Mint will not install on dev/sda/

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EE_Aaron

Mint will not install on dev/sda/

Post by EE_Aaron »

I have a new H8-1520z desktop (AMD 970 chipset with RAID). It came with Windows 8 install on a HDD connected to SATA0 port. I want to install Linux Mint over windows (Linux only). I disabled the Windows 8 boot manager in bios, enable legacy boot and boot to Mint 15 live CD. The SATA0 drive is visible in GParted and I can edit partitions, etc. but for some reason I cannot get Mint to install to ANY drive connected to the SATA0 port. When in install, there is no option to choose the SATA0 (dev/sda) drive as boot partition. I have tried three different HDD’s connected to SATA0 but none are available for Linux install. Strangely, if I connect same HDD to any other SATA port, install works great. Besides disabling SATA0 and using another port, is there some solution for this? Could this be a driver issue, windows 8 thing...

thanks
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 6 months after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.
eanfrid

Re: Mint will not install on dev/sda/

Post by eanfrid »

/dev/sda will always be on the lower numbered SATA port you will use, so why bother if you connect your first (boot) drive on SATA1 ? However, I would rather check the BIOS parameters related to SATA0 and probably to any legacy PATA-related compatibility config here.
EE_Aaron

Re: Mint will not install on dev/sda/

Post by EE_Aaron »

Thanks for the reply.
I could, as you suggest, avoid/disable the SATA0 port, but I need all four and really prefer to have boot drive on lowest assignment. I have poked-around the BIOS a lot and cannot find any setting that solves this. This is most likely something specific with this system and not with Mint, however it is very frustrating.
DrHu

Re: Mint will not install on dev/sda/

Post by DrHu »

http://linuxaria.com/howto/how-to-measure-the-speed-of-sata-devices-from-the-command-line-on-linux?lang=en
--you can check the sata assignments being used, you do say Linux can sea the SATA0 device: at least the drive

Code: Select all

dmesg (see link above..) to check after it is booted to desktop:since you say gpart can read state of that device (sata0..)
--on a terminal screen

Hdparm is utiliy that can check the device for you as well.
--maybe put that utility on a usb syck if it isn't available on the install set (*.iso): I am guessing it probably isn't.

Possibly BIOS setting for sata device names/controller mode..
http://www.wikihow.com/Install-AHCI-Support-for-ATI-SB600-SATA-Controllers-on-Existing-Windows-Installations
http://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/linux-sata-controllers-not-recognize/
--an example

When windows OS was running, thne sata mode would have been available, or you could boot windows OS again and check if that install works, sees the sata0 device and the mode it is using..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_ATA
  • Advanced Host Controller Interface[edit]
    Advanced Host Controller Interface (AHCI) is an open host controller interface published and used by Intel, which has become a de facto standard. It allows the use of advanced features of SATA such as hotplug and native command queuing (NCQ). If AHCI is not enabled by the motherboard and chipset, SATA controllers typically operate in "IDE emulation" mode, which does not allow access to device features not supported by the ATA/IDE standard.
--that would be BIOS setting ahci mode..
EE_Aaron

Re: Mint will not install on dev/sda/

Post by EE_Aaron »

Thanks.

I can install other OS's (e.g. Windows 7) on SATA0 drive with no problem. I moved the target to SATA1-installed mint no problem. But minit will not boot-can't find file system. Geezzzz- last time I buy a preconfigured system. I really think it is some BIOS setting that cannot be changed by end-user. I have contacted HP, but I have little confidence that they will offer any solutions. I was told by others that windows 8 is evil-I can see why.
EE_Aaron

Re: Mint will not install on dev/sda/

Post by EE_Aaron »

So, this was a problem with the UEFI. I finally got Mint to install and boot. Here is how:

Installation:
1) in the UEFI disable secure boot, UEFI boot options, enable legacy boot as only option.
2) SATA0 seems to be only for UEFI secure boot (in my case), disable it and put the install HDD on another SATA port.
3) Boot to Live CD/USB and make sure Gparted can "see" your installation HDD.
4) Run install from Live CD/USB and chose "do something else"
5) Create a msdos partition table for installation HDD
6) continue as usual.

to boot after install:
If you can boot-great. You are done. If not...
1) It is most likely that grub/grub2 did not install properly for the UEFI to find the boot loader. Run Boot-repair from a bootable CD/USB.
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