DSL in 2nd partition of WinXP server with IDE driv

Forum: HD Install
Topic: DSL in 2nd partition of WinXP server with IDE driv
started by: JohnTorex

Posted by JohnTorex on July 20 2006,14:52

have trawled many sites and clicked a few hundred google results. nothing seems to cover this missing bit of info that is stopping me from hdd installing dsl.
i have a server with 70 gb hdd. 30 gb are in 1st partition and windows xp installed. file system is NTFS.
i have tried the following options to accommodate an install of DSL on the HDD. note. with all the below, none allow me to run cfdisk or fdisk, though i'm not sure that is what i am meant to be doing.
1) create a 2nd partition whilst booted up in XP, 2 gb. unformatted. cannot see it. tried NTFS / FAT32 and FAT and unformatted.
2) booted the server with a windows 98 floppy and recreated 2nd partition as a FAT partition. tried with it not being the active partition and with it being the active partition.

when i use the boot fdd and dsl boot cd, i successfully start DSL, but it does not detect the IDE drive ?
if i try cfdisk, fdisk or right click the desktop and try install to hard drive they give me FATA ERROR: cannot open disk drive

Posted by JohnTorex on July 20 2006,15:52

just to add some further info if i hope it helps others to help me.

looking at the mtab file, these are the entries

/dev/root / ext2 rw 0 0
/dev/scd0 /cdrom iso9660 ro 00
/dev/cloop /KNOPPIX iso9660 ro 00
/ramdisk /ramdisk tmpfs rw,size=791276k,size=789158k 0 0
/proc/bus/usb /proc/bus/usb usbdevfs rw,devmode=0666 0 0

note. not being fully versed in dsl, but trying my best to get a better understanding. i would have expected to see /dev/hda or something similar.

would you normally see something that relates to IDE if it is an ide / ATA drive ?

thanks in advance in anyone can help

Posted by kerry on July 20 2006,21:12

Grab a copy of gparted livecd, it makes working with partions a snap. make sure you always defragment xp before you resize that partion.-> < http://gparted.sourceforge.net/livecd.php >

Posted by JohnTorex on July 24 2006,08:59

thanks kerry

i have got gnome partition. you're right. it is a nice tool.

but it didn't help me with my problem. i'm trying to get a partition on the drive that is seen by dsl off the livecd so that i can then to an install to harddrive.

i have found out that i have a SATA drive so i assume that wherever i see hda this should be sda ie. /dev/sda1, but this doesn't seem to help.

forget about dual boot, as i have flattened the drive completely just to get the dsl installed. i have created a 2GB partition with 512MB free unallocated in front of this, as this option was available in gnome. but when i run the livecd i still cannot see this...

so my question is can i install DSL on a SATA hardrive.