HELP - Redhat 5.2 won't install
Elwyn Campbell
I recently obtained a version of redhat 5.2 on CD-ROM. I'm trying to
install it on an old machine with a 800Mb HDD. However, after running
the installation program, I quickly realised that there would not be
enough room for both win95 and linux on the same hard disk, so I exited
the program. I then formatted the hard drive (not a problem... no vital
data loss!). I ran the redhat installation program again, except this
time it could not bring up the partition table. Instead, the following
error message appeared:
Fdisk error
Error occured reading the partition table for the block device hda. The
error was ::Partition table corrupt.
Any suggestions of how I could fix/get around this?
Thanks for your help
Elwyn Campbell
Tom Barnes-Lawrence
<374FA266...@clancampbell.wattle.id.au>...
>I recently obtained a version of redhat 5.2 on CD-ROM. I'm trying to
>the installation program, I quickly realised that there would not be
>enough room for both win95 and linux on the same hard disk, so I exited
>the program.
You might have been better off getting a second HDD (like I did, but I'm
now having trouble which seems to be from disk geometry).
>I then formatted the hard drive (not a problem... no vital
>data loss!).
Formatted from Dos? From Windows? From Linux?
Low level formatted from BIOS (kills all known IDE disks dead)?
If you did do the latter, I have no idea what you can do about it.
>I ran the redhat installation program again, except this
>time it could not bring up the partition table. Instead, the following
>error message appeared:
>
>Fdisk error
>Error occured reading the partition table for the block device hda. The
>error was ::Partition table corrupt.
There are (apparently) issues with partitioning and repartitioning.
You are, IIRC, supposed to add and remove Dos/Windows partitions
from DOS/Windows Fdisk, and add and remove Linux partitions from
Linux Fdisk. This is what I have heard, at any rate.
This could be very true, because a few months back, trying to get Linux
on this machine, I cut a corner when I realised I'd forgotten to remove
the Dos partition on the new HDD we got for it (2nd hand), and removed it
during the Linux installation. Having done this, stuff went screwy, and we
tried putting Dos back again and looking at it. Over the next few days,
the hard disk tore itself to bits and filled up with bad blocks, up to about
80%
or so of them.
Point is, I still don't know if doing that caused it, or if it was just
timing. But
I do know *I ain't doing that again*.
I'm currently in the middle of trying to get RH5.2 on a 2GB disk but
getting
TROUBLE and waiting for someone to respond to my post. I figure as long
as I ask questions and know some answers I ought to try and help out a
little
as there are sooo many newbies now, and I'm less of a newbie than when
I started ;)
>Any suggestions of how I could fix/get around this?
Mmm, not really. Still trying to sort my disk out. Not too sure what
you can do (or what is wrong).
>Thanks for your help
If I haven't managed to point you vaguely in the right
direction, perhaps more info could help me to do so.
Hope its fixable!
--
Tom Barnes-Lawrence (aka Tomble the Bod)
Kindly remove eggs and spam from email address
if you want to email me.
PS not cross-posting this to comp.os.linux.help because freeserve doesn't
seem to have it. Hope you're not only looking there :)
TS Stahl
2. Download the drive manufacturers low level format utility, and use it.
If the partition table is shot, so is the drive.
HTH
Elwyn Campbell wrote:
> Hi
>
> I recently obtained a version of redhat 5.2 on CD-ROM. I'm trying to
> install it on an old machine with a 800Mb HDD. However, after running
> the installation program, I quickly realised that there would not be
> enough room for both win95 and linux on the same hard disk, so I exited
> the program. I then formatted the hard drive (not a problem... no vital
> data loss!). I ran the redhat installation program again, except this
> time it could not bring up the partition table. Instead, the following
> error message appeared:
>
> Fdisk error
> Error occured reading the partition table for the block device hda. The
> error was ::Partition table corrupt.
>
--
Scott Stahl
MIS Asst.
Illinois Housing Development Authority
??
Do this .... Boot up in dos A: drtive Use FDISK to Delete your current
extended and primary DOS partitions ...OK now your set to repartition a
clear
hard drive with Linux.. Linux will avoid DOS partitions so as to easily
co-exist with a Dos /Windows also system...
Elwyn Campbell <el...@clancampbell.wattle.id.au> wrote in message
news:374FA266...@clancampbell.wattle.id.au...
