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January 23rd, 2005 06:00

Dimension 8400 dual boot linux/windows SOLUTION

Hi all

I just got my Dimension 8400 setup to dual boot XP and Fedora Core 3. I overcame the SATA difficulty that many have encountered.

Summary: Alter your bios setting as detailed below: Download the 2.6.10 kernel and be sure to have the following options selected


CONFIG_SCSI_SATA=y
CONFIG_SCSI_SATA_AHCI=y
CONFIG_SCSI_ATA_PIIX=y

check the my kernel config below; more options are required to support the above kernel components, but those are the key to getting the drive working under ahci.

from another post of mine on another forum:

The main issue is that the Inspiron 8400 comes with a SATA harddrive that fedora core 3 does not recognize.

I was working off the instructions quoted below:

quote:
I've been able to get FC 2 to work with my Dimension 8400 with AHCI by doing the following:
1) Switch the BIOS SATA setting to Raid Autodetect/ATA (N.B. this makes Windows temporarily unavailable)
2) Installing FC2 (presumably any other distribution would work)
3) Get a kernel with AHCI support (2.4.29+ and 2.6.10+)
4) Edit /etc/modules.conf by changing "alias scsi_hostadapter ata_piix" into "alias scsi_hostadapter ahci"
5) Rebuild your initial ram disk "mkinitrd -f /boot/.img "
6) Switch the BIOS SATA settings back to Raid Autodetect/AHCI (N.B. Windows should work now)
7) Boot into your new Linux kernel



I deviated in that I compiled the appropriate modules directly into the kernel, eliminating the need for editing the etc/modprobe.conf file. I still had to do the mkinitrd command in step 4 for other modules.

I used kernel 2.6.10. The most difficulty was in selecting all the requisite kernel options: Ill post my kernel .config file below so others can use it.

I dont know if it was worth it. hdparm test yields

/dev/sda7:
^T Timing cached reads: 4108 MB in 2.00 seconds = 2052.26 MB/sec
HDIO_DRIVE_CMD(null) (wait for flush complete) failed: Inappropriate ioctl for device
Timing buffered disk reads: 106 MB in 3.03 seconds = 34.97 MB/sec

with ahci and about the same with ata. However in ata, sometimes the number for the second test is much higher, around 140. In any case, now I dont have to switch the bios around between going from linux to windows.

here is the config stuff related to scsi

#
# SCSI device support
#
CONFIG_SCSI=y
CONFIG_SCSI_PROC_FS=y

#
# SCSI support type (disk, tape, CD-ROM)
#
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_SD=y
CONFIG_CHR_DEV_ST=m
CONFIG_CHR_DEV_OSST=m
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_SR=m
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_SR_VENDOR=y
CONFIG_CHR_DEV_SG=m

#
# Some SCSI devices (e.g. CD jukebox) support multiple LUNs
#
# CONFIG_SCSI_MULTI_LUN is not set
CONFIG_SCSI_CONSTANTS=y
CONFIG_SCSI_LOGGING=y

#
# SCSI Transport Attributes
#
CONFIG_SCSI_SPI_ATTRS=m
CONFIG_SCSI_FC_ATTRS=m

#
# SCSI low-level drivers
#
# CONFIG_BLK_DEV_3W_XXXX_RAID is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_3W_9XXX is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_7000FASST is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_ACARD is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_AHA152X is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_AHA1542 is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_AACRAID is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_AIC7XXX is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_AIC7XXX_OLD is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_AIC79XX is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_DPT_I2O is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_IN2000 is not set
CONFIG_MEGARAID_NEWGEN=y
CONFIG_MEGARAID_MM=m
CONFIG_MEGARAID_MAILBOX=m
CONFIG_SCSI_SATA=y
CONFIG_SCSI_SATA_AHCI=y
CONFIG_SCSI_SATA_SVW=m
CONFIG_SCSI_ATA_PIIX=y
CONFIG_SCSI_SATA_NV=m
CONFIG_SCSI_SATA_PROMISE=m
CONFIG_SCSI_SATA_SX4=m
CONFIG_SCSI_SATA_SIL=m
CONFIG_SCSI_SATA_SIS=m
# CONFIG_SCSI_SATA_ULI is not set
CONFIG_SCSI_SATA_VIA=m
CONFIG_SCSI_SATA_VITESSE=m
CONFIG_SCSI_BUSLOGIC=m
# CONFIG_SCSI_OMIT_FLASHPOINT is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_DMX3191D is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_DTC3280 is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_EATA is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_EATA_PIO is not set
CONFIG_SCSI_FUTURE_DOMAIN=m
CONFIG_SCSI_GDTH=m
# CONFIG_SCSI_GENERIC_NCR5380 is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_GENERIC_NCR5380_MMIO is not set
CONFIG_SCSI_IPS=m
CONFIG_SCSI_INITIO=m
# CONFIG_SCSI_QLA2322 is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_QLA6312 is not set
CONFIG_SCSI_INIA100=m
CONFIG_SCSI_PPA=m
CONFIG_SCSI_IMM=m
# CONFIG_SCSI_IZIP_EPP16 is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_IZIP_SLOW_CTR is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_NCR53C406A is not set
CONFIG_SCSI_SYM53C8XX_2=m
CONFIG_SCSI_SYM53C8XX_DMA_ADDRESSING_MODE=1
CONFIG_SCSI_SYM53C8XX_DEFAULT_TAGS=16
CONFIG_SCSI_SYM53C8XX_MAX_TAGS=64The main issue is that the Inspiron 8400 comes with a SATA harddrive that fedora core 3 does not recognize.

