I tried to install Gentoo Linux 2007.0 on my friend's computer, which is Dell Inspiron 1520. When determining the boot device, it fails. In the shell mode, I listed all the files in the directory /dev, but neither /dev/hdb nor /dev/cdrom exists. Reproducible: Always Steps to Reproduce: 1. Got a Dell Inspiron 1520 2. Insert the Minimum CD and boot with kernel "gentoo" without any options (I cannot really remember what options did I used. Maybe I used acpi=on. Sorry.). Actual Results: Got this message of despair. Expected Results: Boot correctly and show a prompt: livecd ~ # I am so sorry that I haven't note down the error message. I can only remember that the message is about such as "no root device" or "cannot find root device", etc. Sorry, again.
What IDE controller does this machine have?
Also, can you verify this with a 2008.0 Beta 1 CD?
http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/inspnnb_1520?c=us&cs=19&l=en&s=dhs Processors Intel® Core™ 2 Duo Intel® Pentium® Dual Core Processor T2310 Intel® CoreTM 2 Duo Processor T5250 Intel® CoreTM 2 Duo Processor T5450 Intel® CoreTM 2 Duo Processor T7250 Intel® CoreTM 2 Duo Processor T7500 Up to 4GB shared Dual Channel 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM Intel Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 Up to 160GB configured with a single 7200 or 5400 RPM SATA hard drive http://reviews.cnet.com/laptops/dell-inspiron-1520/4505-3121_7-32471366.html Mobile Intel Express 965PM/GM Kjang, please upload output of dmesg command if you could manage to catch the console output via a serial cable connection from another computer. Also when the grub bootloader fires up press 'e' to edit the command-line and append 'all-generic-ide' word at the end and press 'b' to boot.
I am sorry. The computer is broken, judged by the workers in the Service Centre. Now, it has been sent to the Service Centre. Sorry for disturbing all of you, and thank all of you for your replies. If there is any problems after the computer has been fixed, I will reopen the bug and give all the information I can give. Thank you!