Hardy LiveCD won't recognize hard drives

[unutbu]

Please boot from your hard drive and post the output of

dmesg | grep ata

[kernalsanders123]

Here's the results of dmesg | grep ata from my current Gutsy install on my hard drive:

[    0.000000]  BIOS-e820: 000000007fff3000 - 0000000080000000 (ACPI data)
[    0.000000] PERCPU: Allocating 34696 bytes of per cpu data
[   15.755474] Memory: 2056116k/2097088k available (2274k kernel code, 40584k reserved, 1185k data, 300k init)
[   19.279552] libata version 2.21 loaded.
[   21.149114] sata_nv 0000:00:07.0: version 3.4
[   21.149503] sata_nv 0000:00:07.0: Using ADMA mode
[   21.150183] scsi0 : sata_nv
[   21.150396] scsi1 : sata_nv
[   21.150581] ata1: SATA max UDMA/133 cmd 0xffffc20000aa8480 ctl 0xffffc20000aa84a0 bmdma 0x000000000001d400 irq 20
[   21.150585] ata2: SATA max UDMA/133 cmd 0xffffc20000aa8580 ctl 0xffffc20000aa85a0 bmdma 0x000000000001d408 irq 20
[   21.619976] ata1: SATA link up 3.0 Gbps (SStatus 123 SControl 300)
[   21.637831] ata1.00: ATA-7: WDC WD1600JS-62MHB5, 10.02E02, max UDMA/133
[   21.637834] ata1.00: 312581808 sectors, multi 16: LBA48 
[   21.648126] ata1.00: configured for UDMA/133
[   22.115201] ata2: SATA link up 3.0 Gbps (SStatus 123 SControl 300)
[   22.138206] ata2.00: ATA-7: WDC WD1600JS-62MHB5, 10.02E02, max UDMA/133
[   22.138209] ata2.00: 312581808 sectors, multi 16: LBA48 
[   22.147326] ata2.00: configured for UDMA/133
[   22.147420] ata1: bounce limit 0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF, segment boundary 0xFFFFFFFF, hw segs 61
[   22.147807] ata2: bounce limit 0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF, segment boundary 0xFFFFFFFF, hw segs 61
[   22.148434] sata_nv 0000:00:08.0: Using ADMA mode
[   22.148669] scsi2 : sata_nv
[   22.148925] scsi3 : sata_nv
[   22.149102] ata3: SATA max UDMA/133 cmd 0xffffc20000aaa480 ctl 0xffffc20000aaa4a0 bmdma 0x000000000001c000 irq 23
[   22.149107] ata4: SATA max UDMA/133 cmd 0xffffc20000aaa580 ctl 0xffffc20000aaa5a0 bmdma 0x000000000001c008 irq 23
[   22.618415] ata3: SATA link up 1.5 Gbps (SStatus 113 SControl 300)
[   22.782231] ata3.00: ATAPI: SONY    DVD RW AW-G170S, 1.72, max UDMA/66
[   22.953962] ata3.00: configured for UDMA/66
[   23.421159] ata4: SATA link up 1.5 Gbps (SStatus 113 SControl 300)
[   23.600952] ata4.00: ATAPI: LITE-ON COMBO SHC-52S7K, VK03, max UDMA/100
[   23.788656] ata4.00: configured for UDMA/100
[   23.789518] ata3: bounce limit 0xFFFFFFFF, segment boundary 0xFFFF, hw segs 127
[   23.791081] ata4: bounce limit 0xFFFFFFFF, segment boundary 0xFFFF, hw segs 127
[   24.183871] EXT3-fs: mounted filesystem with ordered data mode.

