UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

Hi Icfoo,
The problem I'm having is: Mandrake 7.2 is recognising hda (where I have 2K installed) and hdb (where I have XP installed); but I have fitted another hard drive for Linux to inhabit and the Mandrake installer is not recognising this third hard drive. It wants to modify one of the Win drives. I think it is having a problem recognising it as the third drive is operated via a controller card - a CE 3700 PCI Ultra DMI (133 Mhz). As Mandrake 7.2 is getting on and the card has been out only a few months, there seems to be a compatability issue. I need to know how (if at all) I can resolve the issue so that I can guide the Penguin to its new home - or do I have to wait for the Mandrake 9.0 CD's and hope it recognises the drive I fitted for Linux.

My controller card is not listed in the options shown in 'Custom' install, so it can't be told where to install to. I have checked a couple of links (provided by Neo) re hardware compatability and can't find my card listed. So, I need to know how to get it to recogise my third drive.

Regards

Can you see this drive in Windows?
Can you see it in the BIOS?

And how could all three drives be set to Master?
I can see how you'd have two, but there should be a Slave in there somewhere. Also, some installers had problems with recognizing drives set to Cable Select - I'm not too sure why.

Start at the hardware, and work your way up

Hi LivinFree,
I've redone a hardware check and all is working ok, or that's what the box says. All drives are set to master as it's set up to multiboot with the windows' drives connected normally to the motherboard and the Linux one connected via an scsi controller.

All drives are visible in BIOS and windows recognises them all. XP partitioned the 80 into two 37's so I have E:\ for Mandrake, and F:\ for development of a second Linux o/s when I learn enough from the first installation.

The hardware installation was done with a tech who knew what I wanted to do with the system and a phone call to him has verified the above.

The problem is that 7.2 won't/can't recognise the scsi controler that I have - it's not listed when I get to choose an scsi device in custom install. And I can't find it listed on any hardware compatability charts for 7.2. I bought the card on Saturday and it seems that it is too new for 7.2. My tech (who gave me 7.2) says I may need to wait for 9.0 (my CD's are about two weeks away) but I was hoping to get the Penguin (any Penguin) happening straight away.

That's why I was wondering: what would be the situation if I connect a win drive to the scsi controller and the intended Linux drive directly to the motherboard?
Regards