(With sincere thanks to Chiclidiot, Alan Hicks and Jeff Vail in
particular and others with great hints.)

I bought a new Dell Dimension 8400 that comes equipped with Intel 82801
FB/FBM Ultra ATA and Intel 82801 FR SATA AHCI Controllers and a 160 GB
SATA drive -- little did I know...

The goal is to install Slackware 10.0 on that drive along with, sadly,
Windows XP (needed for a couple of things unavailable in Linux -- yet).

Here's what I did:

* I don't want to know much about XP (I need it for Family Tree
Maker, Stamp.com and TurboTax, but will never use it for anything
else), so I bought Norton Partition Magic and used it to
repartition the drive, 20 GB for XP, the rest for Linux.
* After much ado, I discovered that those Intel controllers are
supported in Linux 2.6.x, but not by default, so I configured and
compiled a kernel including CONFIG_SCSI_ATA_PIIX=y.
* I copied the entire content of Slackware 10.0 disk 1 to my old system.
* I copied the newly-compiled bzImage file to bootdisks/sata.i
(thank you Alan -- we knew this would be simple but not how simple).
* I created a directory kernels/sata.i and copied System.map,
bzImage, and config to it (following the example of other
directories, compressing System.map).
* I added the name "sata.i" to the f*.txt files (as appropriate) in
isolinux.
* I added the name "sata.i" to the file isolinux/isolinux.cfg.
* I cheated, I copied isolinux/README.TXT to a "doit" file, stripped
out the carriage returns and everything but the mkisofs command in
that file and made "doit" executable.
* I executed doit to create /tmp/slackware.iso.
* I burned /tmp/slackware.iso to a CD-ROM (no floppy drive in the
new box).
* I plugged the CD-ROM into the drive on the new box and hit the
power button.
* As messages fly by, I see UC5 and UC6 and everything stops with a
kernel panic -- I've tried root=/dev/sda, /dev/sda0, /dev/sda1,
/dev/sda2, /dev/sda3, and every other combination I can think of.
Kernel panic.

Any thoughts?

Should I say to hell with it and just go buy an IDE?

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

In alt.os.linux.slackware, Thomas Ronayne dared to utter,
> (With sincere thanks to Chiclidiot, Alan Hicks and Jeff Vail in
> particular and others with great hints.)

Aww... giving me the warm and fuzzies. :^)

> Here's what I did:
> * After much ado, I discovered that those Intel controllers are
> supported in Linux 2.6.x, but not by default, so I configured and
> compiled a kernel including CONFIG_SCSI_ATA_PIIX=y.

I'm not sure what the proper option is for support of that controller
is, so I'm assuming you got that right.

> * I copied the entire content of Slackware 10.0 disk 1 to my old system.

Fair enough.

> * I copied the newly-compiled bzImage file to bootdisks/sata.i
> (thank you Alan -- we knew this would be simple but not how simple).

Aw... more warm and fuzzies. Told you it was easy. ;^)

> * I created a directory kernels/sata.i and copied System.map,
> bzImage, and config to it (following the example of other
> directories, compressing System.map).

Exactly what you're supposed to do.

> * I added the name "sata.i" to the f*.txt files (as appropriate) in
> isolinux.

Optional, but good form.

> * I added the name "sata.i" to the file isolinux/isolinux.cfg.
> * I cheated, I copied isolinux/README.TXT to a "doit" file, stripped
> out the carriage returns and everything but the mkisofs command in
> that file and made "doit" executable.
> * I executed doit to create /tmp/slackware.iso.
> * I burned /tmp/slackware.iso to a CD-ROM (no floppy drive in the
> new box).
> * I plugged the CD-ROM into the drive on the new box and hit the
> power button.

So far so good. I'm assuming everything went fine with the disk make
and the cd burn.

> * As messages fly by, I see UC5 and UC6 and everything stops with a
> kernel panic

I'm unfamiliar with UC5 and UC6, but I suspect that you left something
out of the kernel that is required.

> I've tried root=/dev/sda, /dev/sda0, /dev/sda1,
> /dev/sda2, /dev/sda3, and every other combination I can think of.
> Kernel panic.

That won't work unless there's already a linux OS on that partition.
Basically you're booting the kernel off the cd and telling it instead
of booting to the ram disk on the cd, to use /dev/whatever as the root
partition.

> Should I say to hell with it and just go buy an IDE?

Nah. Be more fun this way and you'll learn something. Besides, if it is
a kernel option you left out, reporting what you changed that made it
work will help the next guy with this controller. Can you give us any
details about what kernel panic you get when booting the cd? Did you by
chance leave out initrd support?

