                        PROMISE FastTrak Series Linux Driver
                             For Red Hat Linux 7.3/8.0/9.0/ES 3.0
                           Version 1.02.0140.25 [10/31/2003] Boo!
   
[INTRODUCTION]

1.1 Foreword
      
    This procedure applies to all Promise FastTrak Series adapters and
    onboard chipsets running under the RedHat Linux operating systems.
    Do NOT use this procedure for other versions of Linux.
      
1.2 Support List
       PDC20277         SBFastTrak133 Lite
       with
       RedHat 7.3       (kernel 2.4.18-3)
       RedHat 8.0       (kernel 2.4.18-14)
       RedHat 9.0	(kernel 2.4.20-8)
       RedHat ES 3.0	(kernel 2.4.21-4.EL)

1.3 Prepare a Driver Diskette

    You will use a diskette to load the new Linux driver onto your PC.

    1) Obtain a new, formatted diskette and label it "FastTrak Driver Disk."
       Insert it into your PC's floppy drive.

    2) Extract the contents of the driver file you downloaded from the
       Promise website onto your floppy disk. Use either WinZIP in Windows or
       Unzip in Linux to extract the files.


[INSTALLATION]

2.1 To install the FastTrak Series Linux Driver into an EXISTING SYSTEM:

  1.) Boot linux system and login as root.

  2.) Insert FastTrak Driver Disk for install FastTrak Driver by issuing
      commands :
		# mount /dev/fd0 /mnt/floppy
		# cd /mnt/floppy
                # sh install   (Answer Yes/No when inquire setup configuration)

	You can answer Yes to bind FastTrak driver into linux booting.

                # cd ..
                # umount /dev/fd0

    NOTE: Due to the Linux kernel misidentifying the FastTrak card, all IDE
    channels except onboard IDE are disabled. To enable the other IDE channels,
    remove the line "ide2=0 ide3=0 ide4=0 ide5=0 ide6=0 ide7=0 ide8=0 ide9=0"
    in /etc/lilo.conf or /boot/grub/grub.conf.
 
  3.) Reboot Red Hat linux system.

  
2.2 To install the FastTrak Series Linux Driver into a NEW SYSTEM

  1.) Start the Red Hat Linux Installation with CD-ROM booting.

  2.) At the "Welcome to Red Hat Linux ..." installation screen, a prompt
      labeled "boot:" will appear at the bottom of the screen.

  3.) Please append parameters (see Note 1 below) at the "boot:" prompt,
      then press the Enter key.

  4.) At the "Devices" dialog box, insert the FastTrak Driver Disk in the
      floppy drive and then select "OK" or "Yes" to continue install.

  5.) Enable "Configure advanced boot loader options" box at Boot Loader
      Configuration menu, and type kernel parameters (see NOTE 2 below)
      in the General kernel parameters field.

  6.) Continue with the installation as normal.

  7.) If the installer occur warning message about "The kernel was unable
      to re-read the partition table on /dev/sd(x), (Device or resource
      busy)...", Please do not click skip, just click Ignore bottom to
      continue the install.

  8.) Press Ctrl-Alt-F2 when installation at the "Congratulations" menu.

  9.) Insert the FastTrak Driver Disk floppy, Issue commands to load FastTrak
      driver.
		# umount /tmp/fd0	(For safety issue, Just in case)

		# chroot /mnt/sysimage
                # mount /dev/fd0 /mnt	
	(If USB Floppy, Please choose USB floppy device such as /dev/sdb)
                # cd /mnt
                # sh setup-ft
                    
  10.) Choose your selection here, after FastTrak driver setup successful.
		# cd /
                # umount /mnt
                # exit

  11.) Please press Ctrl-Alt-F7 and click "Exit" button to finish installation.


[NOTE]

   Linux Kernels 2.4.x misidentiy Promise ATA-RAID controllers as simple
IDE controllers. This results in the built-in Linux IDE driver trying to
handle the controller and can prevent the proper FastTrak ATA RAID driver
from loading.
   Follow the installation instructions AND the parameter commands referred
to below section. This status we called "IDE issue".

   1.) "linux ide0=0x1f0,0x3f6,14 ide1=0x170,0x376,15 ide2=0 ide3=0 ide4=0
        ide5=0 ide6=0 ide7=0 ide8=0 ide9=0 expert"

   2.) "ide0=0x1f0,0x3f6,14 ide1=0x170,0x376,15 ide2=0 ide3=0 ide4=0 ide5=0
        ide6=0 ide7=0 ide8=0 ide9=0" 

   3.) Occasionally, during bootup, you may see Unresolved Symbols, followed
       by an OK or a FAILED. In either case, this is a cosmetic error and
       does not affect RedHat Linux 7.3 or the FastTrak RAID Controller card.

   4.) Rarely, during bootup, you may see a HUSH (humble shell) message. This
       is also a cosmetic error and does not affect RedHat Linux 7.3 or the
       FastTrak RAID Controller card.

   5.) To see information on your array(s) and the Driver version number:

       a. Launch your terminal emulation program.

       b. Type "cat /proc/scsi/FastTrak/(x)" then press Enter, x is a register
          number in your system.
