Partitioning issue when trying to install

[Island Monkey]

When trying to install Kubuntu I have a hard time on the partitioning stage of the installation. I tell it where Kubuntu should go (/dev/sda5/) but for some reason it comes up with No root file device has been defined. Please correct this in the partitioning menu. But I have. NTFS. Then when I say I want the file system to be Ext2, it still doesn't work. What partitioning menu? Don't give me answers where I have to go into the terminal. The terminal never works.

[dibl]

Re: Partitioning issue when trying to install

Do yourself a huge favor, download the ISO and make yourself a Parted Magic Live CD (or you can make a USB stick by following instructions): http://partedmagic.com/doku.php?id=downloads

Boot the Parted Magic Live CD, open the partitioner, and do whatever disk partitioning you need to do. Recommended filesystem for modern Linux is ext4, unless you're installing on a USB flash drive, in which case it would be ext2.

If you are not experienced with disk partitioning, this might help: http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/gparted.html

When you have your partitioning done, then boot your Kubuntu 11.04 Live or Alternate (my favorite) CD, and when you get to the first partitioning page, choose "manual" partitioning. Use the Tab key to navigate the menu, choose your /dev/sda5 partition, choose "/" for the mount point, and you don't need to format it, although that will not hurt anything. The installer should find your swap partition automatically. Other partitions should be automatically detected and mounted under /media during your first boot; you can later add them specifically in /etc/fstab if needed.

Hopefully you know what to do on the final page where there's an option regarding the installation target for Grub. If not ... better ask.

[claydoh]

Re: Partitioning issue when trying to install

in the partitioner, you need to specify that the partition is to be used as root , or "/" in one of the dropdown boxes.

[oshunluvr]

Re: Partitioning issue when trying to install

I just tried it on the livecd - funny, ext2 was selected without a problem and when I did, it automagically put "/" in the mount point field.

[claydoh]

Re: Partitioning issue when trying to install

perhaps somehow it wasn't selected automatically, or something else was selected.

Not knowing the partitioning setup, it could be possible if there are logical partitions, the wrong one could be selected perhaps?

To find out, open Konsole and enter..........,
muahahahaha

[dibl]

Re: Partitioning issue when trying to install

To find out, open Konsole and enter..........,
muahahahaha

In which case "muahahahaha"=fdisk -lu

[Island Monkey]

Re: Partitioning issue when trying to install

It's doing it, but it appears to be hung at 100% . It says Detecting file systems... 100%. Also, another thing. I'm trying to download Google Chrome (best browser ever) but although it downloads fine and looks to install fine, it doesn't. Nothing new appears up in the search box of the start menu or anywhere.

[de_koraco]

Re: Partitioning issue when trying to install

log out and back in, it sometimes takes a while for the menus to refresh properly.

[Island Monkey]

Re: Partitioning issue when trying to install

log out and back in, it sometimes takes a while for the menus to refresh properly.

Note: I've ditched Kubuntu for Mint. But there's also one other problem: on both OS's, the installation has hung. I started the installation on Mint about 10ish this morning, and I come back to see 6 hours later nothing.

[vinnywright]

Re: Partitioning issue when trying to install

what are the specks for the box your installing on CPU,RAM,GPU ?

if the install's hung what are you working with/on (a system that the install hung on but you got to boot some how)?

if fdisk is hanging you may have a bad disk/hard drive or bad partition tabel on the disk

do you have a good install your working off of ?

VINNY

[Island Monkey]

Re: Partitioning issue when trying to install

what are the specks for the box your installing on CPU,RAM,GPU ?

if the install's hung what are you working with/on (a system that the install hung on but you got to boot some how)?

if fdisk is hanging you may have a bad disk/hard drive or bad partition tabel on the disk

do you have a good install your working off of ?

VINNY

Processor: Intel Celeron Dual-Core CPU 1.9GHz
RAM: 4GB
GPU: Intel GM45 Express Chipset

As explained I'm working on Mint while the installation for mint is (sorta, as explained, happening). You see I am using a live install that I got via UNetbootin.

As far as I know it's all good.

Que? I don't understand your last question.

[vinnywright]

Re: Partitioning issue when trying to install

As explained I'm working on Mint while the installation for mint is (sorta, as explained, happening). You see I am using a live install that I got via UNetbootin.

As far as I know it's all good.

so lets get this right .........you runing on a live USB you made with UNetbootin and when you go to install to the hard drive it hangs .... yes/no?

you tryed to run the fdisk comand from the live usb and it hangs ?

Que? I don't understand your last question.

do you have a good install on the hard drive of the computer that boots and works ?

VINNY

[Island Monkey]

Re: Partitioning issue when trying to install

No, I am booting UNetbootin from the HDD and trying to install it permanently to the HDD. And yes, once it goes onto the last part of the install it hangs. I don't know what fdisk is. I don't have much Linux experience before this (2 weeks using Ubuntu via Wubi until I was faffing around in Windows one day and I accidentally deleted the ubuntu folder. Wubi doesn't function anymore).

I still don't understand. Do you mean another Linux distro or any OS?

[vinnywright]

Re: Partitioning issue when trying to install

I want to know if you have any OS on your hard drive that still boot's .....or if every thing is totally messed up!!!

VINNY

[Island Monkey]

Re: Partitioning issue when trying to install

Windows 7. Boots a treat.