The Kubuntu install software shows only free instead of partitioned space.

[nicrnicr]

Hello Everybody,

I would like to reinstall Kubuntu 22.04 between other systems, that you can see here at the end of the page
https://www.kubuntuforums.net/forum/...titioned-space

But during the installation, I can only see 500 GB free space, as is shown by the enclosed picture.
Could you please help me to install Kubuntu in the second blue square of the afore mentioned picture of the link?

[Schwarzer Kater]

Well, as you wrote in your other post the partition table seems to be corrupted somehow:
"Invalid partition table on /dev/sda -- wrong signature 5d44"

I have no idea how to repair this (but there are certainly ways beyond my knowledge to do this, of course) - I would simply replace the whole partition table either from a cloned drive image (and hope that the partition table was OK when I cloned it) or by installing a new partition table and repartitioning the drive (hence deleting the whole drive including all your systems and data!). Both are "sledgehammer" methods of sorts…

But whatever you do (specifically repairing it, replacing the whole drive with cloned data or deleting the drive with a new partition table) - be sure to back up everything that is somehow remotely important to you from the drive, from every partition and every system BEFORE!!!

[nicrnicr]

Thank you Schwarzer Kater. The first system is Windows and if I delete it, I cannot install it again (I'm not able to buy it). The best I could do is to erase all the linux parts.

[Schwarzer Kater]

[…] The best I could do is to erase all the linux parts.

That will very probably not do any good in this case, sorry I have to say that…

[Qqmike]

You can use gdisk to repair a GPT partition table.
Be patient. It is not difficult.
Follow Rod Smith's guidance (he is the author of gdisk and a GPT expert):

Repairing GPT Disks
https://www.rodsbooks.com/gdisk/repairing.html

I have done this myself, long time ago, it was a breeze.
I don't recall the details, but as I say, just follow Rod Smith and follow your nose using gdisk as he explains.

[nicrnicr]

auie@ThinkPad-L570:~$ sudo gdisk -l /dev/sda
[sudo] Passwort für auie:  
GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 1.0.5

EBR signature for logical partition invalid; read 0x5D44, but should be 0x
AA55
Error reading logical partitions! List may be truncated!
Caution: invalid main GPT header, but valid backup; regenerating main head
er
from backup!

Warning: Invalid CRC on main header data; loaded backup partition table.
Warning! Main and backup partition tables differ! Use the 'c' and 'e' opti
ons
on the recovery & transformation menu to examine the two tables.

Warning! Main partition table CRC mismatch! Loaded backup partition table
instead of main partition table!

Warning! One or more CRCs don't match. You should repair the disk!
Main header: ERROR
Backup header: OK
Main partition table: ERROR
Backup partition table: OK

Partition table scan:
 MBR: MBR only
 BSD: not present
 APM: not present
 GPT: damaged

Found valid MBR and corrupt GPT. Which do you want to use? (Using the
GPT MAY permit recovery of GPT data.)
1 - MBR
2 - GPT
3 - Create blank GPT

Your answer:              
​

The computer has been first provided with Windows.
I added after 3 three linux.
I suppose that Windows has been installed on MBR and that a part of the linux systems has been installed with GPT.
I think that choosing MBR would be the best.

[Qqmike]

Boy, I don't know how to advise you!
If I were advising myself, I would just go GPT all the way, knowing I might lose everything.
BUT -- a big BUT -- I do not know if you are facing a mixed/hybrid system there ... mixing MBR and GPT-UEFI booting.
Rod Smith has a special section on running mixed systems; in general, I would avoid doing it.
As always, the problem is Windows -- it messes up everything because we really don't know what it's up to, how installed, etc.
I would not want you to lose your Windows OS, or any of your data.
You somehow did get a GPT, though. It would sure be nice if both Windows and Linux could run on GPT.
Maybe someone can get a better hunch about this for you.
I will also think about it some more.
In theory, it should be possible to get Windows to run on a GPT, or convert to GPT, but ... you can't afford to lose your Windows OS, as you indicated.

