Disk Partitions Not Detected In RAID

eclipse457

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Aug 25, 2017
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Hi,

I want to install linux (Fedora) on my Sony VAIO. However, the linux installer doesn't detect any hard disks. Using the disks tool in Fedora, I figured out that the partitions on my hard disk aren't detected. It's just shown as a 500GB HDD and a 32GB SSD.

I'm currently using Intel RST to set my SSD as a cache device. Now, my question is, how do I install linux on an empty partition (that I already have on my HDD) without messing up the RAID or my windows install. Don't want to take any risk :p

Thanks
Eclipse
 

darksky1x

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Oct 19, 2017
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That's because your HDD and SSD are not partitioned. Normally when you install Windows it will automatically use the entire HDD to install to and not break it down into partitions. You have to wake windows partition the HDD when you first install the OS.

If Linux is showing the HDD as 500GB and the SSD as 32GB neither of the drives are partitioned. Which drive do you have the Windows OS installed on, the HDD or the SSD? Which ever drive windows is on then install Linux on the other drive. If Windows is on the HDD, put Linux on the SSD.

Hint/Tip-- Which ever drive you decide to install Linux on make sure you break the drive down into partitions. If installing to the 32GB SSD Linux will have to partition the drive into a minimum of 2 partitions, i would suggest a bare minimum of 3 partitions. Linux always needs a primary partition for the OS to install to and it always needs a smaller swap partition. The swap partition is used as a virtual memory dump partition. Reason I suggest a 3rd partition is so you have an unused partition in case you decide to install another OS on in the future. If you are installing Linux to the 500GB HDD I eould suggest a minimum of 4 to 5 partitions. A primary partition for th OS to install to, the SWAP partition and 2 to 3 other partitions for future use or storage.

You only other option is to Back up everything you currently have installed under Windows, remove Windows and reinstall making sure to partition the drives during the installation.
 

eclipse457

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Aug 25, 2017
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Sorry for the late response.

Windows is installed on the HDD. Though the strange thing is, my HDD is partitioned. I have 3 partitions of about 150 GB each (give or take). That is my issue. None of the Linux distros detect the partition. Also, can't install linux on the SSD, it is currently being used for Intel RST (being used as a cache for my HDD).

 

darksky1x

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darksky1x

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Interesting! I've used Linux for around 18 years now and played with many of the different distros, Febora is not one of them. I believe what you are telling me, however something is just not right here.

You said , " That is my issue. None of the Linux distros detect the partition." How do you know this? What other Linux distros have you tried to install on you laptop? Saying that none of the distros will detect your partitions is a pretty broad statement, there are just too many different Linux distros out there for you too have tried all of them. Sorry, I just can't accept that statement.

Indulge me for a minute here, this is what I recommend you do, I would you to download a certain version on Linux Mint, then I want you to take that download and use ti to make a USB Boot drive with. Use a USB flash drive with a minimum of 8GB or larger for the USB boot drive. Once you finish making your boot drive i want you to insert it in one of your USB ports , shut down your laptop and then restart forcing a boot from the USB instead of your HDD.

The version of Linux I want you too use is Linux Mint 13 - KDE (32). Here's the download link for that .iso

https://www.linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=115

Go there, choose the mirror you want to download it from and begin the download.

There a a lot of newer versions on Linux Mint available but I want you to use Mint 13 - KDE (32) for a few different reasons. The main reason is I know for a fact that this particular version of Mint comes with a very reliable partition editing program preinstalled which eliminates the need to update Mint 13 so we can go straight to the partition editing program and run a couple of test on your HDD and see what the results are. I also have my reasons for using the 32 but version instead of the 64 bit version which I'm not going into at this time.

If you don't know how to make a bootable USB drive let me know and I'll feed you the instructions.

Before your laptop will boot from any drive other that your HDD you have to change the boot order for your drives in your BIOS set-up. There is an alternate way to force a boot from a drive other than the HDD on most computers and laptops. After you start your laptop, but before your laptop has a chance to load the BIOS, you can press and hold the F12 key on your keyboard. This will give you a screen where you can choose which drive to boot from for this session. Select the USB drive and hit enter. Your laptop will boot from the flash drive now and you will have a full function Linux OS up and running on you computer..

After everything is finished loading and you are looking at the desktop on the bottom left corner of your screen you will see a blue button with a "K" on it, right click on that button and select "Switch to classic menu style". next left click on the same button with the "K" on it, move your pointer up the menu where it says "System", to the right of the "system" menu a second menu will pop open. slide your pointer too the right and select "KDE Partition Manager" and left click on that. A window for the KDE Partition Editor should open up.

On the left side of that window you will see a pane labeled Devices. In this pane both your HDD and your SSD should be listed. Left click on your HDD and in the pane on the right all of the different partitions on your HDD should now be shown. Not only the ones you know about, but any hidden partitions (if there are any) on that drive will also show up.

if the KDE Partition Manage shows only one partition on your HDD, then there is only one partition on that drive, period! If it shows three or more partitions on that drive then there is a problem with the Fedora software you are trying to install and I would suggest you trash it. You can right click on any partition in the right pane and select "properties" then left click to get some additional information about that partition.

This is a 100% fail-safe and reliable test. it will not damage or alter any of the data you already have on your HDD in any way UNLESS YOU CLICK ON SOMETHING OTHER THAN WHAT i JUST TOLD YOU TO CLICK ON. And, even if you should happen to click on something else before it will make any changes it will present you with a window making you verify that you want to make the changes and warning of what might happen if your do make the changes.

it will also tell you exactly how many partitions the HDD has on it. If it only shows one partition, then regardless of what you think, there will be only one partition. If it shows 10 partitions, then there are 10 partitions. Regardless of what you think or what you believe, the results that the KDE Partition Manager presents you with are fact, not fiction.This test will not lie!

Please let me know if you need any help making the USB Boot Drive or forcing your laptop to boot from the USB drive, and PLEASE let me know what the results of this test are. Too many times someone will ask for help, receive it and we never know if the help we offered was of any use at all. If our help works they just move on and never say "thanks" or "it worked" or "no help at all" and we are left setting in the dark.

I look forward too hearing back from you.
 

eclipse457

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Aug 25, 2017
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Thanks man! I appreciate you taking time out to help me with this issue.
It's not just about Fedora. I've tried Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Elementary OS and a couple others. Had the exact same problem with all of them. Also, I'm pretty good with computers, even some advanced things, so be rest assured I won't need too detailed instructions, also saving your time.

Okay so it bit of back-story here - A couple years ago I used Linux as my primary OS. However, as a student, I needed Windows for a lot of things, so I wiped my drive and installed Windows 10. Then I set up Intel RST to use my 32GB SSD as a cache drive. I think it's the RST that's responsible for my issue. Because back when I had installed Linux, I had no RST set up. Though I still can't tell the exact reason.

I'll try out what you said and will let you know the results. Hopefully it'll work :)


 

eclipse457

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Aug 25, 2017
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He said "windows recognizes RAID drives as a single device"

I guess that is the cause. The other two documents you referred, they'd help if I could install Linux in the first place. Nevertheless, I appreciate you taking your time out to hep me with this issue. I don't really have much use for linux right now so it's fine. Cheers!