SuSE Linux: Versions 7.1 to 8.0
Your hard disks are attached to a Promise FastTrak 133 raid controller and you want to install SuSE Linux on the defined array. However, at the beginning of the installation, YaST2 reports an error message similar to
"no hard disks found for the installation"
Promise supplies some drivers for SuSE Linux versions 7.1 to 8.0 on its home page. These drivers can be downloaded at:
http://www.promise.com/support/suse2_eng.asp?mode=linux_download&product_id=15
To start the download process, click on the link FastTrak SuSE 7.1/7.2/7.3/8.0 Driver.
Please note that this driver has been developed by the company Promise and it has no sources available on the Internet. Thus, there might be problems in the modules with some kernel versions if the driver has not been compiled for the used kernel. Therefore, although we cannot provide any free-of-charge assistance for the implementation of this driver, you are welcome to use our chargeable hotline. For further information please refer to :
http://www.suse.de/en/private/support/inst_support/support_overview.htmlThe drivers are obtained as zip archives and can be extracted under all common operating systems. The zip archive contains two additional zip files:
suse7x-ftb22.zip suse80-ftb22.zip
In addition to the drivers for the Promise FastTrak Raid controller, the file suse7x-ftb22.zip also contains an image for a boot floppy.
Proceed as follows to create a boot floppy under Windows:
Perform the following steps as root user in a console:
After having created the floppies, reboot your system and start the SuSE Linux installation. First insert the boot floppy and use it to start your computer. Make sure that the floppy drive is selected in your BIOS as first boot source. For more information, please refer to your mainboard documentation.
After a few seconds, the following prompt is displayed on the screen:
boot:
Now press the left ALT key. On the lower right side of the screen you should see the words FastTrak Diver Disk. Enter promise at the boot prompt and press Enter. After a short time you will be asked to insert the driver floppy. YaST2 will be started and you should be able to proceed with the installation as described in the manual.
For more information on this procedure, refer to the file readme.txt included in the zip files.
Proceed as follows to create a driver floppy for SuSE Linux 8.0:
Once you are in Linuxrc, proceed to load the driver from the floppy disk:
The module will be loaded in the ramdisk and added to the list for kernel modules. Now select again the entry
Load IDE/Raid/SCSI drivers
and select the module FastTrak. Confirm the parameter's question with Enter. The following messages will be now displayed on the screen:
The module "FastTrak" has been successfully loadedConfirm this message with Enter. By pressing ALT+F4, the messages concerning the detected RAID will be displayed. To switch back to Linuxrc, press ALT+F1.
To start the installation, select:
Now you can proceed with the installation. If YaST2 asks you if the modules "ataraid" or "pdcraid" should be loaded, click on discard.
Please note that the module is not automatically registered in the file /etc/sysconfig/kernel during the installation. This would implicitly result in a kernel panic the next time the system starts. To avoid this problem, Promise provides a script on a driver floppy that takes care of it. The following operations can be performed during the installation or aftwerwards, on a installed system. Proceed as follows:
ide0=0x1f0,0x3f6,14 ide1=0x170,0x376,15 ide2=0 ide3=0 ide4=0 ide5=0 ide6=0 ide7=0 ide8=0 ide9=0
chroot /mnt mount /media/floppy cd /media/floppy sh setup-ft umount /media/floppy exit
The steps above can also be performed after a successful installation: Login on the graphical interface and proceed as follows:
su -
and enter your password. Note that the password will not be displayed either with letters or with asterisks. You have to enter it "blind".
mount /dev/fd0 /media/floppy sh /media/floppy/setup-ft
By starting the script setup-ft, the driver will be copied to the / partition and inserted in the file /etc/sysconfig/kernel. Finally, execute the following commands:
mk_initrd lilo umount /media/floppy reboot