No valid devices were found on which to create file systems.
This is the error I get when try to install Mandrake Linux 8.2. The hard drive is a 10GB Fujitsu which I have had Mandrake Linux partitions on before (although before this install it had Windows 98 installed on it) but this time It just dosn't work.
I was able to set up file systems on my old 1.1GB Quantum Bigfoot drive, of course this is not big enough for Linux and all my software.
Is there any way I can get the 10GB drive to work or at least know why it wont work? and would buying a new hard drive be a good idea, if so how would I be sure it would work?
Any suggestions and advice would be appreciated.

Try using cfdisk to delete and recreate the partitions.

I probably should have mentioned *newbie*
Also, I currently can't get into any OS's on my PC, I can get through the Mandrake install sequence up untill the point where I get the error but thats about all my computer does right now

Try the mandrake text mode, when you get to the prompt type 'cfdisk', if that dosn't work try 'fdisk', also check the jumper on the drive, make sure it's set to the correct location (not cable select).

Could not find kernal image
Thats the error I get when I type 'cfdisk' or 'fdisk' at the prompt. By the way I am booting from a floppy (my computer wont boot from a CD-ROM)
what can I do about this?
I also checked the jumper on the drive, its set to the right place.

yeah....what he ment was different than what you did

boot up to text mode...wait for the install software to load, ctrl-f2, or ctrl-f3 or one of those should have a terminal open on it...

try like fdisk /dev/<harddisk device>

OK I tried that, neither ctrl-f2 or ctrl-f3 (or ctrl-f anything) opens a terminal.
Anything else I can try?