- --
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise,
Than for a man to hear the song of fools.
Ecclesiastes 7:5
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Thomas Ronayne <trona@removethisameritech.net> wrote:
> * As messages fly by, I see UC5 and UC6 and everything stops with a
> kernel panic -- I've tried root=/dev/sda, /dev/sda0, /dev/sda1,
> /dev/sda2, /dev/sda3, and every other combination I can think of.
> Kernel panic.

Sounds like you followed the right steps, but more info is needed. Can you
copy down the last several lines shown on the screen when the kernel panic
comes up? There's error codes that are usually printed that will give a
better clue as to where to start. Could be something as simple as the file
that Slackware uses for its root filesystem on the install not properly
being loaded. But the error codes will help figure this out.

Michael Toh seems to have had better luck than I with Dell's use of the
Intel-925X chip set and controller components (ICH6). I'm running out of
ideas (and blank CD-R's) and continue to have the same problem no matter
what I do with the BIOS settings (Michael recommends choosing SATA/PATA
mode for the controller, although none of the three choices work) or
kernel configuration parameters. As far as I've been able to determine,
there just isn't any support for this controller in the kernel.

What I have done is compile 2.6.8.1 configured "default" (which, I
believe, is "everything"); what the heck, the thing's got a gig of RAM,
so who cares if the kernel is a little too big? Deal with that later. I
made sure that CONFIG_SCSI_SATA and CONFIG_SCSI_ATA_PIIX are both
selected and the result is burned and booted. Fiddling with other
settings hasn't improved anything -- and, I should note, I'm not a
kernel weenie and have no idea where else to go or what else to do.
There may be patches available, but for now, I think I'll wait.

Before the kernel panics, the messages are

ACPI supports (S0, S1, S2, S3, S4, S5)
VFS: cannot open root device "ram" or unknown-block(1,0)
Please append a correct "root=" boot option
Kernel panic: VFS unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(1,0)

I have a 7200 RPM Seagate 80 GB IDE drive and have stuck it in the
chassis and will install Slackware on it and boot with Norton's Boot
Magic to either XP or Slackware (well, Slackware unless there is a real
pressing need to boot XP).

So, anyway, my thanks to all for the help and advice.

Thomas Ronayne <trona@removethisameritech.net> wrote:
> Before the kernel panics, the messages are

> ACPI supports (S0, S1, S2, S3, S4, S5)
> VFS: cannot open root device "ram" or unknown-block(1,0)
> Please append a correct "root=" boot option
> Kernel panic: VFS unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(1,0)

This message has nothing to do with your hard drive. It has to do with the
root filesystem for the Slackware install, as I suspected. Check and make
sure you have enabled it by checked for CONFIG_BLK_DEV_RAM=y and
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_RAM_SIZE=x (mine is 16k). I believe you also need
CONFIG_RAMFS=y. While you are checking config options, also make sure
you're supporting all the file systems you want to use, like ext2/3 and so
on. If these are set to =m, you have to use initrd which is a bit more
complex. Also, you might have to use rdev on the kernel, but I honestly
can't remember if I needed that step or not when I was building my disk.
See the Bootdisk HOWTO for rdev info:

http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Bootdisk-H...INGRAMDISKWORD

Cichlidiot wrote:

>root filesystem for the Slackware install, as I suspected. Check and make
>sure you have enabled it by checked for CONFIG_BLK_DEV_RAM=y and
>CONFIG_BLK_DEV_RAM_SIZE=x (mine is 16k). I believe you also need
>CONFIG_RAMFS=y. While you are checking config options, also make sure
>you're supporting all the file systems you want to use, like ext2/3 and so
>on. If these are set to =m, you have to use initrd which is a bit more
>complex. Also, you might have to use rdev on the kernel, but I honestly
>can't remember if I needed that step or not when I was building my disk.
>See the Bootdisk HOWTO for rdev info:
>
>
Ah-ha! Yep, making sure that

CONFIG_BLK_DEV_RAM=y
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_RAM_SIZE=16384
CONFIG_RAMFS=y

did most of the trick -- it boots, it formats and mounts partitions,
wow, thanks.

Then the next killer thing -- can't find the bloody CD-ROM. Much
grinding of teeth, much swearing, throw a couple of things (did you
know that CD-ROMs, when the wrist-flick is properly applied, will make
marks in a plaster wall -- neither did I until now).

