How long does it take. Frozen?

[Mookie1171]

Hi. I'm installing ubuntu for the first time on a comp. It is first formatting the hard drive and then installing the ubuntu. But it may be stuck. Its been on this one step for a few hours and the progress bar hasn't moved. It is the partitions formatting step. Creating ext4 file system for / in partition #1 of SCIS (0,0,0) (sda)... Its been stuck at 5% for the last few hours and the mouse cursor won't move when I move the mouse. Does this mean its frozen and I need to restart it and try to install again or is it supposed to take this long? Actually I already restarted and tried again once and now its back at the same spot. I can't tell if its frozen or not. help.

[audiomick]

Hi. I'm installing ubuntu for the first time on a comp. It is first formatting the hard drive and then installing the ubuntu. But it may be stuck. Its been on this one step for a few hours and the progress bar hasn't moved. It is the partitions formatting step. Creating ext4 file system for / in partition #1 of SCIS (0,0,0) (sda)... Its been stuck at 5% for the last few hours and the mouse cursor won't move when I move the mouse. Does this mean its frozen and I need to restart it and try to install again or is it supposed to take this long? Actually I already restarted and tried again once and now its back at the same spot. I can't tell if its frozen or not. help.

It sounds like it is stuck. A couple of hours is too long.

I don't know if it is the best advice, but I would boot into the live CD and try the partitioning tool from there and see if it still has a problem.
(from the Live CD system> administration> gparted
If that still doesn't work, I'd be starting to wonder if the HDD is really healthy.

[Mookie1171]

I'm booting from a boot CD. It gives me the option to Install them side by side, choosing between them each startup, erase and use the entire disk, or specify partitions manually. whatever I pick it freezes when it starts partitioning

[Bartender]

How much RAM you got? I've tried installing to PC's with minimal RAM (300 or thereabouts) and it took FOREVER. Added some RAM and it went a lot faster.