And here is the same results from using a LiveCD, if it will be of any help:

[   57.757787] sata_nv 0000:00:07.0: version 3.5
[   57.757806] sata_nv 0000:00:07.0: Using ADMA mode
[   57.758103] scsi2 : sata_nv
[   57.758345] scsi3 : sata_nv
[   58.693456] sata_nv 0000:00:08.0: Using ADMA mode
[   58.693735] scsi4 : sata_nv
[   58.693982] scsi5 : sata_nv
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ dmesg | grep ata
[    0.000000]  BIOS-e820: 000000007fff3000 - 0000000080000000 (ACPI data)
[    0.000000] PERCPU: Allocating 34656 bytes of per cpu data
[   53.799238] Memory: 2054824k/2097088k available (2466k kernel code, 41876k reserved, 1309k data, 316k init)
[   56.607949] libata version 3.00 loaded.
[   57.424463] pata_amd 0000:00:06.0: version 0.3.10
[   57.424622] scsi0 : pata_amd
[   57.424666] scsi1 : pata_amd
[   57.425137] ata1: PATA max UDMA/133 cmd 0x1f0 ctl 0x3f6 bmdma 0xe800 irq 14
[   57.425139] ata2: PATA max UDMA/133 cmd 0x170 ctl 0x376 bmdma 0xe808 irq 15
[   57.757787] sata_nv 0000:00:07.0: version 3.5
[   57.757806] sata_nv 0000:00:07.0: Using ADMA mode
[   57.758103] scsi2 : sata_nv
[   57.758345] scsi3 : sata_nv
[   57.758499] ata3: SATA max UDMA/133 cmd 0x9f0 ctl 0xbf0 bmdma 0xd400 irq 22
[   57.758502] ata4: SATA max UDMA/133 cmd 0x970 ctl 0xb70 bmdma 0xd408 irq 22
[   58.226075] ata: SEMB device ignored
[   58.226084] ata3: SATA link up 3.0 Gbps (SStatus 123 SControl 300)
[   58.693323] ata: SEMB device ignored
[   58.693326] ata4: SATA link up 3.0 Gbps (SStatus 123 SControl 300)
[   58.693456] sata_nv 0000:00:08.0: Using ADMA mode
[   58.693735] scsi4 : sata_nv
[   58.693982] scsi5 : sata_nv
[   58.694136] ata5: SATA max UDMA/133 cmd 0x9e0 ctl 0xbe0 bmdma 0xc000 irq 21
[   58.694138] ata6: SATA max UDMA/133 cmd 0x960 ctl 0xb60 bmdma 0xc008 irq 21
[   59.160570] ata5: SATA link up 1.5 Gbps (SStatus 113 SControl 300)
[   59.324384] ata5.00: ATAPI: SONY    DVD RW AW-G170S, 1.72, max UDMA/66
[   59.496105] ata5.00: configured for UDMA/66
[   59.963270] ata6: SATA link up 1.5 Gbps (SStatus 113 SControl 300)
[   60.143054] ata6.00: ATAPI: LITE-ON COMBO SHC-52S7K, VK03, max UDMA/100
[   60.330751] ata6.00: configured for UDMA/100
[   60.332432] ata5: bounce limit 0xFFFFFFFF, segment boundary 0xFFFF, hw segs 127
[   60.333844] ata6: bounce limit 0xFFFFFFFF, segment boundary 0xFFFF, hw segs 127

[unutbu]

When you boot Gutsy from the HD, it appears sata_nv claims scsi0 and scsi1:

scsi0 : sata_nv
scsi1 : sata_nv
ata1: SATA max UDMA/133 cmd 0xffffc20000aa8480 ctl 0xffffc20000aa84a0 bmdma 0x000000000001d400 irq 20
ata2: SATA max UDMA/133 cmd 0xffffc20000aa8580 ctl 0xffffc20000aa85a0 bmdma 0x000000000001d408 irq 20
ata1: SATA link up 3.0 Gbps (SStatus 123 SControl 300)
ata1.00: ATA-7: WDC WD1600JS-62MHB5, 10.02E02, max UDMA/133
ata1.00: 312581808 sectors, multi 16: LBA48 
ata1.00: configured for UDMA/133
ata2: SATA link up 3.0 Gbps (SStatus 123 SControl 300)
ata2.00: ATA-7: WDC WD1600JS-62MHB5, 10.02E02, max UDMA/133
ata2.00: 312581808 sectors, multi 16: LBA48 
ata2.00: configured for UDMA/133
ata1: bounce limit 0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF, segment boundary 0xFFFFFFFF, hw segs 61
ata2: bounce limit 0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF, segment boundary 0xFFFFFFFF, hw segs 61

