Serious Problem With UBUNTU 10.10 Install
 

Ello All,
The problem i am having is this:

I am installing Ubuntu Server 10.10 on a server I have just purchased. The dificulty I am having is that it has been installing for 4 days now. I have an intel atom, 1 gb ddr2 RAM, and a 1TB Hard drive. The setup went ok at first, but during the partitioning, it was stuck at 33% for just under 15 Hours on the partition ext4. once it finally got past that it was stuck at 78% for 3 more hours after that it seemed ok but then when it got to 'select and install software' it has been stuck at 5% for 2.5 days now. then about an hour ago, the disk drive started spinning like crazy, the screen went black (console) and in the top left corner said '~Terminated' then I Got the BIOS and the installer started over. now im back at partitioning stuck at 33%.
What do i do??

-JL Griffin

I would try the alternate installer

http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop/get-ub...ative-download

If you have another hard drive available, I'd try that to eliminate the disk as the problem.

I dont think the hard drive is the problem. before ubuntu i had installed CentOS 5.5 on it and it took about an hour or 2 to format and use the disk. and the whole thing ran smoothly actually. (I'm just familiar with ubuntu and it's commands and didnt really like the differance [I personally think Aptitude (apt) is more efficient than YellowDog (yum) anyway]). I also had ubuntu Desktop Edition on it as well and had problems with installing that as well. i already tried the fix i used to install desktop edition and it didnt help. (Partitioning problem: On initial boot, the CD Drive is mounted as "/cdrom", but when installer runs the partitioner it looks for files at "/media/cdrom". so i pressed alt+F2, activated the console and ran "ln -s /cdrom /media/cdrom" and then the install went fine after that.)

OK i downloaded the image, but i havent burned it yet because I saw an alpha release iso for 11.04 (Natty) server in the dvd images. would it be a bad idea to try the alpha?

OK. I burned the alternate iso for Ubuntu Server 10.10 and started the installation. However... I am stuck at 33% again on 'Partitions formatting'!

Exact Message:

.___________________________________________________________________________
| --------------------------------------------| Partitions formatting |----------------------------------------------------- |
|. _________________________________________________________________________ .|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||__________33%__________________________________ ___ |
| ----------- Creating ext4 file system for / in partition #1 of SCSI3 (0,0,0) (sda)... ----------------- |
|___________________________________________________________________________|

It took an hour or two to format a TB hdd, and on top of that, you can't install any media on the drive in less than several days, yet you don't think there could maybe possibly be an issue with the disk? Why don't you just test it? You're grasping at straws right now.

You cant honestly believe i was naive enough to be having all these problems and not test the disk. OF COURSE I TESTED THE DISK! Im not stupid. (Install Disk and HDD) its fine. Just for kicks i event installed linux mint on it and the installer finished in about 30 minutes. So NO IM NOT STUPID AND NO IM NOT GRASPING AT STRAWS.

ProTip: Dont even make a response on this post if its not something productive.

Ok i figured it out.

its a bug in the installer when running the installer from a usb disk drive.

the installer starts the process with the drive at '/cdrom' then the partitioner looks for files at '/dev/cdrom' because its USB. then the install and configure software looks for the files at '/media/cdrom'

THE FIX

if you are stuck at 33% press alt+F4 to view the logs. [tip: to get back to the installer at any time, press alt+F1] IF the 2 bottom most lines read:

~waiting for response from install media
~Fatal error: no media exists at source (/dev/cdrom)

Then press alt+F2 and hit enter and then run the command 'ln -s /cdrom /dev/cdrom'
Then press alt+F1

If you do not see those lines, DO NOT run that command because it will corrupt the install disk (dont ask me why). Sadly you just have to wait for it to complete on its own.

After Partitioning completes, it will ask for a default username. [Do this step regardless of the logs because this is actually a regular bug] press alt+f2 and run the command 'ln -s /cdrom /media/cdrom' or 'ln -s /dev/cdrom /media/cdrom' depending on weather or not you had to do the step before this one. then press alt+F1 and finish up the installer like normal.

Hope this helps others with the same problem.

Regards,
-JL Griffin

By the way, After i did all of my "grasping at straws" and stuff, install took about 45 minutes, so no, NOT THE DISK...

Well that's what I get for writing replies while gaming, makes me look like a real smartass. Anyway, I didn't' say you were stupid, nor was I insinuating that. You never mentioned in your original post that the disk was tested and confirmed good. All you said was that you at one point had another distro installed on it, which in the grand scheme of thing, doesn't really mean anything, since a disk can go bad at any time. And that now, you could not get the install completed, and the disk was spinning like crazy. With a lack of any other information, I don't think it was unreasonable of me, or any other user on an internet forum to question the hdd.

At any rate, I'm glad you're up and running.

Yeah. Sorry About blowing up at you like that. it's no excuse but i kinda had a short wick yesterday with all the problems i was having. and i kinda had a jerk on another thread that was really getting on my nerves. lol. but either way i reread all the posts this morning and i apologise for MY rudeness.

And your right, I didnt post enough info. Sorry about the confusion. but yes, Up and running!

And I sent a detailed email to Conical about that bug with USB Disk drives, hopefully they will insert a fix For 11.04 (natty) because the problem is still there in the alpha release. not to mention that putting in the fix would be harmless if it isnt needed but its really beneficial if it is needed. lol.

Best Regards (& Sincere apologies for my rudeness),

JL Griffin


PS: my signature is not aimed at anyone in this thread! lol. its mostly for the jerk in the other thread i was in. lol (And Its actually the same one i have on all the forums i post on because people who make pointless comments annoy me. lol. :D)