Hard drive not recognized(Ubuntu), works in XP.

[Kristo, act 1]

Hi,

I'm having trouble with an invisible (on Ubuntu 8.10) hard drive, which I hope some noble personality might be able to help me with. Needless to say, I'm not very experienced with Ubuntu. :(

I have XP and Ubuntu 8.10 installed on the same, partitioned hard drive. Also, I've got a hard drive physically identical to the other, which I use for storage. I have installed windows first, so it is NTFS.
What I need help with is that the storage hard drive doesn't show up in gparted or fdisk -l. On XP it works alright, though. I'm doing my best to provide info straight up, so please bear with me. I hope maybe someone has experience in this particular problem type, which seems to be very common by the looks.:? So, all the info I could gather:

Links I found important but did not know how to use if to use:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=370386
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1181092&highlight=hard+drive+-recognized

Output of sudo lshw (the part I found important):
I really hope I know how to wrap the text properly. Any other would be embarrasing.

*-ide:1
description: IDE interface
product: 182 SATA/RAID Controller
vendor: Silicon Integrated Systems [SiS]
physical id: 5
bus info: pci@0000:00:05.0
logical name: scsi2
version: 01
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: ide pm bus_master cap_list emulated
configuration: driver=sata_sis latency=64 module=sata_sis
*-disk
description: ATA Disk
product: ST3160023AS
vendor: Seagate
physical id: 0.0.0
bus info: scsi@2:0.0.0
logical name: /dev/sda
version: 3.00
serial: 5MT2KX2S
size: 149GiB (160GB)
capabilities: partitioned partitioned:dos
configuration: ansiversion=5 signature=0001c4ee
*-volume:0
description: Windows NTFS volume
physical id: 1
bus info: scsi@2:0.0.0,1
logical name: /dev/sda1
logical name: /media/D
version: 3.1
serial: eec20b5c-cd35-c746-868e-5796353d3791
size: 97GiB
capacity: 97GiB
capabilities: primary bootable ntfs initialized
configuration: clustersize=4096 created=2008-06-14 18:26:00 filesystem=ntfs mount.fstype=fuseblk mount.options=rw,nosuid,nodev,user_id=0,group_id=0 ,allow_other,blksize=4096 state=mounted
*-volume:1
description: Linux swap volume
physical id: 2
bus info: scsi@2:0.0.0,2
logical name: /dev/sda2
version: 1
serial: bfa90e70-95d2-4c14-96b3-c2762d02ee6b
size: 972MiB
capacity: 972MiB
capabilities: primary nofs swap initialized
configuration: filesystem=swap pagesize=4096
*-volume:2
description: EXT3 volume
vendor: Linux
physical id: 3
bus info: scsi@2:0.0.0,3
logical name: /dev/sda3
logical name: /
logical name: /dev/.static/dev
version: 1.0
serial: dc81e8dc-f486-43f1-8788-007ec6c4cba2
size: 6675MiB
capacity: 6675MiB
capabilities: primary journaled extended_attributes large_files huge_files recover ext3 ext2 initialized
configuration: created=2008-08-30 17:26:05 filesystem=ext3 modified=2009-07-20 14:18:32 mount.fstype=ext3 mount.options=ro,errors=remount-ro,data=ordered mounted=2009-07-20 14:18:32 state=mounted
*-volume:3
description: EXT3 volume
vendor: Linux
physical id: 4
bus info: scsi@2:0.0.0,4
logical name: /dev/sda4
logical name: /home
version: 1.0
serial: 0e96082a-2bfa-43cf-84d3-fb0f57d4cbfc
size: 43GiB
capacity: 43GiB
capabilities: primary journaled extended_attributes large_files huge_files recover ext3 ext2 initialized
configuration: created=2008-08-28 02:01:01 filesystem=ext3 modified=2009-07-20 14:18:33 mount.fstype=ext3 mount.options=rw,relatime,errors=continue,data=ord ered mounted=2009-07-20 14:18:33 state=mountedThe output of sudo fdisk -l:

Disk /dev/sda: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x0001c4ee

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 12748 102398278+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 12749 12872 996030 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda3 12873 13723 6835657+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda4 13724 19457 46058355 83 Linux
kristo@nurkka:~$ * Both hard drives show in BIOS as third master and slave.
*Gparted shows no trace of the storage drive.
*"I have PCI S-ATA Controller" in BIOS set to "Native" as it could also be "RAID"(if my memory serves me right, it was RAID)
*I am able to access the Windows -partition from Ubuntu without any problems.
*Oh, and Windows hinted that the storage drive is location 1 as the install-drive is location 0.

