Do Redhat 7 or mandrake 7.2 work with ATA-100?

[wincen]

I'm torn between getting an asus k7v and an abit ka7-100. I really want the abit ka7-100 because of the 2 extra IDE connectors they have (ATA-100). I don't really care if I can't boot off of them, but I was wondering if those IDE connectors would work with my cdrom drives and zip drive. It seems like lots of people are having problems with linux and ATA-100 connectors. If it doesn't work, I'll go with the asus and a promise ultra100 or something. Thanks

[Choozo]

Well, I've got Mandrake 7.2 running smoothly on a Abit KT7-RAID with two IBM DTLAs (30GB) as master on each of the ATA-100 channels. No dualboot with Windoze, Linux only. Performance so far is very acceptable (disk-read: between 35 and 36 MB/Sec.)
The other two 'normal' (ATA-66 as far as I know) have a CD/DVD and a CD-RW hooked up as master on each.
Running CDROMs on the ATA-100 seems like a total waste, and I don't think it is recommended either? http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/smile.gif

Mandrake 7.2 found the HDs right away. Just remember to NOT configure any hardware RAID for your HDs in the HPT370 BIOS (Linux don't like that much), only set up which HD that should boot.


For the Asus card, have a look at www.mandrakeuser.org (http://www.mandrakeuser.org) .... you'll find some instructions on how to install Mandrake on that board with the Promise controller.

Good luck http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/smile.gif

[scoobydope]

wow, well i have sitting beside me here my brand new KT7, 1Ghz thunderbird, and IBM 30gig ata100/7200 rpm HD.

I am a little confused with the four IDE connections. Two are white, and the other two are orange.
I am assuming that the two white ones are the normal ones, (ata66?)

Since my new drive is ata100, do i plug it into the first of the orange ones? Are they saying basically that the white ones will not support the ata100 specs?

if that is the case, then i install CDRW on IDE1, CD-rom on IDE2 and ata100 HD on IDE3?

i searched the hardware forum for kt7, and it looks like there are some serious issues with this combination.

[guitarlyn]

ATA 100 is NOT built into any of the stock kernels that I know of. You will need to download the module/prog to provide support for these hard drives or you will get all kinds of flaky errors. On the flip side, get the module going on your system and it works great.

Hope this helps,
~Guitarlynn

[Choozo]

No problems with the ATA100 on Mandrake 7.2 (although you will only find HPT366 in the 'make xconfig').

Your confusion about the IDE connectors shouldn't be such a obstacle, as I assume you also got the manual for the brand new mobo?

Connect your CD drives as master on each of the 'white' IDE ports, and the harddrive as master on the first of the 'orange' ones. (Make sure you understand which one is which from the user manual). Then; enable ATA10/RAID in BIOS (do NOT set up RAID in the HPT370 BIOS that follows (Ctr+H), just telll which disk that should be bootable). Then it should happily installl Mandrake 7.2 from the CD (provided you have set CDROM as first bootable device).

I have not come across any problems, as described by 'guitarlyn', with this setup (running a out-of-the-box Mandrake 7.2).

[grendel_khan]

The no RAID deal is bumming me out, as I was hoping to set up 2 45GB IMB Desktars and striping them, but I guess I'll just have to come up with an inventive way to use up 90GB for Linux.

I have a KT7A-RAID on order and it should be here on Tuesday, I'm totally psyched about getting it up and running with a 1GHz Athlon!! Glad to hear that the install won't be a big issue tho.

[Choozo]

grendel_khan: You can still set up any RAID you like on that mobo for IDE disks, but not in hardware.
Software RAID in Linux have been around since 2.2.x, and there are some good instructions on this to be found in the LDP. Just hop over to your favorite Linux Documentation Project mirror and do a search on RAID and IDE.

[grendel_khan]

Choozo:
Ehn, feeling lazy with this setup. Going to bypass the RAID and just stick with the straight up drives.

My biggest dilemma at this point is whether or not to slap a third HD in to run Win2k Server (going to college and I need to experiment) or just give one of the 45GB drives to Linux and one to Windows and let the DVD and CDRW each have their own channel.

[Choozo]

grendel_khan:
Hehe, why throw in a third HD? If you must have Win* installed, keep the first 45Gig drive for that and the second 45Giger for Linux.
Adding a HD as a Slave to any of the two Masters (45GB) will just hurt the performance of each disk (unless you plan on spending even more money on a separate IDE controller (PCI)?)

