Ubuntu Install Problems
 

Hi,

I am trying to install Ubuntu onto a pentium4, 3ghz, 512Mb Ram Desktop to use as a home server. The farthest I get is this error message from what looks like 'Ubuntu':

"The selected partition (partition 1 of /var/lib/partman/devices/=dev=sdb) already contains the following file system images:

/ubuntu/disks/root.disk

Please uninstall these before trying again."

I have grub on the computer, I don't know how that is there. But I can't launch Linux.

My goal is to do a full install. There is no point in dual booting as this will be used as a server for purely academic reasons. Meaning, this is just a practice project for me. The next project is using a raspberry pi to make a home security system.

Thank you,
Patrick

Looks like you have attached some usb device.

Suggest : Unplug all usb devices like mobile modems, usb sticks, etc.
Then the install should be OK.
( The 512 Mb RAM : 1 GB would be better.)

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Hi,

Thank you, I thought I was supposed to be booting from the USB. But it's fine, whatever works.

That worked, and I got Wubi up and running. I think. Now I want to do a full install. I've read that I should use OS-Uninstaller Graphical Tool?

Also, I just bought 8 gigs or ram for my laptop. I'll be happy to upgrade this guy once it shows promise. I just have to figure out what the hell everything is in there.

Thanks,
Patrick

The most versatile GUI package installer is 'Synaptic'.
Then you will be able to search / install some of the 35,000 packages.

I think you will have to use the command line to get it installed :
Please type : sudo apt-get install synaptic <Enter>

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If you are using a server version with no gui, you should be OK. Otherwise, 512MB RAM won't work. You indicate you are installing as the only OS so where does wubi fit in? What version of windows are you using for the "Windows UBuntu Installer"?

I have no idea where Wubi fits in. I never wanted it. I wanted to just create a linux server. I was advised that ubuntu was the best. But I don't have any needs or wants here except to have a server.

Did you download the Ubuntu server iso from their site below?:

http://www.ubuntu.com/download/server

How are you trying to install it? Did you burn it as an image to a CD/DVD? or did you use some software to create a bootable flash drive from which to install? If so, what software did you use?

You mention in your second post that you "got Wubi up and running"?? Wubi is software to run inside a windows operating system to install Ubuntu which is why I asked you if you had windows installed. If you don't have windows on that computer, Wubi won't be of any use. It isn't cleaar what you have. Is there some operating system currently on the computer? If so what is it? You said you have Grub installed, how did you do that. More specifics on exactly what you have and what you have done would help someone to help you.

Hi,

Thank you for taking time with me. The computer has a single hard drive, a troublesome cd drive and two usb drives. It iis currently a Windows XP device. I have attempted to install Linux more ways than I can count. I do have a good thumb drive with Ubuntu 12 04 on it. But it gives me the error.

Here is the breakdown:

Wubi -> ubuntu linux
Cd -> grub
No CD -> grub
Flash -> error messages

Now I just have to get rid of windows and install ubuntu linux.

Thank you again.

I forgot to mention, grub will let me boot into windows. But windows cannot identify any partition or directory for grub.

You must first make sure you're booting from the USB drive (ie no grub menu). Can you do that and what do you get then ?

At what point in the Ubuntu installation do you get the error message in your first post?
Are you able to open a terminal and get drive/partition information? Do you know how to do that?
Windows xp isn't going to be able to see or read anything on a Linux partition by default.

Hi,

Again, thank you for your time. I opened the terminal and typed in: sudo fdisk -l

Here is what I received back:

Disk /dev/sda: 40.0 GB, 40020664320 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 4865 cylinders, total 78165360 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xce44ce44

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 63 78140159 39070048+ 7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT


I tried to be as accurate as I could. I typed that in, I didn't copy and paste.

It seems to me that means I only have one partition on there, and its the windows partition. Or am I wrong?

Oh, and to answer your first question, 'At what point in the Ubuntu installation do you get the error message in your first post?'

I never got an opportunity to overwrite Windows. The last installation I did allowed me to create a partition or to overwrite the whole thing. For some reason, I never get that opportunity here. I have Grub half installed and some other mumbo jumbo that is pissing off any other efforts I make to install Linux.

/dev/sda1 seems to be a Windows partition (HPFS/NTFS/exFAT vs ext2/3/4 for Linux). Again, can you boot from your USB drive?

I cannot boot from the USB drive. I currently do have it up and running off the CD. I just don't know how to go from running off 'live cd' to install. Somehow, something I did is making Ubuntu ignore that part. I think I got enough of Linux installed so that the installer thinks everything is hunky dory. But I don't know where it is, or how to uninstall it.