Re: Revisit Large Hard Drives
Hello!
On Sun, Sep 05, 1999 at 03:19:24PM -0500, John Foster wrote:
> I did not see any replies to this query from a previous posting, so I'll
> ask again. Has any one here tried using Linux (Debian Slink) with a hard
> drive in the size range of 15 to 27.5 Gb. I want to install 2 of these
> now and 2 more later in my server. I have seen numerous questions
> regarding usage of large drives, but I am seeking tips, tricks,and
> software advice, especially partition management. I have found no Docs
> on this subject. Thanks!
I just installed a new Western Digital Expert 27.3 GB on my computer. I
wanted to get UDMA/66 so I installed a Promise Ultra/66. I have Debian
Slink.
Everything worked perfectly, I had no problems at all, but I still had to
take some considerations:
1. If you use the Promise UDMA board, you will need a very updated kernel (I
have 2.2.12), and the patches for IDE (from your local kernel mirror in
people/hedrick).
You will need to compile support for PDC20262.
2. The regular install disks don't have support for this board, so you
will have to install your system using your regular UDMA/33 controller on
your motherboard. And then switch your HD to your new controller.
When you do this, your hard drive will probably be /dev/hde instead of
/dev/hda, so before doing it:
- make a boot disk with kernel that has support for the promise board.
- change /dev/fstab accordingly. (Switch all /dev/hda for /dev/hde)
(I'm assuming this will be the only drive on the machine).
- Update your /etc/lilo.conf
- Followed the instructions on the Hard-Disk-Upgrade mini howto:
/usr/doc/HOWTO/mini/Hard-Disk-Upgrade.gz , for instructions on making
LILO boot Linux when you switch the HD.
3. Your root partition should be within the first 1024 cylinders. I created
a root partition of 1GB at the beginning of the harddrive. Then an extended
partition on /dev/hde2 using the rest of the drive. Inside it I created more
logical partitions. I created one partition for /usr, and one for swap. I
used symlinks to move /var to /usr/var, /home to /usr/home, /tmp to
/usr/tmp. Maybe I should have created more than one partition (There are
lots of reasons for this) but that worked.
Read the Large-Disk mini-HOWTO, and the Partioning-HOWTO if you want more
information. Find them on /usr/doc/HOWTO or in http://www.metalab.unc.edu
I really didn't have any problems. Linux works fine on these hard drives,
and very fast too: I am getting 22.5MB/s out of this HD. (Nice) My old drive
(WD 6.5GB) only got 9.5MB/s. If you want to measure this, use:
hdparm -t /dev/hda
Good Luck,
Alexis Maldonado
Disenos y Montajes S.A.
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