[CentOS] changing partition priority on install

Wed Oct 29 00:35:54 UTC 2008
Phil Schaffner <P.R.Schaffner at IEEE.org>

On Tue, 2008-10-28 at 14:59 -0500, Monty Shinn wrote:
> Greetings.
> 
> I am in the process of installing 5.1 64 bit on a server.  The server 
> has 2 3ware cards: 9550SX 12 port, and a 8006 2 port, both SATA.

Any reason not to use 5.2?  Will save a lot of updates, and perhaps some
headaches.

> I want the 8006 board to be /dev/sda, and the 9550 to be /dev/sdb.  My 
> plan is to install the os on /dev/sda (8006), and data on /dev/sdb 
> (9550).  Unfortunately, the 9550 comes up as /dev/sda.
> 
> The 8006 is installed in slot 3, which is a 100Mhz slot.  The 9550 is 
> installed in Slot 4, which is a 133Mhz slot.
> 
> I really don't want to put the 9550 in the 100Mhz slot.  I'm not even 
> sure it would make a difference...  I would also prefer to not have grub 
> reside on /dev/sda, while the os is on /dev/sdb.
> 
> I have tried to change the boot priority in bios, but this hasn't 
> changed the priority.  I tried to disable one of the boards in the bios, 
> but that didn't seem to have any effect.
> 
> Interestingly enough, when I boot with the Knoppix 5.1.1 live cd, the 
> cards show up as I want them to.

Have also seen device ordering change with kernel/release updates on the
same distro.

> I have searched Google, but I am either entering the wrong search 
> parameters, or there isn't anything out there, at least pertaining to 
> the initial installation.
> 
> Any ideas are appreciated.  Thanks in advance.

I have vague recollections of having fixed similar problems by tweaking
the device ordering in initrd and/or modprobe.conf; however, backing up
a step, why do you need to change the order to make things work?  You
can install GRUB on the boot device MBR, whatever that may be, and put
the OS on the device you want it on without changing the ordering.

Phil