unable to clean install 11.04 "no root file system is defined"

[ilya222]

i've tried the windows installer and go this message after the reboot, then i tried from a cd, and got exactly the same error at the partition selection.
i tried several drives and always go the same message.

[oldos2er]

Root filesystem is / in the drop-down menu.

[ilya222]

in which dropdown menu?
when i use wubi there's no menu, it's the first thing i see...
screenshot: http://img843.imageshack.us/i/img2085hb.jpg/

[oldos2er]

Sorry, I don't know anything about Wubi. Looks like this is a known bug: https://bugs.launchpad.net/wubi/+bug/259540

[bcbc]

Usually this is due to:
1. mix of GPT and MBR partition table - this confuses ubiquity
2. leftover fakeraid metadata or unsupported raid option

If you burn an Ubuntu CD (or USB), boot from it, select "Try without installing" and run http://bootinfoscript.sourceforge.net/ it should give some clues.

[ilya222]

Usually this is due to:
1. mix of GPT and MBR partition table - this confuses ubiquity
2. leftover fakeraid metadata or unsupported raid option

If you burn an Ubuntu CD (or USB), boot from it, select "Try without installing" and run http://bootinfoscript.sourceforge.net/ it should give some clues.

Thanx,
It's probably the first one because i never used RAID, so how can i fix it?

[srs5694]

I wouldn't jump to any GPT conclusions, ilya222. Please be more precise about where you're seeing this error. Is it when you're trying to install Ubuntu, or after it's been installed and when you reboot? How does the Windows installer fit into things? As it is, I at least am left guessing about critical details like this. (I didn't respond earlier for this reason, but I see this thread heading into potentially very dangerous territory in its current direction.)

If you've installed Ubuntu and it's not booting, try booting the installer into "live CD" mode and running the Boot Info Script. (http://sourceforge.net/projects/bootinfoscript/) This will produce a file called RESULTS.TXT. Post it here, between
and strings for legibility. That should provide additional information that can be used to diagnose your problem.

[bcbc]

+1
I'm reporting on specific failures I've seen before - but that doesn't mean you don't need to investigate and confirm the problem. Running any fix without understanding it - or whether it's required - is a bad idea.

[ilya222]

I wouldn't jump to any GPT conclusions, ilya222. Please be more precise about where you're seeing this error. Is it when you're trying to install Ubuntu, or after it's been installed and when you reboot? How does the Windows installer fit into things? As it is, I at least am left guessing about critical details like this. (I didn't respond earlier for this reason, but I see this thread heading into potentially very dangerous territory in its current direction.)

If you've installed Ubuntu and it's not booting, try booting the installer into "live CD" mode and running the Boot Info Script. (http://sourceforge.net/projects/bootinfoscript/) This will produce a file called RESULTS.TXT. Post it here, between
and strings for legibility. That should provide additional information that can be used to diagnose your problem.

when i use the wubi, it runs on windows, then i reboot into the ubuntu install, and the error message appears the second the install starts.
when i run from the cd, it happens when i try to select a partition, and i get it no matter what drive or partition i select.
also, i tried installing 10.10 and got exactly the same results.

[srs5694]

I still don't understand what you mean -- "the second the install starts" could mean many things, from the second you begin booting the installer to the moment the computer begins copying files. It's also unclear what you mean by "when i try to select a partition" -- where are you selecting a partition? A simple boot into the live CD doesn't require selecting a partition, and once it's booted, there are so many procedures and utilities that support "selecting a partition" that it'd take pages to enumerate them all. I'm afraid you just have to be much more precise in your descriptions. Posting a screen shot (taken with a digital camera, if necessary) will help us, since that might reveal enough of the context for us to figure out what you mean.

