Linux

Without RAID controller specifics, only general info can be provided. Here's a good place to start:

http://linux.yyz.us/sata/

Dalton

I have a dell server that has sata drives in it. I'm running suse linux and have no problems.
it should be as easy as boot from the cd and install.

Novell's SUSE,
probably the best bet.
most distros will support sata.
debian uses scsi for core module in the system, so it wouldn't be the sata, might be the usb drive.

most distro's do not enable usb until after install.
that could be the issue causing the breakdown with debian.

Regardless of what distibution you are using, the best way to be sure you have the correct drivers is to rebuild the kernel. I know that sounds advanced, but it is absolutely an essential part of getting hardware working properly. Typically the kernel directory is located in /usr/src. It will look like

/usr/src/linux-2.6.30

for example.
CD into this directory and run the following commands to rebuild the kernel (dont type comments):

make mrproper ## Cleans up from last rebuild

make menuconfig ## Runs kernel configuration.
## at this point you will be
## taken to a menu of choices.
## Decide which options are are
## appropriate for your setup.
## Only choose options that you
## think you are actually going
## to need. For now, select
## each option with a "*" and
## not an "M".

make dep ## Builds the "build support"
## Unnecessary on 2.6 kernels

make bzImage ## Builds the actual kernel

make modules ## Builds the modules selected
## in "make menuconfig" with
## an "M". Even if you didn't
## use any M's still run this.

make modules_install ## Installs the modules

cp arch/i386/boot/bzImage /boot ## Installs the
## kernel

cp System.map /boot ## Installs the
## system map

cp .config /boot/config-bzImage ## Backs up the
## configuration
## you spent so
## much time on

I had a **** of a time with SATA's and Linux but that was way more than a year ago. Depend on what Debian, but Debian tends to be a little on the slow side. The drivers for IDE on older kernels is statically compiled in allows you to boot off them. once you boot off the IDE, then it dynamically loads other drivers modules. My prob was the SATA drivers were not statically compile into the kernel, without that you cant boot off SATA in the first place. The 2.6.+ kernels fixed this.. So either get a more recent prebuilt or build it yourself like the previous poster recommended.