LinuxQuestions.org
Share your knowledge at the LQ Wiki.
Go Back   LinuxQuestions.org > Forums > Linux Forums > Linux - Newbie
User Name
Password
Linux - Newbie This Linux forum is for members that are new to Linux.
Just starting out and have a question? If it is not in the man pages or the how-to's this is the place!

Notices


Reply
  Search this Thread
Old 11-23-2016, 11:43 PM   #1
longliveprose
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: Nov 2016
Location: California, U.S.A.
Distribution: Debian, Slackware
Posts: 5

Rep: Reputation: Disabled
Variable 'prefix' not set, Debian 8.6.0 installer boot failure.


Hi. I'm not really one for introductions on forums, and I'm really sorry if this is in the wrong forum.

Anyway, let's start trying to describe this. By the way, Windows Vista is installed on the laptop. AMD64, no UEFI or GPT although my laptop can do both. I've got a Debian 8.6 install option already set up, but it starts with a "Try hd(0,0) NTFS5 error: variable prefix not set," before going on a second later to mount errors. All the possible drives—3 USB and one HDD—can't mount due to an invalid argument, and then can't unmount because it wasn't mounted in the first place. I've got a feeling this is interfering with Vista since USB devices stop working. Then, sometimes it flashes green lines, bamds, and noise for a split second each, before simply going to an eternal fully black screen. Which is around the time I restart into Windows Vista to see if I can fix something. I've so far fixed a deprecated vga:780 tag, but nothing else, even after a long while of searching. Maybe I wasn't that thorough, though. Most of the results seem to be for Wubi Ubuntu and after it's already been installed.

Specs, as Windows Vista sees them:
Vista Home Premium, SP2.
Acer Aspire ES1-711
x64 based (MBR & BIOS laptop, although it came originally with GPT and UEFI.)
Processor: Intel Pentium N3540 @2.16GHz, 2159 Mhz, 4 cores, 4 logical processors.
BIOS version, date: Insyde Corp, 1.04, 9/12/2014
RAM: 4.0 GB
Total physical memory: 3.89 GB
Of that, available: 3.14 GB
Virtual memory total: 7.95 GB
Of that, available: 7.18 GB
CD-ROM device: HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GUC0N ATA device
Display: Standard VGA at 1600x900, really Intel HD "Bay Trail"
Keyboard: PS/2 keyboard (Laptop keyboard with working touchpad),
USB: Pentium N-types,
Drive: Uncompressed 465.76 GB MBR/NTFS disk, 395.58 GB free.
 
Old 11-24-2016, 04:03 PM   #2
Emerson
LQ Sage
 
Registered: Nov 2004
Location: Saint Amant, Acadiana
Distribution: Gentoo ~amd64
Posts: 7,513

Rep: Reputation: Disabled
Quote:
I've got a Debian 8.6 install option already set up,
I wonder what that means. Is this some sort of Wubi install you are attempting?
 
Old 11-24-2016, 05:15 PM   #3
yancek
LQ Guru
 
Registered: Apr 2008
Distribution: PCLinux, Slackware, Ubuntu
Posts: 9,977

Rep: Reputation: 2329Reputation: 2329Reputation: 2329Reputation: 2329Reputation: 2329Reputation: 2329Reputation: 2329Reputation: 2329Reputation: 2329Reputation: 2329Reputation: 2329
Quote:
I've got a Debian 8.6 install option already set up
What exactly does that mean? Do you have the Debian DVD in the drive or a flash drive plugged in?

Quote:
Try hd(0,0) NTFS5 error
If you have Vista installed, I expect it is on sda1 (hd0,0) and NTFS is a windows filesystem.

How do you try to mount the various partitions you say won't mount?

You're confusing thins with your reference to WUBI. What does that have to do with your attempt to install Debian? WUBI is "windows ubuntu installer" and is used strictly with Ubuntu and some of it's derivatives which Debian is certainly not. Although you may get wubi to work (if that's what you are trying to do?) it hasn't been supported by the Ubuntu developers for several years.
 
Old 11-25-2016, 09:24 AM   #4
longliveprose
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: Nov 2016
Location: California, U.S.A.
Distribution: Debian, Slackware
Posts: 5

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: Disabled
Quote:
Originally Posted by Emerson View Post
I wonder what that means. Is this some sort of Wubi install you are attempting?
Sorry for the wait, I haven't had internet. No, I used—I think it was—win32_loader to make an installer option in the Windows boot manager to install it.

Last edited by longliveprose; 11-25-2016 at 09:32 AM. Reason: didn't say partition
 
Old 11-25-2016, 09:31 AM   #5
longliveprose
LQ Newbie
 
Registered: Nov 2016
Location: California, U.S.A.
Distribution: Debian, Slackware
Posts: 5

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: Disabled
Quote:
Originally Posted by yancek View Post
What exactly does that mean? Do you have the Debian DVD in the drive or a flash drive plugged in?



If you have Vista installed, I expect it is on sda1 (hd0,0) and NTFS is a windows filesystem.

How do you try to mount the various partitions you say won't mount?

You're confusing thins with your reference to WUBI. What does that have to do with your attempt to install Debian? WUBI is "windows ubuntu installer" and is used strictly with Ubuntu and some of it's derivatives which Debian is certainly not. Although you may get wubi to work (if that's what you are trying to do?) it hasn't been supported by the Ubuntu developers for several years.
I only manage to select the Debian install option in the boot manager, it does all the rest. If you want, I'll see if I can get a video up. About WUBI, I waa saying that the only posts I found about the try error were for already installed WUBI, although I forgot to mention a handful of Mint users had it, but I didn't see anything for before the installer starts.
 
  


Reply

Tags
debian, failure, install


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off



Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Error: prefix not configured on Debian 8.6.0 installer boot. longliveprose Linux - Newbie 1 11-24-2016 08:40 AM
nano tip: set a variable in the boot command line to be used later Didier Spaier Slackware 2 03-12-2013 02:24 PM
Ubuntu installer will automatically set up dual-boot? mhg Ubuntu 3 05-02-2010 09:30 PM
Debian Live, set custom user to variable Erhnam Debian 3 01-21-2010 01:38 AM
How to set envirment variable when boot from live CD happy_maoron Linux From Scratch 3 11-01-2005 09:18 PM

LinuxQuestions.org > Forums > Linux Forums > Linux - Newbie

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:14 PM.

Main Menu
Advertisement
My LQ
Write for LQ
LinuxQuestions.org is looking for people interested in writing Editorials, Articles, Reviews, and more. If you'd like to contribute content, let us know.
Main Menu
Syndicate
RSS1  Latest Threads
RSS1  LQ News
Twitter: @linuxquestions
Open Source Consulting | Domain Registration