[ilya222]

I still don't understand what you mean -- "the second the install starts" could mean many things, from the second you begin booting the installer to the moment the computer begins copying files. It's also unclear what you mean by "when i try to select a partition" -- where are you selecting a partition? A simple boot into the live CD doesn't require selecting a partition, and once it's booted, there are so many procedures and utilities that support "selecting a partition" that it'd take pages to enumerate them all. I'm afraid you just have to be much more precise in your descriptions. Posting a screen shot (taken with a digital camera, if necessary) will help us, since that might reveal enough of the context for us to figure out what you mean.

i mean, in the wubi case, ofter the installation loads, i get to the desktop-like screen (with the network and logout option at the top) and when it completes i get the message
it says "verifying the installation configuration"

in the second case i run install directly from the cd, i do not run live ubuntu from it (nor did i mentioned doing so before)
when i get to select the partition in which to install it, i get the message when i click "install"

[Quackers]

It sounds like you haven't selected a mount point for your root partition. The mount point should be " / "

[ilya222]

It sounds like you haven't selected a mount point for your root partition. The mount point should be " / "

but with wubi there's no option of selecting any mountpoint, it only asks me in what drive to install and all the rest is auto...
how can i do it in the cd install?

[bcbc]

In the wubi case the mountpoint is predefined, but it doesn't change the actual steps ubiquity goes through. The only difference is that the install is "preseeded". So the cause is the same.

What this means is that the kernel has no problem loading, but ubiquity has a problem dealing with the drive. So basically you should boot from the CD, "try without installing" (which bypasses the drive) and then run the bootinfoscript.

Or even just drop to a root shell during the ubiquity install (CTRL+ALT+F2) and enter "sudo fdisk -l" (lower case -L) and copy the output verbatim.

[ilya222]

OK, here is the bootinfoscrip results:


Boot Info Script 0.55 dated February 15th, 2010

============================= Boot Info Summary: ==============================

=> Windows is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda
=> Windows is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdb
=> Windows is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdc
=> Windows is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdd

sda1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs: /bootmgr /Boot/BCD

sda2: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs: /ubuntu/winboot/wubildr.mbr /ubuntu/winboot/wubildr
/ubuntu/disks/root.disk /ubuntu/disks/swap.disk

sda2/Wubi: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system:
Boot sector type: Unknown
Boot sector info:
Mounting failed:
mount: unknown filesystem type ''

sdb2: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: Extended Partition
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:

sdb5: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7
Boot sector info: According to the info in the boot sector, sdb5 starts
at sector 63.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs:

sdc1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System: Windows 7
Boot files/dirs: /Windows/System32/winload.exe /wubildr.mbr /wubildr

sdd1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs:

=========================== Drive/Partition Info: =============================

Drive: sda ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sda: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders, total 312581808 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sda1 * 2,048 206,847 204,800 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 206,848 312,575,999 312,369,152 7 HPFS/NTFS


GUID Partition Table detected, but does not seem to be used.

Partition Start End Size System

Drive: sdb ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sdb: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders, total 976773168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sdb2 * 16,065 976,768,064 976,752,000 5 Extended
/dev/sdb5 16,128 976,768,064 976,751,937 7 HPFS/NTFS


Drive: sdc ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sdc: 160.0 GB, 160040803840 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders, total 312579695 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sdc1 2,048 312,575,999 312,573,952 7 HPFS/NTFS


Drive: sdd ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sdd: 640.1 GB, 640135028736 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 77825 cylinders, total 1250263728 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sdd1 63 1,250,258,624 1,250,258,562 7 HPFS/NTFS


blkid -c /dev/null: __________________________________________________ __________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/loop0 squashfs
/dev/sda1 AEB80EF1B80EB83B ntfs System Reserved
/dev/sda2 4028C8A928C89F72 ntfs Games
/dev/sda: PTTYPE="dos"
/dev/sdb2: PTTYPE="dos"
/dev/sdb5 543C992748E06E89 ntfs Storage
/dev/sdb: PTTYPE="dos"
/dev/sdc1 EA84134A84131921 ntfs System
/dev/sdc: PTTYPE="dos"
/dev/sdd1 01C950BC949DC0D0 ntfs Backup
/dev/sdd: PTTYPE="dos"

============================ "mount | grep ^/dev output: ===========================

Device Mount_Point Type Options

aufs / aufs (rw)
/dev/sr0 /cdrom iso9660 (ro,noatime)
/dev/loop0 /rofs squashfs (ro,noatime)

=========================== Unknown MBRs/Boot Sectors/etc =======================

Unknown BootLoader on sda2/Wubi

00000000 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 |0000000000000000|
*
00000200

[bcbc]

=========================== Drive/Partition Info: =============================

Drive: sda ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sda: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders, total 312581808 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sda1 * 2,048 206,847 204,800 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 206,848 312,575,999 312,369,152 7 HPFS/NTFS


GUID Partition Table detected, but does not seem to be used.