[Schwarzer Kater]

I would go for trying to repair the GPT, because the backup header and table both are OK - but I have to stress this again: Backup your important data first!
And ultimately it is your risk that something goes wrong…

[nicrnicr]

Your answer: 1
Disk /dev/sda: 976773168 sectors, 465.8 GiB
Model: WDC WD5000LPLX-0
Sector size (logical/physical): 512/4096 bytes
Disk identifier (GUID): FBC9E964-489B-4A5C-84B6-DBE35A593F3C
Partition table holds up to 128 entries
Main partition table begins at sector 2 and ends at sector 33
First usable sector is 34, last usable sector is 976773134
Partitions will be aligned on 2048-sector boundaries
Total free space is 42799085 sectors (20.4 GiB)

Number  Start (sector)    End (sector)  Size       Code  Name
  1            2048         1026047   500.0 MiB   0700  Microsoft basic d
ata
  2         1026048       136718335   64.7 GiB    0700  Microsoft basic d
ata
  3       136718336       234375167   46.6 GiB    8300  Linux filesystem
  5       234377216       359950335   59.9 GiB    8300  Linux filesystem
  6       359952384       774027263   197.4 GiB   8300  Linux filesystem
  7       774029312       933982207   76.3 GiB    8300  Linux filesystem
auie@ThinkPad-L570:~$

​

[nicrnicr]

Thank you Qqmike and Schwarzer Kater for your mind.
I prefered to choose, what seemed to me to be a conservative process.
But it didn't help. I still face a 500 GB free harddisk when I want to install Kubuntu 22.04.

[nicrnicr]

Indeed nothing changed

$ sudo gdisk -l /dev/sda
GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 1.0.8

EBR signature for logical partition invalid; read 0x5D44, but should be 0xAA55
Error reading logical partitions! List may be truncated!
Caution: invalid main GPT header, but valid backup; regenerating main header
from backup!

Warning: Invalid CRC on main header data; loaded backup partition table.
Warning! Main and backup partition tables differ! Use the 'c' and 'e' options
on the recovery & transformation menu to examine the two tables.

Warning! Main partition table CRC mismatch! Loaded backup partition table
instead of main partition table!

Warning! One or more CRCs don't match. You should repair the disk!
Main header: ERROR
Backup header: OK
Main partition table: ERROR
Backup partition table: OK

Partition table scan:
 MBR: MBR only
 BSD: not present
 APM: not present
 GPT: damaged

Found valid MBR and corrupt GPT. Which do you want to use? (Using the
GPT MAY permit recovery of GPT data.)
1 - MBR
2 - GPT
3 - Create blank GPT[/FONT]

​

[Schwarzer Kater]

[…]
In theory, it should be possible to get Windows to run on a GPT, […]

Of course Windows can be installed on a drive with a GPT partition table! Why shouldn't it? I have done this for many years…
The only requirement for nearly all Windows installations to use GPT is an UEFI instead of a "legacy" BIOS.

nicrnicr: You tried to repair MBR? I am quite certain the MBR on your drive that is shown is just the "standard" protective one that is contained within a GPT.
If you wanted to repair something it should have been GPT - or nothing and leave it as it is… (I think I didn't express myself clearly enough above).

[Qqmike]

Of course Windows can be installed on a drive with a GPT partition table! Why shouldn't it? I have done this for many years…
The only requirement for nearly all Windows installations to use GPT is an UEFI instead of a "legacy" BIOS.

Yes, of course, I totally agree. However, in THIS context ... I feel it should be possible for him to click GPT in ANY case, even if Windows were on a MBR, it should be possible (according also to Rod Smith) to convert MBR --> GPT "midstream."

I am quite certain the MBR on your drive that is shown is just the "standard" protective one that is contained within a GPT.

I also had that quick thought. And hopefully, it's true here. However ... I have never seen it called that from gdisk. I just ran mine (but I do not have any Windows here, it shouldn't matter though), and I got the same output I've always seen on a GPT from gdisk:

sudo gdisk -l /dev/sda

​GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 1.0.8

Partition table scan:
MBR: protective
BSD: not present
APM: not present
GPT: present

Found valid GPT with protective MBR; using GPT.
Disk /dev/sda: 976773168 sectors, 465.8 GiB
Model: Samsung SSD 870
etc etc etc

[Schwarzer Kater]

Oh, you are right - it should be shown as "protective" in gdisk then! Didn't know that, thanks.

But in the general context of this thread: New day, new strange thing…

[Qqmike]

So, regarding the original post, what we are saying -- what we are suggesting -- is to click GPT and hope it all converts to GPT. But as Schwarzer Kater clearly indicated: back-ups are very important when doing this kind of partition work!!!!!