OK, so back into .config and look to see why the CD-ROM can't be seen.
So, we've got

Intel 82801FB Ultra ATA Storage Controller
Intel 82801FB/FBM Ultra ATA Storage Controller

and in .config we've got

#
# ATA/ATAPI/MFM/RLL support
#
CONFIG_IDE=y
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDE=y
#
# Please see Documentation/ide.txt for help/info on IDE drives
#
# CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDE_SATA is not set
# CONFIG_BLK_DEV_HD_IDE is not set
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDEDISK=y
# CONFIG_IDEDISK_MULTI_MODE is not set
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDECS=m
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDECD=y
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDETAPE=m
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDEFLOPPY=y
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDESCSI=m
# CONFIG_IDE_TASK_IOCTL is not set
# CONFIG_IDE_TASKFILE_IO is not set

We looked at ide.txt, but, well, not too much help there. It looks like
what we have to do is

CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDE_SATA=y

and things might just work. It seems as though we might want to comment
out CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDEDISK=y so one doesn't interfere with the other,
but we'll try it without doing that first and see what's what. Sheesh.

Thomas Ronayne <trona@removethisameritech.net> wrote:
> Then the next killer thing -- can't find the bloody CD-ROM. Much
> grinding of teeth, much swearing, throw a couple of things (did you
> know that CD-ROMs, when the wrist-flick is properly applied, will make
> marks in a plaster wall -- neither did I until now).

Don't forget your filesystem support either. Recognizing the CD drive and
being able to read the filesystem on the CD are two seperate config
options. If you're looking directly at the config file, go to the
CD-ROM/DVD Filesystem section which contains things like
CONFIG_ISO9660_FS. That or the Joliet filesystem is likely what your CD
image is.

Thomas Ronayne <trona@REMOVETHISameritech.net> wrote in message news:<CPbcd.8414$5b1.5690@newssvr17.news.prodigy.c om>...

> OK, so back into .config and look to see why the CD-ROM can't be seen.
> So, we've got
>
> Intel 82801FB Ultra ATA Storage Controller
> Intel 82801FB/FBM Ultra ATA Storage Controller
>
> and in .config we've got
>
> #
> # ATA/ATAPI/MFM/RLL support
> #
> CONFIG_IDE=y
> CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDE=y
> #
> # Please see Documentation/ide.txt for help/info on IDE drives
> #
> # CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDE_SATA is not set
> # CONFIG_BLK_DEV_HD_IDE is not set
> CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDEDISK=y
> # CONFIG_IDEDISK_MULTI_MODE is not set
> CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDECS=m
> CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDECD=y
> CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDETAPE=m
> CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDEFLOPPY=y
> CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDESCSI=m
> # CONFIG_IDE_TASK_IOCTL is not set
> # CONFIG_IDE_TASKFILE_IO is not set
>
> We looked at ide.txt, but, well, not too much help there. It looks like
> what we have to do is
>
> CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDE_SATA=y
>
> and things might just work. It seems as though we might want to comment
> out CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDEDISK=y so one doesn't interfere with the other,
> but we'll try it without doing that first and see what's what. Sheesh.

Thomas,

Apologies for not trimming much of above. As I mentioned before, your
config seems OK :

my .config includes:

CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDE_SATA is not set << deprecated OLD SATA driver.
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDEDISK=y
CONFIG_IDEDISK_MULTIMODE=y
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_IDECD=y

the above will give you your cdrom as /dev/hdc if you have 2 sata-drives.
(you will have to check the hotplugging stuff in rc.hotplug,
and prepare to configure /dev/cdrom in /etc/udev/rules.d )

Under SCSI device support,

CONFIG_BLK_DEV_SD=y
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_SR=y

Under SCSI low-level drivers:

CONFIG_SCSI_SATA=y
CONFIG_SCSI_ATA_PIIX=y

I guess, that's it.
Your motherboard with the new BIOS A02 may not allow you to
switch to PATA/SATA compatibility mode. Ask DELL support !

truly,
mick.

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

In alt.os.linux.slackware, Thomas Ronayne dared to utter,
> What I have done is compile 2.6.8.1 configured "default" (which, I
> believe, is "everything")
> VFS: cannot open root device "ram" or unknown-block(1,0)
> Please append a correct "root=" boot option

Has no one read the threads on SATA yet? I know for a fact I mentioned
that you need initrd and ext2 support (to read the ram disk the
installer uses), iso9660 support and support for your cd-rom drive as
well. This "default" kernel is very small with just about nothing built
into it. If you don't know anything about compiling a kernel, don't go
off and try to compile one without reading the documentation first.

- --
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise,
Than for a man to hear the song of fools.
Ecclesiastes 7:5
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