9.10 partitioning failure, ext4, ext3, ext2 file systems can't be created.

[hexavi42]

I'm trying to install ubuntu 9.10 on a formerly windows 98 machine, but whatever I do, the partitioning will finish. A "failed to create ext4 in hda, would you like to continue?" message pops up, and then I'm back to the beginning again. I can actually run ubuntu from the cd, it's just the installing that's the problem.

The hard drive I'm trying to install it on is a maxtor 20gb one with master configuration, attached to a 1gb seagate in slave configuration. Installing windows 98 and windows 2000 work perfectly, but for some reason, ubuntu and xubuntu will not finish installing because of that partitioning problem. I'm a complete newbie at this (only started trying to install a linux distro this time around) so if any more information is needed, just ask.

Summary:

Version: Ubuntu and Xubuntu 9.10
Hard Drive: Maxtor 20GB in master configuration
Processor: AMD K6
RAM: 512MB - 64MB (automatically deducted? taken from bios start up screen)
Problem: Will not install from cd because of filing system and partition creation errors.

[phillw]

I'm trying to install ubuntu 9.10 on a formerly windows 98 machine, but whatever I do, the partitioning will finish. A "failed to create ext4 in hda, would you like to continue?" message pops up, and then I'm back to the beginning again. I can actually run ubuntu from the cd, it's just the installing that's the problem.

The hard drive I'm trying to install it on is a maxtor 20gb one with master configuration, attached to a 1gb seagate in slave configuration. Installing windows 98 and windows 2000 work perfectly, but for some reason, ubuntu and xubuntu will not finish installing because of that partitioning problem. I'm a complete newbie at this (only started trying to install a linux distro this time around) so if any more information is needed, just ask.

Summary:

Version: Ubuntu and Xubuntu 9.10
Hard Drive: Maxtor 20GB in master configuration
Processor: AMD K6
RAM: 512MB - 64MB (automatically deducted? taken from bios start up screen)
Problem: Will not install from cd because of filing system and partition creation errors.

Hi and welcome to the forums,

are you wanting Ubuntu to be the only operating system on the 20GB hard drive ?

If so, head over to https://help.ubuntu.com/community/GraphicalInstall

I would also advise that you use the "Check CD" option when you boot with the LiveCD to make sure there are no errors on it.

Regards,

Phill.

[hexavi42]

Oh, yeah, I've read that guide already. Thing is, I've checked the cds (I used a burned xubuntu alternate install cd at first, then a mailed-to-me Ubuntu 9.10 disc, and both of them checked out fine). The drive itself is completely wiped and reformatted, but it just won't create the file system for some reason (i didn't get so far on the ubuntu install, but on the xubuntu, the other partitions were all created perfectly, but then it tried to create the root file system and completely failed). Thanks for answering anyway.

[Braineh]

Don't want to capture your thread but I got the exact same problem atm trying to install 10.04 beta1 on a raid1. just realized that one of the two hdds got a bad sector (at least that's what smart tells me). Could this break the installation?

Thanks in advance,

Tom

[phillw]

Hi,

okies,

boot from the LiveCD and use Gparted to make the entire disk space 'free'.

If that doesn't work, you can do it from the CLI, again via the LiveCD


sudo fdisk /dev/sda

Then, reboot with the LiveCD and tell it to use the 'un-allocated' space, or simply the entire disk.

If that fails, then we can create the partitions manually.

Regards,

Phill.

[phillw]

Don't want to capture your thread but I got the exact same problem atm trying to install 10.04 beta1 on a raid1. just realized that one of the two hdds got a bad sector (at least that's what smart tells me). Could this break the installation?

Thanks in advance,

Tom

installation of 10.04 is a bit different to 9.10, especially with raid. you'd be better popping over to --> http://ubuntuforums.org/forumdisplay.php?f=377 and doing a search on there for RAID

Regards,

Phill.

[Braineh]

Cheers. :)

[hexavi42]

I just tried it after reading your post. Unfortunately, it doesn't work. It just stopped at 5% and the error message (word for word) was "The attempt to mount a file system with type ext4 in SCSI1 (0,0,0), partition #1 (sda) at / failed. You may resume partitioning from the partitioning menu.". What should I do? I've tried manually partitioning it before (I think) after the third or fourth time that it failed to mount the file system.
t I got
edit. I tried the sudo fdisk thing through terminal while I was running ubuntu from the cd. this is what i got.

Device contains neither a valid DOS partition table, nor Sun, SGI or OSF disklabel
Building a new DOS disklabel with disk identifier 0x6ad856c9.
Changes will remain in memory only, until you decide to write them.
After that, of course, the previous content won't be recoverable.


The number of cylinders for this disk is set to 2434.
There is nothing wrong with that, but this is larger than 1024,
and could in certain setups cause problems with:
1) software that runs at boot time (e.g., old versions of LILO)
2) booting and partitioning software from other OSs
(e.g., DOS FDISK, OS/2 FDISK)
Warning: invalid flag 0x0000 of partition table 4 will be corrected by w(rite)

[oldos2er]

Is this an IDE or SCSI system? Is it RAID? What's the bios date?

[hexavi42]

it's an SCSI from what ubuntu tells me, and the bios date on boot-up appears to be july 4th, 2000.

[oldos2er]

Just a thought, but have you checked for a BIOS update? Wondering if the old boot partition outside the 1024 cylinder limit is the problem.

[Braineh]

I couldn't get my config workin, problem was/is obviously a sata fakeraid controller card from promise which didn't work for some more ppl what google told me. Is it possible that you use a (raid/scsi)controller? Cause you problem is exactly the same that I got with my sata drives on my pci-controller.

[Bou lunda]

"The attempt to mount a file system with type ext4 in SCSI1 (0,0,0), partition #1 (sda) at / failed. You may resume partitioning from the partitioning menu.". Tred this again and again many times even with manual partition - same error.
I have exact same problem - wasted 1 week fixing it - whats the problem.
IBM PC 256MB ram, 350MHz AMD-K6-2 CPU, 20GB hard disk cleaned with WIPE - all zeros wriiten to hard disk - can't make it any cleaner than that.
Trying instal 10.04 LST.

Maybe the 10.04 LST Ubuntu is stuffed .
Please help - will go mad