Cannot install Linux - humbly request advice

[zippo]

Good evening everyone,
I have successfully installed Suse 9 and Mandrake 9 on previous occasions. I have now upgraded my computer, new Mobo, Intel CPU and SATA HDD.

I have a 15Gb HDD (which I hope to use for Linux) set up as slave on primary IDE. ie No master on primary IDE. I have a DVD-RW as master on secondary IDE and a CD-RW as slave on secondary IDE.
My WindowsXP 160Gb SATA drive is detected as a third master. Everything works normally in that regard, but I cannot load/install Linux at all.

Trying to install Suse 9, it stalls; and trying to install Mandrake 9, I am informed I have no CD ROM drive. Irrespective of whether I have DVD or CD drive as boot device. Does the previously mentioned configuration have any bearing and if so, is there a solution.

Any advise is appreciated, thanks John
jnstricko (at) bigpond (dot) com

[gwalters]

Why not have a master on the primary channel? Changing that *might* solve your problem.

[Gnux]

Why not have a master on the primary channel? Changing that *might* solve your problem.

I think so too and it's not a very difficult thing to do

[valan]

Make the hd master instead of slave.
Sometimes having a cd drive on the same string as anything else can be screwy with Linux, so that might also be a problem.

[zippo]

Thank you for all the replies. Set the HD on Primary IDE as master, but that has made no difference. The motherboard I now have is an ASUS P4P800S-X, I'm wondering if that may be a component that doesn't want to play along. I'll have to investigate further. thanks again all.
John

[johnny2000]

I am not sure if you have solved this problem or not since I have thesame problem too with this MB P4P800S-X. If you do can youo please tell me what you did to solve this problem? I appreciate it.

I guess if you haven't solved this problem, Linux users should not support ASUS anymore. I don't think this company is seriously considering Linux users. Even to get a technical support is one of the worsts here in North America specially the I am living in Canada. I guess we shoule be supporting the manufacturers who are serious in considering linux users. Thanks.