Installation problem with external HDD controller

[Adam Klobukowski]

I tried to install Ubunru 11.04 on computer with external (PCI) SATA controller, on a disk attached to this controller.

Disk is visible in Ubuntu (I can browse it in nautilus), but it is not present in Ubiquity. To see it there I have to open console and do:

apt-get remove dmraid

Ubiquity should allow installation on such disks without such problems.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Jacek Nykis (jacekn)]

I am having the same problem with built in controller. Installer will not see my hard drive at all unless I remove dmraid package before launching ubiquity.

I can replicate it on Ubuntu 12.04

[Jacek Nykis (jacekn)]

This is still happening in Ubuntu 12.10 beta2

[Dimitri John Ledkov (xnox)]

At boot press F6 and choose nodmraid boot option, if you do not want to use fakeraid with your controller. There is also a command line option to ubiquity to start it without dmraid. Or you can use your vendor's tools to create RAID disks/partitions (it maybe is done in BIOS/UEFI menus). Or is the build in controller not a raid one?

[Jacek Nykis (jacekn)]

I tested with nodmraid option and it made no difference. My kernel argument list:
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ cat /proc/cmdline
noprompt cdrom-detect/try-usb=true file=/cdrom/preseed/ubuntu.seed boot=casper initrd=/casper/initrd.lz quiet splash -- nodmraid

I tested with "nodmraid" before "--" and behavior was exactly the same.

This is buit in fake raid (so software only solution), I do not think they offer any BIOS level configuration, I checked and there is nothing I can do to set it up before my installation.
I also used single hard drive for the installation so it there is not much point in creating raid array on it.

Regardless of what the reson for this is I think that ubiquity should at least point user into the right direction. My hardware is pretty standard - nForce based motherboard with single hard drive. Less technical users with similar PCs could just assume their hardware is not supported if they cannot see hard drive.

I can replicate this every time so if anybody wants me to do more testing I will be happy to help.

[Jacek Nykis (jacekn)]

Behavior is still the same in 12.10

[Marcus Tomlinson (marcustomlinson)]

This release of Ubuntu is no longer receiving maintenance updates. If this is still an issue on a maintained version of Ubuntu please let us know.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for ubiquity (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]