Dual Boot Installation

[ME]

Now, I dont use RedHat, but let me offer some suggestions.

When vendors provide "drivers for Linux" they often actually provide
loadable modules.

>From what I hear from other RedHat users, RedHat uses an initrd by default
to permit loading of modules for hardware that may not be built into the
stock booting kernel. Though this has advantages in permitting a distro
vendor to provide "memory optimized general install kernels" and also make
things like "software based RAID" easier, it also tends to make additions
of 3rd part modules, after OS product release a bit more tricky unless you
build your own monolithic kernel with booting hardware support a static
part of the kernel.

First off, the 2.4.20 linux kernels support Promise RAID controllers
including FastTrak. (I don't know how well, or the range of models.)
However, see if you can include a module in your install called "pdcraid"
or "pdcraid.o". If you can find a way to use your distro's, kernel's
module and have it work, then you at least have something. Then you can
build your own kernel and optimize it for your machine.

Without having a procedure or readme, I would guess that you are supposed
to copy or modprobe the module on floppy into your kernel's initrd image.

(more)

Chad Krsek said:
> I'm a Linux novice and am having problems setting up a
> dual boot RedHat 8.0 / Win XP system.
>
> The trouble is the RAID driver installation.
>
> I have an ASUS P4PE mainboard with a Promise FastTrak
> TX4000/376 RAID controller.
>
> I've downloaded files from the Promise website that
> say they are the proper drivers for RedHat 8.0  and
> 7.3 and copied these files to an ext-2 formatted
> floppy.
>
> The Promise README says to boot the redhat
> installation cd, and enter 'expert' at the boot
> prompt.  I'm then supposed to insert the disk at the
> 'Devices' prompt and hit 'ok'.  When I do this the
> installer tells me I don't have a valid redhat driver
> disk.
>
> I believe the floppy is ok because my laptop
> installation of redhat 8.0 can read it.
>
> Any advice?
>
> Is the disk not readable?

Does the disk light come on?

To check this, examine the boot log from the cd and see if you can find
ref to device "fd0". If you have shell access from the CD, try:
# cat /dev/fd0 >> /dev/null
If you hear disk access, then you should be able to reach the disk.

If you also have shell access from the booted CD, you can:
# cat /proc/filesystems
to see what file systems are supported by the cd loaded kernel. If yuou
dont see ext2 (possible but unlikely) then you may need to modprobe it
"in".

If you have a shell and the RedHat cd has problems mounting it, you can
try mounting it by hand if you know what mountpoint the cd device
installer wants to locate/use.

> I remember at UNIX class at
> the JC years back they said I should type 'sync' after
> I copy to a floppy to make sure the data is written. I
> did that so I don't know whats wrong.

This is going to sound dumb, but have you tried using a vfat/msdos
formatted floppy instead?

Sync is a good idea, but if you properly issed a "umount /dev/fd0" or
"umount /mnt/point/for/floppy" that will flush the cache/buffers to disk
for you, so you should not need to sync.

Without knowing more, I cant really offer much more than general suggestions.

(for general info, here is something from the kernel Configure.help from
2.4.20:

Support Promise software RAID (Fasttrak(tm))
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_ATARAID_PDC
  Say Y or M if you have a Promise Fasttrak (tm) Raid controller
  and want linux to use the softwareraid feature of this card.
  This driver uses /dev/ataraid/dXpY (X and Y numbers) as device
  names.

  If you choose to compile this as a module, the module will be called
  pdcraid.o.


-ME




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