I have a working installation of OpenSuse 11.2 on a 300GB eSATA drive, /dev/sdb. Note: /dev/sdb is actually an IDE drive with an eSata adapter since my mother board only has one IDE ribbon input that I use for /dev/sda and the DVDRW drive.
I have a 200GB IDE drive, /dev/sda that I use as a data drive.
Both drives are accessible to 11.2 and in use.
I installed OpenSuse 11.3 on /dev/sda in partition sda1. The same results occur with 32 bit and 64 bit distribution. I have grub for 11.3 on the the sda1 partition and chainload to it from 11.2 grub.
PROBLEM: The installed 11.3 system will not recognize the second drive /dev/sdb or any of its partitions. It does not show up on /var/log/messages – it does not appear to exist.
I believe this problem is with 11.3 because 11.2 recognizes both disks. Perhaps it is support of eSATA drives or the IDE to eSATA adapter that has regressed?
output of fdisk in both installations:
OpenSuse 11.2 # fdisk -l
Disk /dev/sda: 200.0 GB, 200049647616 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 24321 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x0008a74d
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 2873 23077341 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 2874 24000 169702627+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda3 24001 24321 2578432+ 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 24001 24321 2578401 82 Linux swap / Solaris
Disk /dev/sdb: 320.1 GB, 320072933376 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 38913 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x000481e9
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 * 1 2611 20972826 83 Linux
/dev/sdb2 2612 5222 20972857+ 83 Linux
/dev/sdb3 5223 38913 270622957+ 83 Linux
OpenSuse 11.3 # fdisk -l
Disk /dev/sda: 200.0 GB, 200049647616 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 24321 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x0008a74d
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 2873 23077341 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 2874 24000 169702627+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda3 24001 24321 2578432+ 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 24001 24321 2578401 82 Linux swap / Solaris
Output of hdparm in Opensuse 11.2:
# hdparm -i /dev/sdb
/dev/sdb:
Model=WDC WD3200AAJB-00J3A0, FwRev=01.03E01, SerialNo=WD-WCAV27491487
Config={ HardSect NotMFM HdSw>15uSec SpinMotCtl Fixed DTR>5Mbs FmtGapReq }
RawCHS=16383/16/63, TrkSize=0, SectSize=0, ECCbytes=50
BuffType=unknown, BuffSize=8192kB, MaxMultSect=16, MultSect=16
CurCHS=16383/16/63, CurSects=16514064, LBA=yes, LBAsects=625142448
IORDY=on/off, tPIO={min:120,w/IORDY:120}, tDMA={min:120,rec:120}
PIO modes: pio0 pio3 pio4
DMA modes: mdma0 mdma1 mdma2
UDMA modes: udma0 udma1 udma2 udma3 udma4 *udma5 udma6
AdvancedPM=no WriteCache=enabled
Drive conforms to: Unspecified: ATA/ATAPI-1,2,3,4,5,6,7
* signifies the current active mode
Thank you for your consideration.