Click to See Complete Forum and Search --> : Windows 2000 and Redhat 7.3: a tricky question


clay36
08-12-2002, 09:24 AM
O.K. I've searched everywhere for a solution to this problem so here goes: I have a Soyo P4S Ultra mobo that uses the Highpoint 372 ATA100/RAID controller, on which I have one Western Digital 60gb HD attached (I don't intend to use a RAID array - just ATA100, which necessitates connecting the drive to the ATA100 connector on the board obviously). Linux in general has problems installing on hard drives connected the hpt372 controller apparently (Mandrake 8.2 for example won't do it and neither will the newest beta), but Highpoint has a patch that allows for custom-modified kernel installation that overcomes this problem and allows Redhat 7.0-7.3 installation (If anyone wants to take a look at the instructions and files for the Highpoint Redhat fix, please see www.highpoint-tech.com and download the driver file for Redhat 7.3).

What I want to do is dual boot between Windows 2000 and Redhat; normally this isn't a problem as long as you don't install grub or lilo to the MBR (doing this will trash the Win 2k NT loader and you have to reinstall Win 2k). The problem is this: the patch which fixes the hpt372 issue *requires* that grub/lilo be installed to the MBR - which as I said will fubar the ability to boot into Windows 2000. Does anyone know of a trick or workaround for this? In essence, I'm guessing that grub (in my case I prefer grub to lilo and that's what I would be using), needs to be fooled into thinking it's being booted from the MBR (?). Again, in order to boot Win2k successfully, you CAN NOT install the linux bootloader to the MBR (although I've come across a number of well-intentioned but misinformed posts saying otherwise)...period. I am aware of the bootsect.lnx workaround (copying it to the c:\ drive and using the NT loader to load linux instead of grub or lilo) but I haven't tried this yet since according to the instructions in the patch provided by Highpoint, the bootloader must be installed to the MBR during the Redhat installation to begin with in order for the custom kernel to work.

Any ideas or suggestions would be warmly welcomed!
:D

Stonner
08-12-2002, 09:54 AM
do you need ata 100?? yes i know it is nice, but is it needed is my point, could you nto just use the extra ports as extra ide ports like i wud in the case of the new abit AT7 max and have 8 hdds 4cdr/dvdrs and 2 floppys

:D :D :D :D :D

its just a thought, raid is nice, but not necessary (i image my hdd onto a dvdrw) every once and a while.

clay36
08-12-2002, 10:07 AM
Originally posted by Stonner
do you need ata 100?? yes i know it is nice, but is it needed is my point, could you nto just use the extra ports as extra ide ports like i wud in the case of the new abit AT7 max and have 8 hdds 4cdr/dvdrs and 2 floppys

:D :D :D :D :D

its just a thought, raid is nice, but not necessary (i image my hdd onto a dvdrw) every once and a while.

As I said, I'm not using and don't intend to use a RAID array...the drive is connected to the ATA100 connector on the mobo to take advantage of the higher speed of ATA100. The same connectors function for RAID configuration, but only if you configure for a RAID array (on my board that involves switching a jumper). The Primary and Secondary IDE connectors are occupied by CD drives and a zip drive, so in any case I *have* to use the ATA100 connector on the mobo, and devices connected in this fashion are controlled by the highpoint 372 controller.

i_like_peanut_butter
08-12-2002, 10:12 AM
I have Slack 8.1 and W2k w/ lilo installed to the MBR and it's working for me with no problems.

Stonner
08-12-2002, 11:47 AM
do you by any chance have an abit motherboard?

clay36
08-12-2002, 12:09 PM
Originally posted by i_like_peanut_butter
I have Slack 8.1 and W2k w/ lilo installed to the MBR and it's working for me with no problems.

That's interesting...everything I've read about installing linux on a win2k system says to not install the bootloader on the MBR. What partition scheme did you use for installing linux?

i_like_peanut_butter
08-12-2002, 12:39 PM
/dev/hda1 is my Win2K partition
/dev/hda2 is a fat32 partition shared between win and linux
/dev/hdb1 is my linux partition
/dev/hdb2 is swap

Stonner
08-12-2002, 12:39 PM
ON 2 DIFF HDDS!!!!

REMEMBER ALLWAYS INSTALL LINUX SECOND!!!

just try it and back up all ure data

i_like_peanut_butter
08-12-2002, 12:43 PM
Stonner:

I've got an Aurora motherboard.

Stonner
08-12-2002, 12:46 PM
no i was referring to a post, never stick linux on mr is the on 2 diff hdds

only if partitioned!! and install linux second

Stonner
08-12-2002, 12:48 PM
im using abit TH711-RAID and not got RH 7.3 on mbr works nicely esp with raid, as is said you may want to buy ureself a software raid controller as is recommending in my many linux books!!

clay36
08-12-2002, 10:43 PM
Originally posted by Stonner
im using abit TH711-RAID and not got RH 7.3 on mbr works nicely esp with raid, as is said you may want to buy ureself a software raid controller as is recommending in my many linux books!!

"Buy" a software RAID controller? Huh?