So it is some leftover GPT partition table data that is causing the problem. I could refer you to some threads, but really srs5694 is the expert so I'll defer here.

PS I think someone should get a bug to the attention of Evan Dandrea so that he can get Ubiquity to deal with this

[srs5694]

My FixParts (http://www.rodsbooks.com/fixparts) program detects and, if requested, erases stray GPT data. Its Web page describes the process, so please read it. Given that you've got a working Windows installation, it's probably simplest to use the Windows version of FixParts to take care of the problem.

[ilya222]

Thanx! it worked

[pearce007]

My FixParts (http://www.rodsbooks.com/fixparts) program detects and, if requested, erases stray GPT data. Its Web page describes the process, so please read it. Given that you've got a working Windows installation, it's probably simplest to use the Windows version of FixParts to take care of the problem.

Hi srs5694 could you check to see if I have the same problem, thanks

Boot Info Script 0.55 dated February 15th, 2010

============================= Boot Info Summary: ==============================

=> Windows is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda

sda1: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7
Boot sector info: According to the info in the boot sector, sda1 starts
at sector 2048. But according to the info from fdisk,
sda1 starts at sector 63. The info in boot sector on
the starting sector of the MFT is wrong. According to
the info in the boot sector, sda1 has 960403447
sectors, but according to the info from fdisk, it has
1984 sectors.
Operating System: Windows 7
Boot files/dirs: /bootmgr /Boot/BCD /Windows/System32/winload.exe

sda2: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system:
Boot sector type: Unknown
Boot sector info:
Mounting failed:
mount: unknown filesystem type ''

sda3: __________________________________________________ _______________________

File system:
Boot sector type: Unknown
Boot sector info:
Mounting failed:
mount: unknown filesystem type ''
mount: unknown filesystem type ''

=========================== Drive/Partition Info: =============================

Drive: sda ___________________ __________________________________________________ ___

Disk /dev/sda: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders, total 976773168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sda1 63 2,047 1,985 42 SFS
/dev/sda2 * 2,048 960,405,495 960,403,448 42 SFS
/dev/sda3 960,405,496 976,771,119 16,365,624 42 SFS


blkid -c /dev/null: __________________________________________________ __________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/loop0 squashfs
/dev/sda1 4A3AA3C73AA3AE7F ntfs
/dev/sda: PTTYPE="dos"
error: /dev/sda2: No such file or directory
error: /dev/sda3: No such file or directory
error: /dev/sdb: No medium found

============================ "mount | grep ^/dev output: ===========================

Device Mount_Point Type Options

aufs / aufs (rw)
/dev/sr0 /cdrom iso9660 (ro,noatime)
/dev/loop0 /rofs squashfs (ro,noatime)

=========================== Unknown MBRs/Boot Sectors/etc =======================

