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Author Topic:   a Lynux Question
Declan
Maximum Newbie

Posts: 19
From: Barrie,ontario,canada
Registered: Feb 2002

posted August 13, 2002 22:03     Click Here to See the Profile for Declan   Click Here to Email Declan     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I actually looked through the mandrake.org site , and found it to be interesting , but not enlightning as to a problem that i have with a mandrake installation.

Not being able to find a button that says post new topic here, was also a factor in thinking hmm, maybe the ask a geek forum , since constantly lurk here.

Okay

I am running a P-2 233 mhz clone , with 300 meg of ram, and an eight and a 4 gig hard drives.

The prime O/S is win me ,and i had already loaded mandrake with no problems , due to some hardware rearrangement , i took mandrake off ,and reformatted the hard drive and then reloaded windows.

Now when i try to reinstall mandrake , everything is just ducky , right up until the install gets to partition check hda , and then it hangs or freezes.

Can some one guess as to whats happening ,and what might be the remedy for this.

All ansewers welcome.

Declan

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neotatsu
Uber Geek

Posts: 927
From: A place my soul no longer resides
Registered: Jun 2002

posted August 13, 2002 23:18     Click Here to See the Profile for neotatsu   Click Here to Email neotatsu     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Remove the hard drive that had windows on it, soak it in gasoline, and torch it. The evil of M$ cannot be 'uninstalled', it has to be purged. (I obviously don't have practicle advice to offer, and am just shitting around)

------------------
Even god has a sense of humor, just look at the platypus.

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Declan
Maximum Newbie

Posts: 19
From: Barrie,ontario,canada
Registered: Feb 2002

posted August 14, 2002 08:05     Click Here to See the Profile for Declan   Click Here to Email Declan     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Well it sure started my morning off right.

Declan

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maxomai
Alpha Geek

Posts: 264
From: Portland, OR
Registered: May 2001

posted August 14, 2002 08:40     Click Here to See the Profile for maxomai   Click Here to Email maxomai     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
You haven't mentioned which version of Mandrake you're using. I would recommend trying a different version first, and then either sticking with that or "upgrading" to the version you want. The latest version (8.2) should be able to handle this problem. If that doesn't work, try version 8.1.

You should tell us what version of Windows you're using also.

Assuming the worst: you can use fdisk to partition your hda by hand. This is moderately painful and not for the faint of heart. You could permanently f*** your dual-boot system with no recovery.

Let us know how this goes.

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Erbo
Super Geek

Posts: 249
From: Denver, CO, US
Registered: Jan 2000

posted August 14, 2002 09:30     Click Here to See the Profile for Erbo   Click Here to Email Erbo     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
If it's Windows XP, the default mode in which XP formats hard disks is incompatible with Linux. (FM!) The correct way to install both is to use Linux to partition the disk, install Windows to its partition (NOT letting it turn the disk into a "dynamic disk"!), and then install Linux where it goes.

------------------
Electric Minds - virtual community since 1996. http://www.electricminds.org

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Declan
Maximum Newbie

Posts: 19
From: Barrie,ontario,canada
Registered: Feb 2002

posted August 14, 2002 15:53     Click Here to See the Profile for Declan   Click Here to Email Declan     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
"You haven't mentioned which version of Mandrake you're using. I would recommend trying a different version first, and then either sticking with that or "upgrading" to the version you want. The latest version (8.2) should be able to handle this problem. If that doesn't work, try version 8.1. "

Store bought 8.2 mandrake

"You should tell us what version of Windows you're using also. "

Right now the o/s is windows ME .

"Assuming the worst: you can use fdisk to partition your hda by hand. This is moderately painful and not for the faint of heart. You could permanently f*** your dual-boot system with no recovery. "

That last part sounds familiar , having first used fdisk ,and then partition magic , how permantly is permantly .

Declan

Ps , thanks for all the relies

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ilovemydualg4
Highlie

Posts: 792
From: *GASP* THE 3RD DIMMENSION
Registered: Mar 2002

posted August 14, 2002 19:31     Click Here to See the Profile for ilovemydualg4   Click Here to Email ilovemydualg4     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by neotatsu:
Remove the hard drive that had windows on it, soak it in gasoline, and torch it. The evil of M$ cannot be 'uninstalled', it has to be purged. (I obviously don't have practicle advice to offer, and am just shitting around)


may i refer you to my 404? http://stonewallcs.com:83/mycool404.htm

just remember to use the same settings provided to you by your LCA (Local Crazy Arsonist).

ha...

what in particular did you change?

