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General discussion

Haiku & MenuetOS...

Feb 2, 2011 5:37AM PST

According to Wikipedia article 'Comparison of open source operating systems' ('supported hardware' table), SATA is not supported by Haiku or MenuetOS. Yet I see in book 'Hardware Bible', it says Serial ATA "retains full software compatibility with the ATA system. Drives will use the same commands as parallel ATA. Consequently, serial ATA will work with today's operating systems and software." So will Haiku and MenuetOS run on SATA or not? Anyone know for sure? Book also mentions "manufacturers may produce adapters" to connect ATA to SATA...did that happen?

Discussion is locked

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Re: compatibility
Feb 2, 2011 4:10PM PST

Why not try? If you have those OS'es, and a PC with a SATA drive, that would be easy. If you don't have that OS'es, it's rather irrelevant and theoretical.

All I know: the setup of the original Windows XP (from 2002) needs additional drivers to be loaded from a diskette to be able to be installed on a SATA drive. So for the OS on the setup CD, it's not compatible, that's for sure. But that isn't Haiku or MenuetOS, of course.

Kees

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RE: "Why not try"...
Feb 14, 2011 6:03AM PST

The whole idea behind having a PC done via custom-build shop is to maximize odds of success. I really wouldn't be into the try it and see, hit or miss, take potluck approach. Otherwise, I could just go to Walmart, and get the first cheap junk that I find. Trial of obscure OSs is important to me, so I'm trying to design PC that will be as compatible as possible for all (or at least most) of them. I'm acquiring minimum/maximum system requirements, hardware compatibility lists, etc., for comparison between each OS, and any consensus will be basis for hardware selection. Anyway, right now I'm thinking the solution is to go SATA or SATA2 in the build, but have ATA mobil-rack HDD connected to it by adapter...do you think that would satisfy operating systems that don't support SATA?

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OR
Feb 14, 2011 7:11AM PST

Or just enable IDE EMULATION that we see in today's motherboards.

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RE: IDE emulation...
Feb 15, 2011 5:44AM PST

Did google search on this, and will not pretend to understand much of what I found, but I think it saying this:
Switching back to SATA from IDE emulation is complicated...especially if XP Pro is on any HDD in the machine, and thats about all I got. Using the IDE to SATA adapter seem a lot easier, and hence less expensive to have a Tech do.

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That's the breaks.
Feb 15, 2011 7:31AM PST

This is what it's all about. Learning new stuff so it's not complicated the next time.

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Both your finds are correct ...
Feb 3, 2011 1:47AM PST

and that is why the BIOS publishers have added IDE emulation for when actual SATA drivers have not been written for an OS.

To address your "... did that happen?", yes and if you are REALLY INTERESTED you can get one for yourself here:
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4143846&beta=Y
or here - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822998001
or a wide variety here - http://www.google.com/search?q=sata+to+ide+adapter

You will do MUCH BETTER if you do your alternate OS research on the working sites of the various alternative Operating Systems you are interested in as most have the necessary documentation as well as help and support forums dealing with the specific project.

You are not going to find much help in forums such as this one that deals with "newby" problems with common Operating Systems such as Windows, Linux, and Mac.

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Many thanks...
Feb 14, 2011 6:20AM PST

the links are great...especially the google search that shows search terms to use! Regret the "why the BIOS publishers have added IDE emulation for when actual SATA drivers have not been written" was too advanced, and Googles Babble was unable to translate/decode it into newbiese, but I'm still doing searches so maybe something will turn up. Anyway, the links seem to render my question null, as it looks like I can have SATA or SATA2 in the build, then just use adapter to connect up IDE mobil-rack HDD for those OSs that do not support SATA.
As for doing research on OSs homesites, I do when possible, but not all are as helpful as you may think. Menuet.2.forumer & begroovy.com appear to be cliques I'm not cool enough to join, while others let me join but ignore my posts, and so on. Basically I get info where I can, and in this case Cnet is big enough forum that I gambled some here has been into these obscure operating systems, and already been where I seek to explore. If not, there's always Zdnet or some other mega-forum!