Installing to my laptop. Keep getting format error.

[Georgetoon]

I'm trying to install PCLinuxOS 2010.12 to my laptop. Previously, I had KDE 3.5 on it. I also had another Linux distro on it as well. Plus, windows.
i have three partitions. sda6 is the old Linux disro. sda7 is the old PCLinuxOS install. The third partition is windows.

Okay, I select sda6 and mount it as root. I select sda7 and mount it as /home. I then toggle both drives to be formatted as ext3. I then reboot the utility (it tells me to do this), use existing partitions.  sda7 comes up as ext2.  When i go to format, sda7 will not format and errors out.

Ineed to keep the windows partition intact. all I want to do is install PCLinuxOS to sda6 (/) and sda7 (/home)

I do recall changing the hard drive partition (that currently holds PCLinuxOS KDE 3.5 on it) from ext2 to ext3.  Can't remember why this was done,but it cleared up an earlier problem.

[T6]

did you do a complete backup? be sure because when you paly with partition creation and formating partitions things can be dangerous

can you wipe those partitions?  the ones involved with the 2010.12?  the rest leave them intact

create a / with around 10 gbs(more depending on what you install), a swap with 2 gbs(more if you have more ram) and /home with the rest of free space available

/ can be ext4, /home too and swap is swap

"I do recall changing the hard drive partition (that currently holds PCLinuxOS KDE 3.5 on it) from ext2 to ext3.  Can't remember why this was done,but it cleared up an earlier problem"

ext2?  how old is this installation?  i am using ext3 since 2005!  never used ext2 in my life, better wipe that partition because it could have errors, ext2 shouldn't be used for /, never especially when ext3 and ext4 are available

[nixer]

I don't know if this will help but I doubt it will hurt...

Whenever I have a problem with partitions and partitioning, I use a gparted boot disk to get the partitions like I want them.  Then I install with a PCLOS livecd.

[Georgetoon]

did you do a complete backup? be sure because when you paly with partition creation and formating partitions things can be dangerous

can you wipe those partitions?  the ones involved with the 2010.12?  the rest leave them intact

create a / with around 10 gbs(more depending on what you install), a swap with 2 gbs(more if you have more ram) and /home with the rest of free space available

/ can be ext4, /home too and swap is swap

"I do recall changing the hard drive partition (that currently holds PCLinuxOS KDE 3.5 on it) from ext2 to ext3.  Can't remember why this was done,but it cleared up an earlier problem"

ext2?  how old is this installation?  i am using ext3 since 2005!  never used ext2 in my life, better wipe that partition because it could have errors, ext2 shouldn't be used for /, never especially when ext3 and ext4 are available

Thanks, T6.

I don't know what I did but I'm up and running.  I went to "Type" in the utility, and selected ext3 for both.  Then i rebooted.  When it came up the second time, it asked me to create new partitions.   The first came up as sda3 and I named it root and and made it primary.  The second came up as sda6 and I named it /home and made it extended. Once that was taken care of, formatting and installation was quite smooth.

I'm running now. Hang on gonna check something...

Yeah, root and home are both mounted and running.   Also, the Windows hard drive is coming up in Dolphin. Not sure if I want that.

But, goodbye KDE 3.5, hello KDE 4.5

now for the update and getting some software installed.

[T6]

the windows partition is being automounted?

can't remember how to tell it not to do that, probably in pcc where you set up partitions

if you don't want to see that partition, don't know if that is possible, never done that

i personally like to have available ntfs partitions to clean some things

[Georgetoon]

the windows partition is being automounted?

can't remember how to tell it not to do that, probably in pcc where you set up partitions

if you don't want to see that partition, don't know if that is possible, never done that

i personally like to have available ntfs partitions to clean some things

Actually, I prefer having it there.  If I don't want it, I';l just use dolphin to unmount.

PCLinuxOS is absolutely amazing!!  Once I got the hard drive partitioned and formatted, PCLinuxOS took care of the rest!  Really amazing! 

the only slight downside is that the laptop only has 1 gig of memory.  it's an Acer Asprie 9300 17 inch laptop. I need to upgrade the meomry and am looking for replacement.

Is there any difference between memory marked DDR2 PC2-5300 and DDR2 PC2 4200?  My memory, according to one supper is the former.  a friend told me that the latter is compatible.