I was working off the instructions quoted below:

quote:
I've been able to get FC 2 to work with my Dimension 8400 with AHCI by doing the following:
1) Switch the BIOS SATA setting to Raid Autodetect/ATA (N.B. this makes Windows temporarily unavailable)
2) Installing FC2 (presumably any other distribution would work)
3) Get a kernel with AHCI support (2.4.29+ and 2.6.10+)
4) Edit /etc/modules.conf by changing "alias scsi_hostadapter ata_piix" into "alias scsi_hostadapter ahci"
5) Rebuild your initial ram disk "mkinitrd -f /boot/.img "
6) Switch the BIOS SATA settings back to Raid Autodetect/AHCI (N.B. Windows should work now)
7) Boot into your new Linux kernel



I deviated in that I compiled the appropriate modules directly into the kernel, eliminating the need for editing the etc/modprobe.conf file. I still had to do the mkinitrd command in step 4 for other modules.

I used kernel 2.6.10. The most difficulty was in selecting all the requisite kernel options: Ill post my kernel .config file below so others can use it.

I dont know if it was worth it. hdparm test yields

/dev/sda7:
^T Timing cached reads: 4108 MB in 2.00 seconds = 2052.26 MB/sec
HDIO_DRIVE_CMD(null) (wait for flush complete) failed: Inappropriate ioctl for device
Timing buffered disk reads: 106 MB in 3.03 seconds = 34.97 MB/sec

with ahci and about the same with ata. However in ata, sometimes the number for the second test is much higher, around 140. In any case, now I dont have to switch the bios around between going from linux to windows.

here is the config stuff related to scsi

#
# SCSI device support
#
CONFIG_SCSI=y
CONFIG_SCSI_PROC_FS=y

#
# SCSI support type (disk, tape, CD-ROM)
#
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_SD=y
CONFIG_CHR_DEV_ST=m
CONFIG_CHR_DEV_OSST=m
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_SR=m
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_SR_VENDOR=y
CONFIG_CHR_DEV_SG=m

#
# Some SCSI devices (e.g. CD jukebox) support multiple LUNs
#
# CONFIG_SCSI_MULTI_LUN is not set
CONFIG_SCSI_CONSTANTS=y
CONFIG_SCSI_LOGGING=y

