New Hard Drive

[gmac]

I had a 20gb hard drive dual booted linux/mandrake. Needing more space I had a new 40gb hard drive installed as a second drive.

 

After some difficulty got windows working OK but now no sign of Mandrake. Its still there bit the boot record got lost in the install.

 

Guy that fitted it reckons boot disk should get it working-except I never made a boot disk.

 

Have tried the repair option from the CD but the programme loads half way and then fails.

 

I can dosconnect the new drive and play around with the pld drive. - the idea of the new drive was to provide back up for my data in the event of catastrophic failure of the smaller drive.

 

I do want to use Mandrake and got to the point I could accesss data in the windows partition, would like to do the same with the new drive.

 

Qustion is should I disconnect the new drive so I don't lose my data and get mandrake working again by reinstalling and then try and mount the new drive later. Or, Should I leave themconnected and reinstall with the new drive attached.

 

The problem arose wth the new drive.

 

I should explain the bloke that fitted it also dual booted mandrake for me (Iknow I'm a wimp) I could probably get him to do it again but that approach does not help me learn. So long as I can recover my data I am happy to experiment and the more I play around with this the better I like it.

 

Anyway, what do you reckon? Get Mndrake working first and then try mounting the new one or try reinstalling with both in place?

[Michel]

Hi,

 

so tyou tried to put int the first Mandreake cd....hit F1, typed rescue and choose ot reinstall the bootloader...but if fails when loading after rescue?

 

You can also try to choose the option upgrade...eventually it will also reinstall the bootloader..but you have to take care it doesn't change anything...or anything important anyway..as far as I know not really.

 

You can also get Tom's root-and-boot disk....and go to your lilo-file of your system...and run lilo again..but here somebody else will jhave to help you probably..but I'll see...

[Cannonfodder]

Try this with both drives in place.

 

Boot off of CD1 and do an install. Get to the screen where you can select custom partitioning. Select custom and when you get to the screen that displays your current hard drives and partitions, note the name of the drives and the partition numbers on a pice of paper.

 

E.g.

 

hda

hda1

hda2

 

hdb

hda5

 

so on..

 

Then force a reboot and go into rescue mode. Mount all partitions and then go to a console or terminal. Type

 

chroot /mnt

cd /etc

cp lilo.conf lilo.bkup (this is so you can restore if you fsck it up)

vi lilo.conf

 

You will have to manually update your lilo.conf file to match the new settings for your hard drive. What can happen is that a drive may used to be hda and is now hdb and thus lilo can't find it. Check each line and make sure its correct per the paper you wrote notes on.

 

When ready, at the console, type

 

lilo

 

Should have

 

adding Windows

adding Linux

 

something like that.. Any errors and you need to track them down before rebooting.

 

If you don't know how to use vi (editor), you can look at the board FAQ forum. I think there is a tutorial in there. If not, just type 'vi tutorial' into google. It's the oldest program in the world

[Pzatch]

Make sure the jumper pins on the back of all drives are set for master/slave and not cable select. Microshaft handles cable select by software i guess and linux doesn't as of yet.

Try to just reinstall your boot loader if it's in the MBR. It should then find the right place for everything and get you going again.

[gmac]

"so tyou tried to put int the first Mandreake cd....hit F1, typed rescue and choose ot reinstall the bootloader...but if fails when loading after rescue?"

 

No it fails half way through without loading in to the memory

 

 

"Make sure the jumper pins on the back of all drives are set for master/slave and not cable select. Microshaft handles cable select by software i guess and linux doesn't as of yet.

Try to just reinstall your boot loader if it's in the MBR. It should then find the right place for everything and get you going again. "

 

Actually thats a big clue. The guy mentioned he thought that seemed to be a problem. He is the hardware specialist, its his son that is in to Linux but neither are terribly familiar with Mandrake and neother am I.

 

Cannon fodder I'm going to try that once I've had a word about the slave master thing (sounds kinky) to make sure. I need to be sure I don't muck up windows as thats has all the crucial stuff I need to use.

