Problems to install Slack 13 64bit (GPT and fdisk)
 

Hi all.
After trying without success change from windows to ubuntu (dual-boot unsolved problems), I decided to try slack as I have seen that user to user support for slack is usually best oriented and faster.
But I am having some problems in order to install slack because of GPT support.
As I know its a bad idea to start to asking for help without speak what I have tried, lets to this first:

At first I tried just to boot from DVD and went through the install using the help inside the disk.
- It doesn't work because either fdisk and cfdisk that are suggested in help doesn't offer support to GPT.

After that first try i looked to:
http://slackware.osuosl.org/slackwar...lackware-HOWTO
But also it suggest the use of fdisk. However, it suggested too that I could use another partition application and since I have the live cd for ubuntu, I tried to partition from there and use those partitions for installation.

At first I tried to format as ext4, but i discovered that slack still dont offer support to this format (at least the version that I downloaded).
So I tried again but this time using ext3 as format to my / and /home and use the swap offered in the application for use as swap (duh!)
But every time I try to install using the dvd it doesnt find my partitions with fdisk, only with the parted command I can see my partition table displayed correctly.
However, every time I try to run setup it say that it didnt found and linux partition (swap also when i try to target).
So this is my dilemma, I cant use fdisk, in the parted manual (http://www.gnu.org/software/parted/manual/parted.html) it only says that it supports ext2 (not mention ext3) and also i dont find any command to use with parted to mark the partition as 82.
I ran through this 2 other posts (http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...edure-763910/; http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...ware64-760543/), but as I am still waiting for some update there I decided to ask it here hoping to discover that this is an easy problem.
Thanks in advance.

Have a read of this. fdisk won't do the job, but [g]parted should.
Haven't tried it as I haven't needed to.

As for your concern ext3 - it is just ext2 plus a journal; several of the tools refer to ext2 only. Nothing to worry about.

You must include GPT support in kernel in order to use GPT. (I don't known if this support is included on Slackware or not).
If you don't include GPT support in Linux kernel, after rebooting the server, the file system will no longer be mountable or the GPT table will get corrupted.
By default Redhat Enterprise Linux / CentOS comes with GPT kernel support.

I don't known if this utilities could help you:
GPT fdisk

Unfortunately i haven't tried GPT although it is something that I watch with interest for some time. :(
(In particulary i like the possibilities to have a great number of primary partitions (because i like tried different OS and for example Bsd OS or even opensolaris want only a primary partitions) but everytime i'm wait. Perhaps in future i will give a try.

At first let me thank you guys for the fast response.
Second, it appears that the problem is in the GPT support, because I tried to boot from ubuntu live cd and make the partitions using gparted and when I reboot and try slack it doesnt recognize it as a linux partition. (no matters what format type i choose, ext2, ext3, ext4, reiserfs...)
Since the gparted appears to be an front end to parted, i tried to figure some way to fix it using parted that came with dvd.
I can tell now that i am able to create the partitions (ext2 for / and linux-swap to swap, cant make a ext3, maybe the parted included in DVD is outdated but i cant set a partition with ext3, but since i read that the conversion from ext2 to ext3 is really easy, I am concerned now in make it install no matter with format i have to use, later i can concern myself in do this conversion, one problem at time :-)) but since the parted doesnt update /etc/fstab and if I reboot i need to tag it again and lose the changes, i couldnt figure how to make this change using only parted. :-(
Also, I am a new linux user and confess that I dont know how to include GPT support in kernel in order to make a new boot DVD. (I know from previous long time ago experiences that it is not easy to recompile the kernel, and if you could point some good tutorials i could give a try. Also, I dont know how hard this process is and please ignore this if it make too much work, but if it is simple, and if someone could please include the GPT support in kernel i would be very grateful)
Concerning the GPT fdisk that you suggested AleLinuxBSD i confess that i am a little afraid, because in this hd where i am intending to install the slack, I already have a big 680Gb NTFS partition filled with at about 420Gb of important data that I cant backup in any other place.
Anyhow I still will be trying to work around this problem and maybe if I can work in a solution I try to take a risk.
Once again I would like to thanks for the fast response and also for the great suggestions.

I Finish to figures why I couldnt make the ext3 partition. It appears that mkpartfs dont support ext3. I read now that i will have to make an mkpart first and after that a mkfs.
Also, let me ask, there is some way to make kernel recognize the new created partitions without rebooting the system?

If you read the config file from huge.s kernel you see that
CONFIG_EFI_PARTITION is not set, so the slack dvd can't see gpt
partitions.

I have discussed this with Eric (AlienBOB) on IRC and per his suggestion
i sent a mail to Patrick. Maybe in the next kernel upgrade, support for
GPT is added, but i can't speak for Patrick.

You can do:
a) Install slack to a mbr partition on another disk,compile new kernel,
transfer everything to the gpt one,modify fstab,run lilo

b) compile the slack dvd install kernel with gpt support and mkisofs
a new iso. I remember that when i did it, the kernel saw the partitions
fine but i had to manually installpkg the a/ series then run lilo and
boot. I think that the installer still didn't recognise the partitions,
but it's been a while so i may not remember correctly.

