fdisk problems

silversurferfan · 05-07-2009, 08:07 AM

I am trying to use fdisk to try to blow away my Windows XP partition. I am attempting to install Slackware Linux 12.2. I am getting an error message saying that I cannot write to the Master Boot Record. I have attempted the command fdisk /mbr with no success. Any suggestions.

{BBI}Nexus{BBI} · 05-07-2009, 08:25 AM

When you install Slackware it will format and repartition the drive for you anyway.

silversurferfan · 05-07-2009, 08:31 AM

Thanks. I will just try running setup. I was wanting to create a swapfile partition. Maybe I can do that on my next install attempt, after I have done it successfully once.

monsm · 05-07-2009, 08:32 AM

Exactly, just put in the dvd, boot from it and read the prompts from the installer. Creating swap partition should be in there too.

Welcome to Linux!

Mons
edit: if you already have a successfull installation, you can shrink the win xp partition to make space for a swap (if you forgot the that dusing install). You only need about 1.5x memory size for swap, so a whole win xp partition would be a slight overkill

silversurferfan · 05-07-2009, 08:37 AM

OK, Thanks. I am a little rusty with this. I will try this and let you know how it goes. Thanks for the very quick help.

brianL · 05-07-2009, 09:33 AM

Use cfdisk instead.

silversurferfan · 05-07-2009, 10:51 AM

OK. I have tried running setup. The setup will not allow me to continue because I do not have a primary Linux partition. I have tried running cfdisk as well. Both fdisk and cfdisk tell me that I can't write to the partition table. It says that it is read only. Any other thoughts.

brianL · 05-07-2009, 11:16 AM

If you just enter cfdisk, it will probably be trying to write to the DVD. Try:
cfdisk /dev/sda
or:
cfdisk /dev/hda

silversurferfan · 05-07-2009, 11:38 AM

That was it. Thank you for your help.

brianL · 05-07-2009, 01:01 PM

Glad you got it sorted out.