Core 6 Partition Problems: Dual-booting with WinXP

Gerry_W · #1 14th January 2007, 12:24 AM

Hello all,
I decided to try Fedora (this is my first foray into Linuxity) and downloaded the Fedora Core 6 DVD iso, burned it to a DVD, and stuck it in my computer. When the setup started, I checked the DVD for errors: there were none. Then, the graphical setup initiated. I clicked the Next button, and after it checked for previous Cores, it gave me this message:

"The partition table on device hdg was unreadable. To create new partitions it must be initialized, causing the loss of all data on this drive..." and a couple more sentences to this effect. Basically, it wants to format my hard drive, as I understand. I can go ahead and move on, but no matter what partition options I select (besides deleting all previous data), it tells me there's not enough free space and the "/" directory cannot be created. I've read through the bug list, an FAQ recommended here, and the Installation and Release Notes, but can't find anything about this partitioning problem.

This seems to be just a partitioning problem; there are no other errors. Do ya'll have any ideas?

Thanks,
Gerry

EDIT: It doesn't even get to the boot loader. I just reach a dead end and have to reset the computer.

Seve · #2 14th January 2007, 01:51 AM

Hello:
Since the hard drive you have has already been partitioned under win it has by definition no free space.
You will have to resize your partition(s) to create some free space.
I believe there is a how-to located here:
http://forums.fedoraforum.org/showthread.php?t=92701

I'm sure there other ways as well.

Seve

nta · #3 14th January 2007, 02:44 AM

Hi all, I also have this problem.I still have it although my hardware has been partitioned since the frist installation.
So what I must do to install it without this problem.

Seve · #4 14th January 2007, 03:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nta

Hi all, I also have this problem.I still have it although my hardware has been partitioned since the frist installation.
So what I must do to install it without this problem.

Hello:
I'm sorry, I don't understand exactly what you mean?
Have you read through the installation guide ?
http://fedora.redhat.com/docs/instal...titioning.html

Seve

Gerry_W · #5 14th January 2007, 03:53 AM

Hmmm. Well, I burned the gparted 3.3 iso to a cd and booted it up. It starts up, I press enter, and it gives me the menu where I can select extras if I want. I didn't, pressed enter again, and then it said

livecd gparted does not exist
kernel panic- kernel tries to stop init

What does this mean? This is certainly frustrating. I'm sure I burned the right iso.

I tried a couple extras that seemed like they could do the trick, too. No dice.

Seve · #6 14th January 2007, 05:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gerry_W

Hmmm. Well, I burned the gparted 3.3 iso to a cd and booted it up. It starts up, I press enter, and it gives me the menu where I can select extras if I want. I didn't, pressed enter again, and then it said

livecd gparted does not exist
kernel panic- kernel tries to stop init

What does this mean? This is certainly frustrating. I'm sure I burned the right iso.

I tried a couple extras that seemed like they could do the trick, too. No dice.

Hello:
You may want to have a quick scan through here :
http://gparted-forum.surf4.info/

Seve

Gerry_W · #7 14th January 2007, 06:04 AM

Apparently this is an issue with the intel 965 chipset. I'll try and use SysResc CD in the morning. Thanks a lot for your help so far, Seve.

nta · #8 14th January 2007, 04:47 PM

To SEVE:My English is not good because I am Vietnamese.So if I have erors Can you help me repair my grammar?My hard disk is partitioned similar to this picture

Seve · #9 14th January 2007, 05:07 PM

Hello:
Your English is fine

Is /dev/sda5 where you want to install Fedora ?

Is there any data on that partition ?

Seve

nta · #10 14th January 2007, 05:13 PM

I can install FC6 with this partition.Win Xp is installed on dev/sda1.And I want to install FC on sda3.Can I create /boot on sda3?

And finally I decide to create /boot on dev/sda4 and then on the partition dev/sda3 I create / and swap but I only can create 1of2 partition{ /-->not swap and swap or not/}.Because when create the second partition above ==> It says "COULD NOT ALLOCATE REQUESTED PARTITION:PARTITIONING FAILED: NOT ENOUGH SPACE TO CREATE PARTITION FOR NONE"

nta · #11 14th January 2007, 05:17 PM

Oh I use main 965p-ds3.I don't know may it make this problem

Seve · #12 14th January 2007, 05:32 PM

Hello:
If you want to use /dev/sda3 which is now formatted as Win 95 FAT 32

First you must select Delete to delete the Partition /sda3
then click on the free space and select New and create
/boot as a mount point ... the default size is 100MB which is fine
Next click on the free space and select New and select
/ as the mount point and make it 10,000 MB
Next click on the free space and select New and select
/linux swap as the mount point and make the size 1,000MB
Next click on the free space and select New and select
/home as the mount point and use all the remaining space
Then you are finished.

Seve

Gerry_W · #13 15th January 2007, 07:04 AM

I use the ds3 too, nta.

So, I've partitioned the drive correctly using SysRescCD (6 1/2 hours >.<), but the fedora install hangs. Let me explain:

I'm now past the partition screen. I figured out how to set /, /home, and the swap. So then I advance through the ethernet, boot loader (in which I choose to modify the MBR. I believe this is right, correct?), time, and reach the packages page. Here's where problems start.

If I select office and productivity, software development, and fedora extras and choose to configure them now, I get to the screen where I can configure package options, and it is at the tab for gnome/kde. I can edit that, but when I try to switch to a different tab (applications, for example), I get a bug message. I can either debug (which I don't understand how to use), or reboot.

I figured I'd go ahead and not choose the configure now option and configure later after rebooting twice. Fine. Then, however, no matter whether I choose those three packages or just office and productivity, it gets to the "checking package dependency" mini-loading-bar, which gets almost done, then moves back to half, gets to about 3/4, and then hangs. There's nothing I can do about it.

Considering the time I've put into this, I'm hoping it'll work. Thank you for your helpfulness so far, Seve; do you think you can finish the job with (hopefully) one last good answer?

Gerry

Seve · #14 15th January 2007, 07:33 AM

Hello:
From what you have described..
I would suggest just accepting the default packages when presented with the options.
Meaning, do not select extras or anything else and see how it goes.
You can very easily install the extras repository after you have installed the system.

Seve

nta · #15 15th January 2007, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seve

Hello:
If you want to use /dev/sda3 which is now formatted as Win 95 FAT 32

First you must select Delete to delete the Partition /sda3
then click on the free space and select New and create
/boot as a mount point ... the default size is 100MB which is fine
Next click on the free space and select New and select
/ as the mount point and make it 10,000 MB
Next click on the free space and select New and select
/linux swap as the mount point and make the size 1,000MB
Next click on the free space and select New and select
/home as the mount point and use all the remaining space
Then you are finished.

Seve

Thanks Seve,when I install FC6 I deleted /dev/sda3

I create mount point /boot on dev/sda4 and make the size 100mb{default}

Then I create / as a mount point and the size is set 27000 mb

Next,I continue to make swap on 'free space'

And finally It appear notice-board

If I create Linux swap before It can create but then I can't create mount point /.It also appear that board.So I can't continue to install FC6 and must restart
P/s: I am using Core 2 Duo E6300{Intel}.It is dual core.I don't know that Can It affect the installation