Port Multiplier Support Under Linux
SiI 3124 or SiI 3132 Addonics SATA Host Controller with SiI3726 Addonics Port Multiplier

Ubuntu 6.06 LTS codenamed Dapper Drake

Check if your system detects the SATA host controller
benringor@ubuntu:/usr/src$ lspci

1. Kernel Source
Vanilla-Source: source straight from kernel.org (unpatched)
http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/
Version: linux-2.6.17.4

2. Install the Kernel Source
Download and extract the kernel source.
benringor@ubuntu:~$ cd /usr/src
benringor@ubuntu:/usr/src$ sudo mkdir linux-2.6.17.4
Password:
benringor@ubuntu:/usr/src$ sudo wget http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/linux-2.6.17.4.tar.bz2
benringor@ubuntu:/usr/src$ sudo tar xjvf linux-2.6.17.4.tar.bz2

3. Download SATA code with Port Multiplier (PMP) support
http://home-tj.org/wiki/index.php/Libata-tj-stable
or
benringor@ubuntu:/usr/src$ sudo wget http://home-tj.org/files/libata-tj-stable/libata-tj-2.6.17.4-20060710.tar.bz2

4. Extract & Patch
Once you have downloaded the patch, extract it and apply.
benringor@ubuntu:/usr/src$ ls
benringor@ubuntu:/usr/src$ sudo tar xjvf libata-tj-2.6.17.4-20060710.tar.bz2
Password:
benringor@ubuntu:/usr/src$ cd linux-2.6.17.4
benringor@ubuntu:/usr/src/linux-2.6.17.4$ patch -p1 < ../libata-tj-2.6.17.4-20060710/combined.patch

5. Prepare for configuring and compiling kernel
benringor@ubuntu:/usr/src/linux-2.6.17.4$ sudo apt-get update
benringor@ubuntu:/usr/src/linux-2.6.17.4$ sudo apt-get install build-essential
benringor@ubuntu:/usr/src/linux-2.6.17.4$ sudo apt-get install kernel-package
benringor@ubuntu:/usr/src/linux-2.6.17.4$ sudo apt-get install gcc
benringor@ubuntu:/usr/src/linux-2.6.17.4$ sudo apt-get install libncurses5
benringor@ubuntu:/usr/src/linux-2.6.17.4$ sudo apt-get install libncurses5-dev
benringor@ubuntu:/usr/src/linux-2.6.17.4$ sudo apt-get install libqt3-mt-dev
benringor@ubuntu:/usr/src/linux-2.6.17.4$ sudo make menuconfig
benringor@ubuntu:/usr/src/linux-2.6.17.4$ sudo make-kpkg clean

6. Build Kernel and Modules
benringor@ubuntu:/usr/src/linux-2.6.17.4$ sudo make-kpkg --initrd --append-to-version=-custom kernel_image kernel_headers

7. Installing the Kernel
benringor@ubuntu:/usr/src/linux-2.6.17.4$ cd /usr/src
benringor@ubuntu:/usr/src$ ls
benringor@ubuntu:/usr/src$ sudo dpkg -i kernel-image-2.6.17.4-custom_10.00.Custom_i386.deb
Password:
benringor@ubuntu:/usr/src$ sudo dpkg -i kernel-headers-2.6.17.4-custom_10.00.Custom_i386.deb

8. Verify Addition of HDD connected to Port Multiplier
benringor@ubuntu:~$ uname -r
benringor@ubuntu:~$ cat /proc/partitions

Full step by step instructions click here

NOTE: PATCHES CONTAINED IN THIS ARCHIVE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED EXPERIMENTAL
AND MAY CAUSE MASSIVE DATA LOSS.   YOU'VE BEEN WARNED. DON’T USE THIS ON CRITICAL PRODUCTION SYSTEMS.