Help with installing Linux

[dan at Paragon.COM (Dan Demus)]

   I am haveing a problem installing Linux to my system and am looking 
   HD. I have had Linux on this computer before when I was running a 170 
   HD with a onboard controller card. Whit the installing my new HD I 
   had to have a controller card with the on-board BIOS. It is a GSI 
   card for an ISA bus. From what I understand granted this could be 
   totally wrong linux takes some of the computer setting from the CMOS 
   setting well the problem is that I have to disable the onboard 
   controller using the BIOS. So boot linux up by the way it will only 
   boot if I warmboot after DOS has booted up other wise it will reboot 
   and reboot until I stop it. But when I I get to my root disk and 
   everything I go to run fdisk and make my linux partition a native 
   linux partition and that is when fdsik goes crazy and says that it 
   can't find my HD. So if any one else has this problem or knows a way 
   around this problem could you please help me out so. 
							     Chris        





Hi Chris,

First off you should be running a Linux 1.2 kernel.  (cat
/proc/version for the version) 1.2 has the new IDE drivers. ( I am
assuming that the GSI is an IDE controller).  As log as Linux loads
from the old 170 disk, you should be able to get the second disk to be
recognized.  The only thing linux uses BIOS for is to load the kernel,
and to find out the number of cylinders, sectors and tracks.  So you
need to find out this information for the second disk.  You will also
need to have lilo installed to boot the Linux.  At the lilo
boot promt you can specify

	hdc=c,s,t  where c specifies the # of cylinders, s specifies the
                   # of sectors, and t specifies the # of tracks.

This information will be passed to the hd_setup() routine and will
bypass the BIOS query.  This information will be echoed in the boot
messages.  You can access this scrolled by information with
<Shft>+<PageUP> and <Shft>+<PageDN>.  It is a good idea to verify
these numbers are associated with their respecive values.  The values
of C/S/T are printed out for each hd initialized.  Check this because
I may have specifed them in the wrong order.  If wrong you should be
able to deduce the order from the message right?

I have run a linux 1.2 to access a seperate HD on a different
controller card so this should work for you.  (A hard card)

The other bit is to find the right /dev/ entry.  I don`t remember.

		Dan Demus
		dan at paragon.com
		(617)937-9800x242

ALSO: I would verify that I can access the second disk from DOS first.  
      You could have a address collision with the on board controller.
      A DOS verification will rule out the hardware cfg problem.

PS:   Say hi to Mark Carter for me.


	-- Isn`t altruism predicated on reciprocation? 8/9/95 --