Ok i found the problem, under kernel 2.6 in order to get DMA i have to change everything from hd* to sd*. I know the option in the kernel, but what else needs to be changed, and how do i do it?

Hello!

You have to change the mountpoints in /etc/fstab and /etc/mtab.
The path in the bootloader must be changed.

Greetings

Since lilo won't boot unless it is also set to sda the best way would be to boot a 2.6 kernel live cd that has sata and then mount your hdd's and then chroot into it and update lilo. Slax is what I had to use for my laptop.

ive never used slax, so what do i chroot to? And since you've done this before, could you give me a list of steps tp follow because i prefer that my laptop turns back on. It's my only computer. Thank you

Maybe it's supported by the sata.i kernel included with Slackware CD 1.
Boot with Slackware CD 1 and when you get the boot: prompt type: sata.i root=/dev/XXXX
Replace XXXX with either hdaX or sdaX where the X is the number of your root partition.

I already have it install, and i dont want to reinstall it. I booted into slax and it does support it. I know what to compile into the kernel, i just dont know 100% what i'm supposed to do from there. And i will have to say that i hdparm -Tt /dev/sda and it was amazing i got over 15X speed boost

well actually you could use the slackware cd also. You just use the sata.i kernel as mentioned and when in the environment instead of installing you're going to create a mount point to mount your HDD. Whatever you call it, it doesn't matter. If you did multiple partitions don't worry, as long as you know the main partition its fine. If you don't remember a 'cat /proc/partitions' will list all HDD's and their partitions.

# mkdir /mnt/mount
# mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/mount
# mount -t proc proc /mnt/mount/proc
# chroot /mnt/mount

Now edit your /etc/fstab to reflect your correct partitions and edit /etc/lilo.conf changing ALL references to hda. If you use pico for your editor 'ctrl + w' will allow you to search for strings. After you edited those all you have to do now is update lilo.

# lilo

You should see no errors. If there is any warnings they usually don't mean anything as long as you see the Linux* or whatever your kernel name is show up in the output.

Another thing you might want to do just as a precautionary is run:

# lilo -M /dev/sda mbr
# lilo

All that first line does is reload lilo into the Master Boot Record. Just incase, you know.

After that just exit and reboot. Then you should see lilo come up all nice and pretty.

Chroot is your godsend if you screw up any type of configuration that causes the system not to boot. You chroot into the environment and it's just like you're in there so you can change and update anything necessary or revert to a working configuration.

Any problems just reply back. I work an odd shift so I might not reply quite immediately. Or someone else might be able to help, I'm sure.

Thanks for all the help, but i did what you said and on the new boot, it says something about make a correct boot= and error somehting(8,3) and normally its (3,3)

Well, did you change the line that says boot=/dev/XXXX in lilo.conf?

yep, it said hda i change it to sda. But the problem is that its looking for something(8,3) and it use to be something(3,3)

in your lilo.conf root = /dev/sda1 ?
for you kernel entry.

no. it was hda so i made it sda. And it would be sda3 because sda1 is swap and sda2 is my spare partition

alright, sda3 then. I didn't know your partition table layout.

why do i change it to sda3 when it use to be hda?

for the kernel entry?

image = /boot/2.6.13
root = /dev/sda1
label = 2.6.13-archck1
read-only

as the example from above shows root=/dev/sda1 because sda1 is my root partition that it will be booting off of.