Linux Mint HDD detection problem

[almichev]

Hi all. Am trying to install the new Mint version (first time I've tried with Linux) onto a sperate hard drive to XP. The 2nd hard drive is detected in the bios of my Gigabyte EP43 DS3L - but not in XP or when I come to the partitioning stage for installing Mint. I have 2 Western Digital Caviar 320Gb drives - 16mb cache.

Any help very much appreciated.

 

[BillytheImpaler]

In Linux open a Terminal window and type the following
sudo fdisk -l
this will list all the disks and partitions it sees. Is the disk in question there? Feel free to post the results here.

 

[almichev]

It shows no disks. It doesn't show much of anything except alternative fdisk options - have tried those with no joy.

 

[|Thomas|]

Are you typing it in correctly? The last character is a lower case L. Even if it doesn't detect the hard drive in question it should at least detect the XP drive.

 

[almichev]

Yep, am typing a lower case L. The only drive that shows up in Mint is the CD/DVD drive, no XP drive.

 

[Dj_Jestar]

Your harddrive is not detected in XP, or in Mint?

 

[Una]

post your 'dmesg' and 'lspci' in here (I assume mint boots from a livecd like ubuntu).

 

[almichev]

Your harddrive is not detected in XP, or in Mint?

Both. The bios detects it, and I had the option to install XP onto either of my two hard drives. So I installed XP onto one, which is fine. But in XP the ohter HD isn't shown, and Linux shows neither.

 

[BillytheImpaler]

Maybe that mobo uses a funky disk controller or some'at. lspci's output may be useful, as Una suggests.

 

[Dj_Jestar]

jumper settings should also be checked

also post the output of:

dmesg | grep -i -P "(hd|sd)+"

 

[Una]

Both. The bios detects it, and I had the option to install XP onto either of my two hard drives. So I installed XP onto one, which is fine. But in XP the ohter HD isn't shown, and Linux shows neither.

If you look in adminstrator tools > computer management > disk management .. see if the disk shows up in there. It should do just show as unknown/no partitions depending on how you (not?) formatted it.I recon its not plugged in correctly, jumper settings as above.

 

[almichev]

jumper settings should also be checked

also post the output of:

dmesg | grep -i -P "(hd|sd)+"

I tried that and it comes up with "i" as being invalid.

If the hard drive is detected in the bios then it must be connected ok??

 

[almichev]

Or should one be a master and the other slave?

 

[Una]

Or should one be a master and the other slave?

If they are on the same cable then yes. Primary master, primary slave etc..

That regex is missing load of important lines out (scsi/ata etc..), I wouldn't bother grep'ing for it since dmesg changes depending on what hw you got. Just post the entire lot.

 

[almichev]

Una, shall i just type "dmesg"? If I post everything it displays i'll break the forum i reckon

You're helping a total linux noob btw.

 

[Una]

Stick it between code tags [code ] stuff here [ /code] or use http://pastie.org/

 

[almichev]

Will split it in half. It's over 25000 characters.

 

[almichev]

Edit

 

[almichev]

Edit

 

[Una]

Thsi is why I said use code tags or pastie . Looks like its not seeing either of your hard disks from that. Make sure they are connected properly, mess around with the jumper settings/cabling ..