Matrox harddisk doesn´t show

[Vincent Trouilliez]

> Running the installation on CD. Ubundu makes it´s own file system and
> all seems to be okey. After rebooting ubuntu doesn't find a harddrive?
> 
> It does not appear on the BIOS list when computer boots.

Bad luck :-/

If the BIOS doesn't find the drive then Ubuntu is unlikely to be at
fault. 

Everytime I saw this random hard drive detection problem, the cause were
usually :

1) Wrong Jumper setting, or missing jumper.
2) Cable not plugged firmly/properly into place
3) Defective ribbon cable
4) Damaged motherboard, when the assembler/operator secures the board
into the chassis with pneumatic screwdriver. Usually obvious to see, but
sometimes requires a magnifying lens to inspect the tracks.
5) Defective motherboard (rare)

Sometime the hardrive itself is defective, but these are rejected during
production. I find it unlikely that a good/working drive develops the
problem, unless it got damaged by the user (which is possible as, sadly,
most drives now have their PCB exposed :-/ )

Check jumper settings, check that the cable is plugged firmly. 
Unplug all your other peripherals and set your hard drive as sinlge
master. Connect the cable to the other IDE controller (they are
independant, sometimes one work, not the other). Swap the cable. Check
that the IDE controller the drive is connected to, can detect other
peripherals, or if it's just the drive that it can't detect. 

Hopefully it's something simple. (usually is)

Vince