
> >>1. Get a small, fast, high-quality SSD to use as the system
> >>drive. Connect it to motherboard port SATA6G_1.
> >>
> >>2. Connect the optical drive to SATA6G_2.
> >>
> >>3. Do a fresh install of Debian onto the SSD. Partition
> >>manually, creating three primary partitions: /boot (1 GB), swap
> >>(1 GB), and root (10 GB). Leave the remaining space unused.
> >>This will give you a system image that can fit on a 16 GB USB
> >>flash drive, a 16 GB SDD, or a 25 GB Blu-ray disc. The first
> >>allows you to carry your desktop in your pocket, using laptops
> >>and PC's as convenient. The second gives you the best
> >>performance. The third is for taking archival images.
> >>
> >>4. Connect the 500 GB HDD to SATA6G_3 and the 2 TB drive to
> >>SATA6G_4. Mount the HDD partitions and/or directories as
> >>desired. Adjust owner and group identifiers as required.
> >>
> >>5. Use the system drive for the operating system, applications,
> >>and carefully-chosen data. (I keep my e-mail and CVS working
> >>directories in my home directory on the system drive.) Keep the
> >>rest of your data on the HDD's.
> >>
> >>
> >>David
> >>
> >>
> >I've gotten really great help. At this point, I have installed
> >the sdd to SATA6G_1 and have changed the rest of the ports. Now,
> >I'm almost ready to install Stretch on the SDD and leave the
> >current installation on the 2GB drive Is there any chance of a
> >conflict?
> >
> >I'm still a tad hesitant as it involved the BIOS. When I open the
> >BIOS (on boot with F2) the Eazy Mode Boot Priority only lets me
> >select between the Optical Drive and and the 500MB Western
> >Digital, neither one of which have the current OS. In order to
> >boot the current OS on the 2TB HD I have to use the Boot Menu (F8)
> >which has the all of the drives on the Platform. I've not been
> >able to figure how to add more drives to the Boot Priority Menu.
> >Will loading the bios defaults populate the Boot Priority Menu?
> >That's the action I'm a bit hesitant about.
> >
>
> I use f8 to choose my usb key to install Stretch.
> Then I simply had to select the correct drive, when prompted, to
> select where to install.
>
> Note that I didn't read all of this thread.
Well, I've skimmed it, so I'm not sure I've picked up on all
the subtleties.
Looking at point 3 above, the implication is that the SSD is MBR.
Could this be why the EZ mode can't see/configure it?
Even on a GPT disk, decisions might be made depending on, say,
whether the protective MBR has its boot flag set or not.
OTOH perhaps the Boot Menu mode is more flexible, and can
select EFI/BIOS booting according to what it finds and is
told to do.
(Nowadays, I always partition disks GPT-style, but add both an EFI
and a BIOS Boot partition for maximum booting compatibility.)
As another aside, my old 2004-vintage Acer phoenix BIOS behaves just
the opposite way to yours. To boot from a USB stick, you effectively
have to go through the CMOS Boot screen where all the devices are
categorised into optical/hard drives/floppies/network. The "hard
drive" category includes the usual PATA drives, USB sticks and the
MMC/SD slot, so you have to promote the USB stick above the PATAs in
at category, and then exit to boot.
However, the Boot Menu (F12, rather than your F8) only lists the
top entry in each *category*. Any time you boot without a USB stick
plugged in, the USB entry slips down its category to below the
PATAs and will no longer appear in the F12 menu even when plugged in.
Cheers,
David.
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