topic Linux HATES my hard drive (or I dont know what im doing) in Operating System - Linux

Linux HATES my hard drive (or I dont know what im doing)

Evan Platt — Thu, 12 Sep 2002 17:25:55 GMT

I have a Pavilion ze5000 with 30gb hard drive and P4 2.2GHz. I'm relatively new to linux, but I've done installations of Debian and SuSE on a desktop a few times before. I can not get Linux to load on this laptop.
Over the past two weeks I have tried to install SuSE 7.3 and 8.0, Debian, Redhat and even PhatLinux. I can't get any to load succesfully. If I can manage to get the drive partitioned without errors like "invaled partition table" or something similar (on a newly formated drive). In Red Hat, I can get about half way through the install before being thrown out on installation. SuSE I can get through the 1st CD and then thrown out (with occasional "xxxx package reported errors" messages. Debian will load but as soon as I restart I freeze on boot with "read-only filesystem" error, or "something not synching" error. Phat Linux won't load because it has errors accessing the drive and eventually has a kernel panic and stops.

Is there a setting I need to change here or something? I have the latest BIOS, I've tried installing with and without Windows XP on a different partition, before and after the linux partition. I've tried FAT32 and NTFS filesystems for the Windows XP style. I always have less than 4 primary partitions, I've Used fdisk, cfdisk and disk druid. Once in a while something will look promising but I'm getting REALLY frustrated.

Any help appreciated...

Thanks,
Evan

Re: Linux HATES my hard drive (or I dont know what im doing)

Dirk Wiedemann — Thu, 12 Sep 2002 18:35:20 GMT

Hello Evan,

please try the following:

set boot parameter idebus=66
(http://bizforums.itrc.hp.com/cm/QuestionAnswer/1,,0x2bf6227a4bc6d611abdb0090277a778c,00.html)

maybe this works...good luck
Dirk

Re: Linux HATES my hard drive (or I dont know what im doing)

Dirk Wiedemann — Thu, 12 Sep 2002 18:39:24 GMT

Huu? Anyway my browser was confused...
here is the link:
http://bizforums.itrc.hp.com/cm/QuestionAnswer/1,,0x2bf6227a4bc6d611abdb0090277a778c,00.html

regards Dirk

Re: Linux HATES my hard drive (or I dont know what im doing)

Ron Kinner — Fri, 13 Sep 2002 13:39:56 GMT

You should not be having problems with the partitioning regardless of the operating system. Find out who makes your disk drive and go to their site. Every HD maker offers a free program which runs a full diagnostic on their hard drive. Get that and verify that the drive is healthy before you waste any more time. You may have nothing more than a mismatch between the BIOS and the drive but the program should find it and flag it for you.

Ron

Re: Linux HATES my hard drive (or I dont know what im doing)

Kodjo Agbenu — Fri, 13 Sep 2002 18:41:11 GMT

Try to get your hard disk replaced. It may be faulty.

Good luck.

Kodjo

Re: Linux HATES my hard drive (or I dont know what im doing)

bastard42 — Sun, 15 Sep 2002 11:10:50 GMT

The IDE controller chip in your laptop is too new to work with release linux kernel to support without the IDEBUS= parameter.

For simple newbie instructions about how to fix this, please see my page:
http://www.net42.co.uk/linux-on-xe4500.shtml

I think some of the Compaq Pavilion and HP XE4100 / 4500 machines are actually identical - not sure which models though. If you find that RedHat autodetects the ATI Radeon Mobility M6 video card, then I guess it's the same one. In that case, you want to use GENERIC VESA as your initial video card selection if you want X to work. See my web page for full instructions.

This web page will soon be updated to cover how to install a newer kernel that lets the hard disk run at full speed without the IDEBUS= parameter.

Really, it's shameful that HP offer no pointers whatever for Linux from their laptop "tech support" (what tech support?) pages. Not even a link to www.linux-on-laptops.com !