Formatting error during install

[Guest ksutton]

I am attempting to install Mandriva 2005 LE on my 4th PC and have run into a little trouble. I am trying to set up an Emachines T2742 with a 2.7GHZ Celeron processor to dual-boot with Windows 98SE. The dual-boot is no problem and really don't need it but just want it. I would go Linux only if I could. Here's my problem.

 

When trying to install Mandriva I get to the partition part and set up 'root' and 'home' partitions. When I say 'done' it attempts to format those partitions. The first time through during the 'root' format the computer just locks up. I reboot and start installation again, pick 'Use existing partitions' and format 'root' (which happens to be hda5 right now). It passes. I then try to format the 'home' partition (hda7) and it locks up. It doesn't matter how many times I try to format it, the PC locks up. If I try to continue on with the install it tells me I have a bad filesystem, as it should.

 

I have had 3 different drives in it: 3.2GB, 30GB and 160GB. They all do the same thing. I have tried all drives as Linux only and as dual-boot. I have also tried all of them as 'ext2' and 'ext3'. It doesn't matter which way I try they will not format the 'home' partition. I can format all of the drives as FAT32 and install Windows on them so I am pretty sure the drives are good. (I even tried using 'ext3' as 'root' and 'FAT32' as 'home'. It formats fine that way but the installation fails during file copy. Again, the PC just locks up.)

 

I am assuming I am having a problem with the disk controller. Does anyone have any ideas as to different ways to install? Options to set on command line? Changes to the BIOS? Anything?

 

I would appreciate any help anyone could give me.

 

Kevin

Edited June 22, 2005 by ksutton

[ianw1974]

Couple of things you can do:

 

First, ensure that Plug and Play OS is disabled in the BIOS (ie: not set to OS), this can cause problems with hardware detection.

 

Second, you can press F1 when you boot from the CD and try the following:

 

linux acpi=off

 

and try and see if it helps, you may have to run one of the following:

 

linux noapic

linux noapic nolapic

 

or, which might be more relevant:

 

linux ide=nodma

 

since the problems tend to be with your hard disks.

[Guest ksutton]

I did turn the Plug and Play option off in the BIOS. That was the first thing I tried as I have had it bite me before.

 

I have not tried any of the other stuff. That's what I was needing. I'll try it later this morning after I get home and see what happens. I'll post results either as a thank you or asking for more help.

 

Thanks,

 

Kevin

[Ixthusdan]

Linux file system must use ext2, ext3, reiser, or something other than fat. fat may be used for additional storage areas but not part of the tree, eg, not /, /home or /usr, etc.

[rolf]

I have had some glitches with diskdrake at install, which might be hardware-related. In my case, formatting reiserfs partitions I created at install did not 'take' (there was no crash of the computer). After rebooting, I could format, sometimes from another install. When formatting with mkreiserfs on the command line, the terminal messages instruct to reboot after fdisk.

 

The suggestion this experience prompts is to do the partitioning in one step, to where 'Partition table is written to disk', and reboot, formatting after the reboot. If possible, try booting CD1 to a command line in rescue mode and perform the partitioning/formatting from there.

[Guest ksutton]

I tried everything in ianw1974's post, individually and all at once, and nothing helped. The format still stops in the same place. I also tried changes to my IDE settings in the BIOS like turning of LBA, BLOCK WRITE, etc. Nothing helped there either.

 

I will try rolf's suggestion tomorrow.

 

If that doesn't work I am thinking of taking one of the drives out of the Emachines box and putting it in one of my working Mandriva PC's to try and format it there. If it formats then I will move it back to the Emachines to install Linux. I might run into trouble writing to the drive but I thought it might be worth a shot.

 

I have a feeling I am wasting my time trying to get Linux to run on an Emachines PC.

 

Kevin