Unable to Install Linux on New PC Root File Issue
 

I have a new HP PC (h8 1211) which came with Windows 7. I had been running an older Acer PC with Ubuntu, no Windows.

I burned the iso to install the new Ubuntu 12.04, a full install rather than an upgrade. I used that DVD to install Ubuntu on the old Acer, no problems. But, trying to install it on the new HP is a problem.

I don't know a lot of technical stuff about BIOS, etc. I've never partitioned and have not this time around either. I am working with the DVD I burned and expecting Ubuntu to do the grunt work of the install - as it usually does.

However, I get to the partition screen and it does not give me any options. I get a pop up window which says "No root file system is defined. Please correct this from the partitioning menu". Nothing on that partitioning screen will let me do anything. I can press all the buttons and nothing opens. The screen does not list my partitions - which I know exist on the hard drive because I have looked at the Disk application in Windows and I can see partitions for the Recovery, C: and a third which was for HP (I think).

I read others posting to this forum with the same situation. Most of the replies suggested letting Ubuntu do the partitioning as you install. Well, that isn't happening here. I don't have any options which will partition in that install screen.

Also, just to try something else, I burned Linux Mint on a DVD this morning and had the same experience, got the same error about a root file. So it is not a Ubuntu problem I think. More like something to do with Windows.

I tried contacting HP support but was told they do not encourage people to run Linux. Odd when they have a whole site and staff supporting Linux - for corporations. Still feeling ticked off about that so I will not say more.

I'd be glad for help. I don't know enough to randomly delete files and such. But, I'm not a newbie when it comes to reformatting a hard drive. I am at the point of thinking I will either reformat the C drive and remove Windows so I can start without an OS or I will just live with Windows. But, I miss Ubuntu and would prefer to make this work, somehow.

Thank you for reading this epic sized forum post. I tried to include all the detail I can.

I haven't installed 12.04 so I don't know if any changes were made from 11.10 which gives you three options in the Installation Type window. the one you want is something else. You should then see the Allocate Drive Space window and your partitions should show in the main window. You would normally click on a partition visible in this window to highlight it then click the Change tab to edit. If you are using unallocated space you would highlight it and click Add. You get the same window and in this window you should see a Mount point option and you would click the down arrow to the right of that box to get options. The one you want is "/".

If you don't see any partitions in the main window, check your drive cables.

You could try downloading the "alternative CD" of Ubuntu. That has a different installer that's often better behaved. No guarantees, but it just might work.

My drive is ok. I can see the partitions when I look through Windows. They just don't show up in the install for Linux.

I did try the alternative Ubuntu download. I also tried Linux Mint. I get the same results for all of them.

I've done partitioning, labeling, formatting.... I get the same result when I try to install Ubuntu. I don't have the option to use GParted from the DVD I burned. It does not give me any option to partition, it skips that part of the install process. I go from checking my available space and online status to the advanced partition screen. Nothing in between.

I went into Windows and repartitioned. Left more than enough space and called it ext4. That didn't work.

Most people who reply to my problem seem to assume I can access the partition option. I've said it's not there, several times.

When I install Ubuntu I do not get the choice of which partition I want to install it on. It shows zero partitions. I just get the missing root file error.

I've been trying to get help for a couple of weeks. I've left forum posts on the Ubuntu forums as well.

At this point I'm just going to live with Windows, since that seems the only thing I can do.

Once again, for anyone reading this and assuming they know I just need to select the right partition, etc. THERE ARE NO PARTITIONS. The option to partition or to choose a partition is not there. I can fiddle with partitions from Windows Disk Management but when I install Ubuntu there are no partitions and I do not have the option to choose the space I allocated. Like the partitions, the options are not there.

However, this DVD worked fine when I installed Ubuntu to another computer, two weeks ago now.

I don't know if this is a Windows/ Microsoft thing. Or maybe Hewlett Packard hates Linux in spite of their claims about promoting it as an option to Windows. When I asked technical support at HP for help I was discouraged from installing Linux.

Anyway, I miss running Ubuntu but at this point I'm Game Over.

