Kubuntu doesn't see my partitions on install

[fastarrow]

Hello, I'm trying to install Kubuntu 9.10 on my laptop HP dv2940se.
On my HDD I have 5 partitions:
1) 20Gb NTFS (windows 7)
2) 12Gb ext4 (Mandriva Linux)
3) 1Gb swap
4) 12Gb (Free Space For Kubuntu)
5) 258Gb NTFS (data)

On installation of Kubuntu, when I'm trying to "Specify partitions manually (advanced)", Kubuntu installation doesn't see any partitions on my HDD. But if I load Kubuntu Live CD, I can view all my partitions. How can I install Kubuntu 9.10 and don't loose my partitions?
Thanks.

[verndog]

Re: Kubuntu doesn't see my partitions on install

I've had problems using Ubiquity in the past. Especially with Kubuntu 10.04 crashing on manual install.

I ended up using the Alternate install method. It uses the debian-installer, curses based or text based installer.

I was able to use Ubiquity on installing 9.10 , but also had some issues. You might try and "trick" it by not using manual then once it see's your partitions then use the back button and go forward using manual method. I had to play around with it also on 9.10.

Also if when booted up with LiveCD and it sees your partitions you can then try the install from the icon on desktop.

[fastarrow]

Re: Kubuntu doesn't see my partitions on install

I've had problems using Ubiquity in the past. Especially with Kubuntu 10.04 crashing on manual install.

I ended up using the Alternate install method. It uses the debian-installer, curses based or text based installer.

I was able to use Ubiquity on installing 9.10 , but also had some issues. You might try and "trick" it by not using manual then once it see's your partitions then use the back button and go forward using manual method. I had to play around with it also on 9.10.

Also if when booted up with LiveCD and it sees your partitions you can then try the install from the icon on desktop.

The problem is that if I launch install Kubuntu from live CD it also doesn't see any partitions, and "trick" with back button and forward doesn't work too.

Can you explain how to use debian-installer to install Kubuntu?

[dibl]

Re: Kubuntu doesn't see my partitions on install

Can you explain how to use debian-installer to install Kubuntu?

When you click the green "Download Now" arrow here: http://www.kubuntu.org/getkubuntu
then it asks you to "Check here" for the "Alternate", either i386 or 64-bit, according to your architecture. Check the md5sum on the downloaded ISO, then burn your CD at the slowest speed available. Boot it and follow the instructions, including "manual" partitioning, to choose your intended partition.

[fastarrow]

Re: Kubuntu doesn't see my partitions on install

Thank's

[verndog]

Re: Kubuntu doesn't see my partitions on install

Can you explain how to use debian-installer to install Kubuntu?

If your asking how to install using the alternate method, here is some screenshots. Even though this is for "Encrypted Ubuntu 8.04", the process is basically the same. It gives you an idea of what to expect. When the screenshots get to the Guided section, use the Manual instead.

If your asking how or where to download alternate, then use dibl's link.

[Guest]

Re: Kubuntu doesn't see my partitions on install

Well, I figured I would give KDE another try, it's been a while since I've used it and looks a little sexy.

Anyway, I have four different hard drives on my machine, namely /dev/sda, /dev/sdb, /dev/sdc and /dev/sdd. fdisk on the livecd confirms this:

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 150.0 GB, 150039945216 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 18241 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x73557355

  Device Boot   Start     End   Blocks  Id System

Disk /dev/sdb: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x000a0f81

  Device Boot   Start     End   Blocks  Id System

Disk /dev/sdc: 164.7 GB, 164696555520 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 20023 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x2fb1c96d

  Device Boot   Start     End   Blocks  Id System

Disk /dev/sdd: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x367a3679

  Device Boot   Start     End   Blocks  Id System

I need to specify partitions manually because /home is going on sdb and kubuntu installs to sda. However, the installer does not detect I have an sda. The list just goes something like this:

/dex/sdb
/dev/sdc
/dev/sdd

in gparted I am also able to delete and add partitions to /dev/sda, and even if I were to add the partitions manually to sda in gparted, the installer for kubuntu still does not see that whole device.

I have also tried the 'alternate method' described above and no luck, kubuntu only sees /dev/sdb, /dev/sdc and /dev/sdd. If I pop in Regular Ubuntu, I can install and use /dev/sda, so I know it's not a hardware problem. does anyone else have any other suggestions?

Thanks.

EDIT: Nevermind....after a reboot, the debian based installer (text or 'alternate' installer) worked just fine and detected sda....I'll see if once kubuntu is installed, it will hold.

[Qqmike]

Re: Kubuntu doesn't see my partitions on install

"EDIT: Nevermind....after a reboot, the debian based installer (text or 'alternate' installer) worked just fine and detected sda....I'll see if once kubuntu is installed, it will hold."

Interesting tip! Makes you wish the installer (at the partitioning step) had its own "Refresh/Re-scan" button!

[ichaos]

Re: Kubuntu doesn't see my partitions on install

I experienced this same issue when installing 9.10 from a live CD

Reading through the ubuntu wiki, I discovered that the manual partition editor apparently cannot see SATA drives until the package "dmraid" is removed. After that, the install went smoothly.

[verndog]

Re: Kubuntu doesn't see my partitions on install

"EDIT: Nevermind....after a reboot, the debian based installer (text or 'alternate' installer) worked just fine and detected sda....I'll see if once kubuntu is installed, it will hold."

Interesting tip! Makes you wish the installer (at the partitioning step) had its own "Refresh/Re-scan" button!

I wonder if while in the installer a Ctrl+Alt+F2 then 'sudo fdisk -l' would reveal the partitions created.

[mariappan]

Re: Kubuntu doesn't see my partitions on install

I experienced this same issue when installing 9.10 from a live CD

Reading through the ubuntu wiki, I discovered that the manual partition editor apparently cannot see SATA drives until the package "dmraid" is removed. After that, the install went smoothly.

Please tell me how to remove dmraid package

[dibl]

Re: Kubuntu doesn't see my partitions on install

You need to go into your BIOS and make sure your motherboard SATA RAID is NOT enabled. I think dmraid gets pulled in automatically when the onboard SATA RAID is selected in BIOS.

AFAIK, dmraid is a package from the repo that is removed in the normal manner:

sudo apt-get remove --purge dmraid

But, full disclosure, I've never used it.

[m3xican]

Re: Kubuntu doesn't see my partitions on install

Hi,

I'm experiencing the same problem trying to install the 9.10 on my Dell XPS M1530.

I tried everything: the text/alternative installer, removing the raid module, removing the dmraid package, starting the installer from the live distro, everything with no luck...

The live distro can see all the partitions, but the installer can't, this is quite frustrating...

Does anybody have any other suggestion/hint?

[dibl]

Re: Kubuntu doesn't see my partitions on install

If your hard drive(s) is SATA, go into your BIOS and set the SATA mode to "Legacy IDE" or "IDE" if you can. Then try installing.

If it installs, you can probably go back into the BIOS afterward and set the mode back to "AHCI".

[m3xican]

Re: Kubuntu doesn't see my partitions on install

If your hard drive(s) is SATA, go into your BIOS and set the SATA mode to "Legacy IDE" or "IDE" if you can. Then try installing.

If it installs, you can probably go back into the BIOS afterward and set the mode back to "AHCI".

My BIOS allows me to choose between AHCI and ATA, even if selecting ATA raises some warnings so I haven't tried keeping this setting.
For now I can't spend more time on this installation, but I hope things will get fixed in the upcoming release.