Install Failure

[FlyDiver]

Had successful install of Mandriva 2007 free on ASUS A8V motherboard with 939 AMD 64 CPU. That mb had VIA VT8237 chipset for SATA.

MB died and replaced with ASUS A8V-VM which has VIA VT8237A chipset. Boot loader attempts to boot from SATA drive but locks up so attepted new installation.

Problem: Mandriva installer can't find a driver for the VT8237A. I found a driver on the CD that came with the MB but now I need to know how to get the installer to see and load it.

Thanks in advance,

[infoshirish]

Hey,
I guess you have install sata drivers for vt8237.
if you need drivers, here they are:
promise drivers from Asus site :
http://dlsvr01.asus.com/pub/ASUS/mis.../378_Linux.zip

via VT8237 drivers (might work with RH versions) :
http://www.viaarena.com/default.aspx...SubCatI D=143

VT8237 driver disk (might be what you were looking for ) for Mandriva Releases :
http://www.viaarena.com/default.aspx...SubCatI D=190

For installation or set-up procedures,refer to the instructions contained in the package.
This thread might help you more-->
http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/red...ta-driver.html

[FlyDiver]

Thanks for the source info. Unfortunately, my problem is not finding a driver it is getting the Mandriva installer to accept a driver that is not in its native list. Nothing in the Mandriva docs indicate that it is even possible (or I missed it). If that is true, then this distro is not ready for prime time (or I am not.

FlyDiver

[fingal]

Thanks for the source info. Unfortunately, my problem is not finding a driver it is getting the Mandriva installer to accept a driver that is not in its native list. Nothing in the Mandriva docs indicate that it is even possible (or I missed it). If that is true, then this distro is not ready for prime time (or I am not.

FlyDiver

Hi - Mandriva won't install a driver supplied with a motherboard (on a CD) unless that driver is specifically designed for a *nix system. That much I know ... I don't know if there's an open source version of the driver you're looking for.

[devils casper]

I agree with fingal. You dont need any driver for VT8237A.

Boot loader attempts to boot from SATA drive but locks up so attepted new installation.

Could you post the exact error message here?

[FlyDiver]

Mandriva installer indicates that it found "Via Technologies Inc. |VT8237A Sata2-Port Controller" Then it asks for another. If I answer no then it says "An error occurrend, no valid devices were found on which to create new file systems." The hardware error reports 8237A PCI to ISA bridge unknown."

Additional Information: Downloaded and burned an Ubuntu ver6.xx server .iso. It recognizes the 8237A, sees the SATA drives and reads the partition data. Of course I carefully partitioned the drives so that usr and home were on their own partions just in case I had to do a reinstall. That worked well for Mandriva re-installs but I don't remember which partition is which so need to get the Mandriva to run.

[FlyDiver]

Have now installed Ubuntu server and KUbutu. Both are able to see my SATA 2 drives, mount the partitions and view the files and directories.

Downloaded the latest DVD for Mandriva Free Spring 2007 X86_64 (twice) and both copies say they cannot create some kind of loopback. From the logs, it looks like an uncompress failed (not certain that is what the message really means). Conclusion: MANDRIVA NOT READY FOR PRIME TIME! Sorry for the yelling and bad language but if an old copy of (bad language warning) WIN2k and Ubuntu can see the SATA 2 drives and Mandriva cannot, then it seems pretty clear that Mandriva doesn't have what it takes. Pitty, because the DrakTools are very handy and save a lot of pecking on the keyboard. Fortunately there are alternatives.