[SOLVED] Got error during format, now nothing happends

[Lefty]

Yeah, so I've tried out the latest version of Kubuntu both on CD and on Flash drive and really liked it!
I tried installing it, but the installer failed due to some error i cannot remember.
The problem is it failed during the formatting and/or partitioning.

Obviously my computer wont start now without the flash drive or CD in, i just get a blank screen and a blinking underscore.
When i start with the CD or flashdrive i get the option to start from CD (or flash) which i want to, since i want to try installing it again.
I get to the kubuntu , but nothing more. I've tried waiting a LOOONG time, but nothing happends, altough the dots are lighting up to indicate it is working.

What can i do? The memory test runs fine.

I'm a bit unsure about the specs, bu I think I'm using a
ACER TravelMate 6291
1,6 gHz
1GB ram
and 120GB hdd

[dibl]

Re: Got error during format, now nothing happends

I tried installing it, but the installer failed due to some error i cannot remember.
The problem is it failed during the formatting and/or partitioning.

Here are two problems:

1. If you don't know what the error was the first time, how are you going to avoid it the second time? :P

2. Failure during disk partitioning is pretty much fatal to operating systems and data on that drive. Sorry. Partitioning is done with low-level commands that directly change the partition table information in the master boot record, rendering prior settings obsolete, and they must be completed to be effective. If you crash in the middle of partitioning, you can kiss the OS and your data goodbye, unless you want to pay On Track Data Recovery or some other professional organization to recover it off the drive for you with specialized equipment.

So, if you are ready start over with that hard drive, you'll need to use "dd" from a running Linux OS (Live CD or USB boot).

Do you have any experience with dd?

[GreyGeek]

Re: Got error during format, now nothing happends

Formatting with gparted erases the MBR (Master Boot Record). When the format is successful gparted also allows making the partition bootable again.

Boot your LiveCD and run the option which checks the files on the CD. If it indicates that some files have errors then it is safe to say that your CD burn wasn't good and that may be the reason why gparted failed. The bad burn could be due to a bad ISO. Download the ISO again and then check it using md5sum. Burn your ISO using DAO and at slow speed, 4X if your burner can go that slow. Then check the burn by running the LiveCD menu option supplied to do so.

[Lefty]

Re: Got error during format, now nothing happends

Here are two problems:

1. If you don't know what the error was the first time, how are you going to avoid it the second time? :P

Thanx for the quick reply!
Hah, i didn't think that one trough. I was just kinda hoping it would work this time, or at least get the same error again to provide some info.

2. Failure during disk partitioning is pretty much fatal to operating systems and data on that drive. Sorry. Partitioning is done with low-level commands that directly change the partition table information in the master boot record, rendering prior settings obsolete, and they must be completed to be effective. If you crash in the middle of partitioning, you can kiss the OS and your data goodbye, unless you want to pay On Track Data Recovery or some other professional organization to recover it off the drive for you with specialized equipment.

So, if you are ready start over with that hard drive, you'll need to use "dd" from a running Linux OS (Live CD or USB boot).

Do you have any experience with dd?

Any lost data is no problem, i went for the full install, so i won't be recovering anything.
But i guess i have to recover some kind of MBR (?) or something, to get the hdd running again?
My bios identifies the hdd at least! I have no experience with DD, perhaps you can provide me with a useful link, and save me precious google:ing time?

[dibl]

Re: Got error during format, now nothing happends

When the format is successful gparted also allows making the partition bootable again.

Ahhhh -- yes, with Gparted you can choose "Device > New Partition Table", then choose the default "MS-DOS" table type. That way you won't need to use dd.

EDIT: If you ever expect to do this again, may I recommend that you make a Parted Magic Live CD or USB stick?

http://partedmagic.com/download.html

Comes in very handy at moments like this.

[GreyGeek]

Re: Got error during format, now nothing happends

dd is nice. I used it a couple week ago to attempt to recover a 40GB HD in a Gateway 400SD4. It took dd 18 hours to do the formatting, one byte at a time. It turned out that there were too many bad blocks on the HD and that laptop was heading to the junk pile until Detonate donated a 20GB HD which fit the Gateway's sled. Now the 400SD4 is happily running Kubuntu and is headed for a new home.

[Lefty]

Re: Got error during format, now nothing happends

Formatting with gparted erases the MBR (Master Boot Record). When the format is successful gparted also allows making the partition bootable again.

Ofc, gparted is the best! I didn't even think of that! I will try the installer one more time and just wait and see what happends, if it doesnt work, i will run gparted and partition the hdd to make it bootable.