But when you boot from Hardy LiveCD, pata_amd claims scsi0 and scsi1, and your hard drives ultimately get ignored:

pata_amd 0000:00:06.0: version 0.3.10
scsi0 : pata_amd
scsi1 : pata_amd
ata1: PATA max UDMA/133 cmd 0x1f0 ctl 0x3f6 bmdma 0xe800 irq 14
ata2: PATA max UDMA/133 cmd 0x170 ctl 0x376 bmdma 0xe808 irq 15
ata: SEMB device ignored
ata: SEMB device ignored

I'm not sure how to tell the LiveCD to not use pata_amd.

[kernalsanders123]

Ok, another update: I dug up an old 173MB IDE Western Digital hard drive, which the Hardy LiveCD recognized without a hitch. Not sure if that really helps to narrow it down at all, but I figured it's worth noting. I was also thinking that the brand might be an issue. I myself have never had any problems with Western Digital, but you never know. Anyone else have any troubles with Hardy and Western Digital hard drives?

[unutbu]

I'm sorry I don't know a better solution for you kernalsanders123. I hear Knoppix is very good at detecting hardware. Maybe give that one a try.

By the time we're through with you, you will have a shelf full of Linux distros!

[kernalsanders123]

Funny you should mention that. I've actually had to try several distros, apparently many of them have problems with my 8800GT video card, since I've tried Knoppix, Finnix, Gparted, Debian, Gutsy, and Feisty LiveCDs, and none of them worked. They all worked fine on my old video card, an ATI X1950 Pro, but the only Live distros I've been able to get to work on my machine is Hardy, which won't read my drives, and Mepis, which works fine. I have used that for repartitioning, but my concern is being able to use the Hardy LiveCD, since I'd like to be able to have the option to reinstall, in case any attempt at upgrading might go haywire.

[unutbu]

If you could alter the Hardy LiveCD, (as though it were a linux installation on a partition), I think the solution is similar to these:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php...96&postcount=9
http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php...17&postcount=2
http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php...57&postcount=2

Namely, you edit /etc/initramfs-tools/modules to contain

sata_nv
blacklist pata_amd

and then run

sudo update-initramfs -u

These commands I think will allow sata_nv to load before pata_amd. This *might* work if you could roll your own custom Hardy LiveCD, but I'm not familiar with how to do that.

[unutbu]

I happened to be reading
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+s....20/+bug/94981
when I thought of you. Near the end there is a report from Mantas Kriaučiūnas that booting with boot option

generic.all_generic_ide=1

was necessary make Ubuntu 7.04 LiveCD recognize his drive. I know your situation is a little different, and you've already tried all_generic_ide, but perhaps not exactly this way. Anyway, I thought I'd pass it on; it's maybe worth a shot.

[kernalsanders123]

Ok, update as follows:

I tried a custom install with satanv and blacklist pata_amd, and I also tried generic.all_generic_ide=1, no dice on either.

However, I found semi-related forum about someone's troubles with SATA on a Gigabyte motherboard. My mobo's an Abit, but they both use the Nforce 4 chipset, and one person's post stated that SATA II ports are powered by the Nforce 4 chipset, while the SATA I drivers are powered by a "Silicon Image 3114 driver". Full thread here

I then noticed that my dmesg output reads my CD drives as SATA I drives, due to the speed being listed as 1.5GB/sec. I know that my hard drives are SATA II, so if these are similar problems, might there be a different module I would need, since the sata_nv module is for nvidia chipsets? Just a thought, I might not even be in the same ballpark, so, if anyone might have any thoughts for or against, please do tell.

[unutbu]

Please post

lspci -nn