Unable to create a new partition table

**noahmcbadass** · June 7th, 2015

I have recently acquired a used laptop and have been attempting to install Ubuntu onto it; however, when I reach step 4 in the installation stage I am not given any options, and instead forcied directly to the "something else" section. In addition, I have no disk to partition, it would seem. I will be the first to admit I have no idea what I am doing. Please help.

wake me up inside.jpg

**Elizine** · June 8th, 2015

Hi,

Please refer to the installation guide of Ubuntu -http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop/install-ubuntu-desktop

**deadflowr** · June 8th, 2015

Go to the top icon in the left pane (the icon that looks like Ubuntu logo) and click it to open the Ubuntu menu.
Then type "Terminal" and press enter.
Now in the Terminal run this command

Code:

sudo parted -l

post the output here if you please.

**noahmcbadass** · June 8th, 2015

Originally Posted by deadflowr

Go to the top icon in the left pane (the icon that looks like Ubuntu logo) and click it to open the Ubuntu menu.
Then type "Terminal" and press enter.
Now in the Terminal run this command

Code:

sudo parted -l

post the output here if you please.

is this telling me it has no hard drive.jpg

**Bashing-om** · June 8th, 2015

noahmcbadass; Does not look good for the home team !

We can assume that the 31.X drive given the identifier 'sda' is in fact a USB thumb drive. As it is the only device seen we can "assume" that bios is not able to pass on to the operating system anything about the internal hard drive.

So, what does bios have about the internal hard drive ? Is it listed in the bios settings utility ?

No ? Then it is open the box up - might be tough - and check the connections that they are tight and clean these at both the drive end and at the controller.
maybe the controller port is 'bad' ?
A bit of a hassle but if cleaning does not reveal the internal drive in bios, tear it open again and swap to a different controller port .

Worst case situation: The controller on the hard drive is non-functional and OR the hard drive it's self has failed.

Until bios accepts the hard drive, there is nothing

the operating system can do

**noahmcbadass** · June 9th, 2015

Thank you all for the help! I've determined that the laptop's hard drive was shot and managed to fix the issue by replacing the hard drive. Thanks much.

**Bashing-om** · June 9th, 2015

noahmcbadass; Good deal !

Pleased you have resolution.

Please mark this thread solved;
aides others seeking the solution,
helps keep the forum clean and
precludes others miss-directing efforts to aid.
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UnansweredPo.../SolvedThreads

just keep on keep'n on