A different install failure

[spinney]

Trying to install 10.10 from LiveCD. I can boot into the Install process, but when I get to the Manual Partition part, at some point during the selection and configuration dialogue one of two things will happen, depending on if I selected "Install Kubuntu" from the boot option, or Install Kubuntu from within the Try Kubuntu desktop.
a) System freezes solid - only fix is a power off
b) Install process simply aborts back to the Try Ubuntu desktop.

A log for partman in /var (when option b above has been tried) shows an error which appears to cause partman and thus ubiquity to barf. A matching entry in /var/log/messages is:
"/lib/partman/choose_partition//do_option: not found" (the // is not a typo, that's accurate)

As a result, installing Maverick has been a total non-starter for me. System runs 10.04 no problem at all.

Could anyone shed light on the possible problem here?

[oshunluvr]

Re: A different install failure

Did you verify the md5 sum on the iso after you burned it?

[spinney]

Re: A different install failure

I did, it checked out fine.

[oshunluvr]

Re: A different install failure

Sounds like it doesn't like your partition table. You verified your hard drives lately? You might try running fdisk and/or just to see if it generates any warnings.

[GreyGeek]

Re: A different install failure

I had a case where the Graphic installer would not work so after I got the iso running as a LiveCD I checked the menu option for "Install Kubuntu" (or whatever, I can't remember right now) and opened a Konsole and issued
sudo (whatever the command was)

By going that route I was able to install Kubuntu, and it worked perfectly. The install GUI screens are not dependent on KDE4's presence.

[asearles]

Re: A different install failure

I had pretty much the exact same problem as spinney.

I ended up downloading the "kubuntu-10.10-alternate-amd64.iso" image.... which had a text-based installer. That seemed to work fine... and get the new system installed.

(another issue)... once installed though, the system hangs up completely requiring a power recycle. I am not sure at this point what the problem is.

As for Kubuntu 10.04... everything was working just fine !!

[dibl]

Re: A different install failure

a) System freezes solid - only fix is a power off

the system hangs up completely requiring a power recycle.

No, that is unnecessarily hard on the filesystem (i.e. both the OS and your data). Do it like this:

http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3113996.0

[spinney]

Re: A different install failure

Thanks all,

I believe the error that causes partman to drop out is somewhere in the script(s) - a variable is clearly expected in the "/lib/partman/choose_partition//do_option: not found" error, there should be a further subdirectory referenced in the // to identify the correct do_option script (of which there are several, depending on the actions partman is taking. As the relevant script is not found, an error handler causes the partman script to exit.

I'm afraid neither my scripting skills nor my patience are quite up to the task of debugging this properly, but I'm certain that a variable isn't being set during one of the partman calls or functions. And I can't help but wonder how this didn't get picked up in pre-release testing.

dibl - thanks for the pointer to a better way, but when I had the last lockup I had absolutely no keyboard response of any kind - no CapsLock indicator, no Ctl-Alt-Del, no F-Key toggle, nothing. Next time It happens I'll try the MagicKeys but won't be surprised if they don't respond either.

[GreyGeek]

Re: A different install failure

.... Next time It happens I'll try the MagicKeys but won't be surprised if they don't respond either.

The SysRq key can be disabled with the following command:

echo 0 > /proc/sys/kernel/sysrq

To re-enable:

echo 1 > /proc/sys/kernel/sysrq

[dibl]

Re: A different install failure

The SysRq key can be disabled with the following command:

Yeah, GG, but you kinda need a functioning keyboard to do that .... :P

[spinney]

Re: A different install failure

Just out of interest, I tried it - and it didn't work. Frozen, in this case, definitely means frozen.

I'm now trying to install on a new HD with no previous installations of anything on it - using the same LiveCD first, and I have another if this one fails again. Should keep me busy tonight, so I'll update the post in the morning (UK time)

[GreyGeek]

Re: A different install failure

The SysRq key can be disabled with the following command:

Yeah, GG, but you kinda need a functioning keyboard to do that .... :P

You never can buy insurance AFTER the accident in order to cover its costs!
Or, locking the barn door after the horse has run away ....

[spinney]

Re: A different install failure

OK, after a very long night, the good news is that I have a working system, installed from a LiveCD with all the partitioning working fine. The bad news is that it was built from a Ubuntu 10.10 CD, not a Kubuntu version. So I now have a Gnome-based system, which is not bad, but not the KDE environment i know and love.

I tried two separate Kubuntu LiveCDs, from different copies of the ISO image, and both failed consistently as described earlier. The Ubuntu CD worked straight off. What I don't understand is that the partitioning tool isn't (I don't think) a KDE utility, so any errors in variable setting would be common across distro. But my experience suggests the partitioner for Ubuntu is a different version?

For now I'm going to live with Gnome - it's way more important to me that I have a functional system, I use it for my job. When I have enough time, I'll have another go at getting Kubuntu to install properly.

If anyone has any more ideas, I'd be grateful. Many thanks....

[dibl]

Re: A different install failure

The "Alternate" installation CD uses a different installer and might give better results. It does sound vaguely like some problem with the BIOS and/or some bit of your hardware. Is it a "standard" computer, or does it have unusual or old features?

How about your hard drive partitioning scheme -- anything exotic there?

Personally, I use a bootable Parted Magic (on a USB stick) to do the hard drive partitioning, and format the partition(s), prior to booting my installation CD, and I use the Alternate Install CD, and I choose "manual" partition, so that all I have to is pick the partitions and mount points. No need for formatting or anything except a straightforward installation.

[GreyGeek]

Re: A different install failure

.....
For now I'm going to live with Gnome - it's way more important to me that I have a functional system, I use it for my job. When I have enough time, I'll have another go at getting Kubuntu to install properly.
If anyone has any more ideas, I'd be grateful. Many thanks....

Kubuntu is just KDE4 setting on top of the Ubuntu base system. Why not add the KDE4 desktop to your Ubuntu install?