linux install problem

[El Gibbon]

OK I'm ready for the 'dark side'.

Seems I have a hardware problem somewhere but can't figure it out..

Knoppix boots and runs OK EDIT: Live CD version

Fedora Core 5 - gets to the second or third page, after selecting language and keyboard and then comes up with the following " no device found for new files"

ubunto loads the kernel and you get the bar for the Ubuntu and then it hangs with the following " BusyBox v1.1.3 (Debian1:1.1.3-5ubuntu12) Built-in shell (ash) and then
(initramfs) _(flashing prompt here)

This is an old windows machine that had drives C & D. have formatted D and then removed the partition so there is 70+ Mb of 'unallocated' space available.

Not sure but it looks like the 'unallocated' space is not being recognized by the linux programs.

Any ideas?

E. G.

[NickA]

dunno, looks like a hard disk or partition problem.

Did you get to the part about creating partitions?

[El Gibbon]

did not make any partitions, figured the linux would set them up as required
any suggestions on how to set them in the appropriate scheme?

E. G.

[NickA]

^need FF here, the install should ask how you want the partitions set up. But if you're not even getting that far then something is wrong. You could try re-formatting the HD if there is not data on it.

[El Gibbon]

windows won't allow me to format the C drive.... ?????

Tried that under disk management, no option

E. G.

[El Gibbon]

am presently downloading and burning ISOs for Mandriva and Suse, supposedly they DO allow the set up during install.

e. g.

[NickA]

^if windows is on C then you won't be able to format it

Reformat D and try again

[El Gibbon]

Prolly should have just bought a new drive... rather that flock around with Wdoz

D is gone since I removed the partition, now just C with a bunch of unallocated space.
THat is supposed to be what linux looks for so am totally confused... lol

[Happyman]

E.G. !!!

You have no idea how pleased it makes me to see you are having trouble with your pooter after all your pisstaking !!!



Proof of the old saying " You only reap what you sow "

[El Gibbon]

flock you, the other 5 machines are running charmed.... sweet and fast. Just dicking around with this one to see what all the fuss is about linux.... old machine that I have no idea of the hardware shit.

Will get it sorted... no problem lots of smart guys on here... lol

Hey, at least I try! No head in the sand here

E. G.

BTW when do you arrive?

[friscofrankie]

no device found for new files

(initramfs) _(flashing prompt here)

Just a Wild Ass Guess here, sounds like the boot process is having trouble creating a RAMdisk to exract the kernel to? May not be a HD problem at all.
Why you're having issues creating a RAM disk is hard to tell would need more information on the hardware installed (i.e. chipset processor motherboard make & model)

[El Gibbon]

Intel Pentium 2.8 GHz
512 MB ram

From what I can gather its an ACER with a ACPI multiprocessor PC
E. G.

[friscofrankie]

Laptop?
memory is adequate, processor is adequate.
initramfs is definitely a RAMdisk creation routine. and the fedora erros comes before at boot I am pretty sure this is the same issue (no Ramdisk no place to extract kernel files for boot)
I've read some linux forums where the best guess is a bad cd/dvd reader, but no proof that is the issue. Keep trying you might want to search on google for RAMdisk issues installing or booting linux though.
I did find this: "If you have Windows already installed on your machine, you might also try making a boot floppy. There should be utilities on your CD f/DVDor doing this. Boot your PC from the floppy, and then tell it to do a CD install."

I noticed you mentioned you only had 70MB of disk space? This really shouldn't affect the boot up as with a clean install you have 0 disk space but if you get far enough you'll need to blow off the other partitions in order to install a functioning desktop installation.

When you do just let the install setup your partitions getting into partitioning HDs for different uses can get complicated and even contentious. most distros give you an OK setup for a decent desktop most the distros use package managers and they install to system default locations; it's best to let use their recommended layout. far out of the norm

[Wallalai]

there is 70+ Mb of 'unallocated' space available.

70GB ? 70MB will not allow you to install a distrib.

[El Gibbon]

sorry for the typo its 70GB unallocated
Acer Workstation

What happens if I delete all windows crap in C and then try and and delete the C partition?

I really don't need or want windows on this machine at all.

E. G.

[Wallalai]

^ Nothing will happen, you'll just not have any OS on the machine.
But having Windows on C: shouldn't cause any problem.

Have you yet tried to boot from the Mandriva One LiveCD ?