I hope I did not miss anything important. As I said, I have overdone my talents in this one, I would be very glad to receive any tips or tricks about where to look for the problem or, if possible, even solution.

Regards,
Kristo

[Azyl]

from what i am seeing you shouldn`t have troubles with it, if i rember well there was a special program or component for ubuntu that alowed the mounting of ntfs partions and you should check that your fstab config is ok (usualy there is the problem) and that the hard drive is listed there so it can be mounted and used by ubuntu sorry for my english

[Kristo, act 1]

Hey Azyl,

I appreciate your lightning-fast response.

I checked the fstab file as you kindly suggested, but I cannot tell if and how I should modify that file, should the problem be in it. It doesn't show the second hard drive. I'll post it in its great eight rows, just in case.

/etc/fstab: (sda is the installation drive. I do not know what the missing one would be called.)


proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
UUID=dc81e8dc-f486-43f1-8788-007ec6c4cba2 / ext3 relatime,errors=remount-ro 0 1
UUID=0e96082a-2bfa-43cf-84d3-fb0f57d4cbfc /home ext3 relatime 0 2
UUID=bfa90e70-95d2-4c14-96b3-c2762d02ee6b none swap sw 0 0
/dev/scd0 /media/cdrom0 udf,iso9660 user,noauto,exec,utf8 0 0
/dev/scd1 /media/cdrom1 udf,iso9660 user,noauto,exec,utf8 0 0
/dev/sda1 /media/D ntfs defaults 0 0Thank you for the tip, I appreciate it. :)

Kristo

[ajgreeny]

I'm pretty sure this is nothing to do with your fstab or any filesystem files on your machine but more likely a kernel problem. From the first of the links you gave I wonder if the boot parameter
pci=nomsiadded to the grub menu list kernel line might help.

Try the following, it will not make permanent changes at the moment to your system so don't worry. Reboot and at the grub menu hit "e" on the ubuntu line, then with your cursor keys go down to the second line starting "kernel" and ending in "quiet splash" and add "pci=nomsi" to the end. Now hit enter to accept the edit then "b" to boot and see if the disk is now recognised when you have booted in to the system. If ity does not work, don't worry, just boot again and the edit you made will have gone and you'll be back where you were.

Are you sure you have the second disk properly attached in your machine, because as you said, it is not being seen at all by ubuntu, you only have sda showing in fdisk and lshw commands. Can you check the jumpers on the side of the disks are correctly set to master and slave, assuming they are both IDE disks, though I don't think that would stop it being seen totally by ubuntu.

[Kristo, act 1]

Ajgreeny,

Thank you for your most educated advice.

I hope I did the first advice properly, as I just added pci=nomsi right after the last word in the line as in "kernel .... quiet splash pci=nomsi". Unfortunately, it did not take me much further. Still nothing on gparted or fdisk -l.

About the cable settings. I tried to look into the box, but didn't find anything hinting for master/slave. So, I googled "st3160023AS manual". The first result said in it:
"There is no master/slave relationship
with Serial ATA devices like there is with parallel ATA. If two drives are
attached on one Serial ATA host adapter, the host operating system views
the two devices as if they were both “masters” on two separate ports.
"
News for me, but I can't see any switch on the disks, and the cables only fit one socket on each drive. Does all this sound sensible?

Thank you for your input.

Kristo

[ajgreeny]

OK, if the disks are attached by narrow cables they are sata drives and will not need the master/slave arrangement. That would be needed only if they are connected by ribbon cables about 2cm wide, so it sounds as if you have sata drives, which leaves me even more confused and baffled, I'm afraid, and not knowing quite where else to turn. Sorry about that.

