STILL NEED HELP, PLEASE! Can't install Lynx or revert to Hardy.

[Jabberwoc]

I'm using a Live CD, both ISO and CD checksum verified OK. My Lynx installer keeps crashing - it did install the first attempt but I always get Grub error 15 when booting from hard drive.

I've tried to revert to Hardy with a verified CD but now can't do that - throws up a shell with minimal commands. I'm clueless from that point.

My system is an AMD Sempron 3000 with Biostar motherboard, built in nvidia graphics chip, 1 gig RAM, 2 Maxtor hard drives, 80gig SATA and 40 gig IDE, Optiarc DVD burner.

ANY help would be gratefully received. I'm happy to format my drives (I've tried!) - I've backed up my data. I'm happy to do a clean install but would appreciate experienced advice on the best way to do this, please.

Many thanks in advance.

Mark (UK).

[Fintan]

Re: Can't install Lynx or revert to Hardy.

Try using the alternate cd:
http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/kubuntu/daily/current/
more on the alternate cd:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/In...Alternate%20CD

Hope this helps

[Jabberwoc]

Re: Can't install Lynx or revert to Hardy.

Thanks for the reply, Fintan.

However, I can't seem to download the iso for the alternate CD..seems I have no storage.

I can run Lynx LiveCD and install Gparted. BUT, I can't format my hard drive.

I get; http://i39.tinypic.com/t5g6xu.png

I'm at a loss. Help me Obi-Wan, etc.............

Cheers, Mark.

[Jabberwoc]

Re: Can't install Lynx or revert to Hardy.

Yeah, hope a link is OK, Teunis?

I apparently got an installation this time but on booting from the hard drive I just get a "hang". No error message, just a freeze in POST.

Any idea, please?

[Snowhog]

Re: Can't install Lynx or revert to Hardy.

From your picture, and the messages it shows, it looks like you are running GParted as an application from your currently running application. If that is true, that's why you are seeing what you are seeing. You can not modify a live/running OS with GParted. If you have the GParted LiveCD, use it.

[Jabberwoc]

Re: Can't install Lynx or revert to Hardy.

Thanks, snowhog.

No - I'm using the LiveCD. It's all I can get to work. I'm not using GParted from the CD - I installed it in a Konsole session.

I thought I could format the hard drive if I was running the OS in memory only from a live CD?

I'm just trying to wipe the hard drive completely in the hope that I can install Lynx. Hardy would do.

Just want my computer back!

[Jabberwoc]

Re: Can't install Lynx or revert to Hardy.

UPDATE.

After about a million attempts at installing on my SATA 80 gig drive I have managed to successfully install Lucid Lynx on my IDE 40 gig drive using the Live CD "install side by side" option.

It took all day but I appear to have a working computer again. It IS possible!

Thanks for the replies.

Cheers, Mark (UK).

[Snowhog]

Re: SOLVED: Can't install Lynx or revert to Hardy.

Well, as they say, Linux is all about choices. More than one way to get things done - usually. Glad you found a solution.

[Jabberwoc]

Re: SOLVED: Can't install Lynx or revert to Hardy.



*** UPDATE ***

Well...that didn't last long.

Next boot I get a GEOM error.

I've tried mkfs ext 4 AND ext 3 on an 80 gig SATA drive.

Any help, please? Or am I stuck with a Live CD now?!!

[GreyGeek]

Re: Can't install Lynx or revert to Hardy.

Jabberwocm,

Boot a LiveCD and issue this command in a Konsole:

sudo /sbin/lspci -v

Post info on the harddrive controller. There is a chance there is no module for it or it needs a module which has been disabled for some reason.

[Jabberwoc]

Re: Can't install Lynx or revert to Hardy.

Thanks for the swift reply, GreyGeek, but there is no such command in my sbin folder.

Nearest is lspcmcia ? But that returns nothing....

[GreyGeek]

Re: Can't install Lynx or revert to Hardy.

sudo apt-get install pciutils

Then try the command

[Jabberwoc]

Re: Can't install Lynx or revert to Hardy.

Cheers, but I get;

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo apt-get install pciutils
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
pciutils is already the newest version.
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo /sbin/lspci -v
sudo: /sbin/lspci: command not found
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$

[Snowhog]

Re: Can't install Lynx or revert to Hardy.

Use sudo lspci -v

That's all you need to type in the console. The 'error' in GG's reply was providing an explicit path: /sbin/lspci

But that path is incorrect, so the command fails. The actual path is: /usr/sbin/lspci

[GreyGeek]

Re: Can't install Lynx or revert to Hardy.

And BOTH /sbin and /usr/sbin are in the PATH environmental variable so only the command name is needed and I, personally, never include the path.

My error was assuming that lspci was indeed in /sbin.
Thanks, Snowhog!