[grendel_khan]

Choozo:
Actually I was going to mount it on the primary IDE controller and string the DVD and CDR together on the secondary, but the more I think about it, the more I think I'm just going to stick with the two 45GB drives with Mandrake7.2 on the first channel and Win2k Server on the second.

No word back from Mwave, but it should be shipping today, and since I popped for the overnight shipping, I'll have it tomorrow. The more I look at my invoice, the more I am jonesing to get this puppy in the house.

And the sooner I get it, the sooner I can rebuild this machine as a Win2k box for the wife and start hacking around seeing how it behaves with Linux and Win2k as a server.

Having seen me briefly use KDE, I think I could see my wife on Linux full time, except that she'd want Office2k to run reliably, and she'd be bummed when some of her friends sent her Shockwave exe's and couldn't run them without my help.

Sigh, such is life!

[This message has been edited by grendel_khan (edited 22 January 2001).]

[wincen]

Hey Choozo,
I fianlly got my mobo. What did you mean by "you will only find HPT366 in the 'make xconfig'?"

I don't plan on using RAID, so is there anything I need to set up for the ATA-100 connectors in the BIOS? The default setting for future ATA is enabled so the only thing I need to set is first boot up devices as future ATA? The manual says windows 98 and 2000 need drivers to be installed, is that the case for mandrake 7.2?

thanks

[grendel_khan]

wincen:
I'm installing Mandrake 7.2 on my KT7A-RAID board right now!!! Nothing additional needed, found the hard drives on the HPT-370 and then went to town. I am f**king exstatic!

More to follow as soon as the install is done and I have some time to spend benchmarking this puppy.

[Choozo]

Thats a great feeling, isn't it grendel_khan? http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/biggrin.gif

wincen: What I meant by 'only finding HPT366' was that there is no separate 'checkbox' for HPT370 in the kernel configuration. The HPT366 'checkbox' covers both HPT366/HPT370 (and HPT368?).
You only need to enable RAID/ATA100 controller in the BIOS, and then set which HD that should boot in the HPT370 BIOS (Ctrl+H). No extras needed for Mandrake http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/smile.gif

[Undernined]

Ok, I'm a little confused. and I'm not a novice so if you have to give me a real technical answer it's ok, if not all hte better. I know the Linux 2.2.x doesn't support ATA100 without a hacked kernel right?
And that hardware raid is right out(that's a Monty Python thing,in lamens terms aint gonna happen.) But what about Linux 2.4.x . I thought that it had ATA100 built in and was hoping that support for harware raid would also be included. I' m now concerned cause I'm going to be done with my new system soon and wanted to have both SMP(symetric multi processing, aka. dual cpu's,) and 2 30GB IBM 75GXP's in RAID 0 with around 20GB for Win9x/ 20GB for Linux/ and 20GB for Win2K Pro. If raid is a no go for most of this year I'll just go with a single cpu/harddrive and save the money. I don't realy need support untill some distros ship with the 2.4.x kernel cause I'm getting DSL when I'm done with the new computer and I'll also get abunch of free distros at Comdex/Linux Business Expo Chicago in april, which is a great place to get alot of free stuff. Hell if you sign up for just the exhibits you don't pay anything to get in. Plus you can get your picture with someone in a big penguin costume! (I'm not really that excited about the penguin it's kind of a joke. ha ha get it? Back to this post if you guys know a anyplace that have more info on ATA100 and raid with Linux 2.4 please post it. and I already checked the LDP on IDE and RAID but didn't find anything on them with 2.4.x . thanks

"Mmmm erotic cakes (drool)". Homer Simpson

[Choozo]

As far as I know, SCSI is the ONLY way to go when dealing with hardware RAID (even in the 2.4.x kernel) on Linux.
ATA100 may not be 100% supported in 2.2.x kernels without Hedrick's IDE patch. The 2.4.x kernels have the ATA100 supported (kind of) through the HPT366 option under Block Devices(?). Anyway, thats what I figured when looking into the source code and checked the comments there.

Mandrake 7.2 (out of the box) had no problems with this whatsoever http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/smile.gif

[grendel_khan]

Some quick math: Mandrake 7.2 + KT7A-RAID + 1GHz T-Bird = smoking system!

No additional hacking needed, just out of the box functionality! My computer is doing the happy dance all around the office!