MFT Sector of sda1

00000000 46 49 4c 45 30 00 03 00 49 54 6d 0a 00 00 00 00 |FILE0...ITm.....|
00000010 01 00 01 00 38 00 01 00 a0 01 00 00 00 04 00 00 |....8...........|
00000020 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 06 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
00000030 30 00 e7 84 00 00 00 00 10 00 00 00 60 00 00 00 |0...........`...|
00000040 00 00 18 00 00 00 00 00 48 00 00 00 18 00 00 00 |........H.......|
00000050 00 8e f9 a0 40 0b cc 01 00 8e f9 a0 40 0b cc 01 |....@.......@...|
*
00000070 06 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
00000080 00 00 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
00000090 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 30 00 00 00 68 00 00 00 |........0...h...|
000000a0 00 00 18 00 00 00 03 00 4a 00 00 00 18 00 01 00 |........J.......|
000000b0 05 00 00 00 00 00 05 00 00 8e f9 a0 40 0b cc 01 |............@...|
000000c0 00 8e f9 a0 40 0b cc 01 00 8e f9 a0 40 0b cc 01 |....@.......@...|
000000d0 00 8e f9 a0 40 0b cc 01 00 40 00 00 00 00 00 00 |....@....@......|
000000e0 00 40 00 00 00 00 00 00 06 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |.@..............|
000000f0 04 03 24 00 4d 00 46 00 54 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |..$.M.F.T.......|
00000100 80 00 00 00 48 00 00 00 01 00 40 00 00 00 01 00 |....H.....@.....|
00000110 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 bf 2c 00 00 00 00 00 00 |.........,......|
00000120 40 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 cc 02 00 00 00 00 |@...............|
00000130 00 00 cc 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 cc 02 00 00 00 00 |................|
00000140 32 c0 2c 00 00 0c 00 aa b0 00 00 00 50 00 00 00 |2.,.........P...|
00000150 01 00 40 00 00 00 05 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |..@.............|
00000160 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 40 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |........@.......|
00000170 00 30 00 00 00 00 00 00 08 20 00 00 00 00 00 00 |.0....... ......|
00000180 08 20 00 00 00 00 00 00 31 01 ff ff 0b 11 01 ff |. ......1.......|
00000190 31 01 de 17 06 00 e7 84 ff ff ff ff 00 00 00 00 |1...............|
000001a0 00 00 04 00 00 00 00 00 31 40 00 00 0c 00 b8 87 |........1@......|
000001b0 b0 00 00 00 50 00 00 00 01 00 40 00 00 00 05 00 |....P.....@.....|
000001c0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
000001d0 40 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 20 00 00 00 00 00 00 |@........ ......|
000001e0 08 10 00 00 00 00 00 00 08 10 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
000001f0 31 01 ff ff 0b 11 01 ff 00 00 01 00 00 70 30 00 |1............p0.|
00000200
Unknown BootLoader on sda2


Unknown BootLoader on sda3



=======Devices which don't seem to have a corresponding hard drive==============

sdb
=============================== StdErr Messages: ===============================

hexdump: /dev/sda2: No such file or directory
hexdump: /dev/sda2: No such file or directory
hexdump: /dev/sda3: No such file or directory
hexdump: /dev/sda3: No such file or directory

[srs5694]

Pearce007,

It's generally best to start your own thread rather than "hijack" an existing one. I'll respond here only because ilya222 seems to be satisfied with the solution. Also, when posting text-mode program output, please enclose it in
and tags; that greatly improves legibility.

The answer to your question is that, no, your issue is not the same as ilya222's. FixParts won't help. You've got a Windows SFS/LDM/"dynamic disk" configuration, which is a Windows-only system similar to Linux's Logical Volume Manager (LVM). AFAIK, it's difficult or impossible to install Linux to such a disk. You have four options:



Give up -- You can forget about installing Linux (or anything else) on the computer.
New disk -- You can buy a new disk and install Linux on it, keeping Windows on the original disk.
Conversion -- A couple of Windows programs (EASEUS (http://www.partition-tool.com/personal.htm) and Partition Wizard (http://www.partitionwizard.com/)) are claimed to be able to convert from "dynamic disk" format to "basic disk" (that is, regular partition) format. I've not tried either tool, though.
Wipe out -- You can completely delete your partitions and start over again.



FWIW, this problem often occurs when users attempt to prepare a hard disk for Linux use by preparing partitions in Windows. If you exceed four partitions in Windows, the partitioning software tends to convert from "basic disk" to "dynamic disk" format, either without warning you or without making it sufficiently clear why this is a bad thing to do. Thus, if you decide to start fresh or convert back, you should be sure not to use the standard Windows tools to create new partitions. You can shrink your existing partitions and even move them around using the Windows tools, but don't try to create new partitions; leave that to Linux tools (or perhaps to third-party Windows tools that are clearer about what they do).

