Problems using cfdisk for Slackware 9.1

vespatian · 12-08-2003, 08:06 PM

Hi guys. Linux virgin here. Got a disk with a magazine with Slackware 9.1 on it. Thought I'd give it a go as Linux seems to be the way to go...

Anyway, so I deleted an old windows xp partition in order to use the space for Linux. As I booted the CD, i tried to follow the steps it gave for installation. However, on typing 'cfdisk' all I got was a message saying something like 'opened file is read only. you do not have permission to write. And so it wouldnt let me create any partitions.

I know I've probably done something really dumb or missed some vital information here, but I sure am confused... Any help would be great, cheers!

MasterC · 12-08-2003, 08:11 PM

Welcome to LQ

I'd try using fdisk first to verify which partition you'll be mutilating:
fdisk -l (FDISK -L lowercase)
And then specify during cfdisk the device/partition:
cfdisk /dev/hda

Or you could just use fdisk all the way.

Cool

vespatian · 12-08-2003, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MasterC
Welcome to LQ

I'd try using fdisk first to verify which partition you'll be mutilating:
fdisk -l (FDISK -L lowercase)
And then specify during cfdisk the device/partition:
cfdisk /dev/hda

Or you could just use fdisk all the way.

Cool

Thanks. Tried what you said. My unpartitioned space is jammed between two Windows NTFS partitions.

Fdisk displayed this for the unpartitioned space I had:
partition - Start - Finish - Blocks - id - System
/dev/hde2 - 1276 - 9963 - 69786360 - f - W95 Ext'd (LBA)

When trying to use cfdisk, i got the following:
FATAL ERROR: Bad primary partition 0 Partition begins after end-of-disk

As for fdisk, it says something like:
Cannot read partition? Cant remember exactly.

Dont know if this helps, but i know there is about 600MB of unpartitioned space at the end of the drive. This does not include the 20GB i cleared up in the middle of the drive for Linux.

vespatian · 12-09-2003, 02:16 AM

Tried again but same thing

MasterC · 12-10-2003, 02:28 PM

Hmm, that really is going to be hard to work with if fdisk is having a hard time reading the partition table. If you don't have anything special on your win setup, I'd dump the whole thing, repartition the space with fdisk, leaving whatever amount you need/want blank for win to use, and then install windoze. THEN install Linux, but beware during the windoze install, don't wipe the space you partitioned for Linux

Cool

vespatian · 12-10-2003, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MasterC
Hmm, that really is going to be hard to work with if fdisk is having a hard time reading the partition table. If you don't have anything special on your win setup, I'd dump the whole thing, repartition the space with fdisk, leaving whatever amount you need/want blank for win to use, and then install windoze. THEN install Linux, but beware during the windoze install, don't wipe the space you partitioned for Linux

Cool

Thanks man. Decided to leave it for now as i have little time to reformat the whole thing. Might just buy a separate HD for Linux at some point. Thanks for your help.