> Hi
>
> I recently obtained a version of redhat 5.2 on CD-ROM. I'm trying to
> install it on an old machine with a 800Mb HDD. However, after running
> the installation program, I quickly realised that there would not be
> enough room for both win95 and linux on the same hard disk, so I exited
> the program. I then formatted the hard drive (not a problem... no vital
> data loss!). I ran the redhat installation program again, except this
> time it could not bring up the partition table. Instead, the following
> error message appeared:
>
> Fdisk error
> Error occured reading the partition table for the block device hda. The
> error was ::Partition table corrupt.
>
> Any suggestions of how I could fix/get around this?
>
norman elliott
> Elwyn Campbell wrote in message
> <374FA266...@clancampbell.wattle.id.au>...
> >I recently obtained a version of redhat 5.2 on CD-ROM. I'm trying to
> >install it on an old machine with a 800Mb HDD.However, after running
> >the installation program, I quickly realised that there would not be
> >enough room for both win95 and linux on the same hard disk, so I exited
> >the program.
> Was Win95 already installed, or were you going to put in on after?
> You might have been better off getting a second HDD (like I did, but I'm
> now having trouble which seems to be from disk geometry).
>
> >I then formatted the hard drive (not a problem... no vital
> >data loss!).
> Formatted from Dos? From Windows? From Linux?
> Low level formatted from BIOS (kills all known IDE disks dead)?
> If you did do the latter, I have no idea what you can do about it.
>
> >I ran the redhat installation program again, except this
> >time it could not bring up the partition table. Instead, the following
> >error message appeared:
> >
> >Fdisk error
> >Error occured reading the partition table for the block device hda. The
> >error was ::Partition table corrupt.
>
> There are (apparently) issues with partitioning and repartitioning.
> You are, IIRC, supposed to add and remove Dos/Windows partitions
> from DOS/Windows Fdisk, and add and remove Linux partitions from
> Linux Fdisk. This is what I have heard, at any rate.
> This could be very true, because a few months back, trying to get Linux
> on this machine, I cut a corner when I realised I'd forgotten to remove
> the Dos partition on the new HDD we got for it (2nd hand), and removed it
> during the Linux installation. Having done this, stuff went screwy, and we
> tried putting Dos back again and looking at it. Over the next few days,
> the hard disk tore itself to bits and filled up with bad blocks, up to about
> 80%
> or so of them.
> Point is, I still don't know if doing that caused it, or if it was just
> timing. But
> I do know *I ain't doing that again*.
> I'm currently in the middle of trying to get RH5.2 on a 2GB disk but
> getting
> TROUBLE and waiting for someone to respond to my post. I figure as long
> as I ask questions and know some answers I ought to try and help out a
> little
> as there are sooo many newbies now, and I'm less of a newbie than when
> I started ;)
>
> >Any suggestions of how I could fix/get around this?
> Mmm, not really. Still trying to sort my disk out. Not too sure what
> you can do (or what is wrong).
>
> >Thanks for your help
>
> If I haven't managed to point you vaguely in the right
> direction, perhaps more info could help me to do so.
> Hope its fixable!
> --
> Tom Barnes-Lawrence (aka Tomble the Bod)
> Kindly remove eggs and spam from email address
> if you want to email me.
> PS not cross-posting this to comp.os.linux.help because freeserve doesn't
> seem to have it. Hope you're not only looking there :)
1/ Boot from a Dos disc.
2/ Run FDISK /MBR
3/ Run FDISK and see if any partitions are defined ( There should be none. )
4/ Start your Linux install. All should be well and you should be able to use
all of the hard disc for Linux.
best wishes,
norm
Jerry Basham
> 2/ Run FDISK /MBR
> 3/ Run FDISK and see if any partitions are defined ( There should be
none. )
> 4/ Start your Linux install. All should be well and you should be able to
use
> all of the hard disc for Linux.
> best wishes,
> norm
>
That looks like it addresses part of my problem, too, Norm. But
I'm also wondering if the "e-z bios" overlay I have to use for my
machine to see my new 8.4GB Western Digital Harddrive is not
allowing my RH 5.2 install to be successful.
I've had to boot from the boot disk I made during the installation
procedures because I get the "LI" and nothing else if I just try
to boot up normally.
I ended up giving up and sticking Windows 95 back on here with
IE5.
I'm afraid to start all over again if I'm just going to end up having to
re-install Windows again.
Any advice? Most of the install went ok, I guess. It saw my
printer and let me configure that, for example. I got the "/" partition
and the swap and all that done.
Just wouldn't boot up without the floppie.
This is an IBM Aptiva 2144 with 72MB of RAM, btw.
------ Jerry