[SOLVED] Installation failure with disk partition

Mystified · 02-09-2017, 01:21 PM

I Know. I just posted that I wanted to take a break but I really like Debian and I miss it.

My last install everything was fine until I got to disk partitioning. I selected /dev/sda2 formatted it as ext4 and mounted it as /. I have done a lot of installations of linux distros so I am very familiar with it but when I tried to continue it kept telling me it was not formatted. The disk should be fine. I installed with it before. Any suggestions?

thanks

Ztcoracat · 02-09-2017, 06:36 PM

Was /dev/sda2 a previous partition of another install?

jailbait · 02-09-2017, 07:33 PM

I suggest that you use gparted to see if /dev/sda2 is formatted or not. You could run gparted from a rescue DVD if necessary.

---------------------
Steve Stites

Ztcoracat · 02-09-2017, 07:48 PM

Gparted Live works great.

http://gparted.org/download.php

Unless you have another os on that machine with gparted installed you will have to use gparted Live.

Mystified · 02-10-2017, 08:56 AM

I had debian intalled on it. I have kubuntu i stalled. In the past when I had multiple distros install I would add them to /etc/fstab so I could access them. I tried that but I don't understand how this new fstab works. I tried running blkid and they show up but not even /home is in fstab. I'll give gparted a go. I've never used it but a friend says it works well.

Thhanks

KDE actually a disk partitioning tool so I formatted the partition as ext 4

BW-userx · 02-10-2017, 09:09 AM

install steps
when it gets to the what do you want to do with the hard drive.
if you are mounting it for root then I'd just tell that install to format it regardless of what I think or know about that hard drive partition, if it is formatted or not, then see what happens.

Code:

/dev/dsa2 / 
formate yes
proceed with install process

Mystified · 02-10-2017, 09:13 AM

we must have been posting at the same time.

BW-userx · 02-10-2017, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mystified

I had debian intalled on it. I have kubuntu i stalled. In the past when I had multiple distros install I would add them to /etc/fstab so I could access them. I tried that but I don't understand how this new fstab works. I tried running blkid and they show up but not even /home is in fstab. I'll give gparted a go. I've never used it but a friend says it works well.

Thhanks

if/is this is a new everything on your hdd or a dual boot?

adding partitions to an fstab. All one has to do is add them oneself if needed. If that install did not add a home mount point then 99.99999% chance something must have been forgotten to be done during the install during the step when one tells the install process what to do with the hard drive - partitions and mount points.

are you trying to get a dual boot or wipe everything and just have Debian?

Mystified · 02-10-2017, 09:27 AM

I want to dual boot. And it's in kubuntu that it doesn't show up in I don't even have a cdrom drive listed. During my install of debian it all showed up.

BW-userx · 02-10-2017, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mystified

I want to dual boot. And it's in kubuntu that it doesn't show up in I don't even have a cdrom drive listed. During my install of debian it all showed up.

then when you speak of this home - it is kubuntu home that does not show up in Debian fstab?
if yes, then that has to be added manually to Debian fstab under a different name else you'll comfuse the system UNless you are doing what I do. Share that home between two or more distros.

Code:

blkid # to get the partiton address of that "home" in question

/dev/sdxx /media/myotherhome  ext4 defaults 0 1 
#that is to mount the others distro home 
in /media/someSubdirectroy folder so it will
automatically show up in a file manager when opened.

I hope that helps in short order. Because I am heading out the door for a moment.

Mystified · 02-10-2017, 10:03 AM

sorry no. all the partitions show up during the debian instal. It's kubuntu that doesn't show them. after I backup fstab in kubuntu I'm going to edit it.

BW-userx · 02-10-2017, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mystified

sorry no. all the partitions show up during the debian install. It's kubuntu that doesn't show them. after I backup fstab in kubuntu I'm going to edit it.

during the install, yes it will always show you every available drive / partition connected to the hardware / cp / Laptop ..

you are not experiencing anything wrong. this is two separate system only adding what it theirs, if one wants anything more or different then yes the user has to add it later.

Mystified · 02-10-2017, 01:27 PM

Well now I got it to install debian but grub doesn't allow me to boot into kubuntu. It shows up but when I try to access it I get an error message wanting me to boot into safe mode as root. I don't feel very comfortable with that. I did update-grub and no luck. I always used lilo in the past.

Ztcoracat · 02-10-2017, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mystified

I want to dual boot. And it's in kubuntu that it doesn't show up in I don't even have a cdrom drive listed. During my install of debian it all showed up.

Quote:

Well now I got it to install debian but grub doesn't allow me to boot into kubuntu.

-Boot into your new Debian install and run this as 'root':

Code:

su <press Enter
Put in your password than type:

Code:

update-grub

Upon reboot your Grub Menu should list Debian first and Kubuntu as your second choice.

-::-If you still don't see Kubuntu in your Grub Menu let me know.-::-

Mystified · 02-11-2017, 04:21 AM

I did that already but now kubuntu won't load. I don't wan't to have to do a reinstall.Don't know what to do at this point.

well I did what i could and booted into recovery mode and ckecked everything and it seems i had a lot of broken packages that could not be repaired, so I reinstalled. it just doesn't make sense.