Trying to install Mandrake Linux 8.2 on computer with HighPoint 372 controller, what do I do?

[LiQiCE]

I'm trying to install Mandrake Linux 8.2 on my computer. I currently have my hard drives running in a NON-RAID configuration on a HighPoint 372 Controller (built into my ABIT KR7A-RAID motherboard). Now without having to unplug my hard drives and plug them into the standard IDE channels (I'm lazy), what can I do to get it working? I downloaded the RedHat v7.3 Linux Drivers for the HPT372 controller, but I have no idea what to do with it since it says to create a boot disk for RedHat 7.3 and then put their pre-compiled kernel onto that disk. I'm assuming the RedHat 7.3 kernel isn't going to be compatible with Mandrake 8.2 even though they're closely related ... If anyone can provide any assistance I'd greatly appreciate it. I'm by no means a Linux expert, in fact I'm just getting started! I tried searching through Mandrake's site, Highpoint's site and ABIT's site but I didn't come up with anything... Thanks!!!

 

[josphII]

plug them into the regular ide ports on the motherboard, that is by far the easiest solution, otherwise i assume you'd have the load the hp372 drivers at startup and that is a pain

 

[DaHitman]

Ok.. I am not trying to be mean.. but those HPT controllers suck... I know because I have one...

They are not even hardware raid... the raid is all implemented in the drivers.. so they use your CPU power to do all the work.. not what a
"real" RAID device does..

Those are pretty much the disk equivlant of a WINMODEM... because of the above, and the fact that since its all in software and the software only runs on Windows... it's almost exaclty like a WINMODEM... cheap, implemented in software at the expense of performance, and propeitary/windows only... yep..just like a Winmodem..


Anyway... People have done benchmarks and found the Windows NT and LINUX built-in software mirroring done totally by the OS across any channels... is faster than using those HPT cards....and you are not dependant on buggy drivers from a tiny little 3rd-rate hardware company.


Short story: It wont work, and even if it did, you wont be able to read the disks, if you have windows on the same system becaue the HPT drivers write to the disks in some propetary format which makes the data unreadable without their drivers.

Just use those as 2 additional ATA100/133 IDE ports and don't use the HPT for RAID... it's still nice to be able to have 8 total IDE devices in a box... even if the HPT is incompatable with CD/DVD etc..

 

[stonecold3169]

Well, I just installed Mandrake 8.2 2 days ago actually. Linux is really great at detecting hardware, and I have my only 120gb hdd on a HPT370 controller, and I never had to install any special drivers for it until after the install. I suggest you try that!

Good luck!