DELL VOSTRO1500 with intel 2.2 ghz pro & XP. I tried to load linux, it says NO HDD recognised?

I have partitioned the 160GB HDD in 40 and 108 GB parts. 40 gb is NTFS With Windows XP. Rest i have tried with FAT, FAT32, NTFS and LINUX. Every time I get a same msg "No HDD recognised". I have also tried with the SATA operation, changed both with ATA %26amp; AHCI under onboard devices in BIOS. I have tried Redhat 9, FC4 and FC6. Nothing is working.can anyone tell me where I have to change the settings. The windows partition is running perfectly. I have used Partition Magic 8.0 for partionioning the HDD. Also I( have tried with Disk Managment from right clicking MY COMPUTER. Please help me.

DELL VOSTRO1500 with intel 2.2 ghz pro %26amp; XP. I tried to load linux, it says NO HDD recognised?microsoft project

You may need to reformat the drive.

DELL VOSTRO1500 with intel 2.2 ghz pro %26amp; XP. I tried to load linux, it says NO HDD recognised?microsoft powerpoint internet explorer

Don't define the 108GB partition as anything. Just leave it as unpartitioned. Start your linux installation. IT will then recognize the unpartitioned space as HDD fit for linux installation and then you can proceed with the linux installation.

Within this 108GB HDD that linux installation recognized, you can then create the /, swap, /usr, /var etc

Pls let me know if you are still facing problems.
hey man.....first save all ur important data and format ur system......then create partitions as you like.......take a bootable disk.....while installing linux......it promts u to create partitions make it manual and define some space for linux and make a root directory '/' and u have to define a minimum partition of 256mb as swap........try it
Just delete 108 Partion to make as raw partition. Then install Linux. Reset Bios setting to ATA. AHCI works with vista. Be sure you wont harm primary partition else you may loose Winxp also.
goto bios menu change the hdd type (ata to acpi)