I downloaded the hardy alternate install disk through a torrent.

I was pleased with the new install although I noted no option for a command line install. All was very smooth until I entered the partition setup and tried a a manual install.

Here I need to give some background on my system. I have a newer faster hard drive that boots Windows 2000 and Linux (currently Gutsy). I have an older slower slave drive that I use to test and tweak new versions before I commit to them.

The new hardy partition setup insists that everything is scsi. Didn't bother me. I partitioned the test drive as follows:

/boot ext3 format 500MB
/ xfs format 7.5GB
swap 400MB

Then I committed the changes and the whole thing broke.

It insisted on trying and failing to partition the existing swap partition on the master drive.

This was unwanted and unneeded behavior. IMHO

It also destroyed the grub.

In order to reboot I had to reinstall Gutsy on the test drive. Another wasted 45 minutes.

I had thought of trying Arch or Slackware before downloading Hardy.
Some web research sort of half convinced me that I would not gain much over my highly customized lean mean fast Ubuntu system.

Now I don't know which way to proceed. Give up on Hardy? Switch distros?

I'd like to have the near latest version of some programs without reinstalling the whole system.

Most programs I don't care. They work well even with minor quirks and bugs. I see no reason to upgrade them.

I almost forgot to mention that gutsy does insist on redoing the swap on the master drive but it does not break at that point. It does have some stupid errors about the vfat drives that can easily be ignored.

Generally Hardy goes on fine - I never use anything else but the alternate CD; specifically for the manual partitioning.
If you have a mix of IDE and SATA, then Ubuntu is going to give you grief. Can be made to work, but can be a PITA. The initscripts/udev rules are stuffed - seems to go all the way back to Debian. Arch on the same setup is as smooth as silk.

1. You do not need a /boot partition in modern Linux distros
neither do you need to select the swap partition (if it exists)
2. You should have asked it to install grub to say the /
partition

3.post your full partition table... if anything is special

Use Parted Magic for a better partitioning experience.

Check install cd

"failing to format swap"...is very odd (That can be due to conflicting things happening in two terminals)

I forgot three things in the original post.

1. Besides Arch and Slackware there is Gentoo as an option.

2. I use and like many gnome utilities. Gnome is not and never will be my desktop manager. Openbox probably always will be.

3. I'm getting pretty good at installing programs that require compiling.

As an aside I avoid all KDE based programs like the plague.

Syg00: That's what I found odd there are only IDE drives on this system. Your comments are a good heads up for my next box that I build.

Amani:

!. I use a boot partition because I use the xfs file system on the root drive. I was informed that xfs has problems with boot partitions. Maybe that's bad or outdated information.

2. If I partition the drive before the install the stupid install program still insists that I do it again.

3. I don't know about grub on root. I need to sometimes boot to MS windows. I'm trying and getting closer to no MS windows period. I like games though. Come on wine.

To all:

Thanks for your help.

I actually think I solved my quandry with the last two posts. A little more web research led me to believe that Arch and Slackware are closer to the way I want my system to be.

I'll try Arch first. If anyone is interested I'll be posting my results elsewhere on the forums. (If I can figure out the appropriate place.)

I hate that I'm the only one on this thread. Still my latest results might help someone.

I installed Arch core to my test drive. It wiped out my grub. A little testing convinced me that Arch was not for me.

I decided to install Hardy. At the partition screen I chose guided entire drive. After it did it's thing and asked me to confirm, I chose no.

The install script took me back to the manual partition screen. I did everything the way I wanted it in the first place. The installer accepted it and Hardy installed.(very slowly)

Unlike gutsy it did not detect my existing linux install. Nor did it put my drives in /etc/fstab.

Hardy seems to me to be a regression. The system boots very quickly but runs sluggishly.

I learned during the install that when the installer seems to stall or even die during software installation, you can hit ctrl-alt-f4 and check things. If it is hung up ctrl-c might get it going. Ctrl-alt-f1 takes you back to the installer screen.

Also the hardy alternate install no longer has a command line install. So I'll be looking around for another distro.

I was using the old command line install as an easy way to build a custom system anyway. I guess Slackware is next followed by Gentoo if necessary.