4.3.1 Can't find my hard drive

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sbszine
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri 27 Nov 2009, 04:14

4.3.1 Can't find my hard drive

#1 Post by sbszine »

I've got a LiveCD of Puppy 4.3.1 that works well with my ancient Thinkpad laptop, except that it can't find the hard drive. I don't have a floppy drive and that seems to cause some problems. I'm pretty sure that the drive is physically in working order, since I can see it under other LiveCD distros.

Here are some things I've tried at the console:

Code: Select all

# whoami
root
# parted
Warning: Unable to open /dev/fd0 read-write (Read-only file system).  /dev/fd0 has been opened read-only.
GNU Parted 1.8.8
Using /dev/fd0
Welcome to GNU Parted! Type 'help' to view a list of commands.
(parted) print
Error: /dev/fd0: unrecognised disk label
(parted) quit
# more /etc/fstab
none          /proc        proc     defaults                0 0
none          /sys         sysfs    defaults                0 0
none          /dev/pts     devpts   gid=2, mode=620         0 0
/dev/fd0      /mnt/floppy  auto     noauto,rw               0 0
# mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/data
mount: /dev/sda1 is not a valid block device
Gparted just shows a blank window (no devices) and the Puppy Universal Installer reports 'Nothing to choose. If a plugin device, did you plug it in?' regardless of which hard drive type I choose. (I've tried them all.)

If I use the SystemRescueCD distro LiveCD, I get this:

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root@sysresccd /root %parted
GNU Parted 1.9.0
Using /dev/sda
Welcome to GNU Parted! Type 'help' to view a list of commands.
(parted) print
Model: ATA IBM-DARA-206000 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sda: 6007MB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition table: msdos

Number  Start     End     Size    Type     File system     Flags
 1      32.3kB    1920MB  1920MB  primary  ext2            boot
 2      1920MB    2048MB  128MB   primary  linux-swap(1)
 3      2048MB    6007MB  3959MB  primary  ext2
Aaaand e2fsck reports both ext2 partitions are clean, and I can even mount them under SystemRescue. That's why I think the drive is actually okay. Any ideas?

Sylvander
Posts: 4416
Joined: Mon 15 Dec 2008, 11:06
Location: West Lothian, Scotland, UK

#2 Post by Sylvander »

1. "LiveCD of Puppy 4.3.1 that works well with my ancient Thinkpad laptop, except that it can't find the hard drive"
It may be that you need to use a version of 4.3.1 built on an older kernel.
I'm using an older PC [Compaq Deskpro EN made 1999].
Because my internal IDE HDD is connected to a PCI to IDE SCSI RAID controller card, it's necessary to use a newer Puppy version, or else the Puppy cannot see the internal HDD...
But It's also necessary to use an older kernel, or else it fails to load the Puppy.
e.g. Had trouble with 4.3 using k2.6.30.5, but was OK with 4.3 using k2.6.25.16.

I also find the retro version of 4.31.1 by ttuuxxx is OK.

sbszine
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri 27 Nov 2009, 04:14

#3 Post by sbszine »

Yeah, I think the HDD is some weird SCSI-IDE hybrid like yours, so that makes sense. Where can I get a version with the older kernel? Would 4.3.0 do the trick?

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rjbrewer
Posts: 4405
Joined: Tue 22 Jan 2008, 21:41
Location: merriam, kansas

#4 Post by rjbrewer »

sbszine wrote:Yeah, I think the HDD is some weird SCSI-IDE hybrid like yours, so that makes sense. Where can I get a version with the older kernel? Would 4.3.0 do the trick?
Special puppies: 21.7 or 25.16 should do.

ftp://ibiblio.org/pub/linux/distributio ... ppy-4.3.1/

Inspiron 700m, Pent.M 1.6Ghz, 1Gb ram.
Msi Wind U100, N270 1.6>2.0Ghz, 1.5Gb ram.
Eeepc 8g 701, 900Mhz, 1Gb ram.
Full installs

cthisbear
Posts: 4422
Joined: Sun 29 Jan 2006, 22:07
Location: Sydney Australia

#5 Post by cthisbear »

It's quite possible that you selected Xorg...
and your drives won't show up.
Sometimes it happens.

Try Xvesa...select the resolution ...1024 x 768.

Now the drives should show up.

Open up 2 Rox file managers as per my previous posts here.

If you indeed tried Xvesa first...
go for Xorg.

http://www.murga-linux.com/puppy/viewto ... 4&start=30

Chris.

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8-bit
Posts: 3406
Joined: Wed 04 Apr 2007, 03:37
Location: Oregon

#6 Post by 8-bit »

You might also try the SCSI version of Puppy.
I have had it work in some instances where the hard drive failed to show or the boot would stop after loading the kernel modules needed to access hard drives.
A combination of scsi and ide addressing can cause problems.

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mikeb
Posts: 11297
Joined: Thu 23 Nov 2006, 13:56

#7 Post by mikeb »

Hey the 2.6.25 kernel will not see IDE cd drives on a pent 2 intel board so its a safe bet an older version is needed...no scsi in sight

mike

sbszine
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri 27 Nov 2009, 04:14

#8 Post by sbszine »

The combination of 25.16 and Xvesa did the trick. Thanks everyone for your help, it's much appreciated. Xvesa also seems to use 60MB less memory than Xorg, which is a big saving when you've only got 128MB to begin with.

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mikeb
Posts: 11297
Joined: Thu 23 Nov 2006, 13:56

#9 Post by mikeb »

Kool ..so an older kernel solved it...I think they like [solved] adding to the title...just edit your first post

regards

mike

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