[Kristo, act 1]

Hey,

Yes, the cables were narrow ones. I find it strange, though, that BIOS lists them as master and slave even though the manual says they both act as master. Can't imagine it affecting, but it just occurred to me.

Thank you for your help. Even though the answer hasn't come up, we're still a few tries further. After all, there is a limited amount of false solutions :o.

It bothers me that a year or two backwards I did have that hard disk visible on Ubuntu. Might have been a different version of Ubuntu, though.
Then some day it just wasn't there. Cannot recall if anything happened back then. There were several users on the computer... Think my brother stuck a jellyfish in there.

There is one you might be able to answer for me, Ajgreeny, if you please.

If and when Ubuntu recognizes the disk physically is there, will it automatically show up both in fdisk -l and gparted? So there wouldn't be the chance I just miss it?

Kristo

[ajgreeny]

Yes, I'm pretty certain it will. As to why it's not at the moment, I'm afraid I'll have to admit defeat.
However, just a thought: what happens if you change over the cable mounts of the disks, ie swap them round the other way? Perhaps either both disks will become available, or just the second one will now be seen. This would suggest that the cable or connector is not working properly, though the fact that windows sees both suggests something else is the problem.

As you can see, I'm grasping at straws now, but always, always, hopeful.

[Kristo, act 1]

Hey,

I tried switching the cables. Considered it earlier but I thought maybe it will mess up something. Turns out it seems to have had no influence whatsoever to either Ubuntu or Windows. Tried the pci=nomsi trick with it, too. Hmm.

Maybe if we chat long enough, try after try, either someone wiser sees the post or we hit the target :) I kind of think the first one is more efficient a way, though.

Anyone up for a try? Any input would be great, even if it's just to bump up the post :-#.

Thanks
Kristo

[vanadium]

Just some other ideas for debugging: how does it work from within a live session? Try an Ubuntu 9.04 live Cd or another distro. This way you could see if the problem is limited to Ubuntu 8.10.

[Kristo, act 1]

Hey,

Thanks for the note, hadn't thought about it that way. I'll try it tonight if I can get a friend to bring a live cd to me.

I pay for the slowest possible internet connection, and I don't even get what I pay for, so no use trying to create one :D

If you have any other clues, I'd be happy to try and even fail.

Kristo

[Kristo, act 1]

Hey,

Just an update to report the result of the suggestion Vanadium made.

I tried both Ubuntu 7.04 and Ubuntu 8.04 on live CDs. With them, the second hard drive is clearly VISIBLE as expected.

So, thank you, Vanadium.

Sure as hell bothers me that it's a problem with the operating system, (so that I have to compromise) but maybe I'll just give in and install a new one. Who knows, maybe 9.04 works. Haven't got my hands on that one yet.

Reinstalling Ubuntu is not such a massive job after all anyway. As everything important is saved on the second hard drive, I'll just let it go untouched.

Yea, so, solved, in a way.. If you experience the same problem... Change the version.

Thank you for everyone for your kind input.

Kristo

[Kristo, act 1]

Hey,

Updating to note that the problem is limited to versions 8.10 and 9.04..
I'm now running 8.04, which is not cool, but there doesn't seem to be another way around.

Kristo

[beacon]

I'm not certain this is the same problem, but if not, it is close. I have two hard drives, but only the first ever appears when booting. I have used fdisk -l and got the following:



Disk /dev/sda: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x9d9d9d9d

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 19272 154802308+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 19273 19457 1486012+ 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 19273 19457 1485981 82 Linux swap / Solaris

Disk /dev/sdb: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x77777777

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 1 1019 8185086 83 Linux
/dev/sdb2 1020 19457 148103235 5 Extended
/dev/sdb5 1020 1528 4088511 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdb6 1529 1594 524288 83 Linux
/dev/sdb7 * 1594 1619 204799+ 83 Linux
/dev/sdb8 1619 19457 143285572 8e Linux LVM

That clearly shows two hard drives, but there seems no way I can get access to the second. The bios show the boot sequence: CD/Rom as first, removable hard drive second, and hard drive third.

Even the chap who built the machine is unable to help. I would appreciate any advice. By the way, I have PClos on the second and Ubuntu Jaunty on the first.