------------------
'Excuse me, I have to go blow somethign up..... It's a military thing....'-Col. Jack. O'Neil

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spungo
Uber Geek

Posts: 806
From: Hell's toilet
Registered: Jan 2002

posted August 15, 2002 03:23     Click Here to See the Profile for spungo     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
If I were you I try installing a different distribution for academic purposes - just to see if this is a Mandrake problem or fdisk (or whatever partition tool it's using).

Give RedHat a go - it seems to install more reliably than any other I've come across (ok - this is from personal experience, so no flames please!)

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"No longer empty and frantic like a cat tied to a stick, that's driven into frozen winter shit (the ability to laugh at weakness), calm, fitter, healthier and more productive, a pig in a cage on antibiotics."

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Declan
Maximum Newbie

Posts: 19
From: Barrie,ontario,canada
Registered: Feb 2002

posted August 15, 2002 22:50     Click Here to See the Profile for Declan   Click Here to Email Declan     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
"If I were you I try installing a different distribution for academic purposes - just to see if this is a Mandrake problem or fdisk (or whatever partition tool it's using).
Give RedHat a go - it seems to install more reliably than any other I've come across (ok - this is from personal experience, so no flames please!)"

Okay , went with Red hat , no idea as it did not do anything right off the bat , but unlike mandrake it had no self loader(if thats the correct term) like Drakx.

Tried a work around with some success though, installed a third hard drive that I had floating around and took the IDE cables out of the two other aforementioned drives and reset the BIOS.

This did work and mandrake loaded with no problems , or nothing that was not a biggie anyways.

So I replaced the Ide cables and fired the comp back up and low and behold , windows , lol.

So , when i am a little less bleary eyed , i am gonna look into the bios settings , if the dual boot is gone , then either there is another work around , or i have to manually set the bios everytime to boot mandrake.

Any further suggestions would be welcome

Declan


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Lex
Super Geek

Posts: 250
From: University of Florida
Registered: Jul 2001

posted August 19, 2002 14:21     Click Here to See the Profile for Lex   Click Here to Email Lex     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
If you're having partition trouble and don't mind killing everything on whatever drive you're using:

First, make sure the drive is primary master. Dual booting is safer if the windows installation is on a secondary or slave drive that used to be the primary master. That is how I usually set it up, anyway. Install windows on PM, make PM into PS, install linux on new PM. Moving forward...

Now, boot up the mandrake CD. Once it is up and running, don't go forward yet. Use Alt and the function keys to switch vts until you get to one with a shell that you can use. Try using fdisk first (or cfdisk, if it is on there) to remove all the partitions. Write the new partition table to the disk. Rebooting at this point might be helpful, but probably not necessary. Continue with the install.

If that doesn't work, we can try nuking the drive. Do as above, except for the part about using fdisk. Instead, on the command line enter:

code:

dd < /dev/zero > /dev/hda

Wait a few seconds. 30 should be much more than enough. Press Ctrl-C to stop it. The beginning of your drive should now be blank and ready to accept a new partition table and such. Continue the installation.

And if that doesn't work... I haven't used Linux in over a year, so you've got me.

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GameMaster
Highlie

Posts: 680
From: State of insanity
Registered: Mar 2002

posted August 19, 2002 19:20     Click Here to See the Profile for GameMaster   Click Here to Email GameMaster     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
If windows is on the same physical disk as Linux, Windows needs to be before a certian block. There is no way to make fdisk permantly destray a hisk, but it can get rid off all the information currently on a drive.

FIPS (or Partion Magic) is recemended to non-destructlivly shrink your Win ME partition and then insert the linux bootable rom and restart. hda should be the first partion (which should be seen as DOS (Win ME)) by Lizard or Lisa (or whatever installation wizard Mandrake ships with). If problems presist contact Mandrake support (which you should be eligable for because you bought a store bought copy) or apply the BFH (Big frelling Hammer).

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GameMaster
Highlie

Posts: 680
From: State of insanity
Registered: Mar 2002

posted August 21, 2002 21:21     Click Here to See the Profile for GameMaster   Click Here to Email GameMaster     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
How'd it go?

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Declan
Maximum Newbie

Posts: 19
From: Barrie,ontario,canada
Registered: Feb 2002

posted August 21, 2002 21:37     Click Here to See the Profile for Declan   Click Here to Email Declan     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
quote:
Originally posted by GameMaster:
How'd it go?

I pulled the offending hard drive out and installed it on another one , it went perfect

now all i am doing for now is getting used to an alien system, and learning the joys.

Declan

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