 

 

Before I try that I might try your second suggestion. But How do I reinstall the boot loader? Bear in mind I am truly a newbie at this.

[gmac]

The master/slave /cable does seem to be the cause of the problem. I now have my computer back up and working properly still minus the Mandrake, although its still on the other half of the original drive. I really need to keep it working and don't want to use the use of it.

 

If I leave as is. set for cable would a reinstall work and pick up the second drive?

 

Alternatively I can disconnect the second drive and play around with the original drive but preserve the info that I need to protect. Its also backed up in cd's but I can do without the hassle of reinstalling it all.

[Pzatch]

Windows doesn't really care if the drives are set master/slave or cable select. So go ahead and set the first for master and the second for slave. You might have to reinstall the boot manager from the first mandrake disk in rescue mode, but that should clear up your problems with running windows and linux.

 

Just don't change and partitions and definately don't reformat any of them.

[gmac]

Talked to the guy that installed it for me. Turns out he was aware of the problem, his son who actulally did the work is more familiar with the software than hardware and was unaware of the portential problem, so it is set up for cable. Itwas changed back.

 

When I got it back the rescue mode wouldn't work but since then I have reset the dates from windows set up, for some reason the default settings were oct 2002. The poor thing seemed all confused. Now everything is hunky dory with windows so I feel more confident about trying linux again.. I will try the rescue mode forst to see if that works.

 

Turns out the guy's main business is system installation, mainly unix based but he is also familiar with linux which means at least I know where to go when I want to build a new computer with compatable hardware. Looks like I will need to invest in a laptop for work so I think I will keep that for the windows only programmes I have to keep and use linux on the desktop.

 

A noce ex lease one I think. Computers are changing so fast don't see the point in spending too much. Just think how cheap they would be without windows.

 

Thanks for the help guys. I will let you know if it works. If not you see a frantic plea for help.

[Cannonfodder]

Usually a good preliminary step to adding a hard drive, cd or what not is to check the startup screen. Most computers hide this with a graphic image (.e.g DELL) that you can remove by hitting escape. During this load perioid, you will see your devices listed. If a device (old or new) doesn't show up or takes an unreasonable amount of time to show, then you can assume something is not square. Then you can try a new configuration or double-check your jumpers. I just stay away from cable-select and go with strict master / slave settings. Once everything is correct in the bios area, then you can focus on getting linux or windows to work correctly.

[Sarissi]

I have been using the Master/Slave jumper settings since the old MFM days. I have never trusted cable select, even with Windows.

[gmac]

What does cable select actually mean? I find I am doing things blindly.

[bvc]

Someone could probably be more technical but basically, if I understand it rt, it means 'let a bunch of unknown factors decide what is what because you haven't got the slightest idea'. BIO's? OS? PlugNplay? I like to decide who's master and who's slave

[Pzatch]

Basicly your right. On the back of any hard drive or cdrom are a set of jumper pins. On new hard drives they are labled so you won't have to flail around blind like I did at first.

 

One could say master/single - This is used for the first drive or primary. Normaly its used if you have only one drive or this is the first drive in the pair that can go on an IDE ribbon cable.

 

The second should be slave - obviously this meens that its slave to the first drive or the second on the ribbon cable.

 

The third is for cable select - This option was brought about by the fact that people got too confused between the first two choices. you use this one if you can't figure out which drive to make first or second.

 

A forth pin set might be for used just holding the jumper pin untill you need them. Basicly just a blank. Does nothing.

 

As with anything though your pin set is probably a little different only because the manufacturer wanted to be different and origional. The pin layouts are now written on the top of the drive normally.

 

The same is used for DVD and CD roms.

 

Oh yes and USUALLY the drive on the end of the cable should be designated the master but sometimes it works the other way around.

 

I too started doing this hardware stuff when MFM drives were common. I hated hand editing the bios settings for each drive.