I never see these options. They don't show up. I have gone back and I just go back to the step where it checks if I am online and wants to know if I have 8GB of space available.

I don't get to choose how or where I want to install Ubuntu. It never shows up as an option. That's what I've been saying. I should make it a video. I've installed Ubuntu before. It has gone smoothly until this computer.

Thanks for trying to help. It is weird. I've installed Ubuntu on two other computers and it was really simple. It must be something about this computer that has things messed up.

Please have another look at the Windows partitioner and check if the disk is a dynamic volume. Linux is still not able to handle those dynamic volumes (Microsofts proprietary attempt of a LVM system).
If that is the case you have no other option then to do a complete reinstall of Windows on a basic volume and install Ubuntu after that.

I don't know about a dynamic volume. I will find out what that is and then check for it.

I doubt I can do a complete reinstall of Windows - I only have the recovery DVD I burned myself. There is another option that burns 4 DVDs but at that point they can send me a real copy I think.

I don't especially care about keeping Windows. I was running Ubuntu only for almost a year. But, at this point I'm worried I will find myself without any OS if I still can't install Ubuntu.

Thanks Tobi. I will leave a note once I have done the check and see if it works.

I had this problem installing Linux Mint 13 today (it uses the same installer). I finally found at askubuntu.com (can't post a link because I'm a noob).

Apparently dmraid is interfering with the partition editor somehow, and the problem can be resolved by opening a terminal and running:

It might not work for you, but it worked perfectly for me. The OP may never even see this, but someone surely will. :)

thatgrrl,

I might suggest that you consider a free virtual machine. A VM is a program that allows you to run windows 7 and almost any number of other OS's at the same time. It is the best way for a new person to (and me) run linux. You almost can't bork your windows install.

One advantage of a VM is you don't need to fool with partitions, know anything about how to setup wireless as the VM does most of that along with your working windows.

A VM doesn't sound like a great option. I don't want more hardware/ software to deal with.

I do think it has something to do with RAID. I did try deleting RAID as you wrote, pgarver96. I went through the Live Ubuntu but it didn't seem to do anything. Maybe because the Ubuntu isn't fully installed. I don't even know the point of RAID. I read a bit but not enough.

So far I have found that my hard drive is basic, not dynamic. I can only delete a portion of the Windows install, just the partition for the recovery (ironically). You can't delete the C drive while in Windows. So, I found a way to get to the prompt and then deleted everything with Clean All. I hope having no OS or anything at that point, I would be able to install Ubuntu. NO deal. The exact same problem where I am not given the full install options. However, even when I no longer had an OS, I noticed RAID still loaded. So, by the process of elimination, I'm thinking RAID is the problem.

I'm going to figure out what RAID is and does and see if I can safely get rid of it or limit it's functions/ power over the hard drive. I'm going to email whatever company is behind it and see if they have suggestions.

Anyway, that's where I am in the Great Linux Install. I'm glad I had taken the time to create the recovery DVDs (4 of them) for the full Windows recovery and reinstall. At least I can run and install that. It only hates Linux.

solved for me
 

I was having the same problem to the tee! Took be 2 weeks but found this post.
sudo apt-get remove dmraid
that was the awnser! Thanks!

Same old story Ubuntu screwup
 

DMRAID on Ubuntu with SATA fakeraid
The problem
Ubuntu (and Debian) doesn’t have support for the SATA RAID (also called FakeRAID since some of the functionality is provided by software) controllers being shipped on recent motherboards. The software to handle FakeRAID arrays in Linux is DMRAID.

This quote says it all just google "dmraid"
Why even bother with such software when there is so many other good flavours of Linux, such-as PClinuxOS
http://www.pclinuxos.com/
Sadly Ubuntu and Debian seem to be on the road to hell, forever including untested software.
I have yet to be able to install or run any Ubuntu flavours without hacking the system, however I have been able to install Tens Nay Hundreds of other Linux flavours with little or no problems.
I endeavour to try every Linux Flavour ever published so it is not that I have not tried.
Trev