NUC with no mSATA Mageia 4 Install onto external USB3 port

[RufusCat]

Mageia install on Intel NUC (D54250) with no mSATA ssd installed.
Intel NUC has 4 external USB3.0 ports into which I plug external: DVD and an HDD which is to have Mageia installed on it..
The DVD is an ordinary external USB drive.
The HDD is connected via a combined SATA data+power (with 4 pin Molex supply to an external PSU) connector through a SATA <-> USB3.0 adapter to the NUC.

Installing from DVD (or ftp:// ) fails - as Mageia3 and Mageia4 does not see the HDD but they do see the DVD.
It gets past the disk partitioning but then reports that there is no setup list, then returns to an unfilled partitioning page.

It is necessary to open the box, and use the internal SATA port. I run the HDD though a SATA <-> USB3.0 adapter;
so it is no great problem, I just have to open the Box and swap the SATA cable over.

SUMMARY:
Linux has a problem installing to a USB hard drive. I don't know if this is a firmare problem or a Linux OS problem.
Once installed Mageia3 and Mageia4 work properly with the USB3 connected HDD.

I hope this is of help to you if you have discovered this problem.
Mandrake - Mandriva - Mageia is an extraordinarily good OS - but damned by faint praise from reviewers.

[doktor5000]

What's an NUC?
Do you mean one of those http://ark.intel.com/de/products/series ... NUC-Boards ?

[RufusCat]

Yes, doktor5000. Thank you for your interest. You will see that I have edited my contribution in response to your enquiry.
But I think that there is a more general problem with an installation on any system with no resident HDD, and using only USB connections.
Maybe I need to pre-install a driver for the installation onto the USB hard drive.
I have no doubt that it would install easily on NUCs if the internal mSATA drive were present.
Rufus

[doktor5000]

SUMMARY:
Linux has a problem installing to a USB hard drive. I don't know if this is a firmare problem or a Linux OS problem.

Not in general. I've installed successfully from usb to usb. The problem seems to be more with the usb 3.0 drivers,
maybe the driver for your chipset is not contained or recognised in the installer.

Can you please post the output of

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lspcidrake -v | grep -i hci

[isadora]

Dear Doktor5000,
Here is the required information:

DMI
BIOS
Date 11/21/2013
Vendor Intel Corp. (http://www.intel.com)
Version WYLPT10H.86A.0022.2013.1121.1757
Board
Name D54250WYK
Vendor Intel Corporation (http://www.intel.com)

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[root@xxxxxxxx]# lspcidrake -v | grep -i hci
ehci_pci        : Intel Corporation|Lynx Point-LP USB EHCI #1 [SERIAL_USB] (vendor:8086 device:9c26 subv:8086 subd:2054) (rev: 04)
xhci_hcd        : Intel Corporation|Lynx Point-LP USB xHCI HC [SERIAL_USB] (vendor:8086 device:9c31 subv:8086 subd:2054) (rev: 04)
hub             : Linux 3.12.9-desktop-1.mga4 xhci_hcd|xHCI Host Controller [Hub|Unused|Full speed (or root) hub] (vendor:1d6b device:0003)
hub             : Linux 3.12.9-desktop-1.mga4 xhci_hcd|xHCI Host Controller [Hub|Unused|Full speed (or root) hub] (vendor:1d6b device:0002)
hub             : Linux 3.12.9-desktop-1.mga4 ehci_hcd|EHCI Host Controller [Hub|Unused|Full speed (or root) hub] (vendor:1d6b device:0002)

Hard Ware Scan reports 3 ata/atapi devices. I assume one of them is for the internal mSATA which is un-populated.

Code: Select all

USB to ATA/ATAPI Bridge
Manufacturer: JMicron
Serial Number: EEEE EEEE EEEE
Speed: unknown
USB Version:  3.00
Device Class: 00(>ifc )
Device Subclass: 00
Device Protocol: 00
Maximum Default Endpoint Size: 9
Number of Configurations: 1
Vendor Id: 152d
Product Id: 0567
Revision Number:  2.02



USB to ATA/ATAPI bridge
Config Number: 1
   Number of Interfaces: 1
   Attributes: c0
   MaxPower Needed:   8mA

   Interface Number: 0
      Name: usb-storage
      Alternate Number: 0
      Class: 08(stor.)
      Sub Class: 06
      Protocol: 50
      Number of Endpoints: 2

         Endpoint Address: 81
         Direction: in
         Attribute: 2
         Type: Bulk
         Max Packet Size: 1024
         Interval: 0ms

         Endpoint Address: 02
         Direction: out
         Attribute: 2
         Type: Bulk
         Max Packet Size: 1024
         Interval: 0ms

USB to ATA/ATAPI bridge
Manufacturer: JMicron
Serial Number: FFFF FFFF FFFF
Speed: 480Mb/s (high)
USB Version:  2.00
Device Class: 00(>ifc )
Device Subclass: 00
Device Protocol: 00
Maximum Default Endpoint Size: 64
Number of Configurations: 1
Vendor Id: 152d
Product Id: 2329
Revision Number:  1.00

Config Number: 1
   Number of Interfaces: 1
   Attributes: c0
   MaxPower Needed:   2mA

   Interface Number: 0
      Name: usb-storage
      Alternate Number: 0
      Class: 08(stor.)
      Sub Class: 06
      Protocol: 50
      Number of Endpoints: 2

         Endpoint Address: 81
         Direction: in
         Attribute: 2
         Type: Bulk
         Max Packet Size: 512
         Interval: 0ms

         Endpoint Address: 02
         Direction: out
         Attribute: 2
         Type: Bulk
         Max Packet Size: 512
         Interval: 0ms

I do get an error message at BootUp: i8042 no controller
and also have seen: i915 write 32
These both seem to be referring to my previous Pentium (dual core) machine - yet the sectors holding the MageiaOS were re-formatted by Mageia4 Operating System

The NUC D54250 has now been fitted with an mSATA board and Mageia 4 installation has no problems, and installation is very fast!
Many thanks: Rufus