[linux-help] Re: Installing Red Hat 5.1

[Jeff Vian <jvian10@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

"D. Shane Robinson" wrote:
> 
> I am attempting to install RH 5.1 and encounter problems when the
> install program looks for my hdd. It keeps telling me that there is
> no valid device.
> 
> PB 486sx-25
> 20 MB ram
> 2.1 Gig at-hdd; Primary partition - 255mb, extended - 511mb, remaing
> reserved for linux.

You indicate this is a Packard Bell? If so you should lose it or stick
with DOS/Windows on it. The PB bios/motherboard is not likely to have
support in Linux since the hardware was proprietary -- especially not in
the release you have.
Packard Bell as a company is OLD history and if your hardware is not
supported now it likely never will be.

> Soundblaster-Panasonic CD-Rom, which is getting detected by autoprobe
> 
> I have considered that perhaps the hdd is not configured correctly
> (master/slave/or whatever) but since the jumper is not _clearly_
> labeled I can not be certain. DOS sees it, but as I understand, linux
> can be pickier about this. It's a quantum hdd.


If DOS sees the drive the bios is able to tell dos it is there and it is
working. The master/slave thing is not likely an issue because both hard
drive and cdrom are working in DOS and the CDROM is working in Linux.  

Probably the PB bios/motherboard and Linux are incompatible. Maybe a
newer version will work but I don't know.

If I had to make an educated guess I would say the drive you have
probably is running one of the drive managers that does the mapping for
that OLD PB BIOS to see the drive. Since Linux does not use that boot
sector device mapping it can't tell the bios how to access the drive.
And since the drive manager handles the partition table that is not
accessible either.

Just a thought based on the age of the machine and developments in the
last 5 years.

> 
> Any suggestions? Can't lose the computer, it's the fastest one I have
> (right now)
> 

Used pentiums are a dime a dozen, and a NEW computer at WalMart is being
advertised for $399 with no monitor and no OS. Lose the PB 486 and you
won't regret it.

> TIA
> 
> Shane
> 
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