#
# SCSI Transport Attributes
#
CONFIG_SCSI_SPI_ATTRS=m
CONFIG_SCSI_FC_ATTRS=m

#
# SCSI low-level drivers
#
# CONFIG_BLK_DEV_3W_XXXX_RAID is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_3W_9XXX is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_7000FASST is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_ACARD is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_AHA152X is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_AHA1542 is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_AACRAID is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_AIC7XXX is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_AIC7XXX_OLD is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_AIC79XX is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_DPT_I2O is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_IN2000 is not set
CONFIG_MEGARAID_NEWGEN=y
CONFIG_MEGARAID_MM=m
CONFIG_MEGARAID_MAILBOX=m
CONFIG_SCSI_SATA=y
CONFIG_SCSI_SATA_AHCI=y
CONFIG_SCSI_SATA_SVW=m
CONFIG_SCSI_ATA_PIIX=y
CONFIG_SCSI_SATA_NV=m
CONFIG_SCSI_SATA_PROMISE=m
CONFIG_SCSI_SATA_SX4=m
CONFIG_SCSI_SATA_SIL=m
CONFIG_SCSI_SATA_SIS=m
# CONFIG_SCSI_SATA_ULI is not set
CONFIG_SCSI_SATA_VIA=m
CONFIG_SCSI_SATA_VITESSE=m
CONFIG_SCSI_BUSLOGIC=m
# CONFIG_SCSI_OMIT_FLASHPOINT is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_DMX3191D is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_DTC3280 is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_EATA is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_EATA_PIO is not set
CONFIG_SCSI_FUTURE_DOMAIN=m
CONFIG_SCSI_GDTH=m
# CONFIG_SCSI_GENERIC_NCR5380 is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_GENERIC_NCR5380_MMIO is not set
CONFIG_SCSI_IPS=m
CONFIG_SCSI_INITIO=m
# CONFIG_SCSI_QLA2322 is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_QLA6312 is not set
CONFIG_SCSI_INIA100=m
CONFIG_SCSI_PPA=m
CONFIG_SCSI_IMM=m
# CONFIG_SCSI_IZIP_EPP16 is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_IZIP_SLOW_CTR is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_NCR53C406A is not set
CONFIG_SCSI_SYM53C8XX_2=m
CONFIG_SCSI_SYM53C8XX_DMA_ADDRESSING_MODE=1
CONFIG_SCSI_SYM53C8XX_DEFAULT_TAGS=16
CONFIG_SCSI_SYM53C8XX_MAX_TAGS=64
# CONFIG_SCSI_SYM53C8XX_IOMAPPED is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_IPR is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_PAS16 is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_PSI240I is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_QLOGIC_FAS is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_QLOGIC_ISP is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_QLOGIC_FC is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_QLOGIC_1280 is not set
CONFIG_SCSI_QLA2XXX=y
# CONFIG_SCSI_QLA21XX is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_QLA22XX is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_QLA2300 is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_QLA2322 is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_QLA6312 is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_QLA6322 is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_SYM53C416 is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_DC395x is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_DC390T is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_T128 is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_U14_34F is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_ULTRASTOR is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_NSP32 is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_DEBUG is not set

#
# Old CD-ROM drivers (not SCSI, not IDE)
#
# CONFIG_CD_NO_IDESCSI is not set

#
# Multi-device support (RAID and LVM)
#
CONFIG_MD=y
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_MD=y
CONFIG_MD_LINEAR=m
CONFIG_MD_RAID0=m
CONFIG_MD_RAID1=m
CONFIG_MD_RAID10=m
CONFIG_MD_RAID5=m
CONFIG_MD_RAID6=m
CONFIG_MD_MULTIPATH=m
# CONFIG_MD_FAULTY is not set
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_DM=m
CONFIG_DM_CRYPT=m
CONFIG_DM_SNAPSHOT=m
CONFIG_DM_MIRROR=m
CONFIG_DM_ZERO=m



# CONFIG_SCSI_SYM53C8XX_IOMAPPED is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_IPR is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_PAS16 is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_PSI240I is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_QLOGIC_FAS is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_QLOGIC_ISP is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_QLOGIC_FC is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_QLOGIC_1280 is not set
CONFIG_SCSI_QLA2XXX=y
# CONFIG_SCSI_QLA21XX is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_QLA22XX is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_QLA2300 is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_QLA2322 is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_QLA6312 is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_QLA6322 is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_SYM53C416 is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_DC395x is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_DC390T is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_T128 is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_U14_34F is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_ULTRASTOR is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_NSP32 is not set
# CONFIG_SCSI_DEBUG is not set

#
# Old CD-ROM drivers (not SCSI, not IDE)
#
# CONFIG_CD_NO_IDESCSI is not set

#
# Multi-device support (RAID and LVM)
#
CONFIG_MD=y
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_MD=y
CONFIG_MD_LINEAR=m
CONFIG_MD_RAID0=m
CONFIG_MD_RAID1=m
CONFIG_MD_RAID10=m
CONFIG_MD_RAID5=m
CONFIG_MD_RAID6=m
CONFIG_MD_MULTIPATH=m
# CONFIG_MD_FAULTY is not set
CONFIG_BLK_DEV_DM=m
CONFIG_DM_CRYPT=m
CONFIG_DM_SNAPSHOT=m
CONFIG_DM_MIRROR=m
CONFIG_DM_ZERO=m
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