Boot your LiveCD and run the option which checks the files on the CD. If it indicates that some files have errors then it is safe to say that your CD burn wasn't good and that may be the reason why gparted failed. The bad burn could be due to a bad ISO. Download the ISO again and then check it using md5sum. Burn your ISO using DAO and at slow speed, 4X if your burner can go that slow. Then check the burn by running the LiveCD menu option supplied to do so.

I tried the installer from my flash-drive, so i didnt really have that option. But before i tried the cd i was sure to test it first, i have had those problems earlier. But thanks for the heads up!

[Lefty]

Re: Got error during format, now nothing happends

When the format is successful gparted also allows making the partition bootable again.

Ahhhh -- yes, with Gparted you can choose "Device > New Partition Table", then choose the default "MS-DOS" table type. That way you won't need to use dd.

EDIT: If you ever expect to do this again, may I recommend that you make a Parted Magic Live CD or USB stick?

http://partedmagic.com/download.html

Comes in very handy at moments like this.

Sweet, i have downloaded gparted now, and will give it a shot if the installer won't boot.
I'll give it 15 min more, just to see if anything actually is loading. I heard it rattle a couple of minutes ago, so it seems to be doing some kind of proccecing, despite the lack of results.

[Lefty]

Re: Got error during format, now nothing happends

UPDATE!

The Kubuntu installer started up! I now get stuck at "Detecting file systems 83%".
I get

ERROR!!!
Input/Output error during write on /dev/sda

Is this something that i can solve by reformatting using gparted?

[dibl]

Re: Got error during format, now nothing happends

Is that a SATA drive? If so, go into BIOS and change the mode to "Legacy" or "IDE" or "compatibility" or whatever is NOT AHCI (or RAID). After installation, you can change it back to AHCI.

[The Liquidator]

Re: Got error during format, now nothing happends

I note you are using the live cd. Whilst checking the specs of the machine produces no obvious reason for installation to fall over, I wonder whether you might have more luck with the "alternate" cd, which does a text-based install?

[Lefty]

Re: Got error during format, now nothing happends

Is that a SATA drive? If so, go into BIOS and change the mode to "Legacy" or "IDE" or "compatibility" or whatever is NOT AHCI (or RAID). After installation, you can change it back to AHCI.

Nah, im pretty sure it's an IDE. Its an old laptop. But thank you any way!

I note you are using the live cd. Whilst checking the specs of the machine produces no obvious reason for installation to fall over, I wonder whether you might have more luck with the "alternate" cd, which does a text-based install?

You think? Im starting to think there might be a hardware problem with my hdd. I have tried a couple of times now, and seem to get stuck att different places. Do you know if the text based version works with flash-drives as well?

[The Liquidator]

Re: Got error during format, now nothing happends

Not sure tbh. I don't see why it shouldn't though (although other more knowledgeable folks here may prove me wrong.

The reason I ask the question is that installing from a GUI has been known on occasion to be difficult, especially with older hardware. It's quite an intensive process, sometimes too much.

HTH

[GreyGeek]

Re: Got error during format, now nothing happends

UPDATE!

The Kubuntu installer started up! I now get stuck at "Detecting file systems 83%".
I get

ERROR!!!
Input/Output error during write on /dev/sda

Is this something that i can solve by reformatting using gparted?

That's what that old Gateway 400sd4 did. It turned out that under all those pretty graphics the installer was running into one bad block after another. The HD controller will try each block 5 TIMES before giving up and marking it as a bad block. Then it goes to the next block... if that block is bad it will take another 5 tries before proceeding on. IF, like the Gateway, you had several dozen bad blocks .....

But, Gparted will quickly tell you what the condition of your HD is when you attempt to format it.

[Lefty]

Re: Got error during format, now nothing happends

Okay, after some fiddling with the computer, i'm starting to think it's not an issue with Kubuntu or gparted, and instead a hardware issue.
I'm starting to think my hdd is broken or something.

I downloaded the alternate verision of Kubuntu, made it bootable from flashdrive, and after selecting "install" the screen goes blank.
I have tried gparted in the same fashion, but i cannot even get it started anymore. All that's happening is a lot of text scrolling by, saying

error: { UNC }
configured for UDMA/133
sd 0:0:0:0

and so on, and so on. After a while fluxbox boots up together with GParted, but it gets stuck at "scanning all deviced". Not surprisingly tho, since all the errors that has passed by. No matter what i do seems to let me access my hdd for formatting and/or partitioning. I wish i had another hdd to try with, but sadly i only own one laptop. The only odd thing is that i seem to get shorter and shorter in the install for every failed attempt/reboot.

Im guessing that your hdd should show up in the GParted-window if everything is working? I would like to repair the hdd somehow, but im not sure it is possible. :/

EDIT: GParted actually found my hdd this time. So i went ahead and tried to create a msdos filesystem(?) but i only got an error saying it wasn't possible.