[donten]

First let me say that I admire the efforts of those who frequently give up their time to help the newbies discover the joys of using Linux. While I recognize that these selfless acts introduce the new user to the community and thereby contribute to the cause, I cannot help but feel sorry for those people who in good faith set out to install Ubuntu (or Kubuntu) and end up in this forum trying to get answers to their problems.
This is not where they should be - they should be having fun exploring this great OS. These defects (and that is what it is after all) should not be allowed to continue unfixed like this. To put it another way...the installation process is the first introduction to the OS for all new users. It is the very first impression that a potential convert experiences. And for a new user to encounter all this hardship in their first interaction with a product is nothing short of emabarassing and I would not blame anyone for never returning to Linux after an experience like this!
It is simply inexcusable to have the product hoist the colors to a new user in the form of this trial by fire.
I have searched through these threads and it is evident that this problem has gone on for quite some time.
When I installed Ubuntu on my crappy old HP notebook, the install went by without a hitch. I have just built a new I7 machine with 1Tb HDD and Win7 and three partitions and gues what....sure enough, I have exactly the same result in the install as the people above. Oh yes, I grant you that one problem may not be exactly like another but you know what, I DON'T CARE. This sort of thing should not happen and that is all. The only people benefiting from this fiasco is Microsoft.
BTW - looked at fixparts....clearly could not help to solve the problem but it really does not matter now. I wasted a day of my time chasing this joke, now I am just not bothering with the OS any more.

[pauuthupm]

what he is trying to say..we insatll Ubuntu inside windows,,,once its completed,,it asks for reboot...now wen we reboot the screen goes to completing installation screen where we get verifying installation process screen which he has posted a screen shot...in that screen we get this error " No root system defined" .. We cannot do anything from that screen..
Now what happens is.. i thought may b the installation was courrpted ,,let me go ahead uninstalll ubuntu from windowsand re install it...so boot to win7,, uninstall Ubuntu11.04 ,,restrt ,,boot back into windows.Here's the catch,,if i run wubi.exe again...i dont get an option to instal inside windows.. i only get demo option or some other option.. No way to install inside windows then,, For this u have a work around,, u got to do a command promt in administrator mode in windows,, and chkdsk /f /r,,, restsrt..chk,, and then u wil b able to install ubuntu again inside windows.. bt we are back to the same problem when it restarts.. :(

[Sky High]

Hi all.
This is my first message to this group so I'd like to say hello. I am very new to Ubuntu although I have some experience with Unix and Linux from the old days.

When I ran into Ubuntu about a month ago I was quite impressed by its appearence and features, so I couldn't stop myself from trying it out. I downloaded Wubi for 11.04 and got to the same problem alright like others where the installation hung with "no root file system is defined". Now I do have the bad habit that I can not stand being stopped by what looked like a small technical issue. After all, the "demo" mode (running from the iso without installing) worked fine and I could access all my partitions without a problem.

So I ended up investigating and debugging and although it did cost a lot of more time than anticipated I eventually found a solution and am running Ubuntu with wubi with great pleasure now. The solution consists of patching a couple (3) of Ubiquity scripts.

As this issue seems to hamper quite some people I certainly do no mind sharing my solution, but I am not sure how to do that. In the first place, is this the right forum and group for this? Or is launchpad the place to go? Though I do not know how that works either.

Furthermore, the solution might be quite specific for only a limited number of cases. The problems I fixed are apparently related to the use of a firmware raid 0 drive set (also affectionately called fake-raid). So it may not be of help for other situations. And I even can not tell if it might be harmful.

Also, because I am a real newbie to this forum, I am quite probably violating some "rules" or habits so I like to get some assistance from the group to help me out in uploading the patches and description.

regards
- Eric

[bcbc]

Sky High,

Generally a fix involving ubiquity patches will probably be better on launchpad.net. Ubuntuforums.org has so many support threads on the subject it could get buried here. e.g. here is a blog with links to launchpad.net on the subject of raid 10 issues: http://rbtcollins.wordpress.com/2011/06/30/dmraid-fakeraid-mirror-striped/

If your solution differs or has something to add then you can probably add it to the linked launchpad bugs or create new ones and publish the patch there.

(I'm certainly curious to read about it, because I've seen a couple of people with raid0 having problems)

[Sky High]

Thanks bcbc . I think my problem was of a different nature.
So for follow up I posted the question on Ubuntu launchpad #168097
- Eric