I am trying to install Ubuntu 9.10 on a system that currently runs Windows XP. The machine has two hard drives, the first having on partion C: (formatted), the second hard drive has two partions D; and E:, D: formatted, E: unformatted. I want to load Ubuntu on the second hard drive on the unformatted partion, E:. Unfortunately when I run the installer, the installer only sees the first hard drive and its single partion. How can I get the installer to see the second hard drive and install on the E partion?
Thank you,
John

John,

Unfortunately it's been a while since I had to do a clean install of ubuntu, so I'm 'flying in the dark' a little.

however, these ideas may help you out....

You could probably start by checking the master / slave status of the disks that you are attempting to install to, it may prevent the second disk from being recognised during the install procedure?

If you are using the live CD you could check to make sure that the second disk is being correctly mounted (and visible) prior to instalation, you could use then check to determine the details of the second disk, using.

or
Another possibility, The system will want to write GRUB to the mbr on the primary hdd (or something similar... ?? ). Could it be that this is the stage you are at and hence you will only see the single drive?

Normally the install would locate your XP instalation and offer to 'shrink' for you and make space for the root partition.

You should then be offered to find all the disks and be asked where to mount what parts of the system, and how to format the disks (ext2 or ext3, reiser etc).

If your disk aren't being found at this stage you have a problem.

Check here for ubuntu community instalation instructions.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/GraphicalInstall

Otherwise if you are using a 'more advanced' install check this page for the other options.

If you can clarify what instalatin procedure you are using, and what stage you are getting to (I'm assuming you are getting to the partition management stage) it will help to determine where the problem is.


David

Is the drive attached? secure connections? Have you tried this drive in another computer and know that it is good?

There was a bug in the Ubuntu 9.10 RC install CD where the installer would not see multiple hard drives:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+s...ty/+bug/459054
This was supposed to have been fixed in the final release. I believe this bug was limited to the 64bit Ubuntu, since I installed Ubuntu from the 32bit 9.10 RC and I did not have a problem with the installer seeing my 2 hard drives. Are you using the 64bit Ubuntu 9.10? If so, and if you can't resolve this, then you may want to try the 32bit Ubuntu 9.10 and see if it can see both your hard drives.

so why didn't they put a note on the download / instalation page, or did they and I missed it?

This now makes me wonder where the OP got his copy of the install CD, if he got it from the 'official ubuntu' page this download should have been sorted out or have a note on the page - maybe even including this information on the page somewhere for people, just in case.

This also leads me to ask where the OP got his copy from?
How old is the copy?

looking at the bug page it seem it may still be a problem.

can the op give more info, and I'll send it to the bug report.

David

I had read somewhere in the Ubuntu forums that this bug was supposed to have been "fixed". The fact that the OP is running into the same problem also has me wondering how old is the install CD that the OP is using, and whether it is 32bit or 64bit.