Problems installing FC4 on Dell Optiplex GX620

[Myth User]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jim Cornette" <fc-cornette at insight.rr.com>
To: "For users of Fedora Core releases" <fedora-list at redhat.com>
Sent: Saturday, March 18, 2006 10:16 PM
Subject: Re: Problems installing FC4 on Dell Optiplex GX620


> >> On Sat, 2006-03-18 at 18:11, Myth User wrote:
>  >>
>  >>> The fix for your problem is wait until Linux catches up to the
Windows
>  >>> world in terms of, among other things, emerging disk technologies.
>  >> Oh, that's funny...  Did you ever try to install Windows 2000 or XP
>  >> on a server with the Adaptec Ultra320 controller and no floppy drive?
>  >> It wouldn't even load the driver from a USB floppy or the CD
>  >> drive.
>  >>
>  >> --
>  >>   Les Mikesell
>  >>    lesmikesell at gmail.com
>
>
> Myth User wrote:
> > So you're saying that Linux does support SATA as good or better than
other
> > platforms.  And you're saying that because of one anicdotle expirence
> > envolving your putting a CDRom on a RAID controller that somehow the two
> > platforms are equal?
> >
> > Just because you don't know how to set SCSI Select to boot from a CD
doesn't
> > mean anything.
>
>
> Windows 2000 was not installable from a USB CDROM when I attempted to
> try that method. Of course FC5T3 was not installable via USB DVD while
> FC5T2 was installable via USB DVD. The problem with FC5T3 was said to be
> corrected.
> Anyway, 2000 is old and what it is, is what it is . Newer versions of
> Linux distributions can either regress or progress. You need teamwork
> between the developers and the users to make the moves more of a
> progression than suffer from regression. I see this with Linux
> distributions but do not participate in Windows betas and only deal with
> the problems it has.
>
> The original question was in regard to getting the person able to
> install on a system Dell Optiplex GX620 which can be configured in a
> host of different form factors. I have a lesser GX280 series Dell
> computer with SATA disks and did not have trouble installing pre-FC3
> through FC5T3 on such a machine.
>
> The original poster did not respond back as to what setup he is using
> and what drive combinations he has on the system. The system might have
> hardware that requires new capabilities within the kernel that are not
> developed yet or implemented in the current Linux distributions.
>
> I have no idea what you are referring to regarding SCSI select and what
> it has to do with booting/installing from USB floppy or USB drives.
>
> Jim
>
> -- 
> Worrying is like rocking in a rocking chair -- It gives you something to
> do, but it doesn't get you anywhere.
>
> -- 
> fedora-list mailing list
> fedora-list at redhat.com
> To unsubscribe: https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/fedora-list

MS beta programs involve thousands of people and FTE's from the user base
and every single major harware vendor.  When a distribution CD is stamped it
can not possibly contain all drivers past present and future.  Adaptec and
Microsoft's instructions for installing using the card you had clearly state
that a floppy drive is required.  You complained because you did not follow
their instructions and what you wanted to do did not work.  There are
several solutions to the problem you had.  1 install a floppy and follow the
instructions you were given. 2 make your own XP or W2K CD with the OEM
drivers added.  3 make a network boot CD and install from a unatended
install shared on the network that has the newer OEM driver added.

After installation, W2K or XP supported your controller fully.  After
installation FC4 will never support SATA fully.

What FTE from Adaptec is involved 100% in FC5's development?

What do you expect MS to do when Adaptec releases a new product or firmware?
Recall all copies of their products and replace them with disks that contain
support for them?

Were you running a narrow device on a wide channel that also had a wide
device connected to it?

In the end people using SATA on Linux will fall into two groups Drivers/IDE
or libata. The former supports some chipsets via low level drivers.  The
latter uses the same technique NT 3.5 and NT 3.51 used to support IDE which
is to treat the new technology as if it were another type of SCSI.

And in the begining people installing Linxu on SATA will either set their
BIOS to legacy mode, rebuild their installer to include libata, or install
on a supported drive then upgrade the os and migrate to the new SATA drive.

BTW SCSI Select is and has been for years Adaptec's firmware based user
interface for setting up their controlers.  Have you never seen the "press
control-A to enter SCSI Select" or something similar on boot?  I'm not
surprised that you "have no idea"