[T6]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DDR2_SDRAM#Specification_standards

if you mix them the faster one(ddr2 pc2 5300 at 667) will speed down to match the slower one so both will run at 533

sometimes you can't mix brands on laptops, ddr2 is very friendly on this but i have seen cases so if you can buy the same brand you already have that is good, if not a samsung, toshiba or markvision are very compatible on this

[Georgetoon]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DDR2_SDRAM#Specification_standards

if you mix them the faster one(ddr2 pc2 5300 at 667) will speed down to match the slower one so both will run at 533

sometimes you can't mix brands on laptops, ddr2 is very friendly on this but i have seen cases so if you can buy the same brand you already have that is good, if not a samsung, toshiba or markvision are very compatible on this

thanks, T6!:) I went with 533. Two dimms.  Both 533.  I have two slots, so I'm going to pull out the two 512 dimms and replace both with the new 2 GB dimms. Ordered them today.  I'm hoping they arrive by Friday.

[T6]

excellent decision, but in this case if possible i would choose the faster memory if the laptop supports it, if not you did the right choice

a friend's laptop has only 512 and i added 1 gb more, system performed wonderfully in vista and pclinux with it, maybe you don't need two, only one?  this depends on your usage so it is just a idea

[Georgetoon]

excellent decision, but in this case if possible i would choose the faster memory if the laptop supports it, if not you did the right choice

a friend's laptop has only 512 and i added 1 gb more, system performed wonderfully in vista and pclinux with it, maybe you don't need two, only one?  this depends on your usage so it is just a idea

The memory was cheap.  I was thinking that I 'd like to buy a new laptop sometime this year. but PCLinuxOS breathed new life into this laptop! The memoryshould really give it a boost for my blogging and comics editing when I'm on the road.  The only thing I need to do is buy a new cover for the screen as it's cracked by the hinge. I'm holding it together with duct tape. 

[T6]

oh duct tape!





what would we do without you?!?

[kernowyon]

The memory was cheap.  I was thinking that I 'd like to buy a new laptop sometime this year. but PCLinuxOS breathed new life into this laptop! The memoryshould really give it a boost for my blogging and comics editing when I'm on the road.  The only thing I need to do is buy a new cover for the screen as it's cracked by the hinge. I'm holding it together with duct tape. 

Slightly off topic, but is this an Acer laptop?
The crack I guess is on the top right of the "lid" if it is closed - i.e by the hinge?

Just interested, because I have seen several Acers with this exact same problem - including my own (which has actually had a chunk broken completely away now after a couple of years of being cracked). I still use it, but dare not shut the lid!

Mark

[T6]

the worst that can happen is that the whole screen breaks, a replacement in this case is possible including screen and exterior but probably will be cheaper to buy a new laptop

the rest? convert the remnants into a desktop pc

or use tons of duct tape!

[Georgetoon]

kernowyon and T6,

Yep! it's an Acer Aspire series 9300.  The crack is exactly where you describe it.  On the hinge of the lid, but on the left hand side when you close it in front you.

I could get the cover for about 80 bucks. but I now see that the inside casing is cracking.  This means even a bit more for parts.  So, it's duct tape for now and opening and closing it with some caution. 

I'll be looking for a new laptop and plan on getting a PCLinuxOS laptop from Weric at linpc.us/.

[kernowyon]

kernowyon and T6,

Yep! it's an Acer Aspire series 9300.  The crack is exactly where you describe it.  On the hinge of the lid, but on the left hand side when you close it in front you.

I could get the cover for about 80 bucks. but I now see that the inside casing is cracking.  This means even a bit more for parts.  So, it's duct tape for now and opening and closing it with some caution.  

I'll be looking for a new laptop and plan on getting a PCLinuxOS laptop from Weric at linpc.us/.

From a spot of googling, it seems to be the hinge which is tight which causes the issue with the cracks. If it hasn't actually gone completely, there are some comments about easing the hinges and then supergluing the crack. Mine is perhaps a bit too far gone - there is a 1" chunk sat on my little tray - but I might see if I can bodge it back together. Otherwise, once it finally fails totally, I will use it connected to a monitor as a slimline desktop machine.
Hopefully at some point I will be able to get a new lappie, but here in the UK, getting a machine without Windows is almost impossible and I begrudge giving Microsoft any of my cash to simply wipe and install PCLOS!

Mark