Ok, at first thanks Mara for moving the thread. (And sorry again)
Also, thanks imitheos for the response.
I had to confess that I am still starting with linux use but also thinks it is a good way to start and learn at same time, so I will try your suggestions.
But I think I see one problem at "a" because I have 3 computers at home (2 desktops and 1 notebook):
The first is the specific what i am talking about and trying to install slack (intel 2.4 quad, 4GB Ram, 3 Hds, 2 of 500GB in raid 0 install, used for windows vista and XP, and one of 750GB now used for windows storage and for linux future install, as info windows boot loader is on raid 0, and all windows partitions are NTFS format)
The other is a Pentium 4 HT with 512GB of Ram and a hd of 160GB where it is installed the windows XP for wifes use, but i have no problems in formating it in order to fix this slack thing as long I return to xp after that. (or dont bother to start to find a new wife. :-))
The 3th is a ASUS notebook which is with his screen broken and that has a similar config to 2, but needs to be put in some monitor in order to see anything.
The first problem that I see is if I can install a 64bit version on a machine that does not support it, as I want to use a 64bit supported version in my actual machine.
The second problem refers to your "a" and "b" suggestions simultaneously. As I said, I am no linux expert and besides I understand what you are suggesting, I have no idea how to follow through it. :-(
Right now i am reading:
http://www.linuxforums.org/articles/...ernel_272.html
In order to learn about kernel compilation and i will make my tries right now using the "old" computers.
To finish I would like to ask three questions:
1 - Will I find some problems if I install a 64 bit version on a 32 bit machine?
2 - I think maybe there is some commands that are specific used in slack versions and didn't in others, will I find any problems to compile the kernel using those internet tutorials because I am using slack? If yes, there is any slack tutorial in compiling kernel that you could suggest?
3 - Because of his philosophy, with i am confess that i still learning, i suspect that slack doesnt have a live cd. However, could I make this kernel compilation using the ubuntu live cd which works like a charm in my machine?
(Ok, i confess maybe 4 questions ;-))
Thanks again in advance for all the help you are providing me right now.

Updating.
After reading:
http://www.linuxforums.org/articles/...ernel_272.html
http://www.linuxquestions.org/linux/...d_Symbol_HOWTO
http://www.linuxquestions.org/linux/...Slackware_10_1
And the slackbook: http://www.slackbook.org/html/book.html
I decided to try to recompile my kernel in order to add support to gpt.
To do this my idea was to install an slack in my "old" computer that uses mbr and make the compilation.
But after make the boot from dvd i receive the message i was expecting: This kernel uses an x86-64 CPU, but only detected an i686 CPU, unable to boot - please use a kernel appropriate for your CPU.
I know I am probably abusing from your patience, but I need to ask some questions, it will work if a make the kernel compilation using the 32 bit version?
Here http://connie.slackware.com/~alien/multilib/ I found a way to probably work from 64 to 32, it will work if I try some similar procedures from 32 to 64? Any advice?

1) 64bit processors also support 32bit,so you can install both 32/64 OS.
If you try to install 64bit OS on 32-only processor then it won't boot
as you saw. Eric's multilib packages are used in 64bit slackware so you
can run some 32bit apps.

In a few words, i don't think you can run 64bit OS on a 32bit processor.

2) This specific kernel compile is not like when you try to compile your
own custom kernel where you need to mess with all the kernel options.
You just need to change a line in the config provided by Patrick, so
it is not a problem.

I could compile the kernel for you, but since you don't have a linux
box i don't know if you can mkisofs the image with the new kernel
from a windows box. And even if this works, you'll need to manually
do every thing the installer does, so i don't think it would be very easy.

You'd better wait for opinions from a more knowledgeable person
than me like Eric or someone else.

Join the ranks. Your not the only one. You'll have to use an alternative solution such as the one I posted here:

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...eopard-778465/

That will do exactly what you want. Give me one more day and I plan on updating the script to download all the packages and include them on the root of the CD.

All you'll have to do is run "sh make-dvd.sh" and wait for a half hour or so and you'll have a DVD capable of installing Slackware on a GPT disk.

As it stands now, you can't even mount your partition with the Slackware disk much less get the installer to work. A manual install is about your only option until some work is done with the official Slackware disk.

Well, someday I will learn to be more patience and that will for sure help me. :-)
First let me thank you all (specially imitheos and jong357) for the patience and support.
But after a lot of consideration and frustrating tries I realize that would be easier to backup the data in GPT drive and convert it to MBR again.
I confess that was trying to compile the kernel using a 32bit installation in my other computer and since i did not have internet access there (need to config wifi yet) I didn't read jong message in time, or I would have tried to follow your instructions.
Now I manage to install it, since fdisk worked, and i am using it to post this message. :-)
Figured that I will have to pass through a lot of config yet since I am having problems with some applications during the start of X, and still dont figured how to adjust the screen. (Even if my screen should be put 8 meters away I am sure I still could read the text because the size of font :-))
But now is only a matter of time.
Thanks all again.
And jong, if you need I newbie help fell free to ask. I think that if you instructed me now that I have the system working properly I could make the DVD-iso and even upload it. (But I confess that you will have to be real patience)