Well, thought I'd lose my Linux cherry as I have a couple spare machines. I'm trying to install Slackware 13.1 (32-bit)on an Emachine running an Amd Athlon 64 and an nVidia chipset.

After running fdisk and making new partitions as per the manual, set the swap partition code ('t' then 82), and tried 'w' to write the new config, I get an error message saying that 'can't read new config, will use old one intil next reboot' or words to that effect. I was hoping it ws just a glitch, but setup couldn't find the swap partition. Had a bit of trouble and finally installed Slack with no swap partition. It istalled but I'm sure it's not right.

My question is: Why do I get an error when I try to save the new partitions when using 'w' to write config and exit fdisk?

Used to be a fair hand with DOS back in ancient times, but having a bit of trouble with this. Going to reread the readme files on the disk again, hopefully someone will answer this before i drown..... *glug*

Hi, welcome to LQ!

Kind of hard to say, really, w/o knowing what your partitioning
scheme looked like, and what the exact error message was. Since
the install completed it obviously isn't a HDD or controller
issue - one possibility is that you have "virus protection" in
your machines BIOS enabled, and modifying the boot-/partition
table was stopped.

I'll move this thread over to the slackware-installation forum
in the hope for more targeted responses.


Cheers,
Tink

What happened was that the partition table couldn't be refreshed in the running kernel. When that happens you can force a sync of the partition table or just reboot the system as it suggests. Then all of the partition will be seen by the running kernel.

Regards,

Alunduil

Thanx, Alunduil!

I will look to find how to sync the table. This happened before I began the actual install. I did reboot to try to see if it would then read the 'new' config, when I printed the partition table thru fdisk after reboot, I was able to see the partitions I had made, however, setup still would not. That's when I installed thru setup anyway. Apparently the setup worked as the machine booted off the HD. Fdisk now sez, however, there is one partition, same size as the disk.

Studying continues.

Greetings!

This was fdisk error 22: invalid argument.

Getting my butt kicked here :^)

Stab in the dark, but it *may* apply to your situation:

http://www.howtogeek.com/wiki/How_To_Fix_"Warning:_Re-reading_the_partition_table_failed_with_error_22:_Invalid_argument"_Error_on_Linux



Cheers,
Tink

Hey, Tink!

Found this yesterday when I DogPiled 'linux fdisk error 22'. Tried and failed. The 'mkfs.reiserfs /dev/sde1' (my system /dev/sda1) merely wiped out the partitions I had just made, and exiting fdisk with the write command brings up the same 'error 22'.

I don't get it. This computer ran fine with XP. I just took the HD out and replaced it with a spare I had. Formatted thru setup for Linux,
the drive seems fine.

If I can't get this figured out, I am curious to know if Linux will run OK with no swap partition. This machine is running 1GB of DDR2, I noticed in the Slackware manual example the computer being set up only had 64MB. Don't know if it matters...

Thanx for trying, Tink! None of my friends can help me, I know more than they do, which is scary.

Tink:

***Btw, I'll rather attempt to aid you in helping yourself than
giving you a "turn-key solution". I believe in enabling people
to help themselves, rather than carrying them everywhere. ;} ***


Agreed!

Yet another odd thing: After all this, reboot machine from cd, run fdisk, 'p'rint partitions, they are all there, just as I made them. Then run setup, and setup can't see them. I guess this is a Whiskey Tango Foxtrot moment.

Don't know what's happening. Pat has been known to ship older versions of fdisk in the past, but the one on 13.1 64-bit looks o.k.
Been a couple of years since I looked at Slack, so you goaded me into tossing it into a VirtualBox guest whilst watching the world cup. Install looks more sensible than I remember, and the partitioning worked fine (without looking at the manual I must admit - I'm old school; manuals are for when things screw up ... :shrug: )

Yes, the actual install was fine, very easy. Easier than Windoze, I think. Boots fine after install. I just cannot get the new partition table to be read after creating the partitions. Before install, fdisk 'p'rint shows the partitions, setup won't. After reboot, fdisk shows partitions, setup won't. After install and reboot, no partitions are listed.

This distro seems to work for most everyone else, I think it may be something I am doing wrong.

My friends tend to tease me a bit as I read the manual for games I buy before playing, usually. I guess I would be 'Navy School', the first thing tought in class is 'RTFI', or Read The *censored* Instructions. Figured ot would be a good Idea with Linux, as I have zero experience with Linux/Unix.

Let's see this from a root terminal "fdisk -l"

Greetings Guru Syg!

Linux is installed, the fdisk -l produces just one drive-size partition.


Device /dev/sda1 Boot * Start 1 End 9729 Blocks 781million+
ID 83 System Linux

This is the 32-bit version. Downloaded the 64-bit version also. I wanted to get familiar with the system,a nd then switch to 64-bit. If I do that, I can list what I get when I have the pre-install yuks.

Sorry this got lost in my subscribed ...
Let's see all the output from that "fdisk -l"

Let me format this better:


Device Boot Start End Blocks ID System
/dev/sda1 * 1 9729 781million+ 83 Linux



That's all there is, no actual partitions listed.