Problems installing FC3

Paul Long · 02-04-2005, 03:42 PM

After years of using Windows I decided to see what all the fuss was about Linux. Bought a couple of magazines and decided on Fedora Core 3

However, when I try to run the Fedora DVD I get the following message. It is possible to get past this message a couple of times but in the end the system will not load.

I would appreciate any help on this (and possibly a translation).

Thanks

Bug: Assertion ((C*heads+H)*sectors+s==A) at disk_dos.c:495 in function probe_partition_for geom () failed

alidanish22 · 02-05-2005, 12:50 AM

I get the same error , tried two times and wasted 8 CDs. I have checked the md5sum for all 4 iso downloaded image. But the installer reports the cd is corrupt. Is there any way to verify the CD with the iso image downloded.

I have a win2k installed p4 , 256 mb ram, system with 20GB left unpartitioned which i intend to use for fedora 3.

ftansari · 02-05-2005, 11:14 PM

I also have the same problem as paul's.
Some time the graphical installer just exit and try to start x windows system, but it fails so the installer shut down the installation.

my box is powered with P4 2.4 ghz with 512 mb of ram

btw I'm new here and I am a newb in linux pls help me with this problem.
thanks

alidanish22 · 02-06-2005, 05:31 PM

1. I changed the BIOS setting of the hard-drive from "auto" to "LBA".

I tried to installed and some some warning message about boot-sector still popped. I ignored the error and installed fedora with minimal settings. Systems comes up with grub. I am now able to boot both windows and linux.

Paul Long · 02-15-2005, 11:04 AM

A trawl through the internet showed that this was quite a common problem; it also showed that no-one had a clear idea how to solve it. In the end I obtained a copy of FC1 which went on without a problem. I then upgraded to FC3. No problem. I can now run FC3 without any bug. Now all I need to do is work out how to configure my wireless card.

Hope this helps

Paul

rafael_rms · 02-18-2005, 10:25 AM

hi. i had the same trouble.
i was using a cd-rom that had destroyed literally 2 cds before. they exploded inside it. so the lecture of the cd-rom was a crap. when i changed the cd-rom for a cd-rw that i have in spare it worked normalyy, incluiding the graphic installation mode an stopped those messages.
hope, it helps.
thanks.
and please read my post and reply if any of can help me.

ftansari · 02-19-2005, 12:30 AM

I have solved the problem. I installed the linux using the text mode. It seems that anaconda needed around 64 kb of memory, so I assumed that my box were out of memory in the middle of instalation. That's why I installed linux using the text mode. I hope this wil help all of you.

bondsteveg · 03-20-2005, 07:31 PM

I tried tab-entering the "ignore cancel" notifications and installing anyway to see if installation was possible but unlike others who have met with success was met with a reboot request after configuring my install and selecting packages. Seems as though my partitioning was created anyway. My next strategy was to install Fedora 2.6 and the update from that to 3.0 this worked, but you've got to remember to reboot into the older version and accept the license and enter a username. Then you can go ahead and install 3.

WhatsHisName · 03-21-2005, 10:39 AM

Has anyone tried manually partitioning with Disk Druid, as opposed to the automatic mode, as a way to get around the problem? The geometry error smells like a Disk Druid issue, and starting with FC2, there have been lots of problems with Disk Druid.

I have never run into the “Bug: Assertion ...” error, but have had lots of problems with Disk Druid, which is why I usually use PartitionMagic to do the partitioning beforehand, followed by using manual Disk Druid (without any reformatting) during the installations.

andresfer · 03-21-2005, 06:02 PM

I didn't have any troubles installing FC3, but I'm having troubles 'cause I also have winXP on my machine and the grub loader doesn't recognize it... If anyone could help me pls

MrPeabody · 03-22-2005, 04:31 PM

I have also been dealing with this issue and I think I've found a fix at the Fedora site. You have to download a patch to Anaconda to correctly determine the partition size. The patch and a forum that lists the issues related to this can be found at

The question I have for the group. To install the patch, you need a floppy disk. I don't have a floppy drive, any suggestions??

WhatsHisName · 03-22-2005, 05:44 PM

MrPeabody: Anything that can be written to a floppy can be written to a USB flash drive and used that way, whether it is written as a file or using dd. I would be more specific, but I cannot find the patch you described. Reading bug reports is like reading an encyclopedia.

Obviously, the bug has to do with parted and the comments I read indicate that the -development- release has the fixed parted.