Hello again, The main problem seems to be the AHCI interface.
In this machine there are in BIOS -> Drive 3 options: 1. Raid autodetect/AHCI (factory default) 2. Raid autodetect/ATA 3. Combination (SATA/PATA) With any of the two last the hard disk is correcty detected as /dev/sda and cfdisk read correctly the partition table. The main problem is that you�ll lose a previous Windows installation made with the 1st option, if this is a really a problem for you. Thank you again to everyone. Javier. On Mon, 24 Jan 2005 17:43:58 +0100, Henrik Andersson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Javier Valladolid wrote: > > Hello world, > > > > I have just bought a new PC, a Dell Dimension 8400. I need a new dist > > of Linux to enjoy it. So I buy the complete DVD dist of Gentoo , > > 2004.3/x86. > > > > I am trying to install Gentoo on my new PC. The DVD boots OK and show > > me the prompt to continue with the installation, but there is no > > device for the SATA hard disk. It is supposed to be /dev/sda1 but > > there is nothing similar in /dev. > > > > The only thing I find are these lines in /var/log/messages. > > > > Jan 23 23:46:04 livecd libata version 1.02 loaded. > > Jan 23 23:46:04 livecd ata_piix version 1.02 > > Jan 23 23:46:04 livecd ata: 0x1f0 IDE port busy > > Jan 23 23:46:04 livecd PCI: Setting latency time of device 0000:00:1f.2 to > > 64 > > Jan 23 23:46:04 livecd ata1: SATA max UDMA/133 cmd 0x170 ctl 0x376 > > bmdma 0xFEA8 irq 15 > > Jan 23 23:46:04 livecd ATA: abnormal status 0xFF on port 0x177 > > Jan 23 23:46:04 livecdata1: disabling port > > Jan 23 23:46:04 livecd scsi0: ata_piix > > > > > > I try different options of the kernel at start-up, such as doscsi > > noapic but nothing works at all. > > > > Is there any method to recognize the SATA disk correctly? Could anyone help > > me? > > > > Thank you in advice. > > > > Javier Valladolid. > > > > -- > > [email protected] mailing list > > > I have a similar dell machine that uses sata by VIA. > * boot with livecd, no need to enter doscsi > * insert the sata module (modprobe sata_via) > * partition the drive (cfdisk /dev/sda) > > eventually some other sata-module fits instead of the via. try using > 'lspci' to determine the sata chip in your computer. > > //Henrik > > -- > [email protected] mailing list > > -- [email protected] mailing list
