Hi, I am trying to install Linux Mint 10 on a newly formatted 40gb hard drive. I have not been able to get the the install program to see my hard drive. The program seems to work well off of the CD. I have checked the md5 sum and it is a good copy of the program. It will be the only operating system on a Athlon64 3200, PC Chips M861g mb combo. I have also tried Ubuntu with similar results. Any help would be Greatly appreciated. Thanks, Chip

Hello chip917, welcome to LQ,

how did you format the harddrive when the Linux-CD can't see it?

Note that Linux will create it's own filesystem (for example ext4) on the disk before it can be installed.

Markus

Hi, I formated it Fat 32 with Gparted.

Well, what happens when you try to install Linux? normally the first step will be to partition the disk.

Markus

When I start the installer I get the welcome screen with language choice.
It then goes to a preparing to install screen with minimum requirements listed.
Then it goes to an allocate drive space screen with no hard drives listed and below that Device for boot loader installation box that says /dev/sda. None of the boxes allow choices.
Below that is the install now button which when pushed results in a box pop up " No Root File System" Please correct this from the partitioning menu.
I don't think the drive is mounted but can't figure out how to do this. None of the mount drive buttons seem to do it.

/dev/sda is the drive, it must not be mounted when it has to be partitioned. You'll have to enter the partitioning-menu. I don't have much experience with Mint, but you should look at their documentation, take a look here: http://www.linuxmint.com/documentation.php

I've looked into the pdf-file. You'll have to chose the point "erase the disk and install Mint"

Markus

Check out this link: http://beginlinux.com/desktop/linux-mint/install

The above link shows the installation screenshots.

As said by Markush checkbox Erase and use the entire disk.

I hope this helps.

After the minimum requirements screen, you should see the first Allocate Drive Space screen with three options:

1. Install alongside other operating systems
2. Erase and use the entire disk
3. Specify partitions manually(Advance)

Which one did you select?
Do you have a colored bar at the top of the screen?
In the main window, do you see sda?
Try the New Partition Table tab.

Hi,It goes it goes to an allocate drive space screen with no hard drives listed and below that Device for boot loader installation box that says /dev/sda. None of the boxes allow choices.
Below that is the install now button which when pushed results in a box pop up " No Root File System" Please correct this from the partitioning menu.

Are you saying you don't see a window giving you the installation options I mentioned in my last post?
I would be very surprised about that as it was present on every installation of Mint 10 I have done as well as other Ubuntu derivatives?
You will get the error No Root File System because you haven't done anything, no partition created, not format, no mount point.
If the device for bootloader installation shows sda it knows the drive is there!
Have you tried the New Partition Table tab below the main window, on the left. I expect that would be your first step on an empty drive.

And has been posting like 50 times, why?