RH Install HD Partition/Format horrors

[svenmarley]

I must be an idiot based on how many people say they have NO problems installing Linux. Admittendly, I have been a MS engineer for the past 15 years, but I am trying to expand my mind. So, here is where I stand.

I have both Red Hat 7.2, and Linux-Mandrake (not sure of version).

I have an older PC, Pentium 2, 400 mhz, 90 Meg Ram, Diamond video card, and then there are the Hard Drives. I have been using 2 diff drives, an IBM Deskstar (30.7GB), and a Western Digital (20.5 GB).

Here is what happens. Either version of Linux.

I start the install, and it goes thru, sometimes even allowing me to run FDisk, or Disk Druid, setting up the drives, defining the partitions, choosing the packages, etc...

BUT - When it comes time to format the drive or partition (it doesn't say what it is doing sometimes), the machine just locks up.

I have gone thru the forums and sought discussions with similar problems, and done the following:
+ I have run FIPS. it always says the partitions aren't right, and can't seem to fix them.
+ I have run efdisk from (somewhere). It seems to lay out the partitions correctly (or so it thinks), but then FIPS doesn't like them.

I believe the disk is currently partitioned right (no complaints from the installation programs), but I can't seem to format it. I have done the command-line thing and run mke2fs /dev/hda1 (the name of the partition, I believe), but it says it can't find that device.

I don't have Partition Magic (nor do I really want to spend the $50 getting it).

Any ideas? It has taken me 2 days to get to this point with this stuff, so I'm about to hurl it all into the street.

Any help is GREATLY appreciated.

Sven

[fancypiper]

Check the RedHat CD and make sure you read all about partitioning. I used this for my install on a PII 333 with no trouble. In Linux, the path is:

/mnt/cdrom/dosutils/fipsdocs

Windows should read this as well.

Search for "ranish partition" on google will find another partitioning manager that some people recommend but I tust the linux fdisk most.

You should be able to use the rescue at the boot prompt in the first install screen (I think) in order to use linux fdisk. See the Gentoo distro for good instructions on how to use rescue if needed.

[robbwk]

At risk of sounding stupid, can I suggest a couple of things? As an engineer you will know that it doesn't matter how the job gets done, only that it gets done.

I don't know all the details of your machine, other installed OS etc. But, I would suggest you try an install on a completely different machine, if at all possible. If it works, then you will have proved an incompatibility between your chosen LINUX distro and your original machine.

Believe me, you can fiddle about for days and not be successful. Sometimes basic, non-invasive, practice is best. It is very easy to get drawn into technical, minute, software technolgies. Try this command line, try that etc. It can take you around in circles for days. Go basic first.

Or, try hanging a new HD in the original machine and install to that.

If you are dual booting (or attempting to) on the original machine, don't do it, or don't try to do it. Use a LILO disk. You can create this from the CD. Linux can screw up MBRs, particularly when Win2k/NT is around. Avoid changing the MBR if at all possible.

Another way in is to install on a friends/another machine and clone across. Use LILO to boot as required.

Don't spend hours messing around trying to get it to work. It's not worth it. If you can't find the problem, try another machine. If that doesn't work, borrow another Linux installation CD set, could be yours is damaged. It does happen.

Assume nothing.

Partition Magic is an excellent utility and well worth the money. particularly when working with multiple OS. If you want to use it on Win2k server, don't forget to purchase Volume Manager, as PM cannot deal with some aspects of NTFS5 in certain scenarios.

When you do get up and running CFDISK is a neat utility to suss partitions.

Good luck.

[Luigi]

having just gone through some similar pains... :(

windows is not particularly picky about it's partitions. apps will crash if the swap space enters into a 'confused' area, but that's about it. linux installs go nuts with it. i couldn't figure out what was screwing up my RH7.3 install for the longest time, until i got into windows again and used partition magic. it listed my windows partition as 'unrecoverable'. XP was booting like a dream, but the partition was clearly at least unstable. PM is a helluva utility, i have to admit that when i see something that PM can't fix, i have an urge to run screaming through the streets. so i backed everything up, booted to a win98 floppy, and fdisk'ed the hell out of my drive.
reinstalled windows, no problem. installed linux, no problem... it found my win install and added it to the boot loader, to boot (no pun intended :) ).

the moral of this story is, if the problem is your partition, then use a win98 boot disk to get rid of the thing! just wipe your drive clean with the boot disk, and THEN Run the linux install. it will create the partitions nicely.

actually, one more moral here - i tried installing mandrake on the same system, using the same procedure, and it screwed up my partition lines each time. (RH installer made fun of it, actually. it's almost worth doing to watch). i refuse to believe that no one can run a dual boot with mandrake, or that no one can have sane partitions with mandrake... so our conclusion is - when all else fails, try a different distro. even with something as fundamental as partitioning. good luck!:D

[JohnT]

The WD HD needs a setup disk that's available on their site or you can alternately use a Maxtor Maxblast disk in some instances. The IBM disk is ready to go after an fdisk and format. If your putting Win on one and Linux on the other set them both up as 16 bit format. Both OS's can read across this.

[baddoggie]

When installing a new OS I always...well almost always start with a psuedo low level format utility such as Western Digitals WD Clear ( don't ask me what I think of their HDs but this is a kool cat utility) This will verify the drive is good and will also reduce the risk of data corruption from previous files, etc. I've been using this utility for almost 10 years after seeing a virus survive DOS FDisk and format. Drop me an email if you have any trouble finding it. I put it on a win98 boot disk and use it to clean any PC OS. You may have a memory problem also. I would definately recommend more memory. Good luck!

That which does not kill me really $%!@es me off!