Linux OpenSuse 11.1 installation failed at partition stage

peteyperson · 10-05-2009, 03:58 AM

Hi,

Attempted to use a previously successful DVD to install Linux on a Twinhead D10 laptop with Windows XP. Failed to install.

The drive has around 70 GB. 40GB available approx. Plan was to shrink the windows partition to 36 GB, and then setup several partitions for Linux (listed below). All seemed fine, but then an error came up.

Yast2 Error. Failure occurred during following action: Setting tpe of partition /dev/sda5 to 82
system error code as: -1012

/dev/sda1 36GB Win
/dev/sda2 38GB
/dev/sda5 745MB swap partition
/dev/sda6 15GB ext3
/dev/sda7 22GB /home with ext3

I am a newbie. The Linux installed from the same disc previously to a Dell system perfectly, with automatic settings. I didn't modify anything on the setup. Linux install correctly concluded there was a Winxp installation with spare space and set about installing around that. It does seem to have shrunk the partition to 36GB and Windows had to do a disk check following reboot, but worked otherwise.

Thanks,
Pete

salasi · 10-05-2009, 06:22 AM

I am not sure if I have understood completely:

Quote:

Originally Posted by peteyperson

....around 70 GB.
/dev/sda1 36GB Win
/dev/sda2 38GB
...

That would be 74G of your 'around 70' gone. (80G disks were common for quite a while....is this 80 with some space lost in 'rounding errors'?)

This might be fine if /dev/sda2 was an 'extended' partition (a container type to hold other partitions) but otherwise would mean that you have no room (...or negative room) for anything else. If you check the start and stop block numbers they ought to go in this general arrangement:

Code:

P1    N1      N2
P2    N2+1    N3       .....EXTENDED PARTITION
P3    N2+1    N4       |
P5    N4+1    N5       | ....PARTTIONS WITHIN EXTENDED PARTITION
P6    N5+1    N3       |

(note the way that the block counts for the partitions within the extended partition fit within its space...in this example P3 needn't finish on block number N3, but finishing anywhere short of that is to waste space)

do they?

I also don't understand what has happened to sda3 and sda4 in your scheme.

Most people don't use an extended partition until they need to; I'm not sure that there is any particularly good reason for this, but it is more conventional to see three normal partitions followed by an extended partition which contains any remaining partitions.

Quote:

Twinhead T10 laptop

I don't know this particular laptop, but a lot of the bigger name manufacturers have hidden partitions on which they put system management programs, copies of windows disks, drivers, etc. Are you sure that you aren't being confused by this kind of thing, meaning that your partitions aren't what they seem to be?

I'd also be tempted to increase the swap space somewhat...maybe double what you have, unless you have a lot of ram.

peteyperson · 10-05-2009, 07:52 AM

The numbers were rough. 80GB sound right.

The layout is exactly, word for word, what the OpenSuse 11.1 o/s displayed from its own install gameplan. I wrote it down purely because I knew the sda number is useful to know later. Wasn't expecting an installation issue as this DVD disc installed Linux fine on my older system.

Twinhead D10, typo there. Could have couple of hidden partitions. Certainly would explain the odd jump in sda numbers, which I noted too.

I have no idea how to manually create the right setup. I was hoping the automated approach was working. I'm concerned if I try to install and it fails again, I may in the process of the install wipe out the Windows partition/installation.

No idea how to check the block numbers. No idea if there is an extended partition or if the other partitions were planned to be fitted inside one.

There were additional comments from the installer saying could not produce create or amend the existing partitions. It was having a problem setting the drive up correctly, got stuck and quit. It only seemed to shrink the Windows drive correctly, but could do no more.

I'd like to get back to Linux o/s, but don't wish to end up with no running o/s in the process if another install would disable/wipe Windows, but not completely setup OpenSuse.

Pete

Quote:

Originally Posted by salasi

I am not sure if I have understood completely:

That would be 74G of your 'around 70' gone. (80G disks were common for quite a while....is this 80 with some space lost in 'rounding errors'?)

This might be fine if /dev/sda2 was an 'extended' partition (a container type to hold other partitions) but otherwise would mean that you have no room (...or negative room) for anything else. If you check the start and stop block numbers they ought to go in this general arrangement:

Code:

P1    N1      N2
P2    N2+1    N3       .....EXTENDED PARTITION
P3    N2+1    N4       |
P5    N4+1    N5       | ....PARTTIONS WITHIN EXTENDED PARTITION
P6    N5+1    N3       |

(note the way that the block counts for the partitions within the extended partition fit within its space...in this example P3 needn't finish on block number N3, but finishing anywhere short of that is to waste space)

do they?

I also don't understand what has happened to sda3 and sda4 in your scheme.

Most people don't use an extended partition until they need to; I'm not sure that there is any particularly good reason for this, but it is more conventional to see three normal partitions followed by an extended partition which contains any remaining partitions.

I don't know this particular laptop, but a lot of the bigger name manufacturers have hidden partitions on which they put system management programs, copies of windows disks, drivers, etc. Are you sure that you aren't being confused by this kind of thing, meaning that your partitions aren't what they seem to be?

I'd also be tempted to increase the swap space somewhat...maybe double what you have, unless you have a lot of ram.

thorkelljarl · 10-05-2009, 09:59 AM

PartedMagic...

I would suggest that you download and burn a copy of PartedMagic or GPartedLive. PartedMagic has a graphic display of the partitions it finds as well as a ROXTerminal display. In ROXTerminal you can use the command "fdisk -l" to see more partition information. Post the results of "fdisk -l" back to us. You might find out if you in fact have a hidden partition, and what changes, if any, have been made.

I assume that you can still boot XP, and if so, you should not have lost anything. Unless you have used XP to shrink its own partition, it may be be unchanged; openSUSE may have stopped before changing anything.

Here is a short guide to dual-booting in case it helps.

http://apcmag.com/how_to_dual_boot_w...lled_first.htm

You can begin the openSUSE DVD installation and proceed to the partitioner, changing the standard proposal and experimenting with the partitioner without going further and partitioning anything.

Just open the "Create..." or "Edit..." boxes.
http://en.opensuse.org/INSTALL_Local...g_up_your_disk

You should be warned before the final step that partitioning and installation will begin, and can annul the installation, leaving no trace.