PS. You can also download and burn Main Page - SystemRescueCd , (SystemRescueCd-x86-1.0.4 (197 MiB)) a LiveCD based on Gentoo. After the text boot sequence just type "startx" at prompt. If everything works you'll find the Gparted graphical partition and format utility among many others.

[friscofrankie]

you need to boot to a different OS to blow off windows completely
When you finally boot into Linux you will come to a point where you will partition your HD. Just opt to have the win partition removed.
I do not believe your problem is HD or partition related. You are having a problem creating a RAMdisk; this is a pseudo disk in RAM. this is used during boot as there are no partitions mounted and the kernel needs to be decompressed into the RAMdisk before you can finish booting.
Get that problem fixed and then worry about removing the partition later. if you insist on removing the win part first you might be able to with teh win install CD.

[El Gibbon]

Many thanks to you both. I'm inclined to agree with FF on the ramdisk problem.

This morning after some sleep I'll go on the G and see what I can find.

I also note there are separate application for ramdisk out there but have no idea what to do with them

I also understand there are live linux apps such as Knoppix and the Mandriva that can be used to "fix" broken machines... which this one obviously is. Gotta research that one a little more too.

I'll keep you updated.

Again heaps of thanks for the help and guidance.

E. G.

[friscofrankie]

No real help here but it will give you an idea what you are dealing with
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Initramfs

This may also be a problem with some divers or modules in the kernel that cause the thing to hang. it is definitely not a partition problem

There are parameters you can pass to the kernel at boot time - you might be well off in searching for your distro and make & model of your computer see if anyone else has had the same problem. maybe get on Acer's site and see if you can ascertain chip-sets used for things like controllers, network cards, etc. then check your documentation on your distro and see if they require any special boot time parameters . There may even be a keystroke to bring up a menu or help screen of common parameters.

[NickA]

Check out

Failed Install - (initramfs) prompt [Archive] - Ubuntu Forums

this looks worth a try

I specified an additional boot option (by pressing F6 when the ubuntu install menu comes up; each item in the install menu has a different set of options. You want to add in the options line for the install option) root=/dev/cdrom and hit install.

i was able to solve the problem by redownloading the image and burning it to a CD instead of a DVD

maybe the image i burned to the DVD was corrupt or maybe the computer is picky about DVDs...

I had this same problem, and one of the suggestions I saw in the forums - adding a boot parameter "all_generic_ide" - while booting off the LiveCD solved my problem.

I resolve that problem than I kicked out Sony DVD-ROM and put into the system SONY DVD-RW . No more changes and everything installed

Looks like it's quite a common problem, so if nothing there works a bit of googling should help.

[ChiangMai noon]

i was able to solve the problem by redownloading the image and burning it to a CD instead of a DVD

i had to do that come to think of it.

DVD install disk only got so far before stalling, burnt to CD and it worked.

[El Gibbon]

May have a solution, if the inet ever speeds up enough to download today

Will download to flash drive along with unetbootin-windows-243 and try and run it of the flash. That should do away with any IDE issues. Besides on this version I don't see where to do the "all ide stuff".

There is another program, I'll get it later - tooo many window open at the moment with """KEY""" info to look now - but it takes The files into an open windows partition and then you can manipulate it into its own space.

Seems like a lot of work to play with linux but what the hey....

full details later IF it works

E. G.

[ChiangMai noon]

Seems like a lot of work to play with linux but what the hey....

the juice is worth the squeeze IMO.

best thing i ever did was change to ubuntu, other linux distros too complex for me. Ubuntu is just plain much easier and faster than windows.

like having an entirely new machine.

[El Gibbon]

OK here I am on Ubuntu!!!!

Must have been an issue with one of the following:
downloading
burning
reading the CDs/DVD

downloaded a fresh copy of Ubuntu
downloaded Unetbootin
Moved both to a thumb drive
ran the execute of Unetbootin
followed instructions ( well laid out)
rebooted machine without thumb drive
selected the HD to boot from and low and behold there it was at the very top of the selections

I am now pretty well convinced that the problem lays with the DVD - firewire thing a ma dooey

This worked well for me as I'm not comfortable with flocking with code in any shape or form, so no dicking around with adding/deleting commands in the kernel or anywhere else.

This is a pretty slick way to download and install different distros - takes a lot of the possiblities of flocking up out of the process at a number of steps. Looks like all distros are supported.

Can't thank you guys enough for the guidance and help.... greens on the way.

E. G.

[El Gibbon]

flock me...

you must spread some Reputation around .........

For both Wally and FF

Thanks anyways guys.

E. G.