Re: [tlug] RH9 install probelm: error enabling swap device

[Stephen Lee <sl@example.com>]

Jean-Christian Imbeault <jc@example.com> wrote:
> Maybe I my recollection of fdisk and partitions is wrong but I though
> you could fit up to 4 logical partitions on every extended partition?

You could fit practically any number of logical partitions you want into
one extended partition.

> Is my HD flaky? It's a 40GB drive so I'm wondering if there is BIOS
> problem perhaps?

How big is your primary partition? Have you run into a size limit?  e.g.
8GB?  I do not think Linux have a 8GB limit though, it does not go
through the BIOS once you've booted up that far.  It is more probably
hardware.

> I'm not so sure it's the HD but feel it more of a BIOS/mobo problem
> (this is that strange korean server with (hot-swapable ?) IDE drive
> bays). On the motherboard there seems to be two IDE controller
> connectors, each with a round type of IDE cable I haven't seen before.
> These two cables then connect into a board that has four connectors that
> accept one HD each. The IDE drive itself needs a special adaptor/board
> plugged into it to be plugged into the board with the four connectors.

I suggest the first thing you try to do is go to the HD manufacturer's
web site and get their diagnostic program on a floppy and test your disk
out on that.  IBM, Maxtor, Seagate all have one.

Then try a CD-ROM based linux like Knoppix, partition your disk, mount
partitions, put large files on them, make several copies and compare
them.

The four connectors are probably channel 1 master/slave and channel 2
master/slave.  The HDD should go into channel 1 master.  i.e. If it were
a cable it should go to the end of the cable.  Helps signal integrity
that way.

The CD-ROM if you have an IDE one should go to channel 2 master.

Try skipping those boards/bays (bad signal path can probably screw up
the signal a lot) and plug your drive directly into the motherboard. 
Try it for the install with the case open if neccessary.  If that works
I suggest getting a better bay if you need swappable bays.

Get new cables if neccessary.  Are the rounded cables good?  Get 80-wire
ATA-100 (or ATA-133 but I don't think your 40GB disk needs that) cables.

Some BIOS or drives are too aggresive selecting DMA mode.  Try lowering
that with hdparm.  You can try changing it in BIOS too but you'd better
verify it in linux with hdparm too 'cos the IDE driver could have
changed it.  In the extreme case try turning off DMA altogether but that
would make disk access very slow/CPU intensive.

Stephen