Installing SuSE Linux on a Promise 133 Raid Controller

Support knowledgebase (wessels_raid133)
Applies to

SuSE Linux: Versions 7.1 to 8.0

Symptom

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"

Cause

There is currently no kernel support for the Promise FastTrak 133 raid controller.

Solution

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.html

Creating a boot floppy for SuSE Linux 7.1 to 7.3

The 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.

How to create a boot/driver floppy under Windows

Proceed as follows to create a boot floppy under Windows:

  1. Unpack the file T-FTS-02-SUS80.zip under Windows
  2. Unpack the file suse7x-ftb22.zip in a directory of your choice
  3. Insert the 1st SuSE Linux CD-ROM/DVD.
  4. Start the program rawrite in the directory X:\dosutils\rawrite\rawrite.exe (X:\ stands for the letter corresponding to your CD/DVD drive under Windows).
  5. Select the file boot.img as source from the driver directory and your floppy drive as target.
  6. Unpack the file driver.zip on a second floppy, too.

How to create a boot/driver floppy under Linux

Perform the following steps as root user in a console:

Boot floppy

  1. mkdir /tmp/promise
  2. cp T-FTS-02-SUS80.zip /tmp/promise
  3. unzip T-FTS-02-SUS80.zip
  4. unzip suse7x-ftb22.zip
  5. Insert a floppy in the floppy drive
  6. dd if=boot.img of=/dev/fd0 bs=1k

Driver floppy

  1. mount /floppy
  2. unzip driver.zip -d /floppy
  3. umount /floppy

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.

Driver floppy for SuSE Linux 8.0

Proceed as follows to create a driver floppy for SuSE Linux 8.0:

  1. Unpack the content of suse80-ftb22.zip on a floppy disk
  2. Start the installation from a floppy, the CD-ROM or the DVD
  3. Select the item Manual installation from the installation menu
  4. Select your language and keyboard layout

Once you are in Linuxrc, proceed to load the driver from the floppy disk:

  1. Kernel modules
  2. Load IDE/Raid/SCSI drivers
  3. Scroll the list to the bottom and select Further modules.
  4. Insert the floppy and confirm with Enter.

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 loaded

Confirm 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:

  1. back
  2. Start installation / system
  3. Start installation
  4. CD-ROM

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:

  1. Before starting the installation, click on the item "Boot" in YaST2's installation menu
  2. Select the option linear.
  3. If the following values are not available yet, enter them as boot options:
  4. 
    ide0=0x1f0,0x3f6,14 ide1=0x170,0x376,15 ide2=0 ide3=0
    ide4=0 ide5=0 ide6=0 ide7=0 ide8=0 ide9=0
    
    
  5. Save the changes.
  6. Start the installation.
  7. Once lilo has been written, do NOT confirm the message with OK, but press CTRL+ALT+F2 and execute the following commands:
  8. 
    chroot /mnt
    mount /media/floppy
    cd /media/floppy
    sh setup-ft
    umount /media/floppy
    exit
    
    
  9. Once these commands have been executed, press CTRL+ALT+F7 to switch back to the installation.
  10. Confirm Lilo's message with OK
  11. After having completed the installation, reboot your system without the Promise driver floppy.

The steps above can also be performed after a successful installation: Login on the graphical interface and proceed as follows:

  1. Open a console or Shell (konsole or xterm)
  2. Enter the command:
  3. 
    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".

  4. Execute the following commands:
  5. 
    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
    
    

Keywords: RAID, PROMISE, 133, PDC20276, INSTALLATION, CONTROLLER

SDB-wessels_raid133, Copyright SuSE Linux AG, Nürnberg, Germany - Version: 02. Sep 2002
SuSE Linux AG - Last generated: 13. Sep 2002 by ip (sdb_gen 1.40.0)