Drakelive craps out

[steveblezy]

I will give that a try. First thing is I am doing a fresh burn at the slowest speed possible in an effort to eliminate any errors there. I will then boot up the livecd and log in as root. I am assuming that you want me to open a terminal as root and try to run 'diskdrake'. If there is any output, I will post it here.
Steve

[steveblezy]

OK, booted the live cd, logout as guest, logged back in as root. I opened the terminal and typed diskdrake. below is the output

[root@localhost root]# drakdisk
Warning: /dev/sdb contains GPT signatures, indicating that it has a GPT table.  However, it does not have a valid fake msdos partition table, as it should.  Perhaps it was corrupted -- possibly by a program that doesn't understand GPT partition tables.  Or perhaps you deleted the GPT table, and are now using an msdos partition table.  Is this a GPT partition table?
Error: The backup GPT table is corrupt, but the primary appears OK, so that will be used.
Warning: Not all of the space available to /dev/sdb appears to be used, you can fix the GPT to use all of the space (an extra 708335600 blocks) or continue with the current setting?
Warning: /dev/sdb contains GPT signatures, indicating that it has a GPT table.  However, it does not have a valid fake msdos partition table, as it should.  Perhaps it was corrupted -- possibly by a program that doesn't understand GPT partition tables.  Or perhaps you deleted the GPT table, and are now using an msdos partition table.  Is this a GPT partition table?
Error: The backup GPT table is corrupt, but the primary appears OK, so that will be used.
Warning: Not all of the space available to /dev/sdb appears to be used, you can fix the GPT to use all of the space (an extra 708335600 blocks) or continue with the current setting?
1 /dev/sdb1 fat32 normal (40,409639,409600)2 /dev/sdb2  normal (409640,268173271,267763632)$VAR1 = {
          'part_number' => '1',
          'fs_type' => 'fat32',
          'pt_type' => 186,
          'size' => '409600',
          'start' => '40',
          'real_device' => '/dev/sdb1'
        };
$VAR2 = {
          'part_number' => '2',
          'fs_type' => '',
          'pt_type' => 186,
          'size' => '267763632',
          'start' => '409640',
          'real_device' => '/dev/sdb2'
        };
INTERNAL ERROR: unknown device sdb2
MDK::Common::Various::internal_error() called from /usr/lib/libDrakX/devices.pm:176
devices::entry() called from /usr/lib/libDrakX/devices.pm:191
devices::make() called from /usr/lib/libDrakX/fs/type.pm:277
fs::type::call_blkid() called from /usr/lib/libDrakX/fs/type.pm:285
fs::type::type_subpart_from_magic() called from /usr/lib/libDrakX/fsedit.pm:271
fsedit::get_hds() called from /usr/sbin/drakdisk:74
[root@localhost root]#

While running the live cd, I can view all of the contents of all existing partitions of the currently installs PCLOS (the kde 4.2 install). Regarding that install, when I boot it up, it goes as normal until I log in to my user, this is where the problem begins with that install (and it may explain the errors). At the splash screen, it freezes after the third icon is drawn. After a while a window opens issuing a message that the /temp is full. Once I hit ok, it takes me to a blank screen with a flashing cursor. At this point, no input is accepted at all. There is no way to halt the system. I have to then power down the computer with the reset button. The next time I boot the system, it does an error check on the hard-drives as a result of the hard power off that I had to do earilier. There are no usb devises plugged in at this time. It is a dual boot machine with a WinXP install. The WinXP OS boots and runs without an issue.

Steve

[Old-Polack]

steveblezy:

From a root terminal on the liveCD, enter the following command;

[root@localhost ~]# fdisk -l            <Enter>    <-- That's a lower case L not a number 1

Post your results.

Also, read the following link, as the problem is the same.

http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,71063.msg584128.html#msg584128

Start with the opening Reply #7, with similar results to what you just posted, and continue to the end.

[steveblezy]

interesting thing regarding the existing kde 4.2 install. I can boot into the root user without the hangup that I get when i boot into my main user account.

Not sure if this help at all.

Steve

[steveblezy]

ok, going to give that a try. I was posting while you were posting. Rebooting the live CD

[steveblezy]

ok, rebooted the live cd. Logged out as guest and logged in as root.

Opened terminal-Super User Mode

typed [root@localhost ~]$ fdisk -l
copy paste and believe it or not, below is the result. i tried a few variations with the spaces- same results.

[root@localhost root]# [root@localhost ~]$ fdisk -l
bash: [root@localhost: command not found
[root@localhost root]#

Still reading the other thread and the links
Steve

[steveblezy]

I could try something. Seeing that my kde 4.2 install is still on the system, I could boot it up, lo/g in as root and run the same command in the terminal. I expect that it will provide the same information that we are looking for. worth a try. what do you think

Steve

[steveblezy]

Crap, I got the command wrong.

All I needed was fdisk -l

here is is from the root of the existing 4.2 install

Disk /dev/sda: 320.1 GB, 320071851520 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 38913 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x0003fbbc

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *           1       12748   102398278+   7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2           12749       38913   210170362+   5  Extended
/dev/sda5           12749       13767     8185086   83  Linux
/dev/sda6           13768       14276     4088511   82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda7           14277       38913   197896671   83  Linux

WARNING: GPT (GUID Partition Table) detected on '/dev/sdb'! The util fdisk doesn't support GPT. Use GNU Parted.


Disk /dev/sdb: 500.1 GB, 500106780160 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x824282bd

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdb1   *           1       60801   488384001   83  Linux

I expect that it is the same info that we would get from the live cd.

Will double check it

Steve

[steveblezy]

i just fired up the live cd and ran the same command. the output was the same.

steve

[Old-Polack]

Crap, I got the command wrong.

All I needed was fdisk -l

here is is from the root of the existing 4.2 install

Disk /dev/sda: 320.1 GB, 320071851520 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 38913 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x0003fbbc

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *           1       12748   102398278+   7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2           12749       38913   210170362+   5  Extended
/dev/sda5           12749       13767     8185086   83  Linux
/dev/sda6           13768       14276     4088511   82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda7           14277       38913   197896671   83  Linux

WARNING: GPT (GUID Partition Table) detected on '/dev/sdb'! The util fdisk doesn't support GPT. Use GNU Parted.


Disk /dev/sdb: 500.1 GB, 500106780160 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x824282bd

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdb1   *           1       60801   488384001   83  Linux

I expect that it is the same info that we would get from the live cd.

Will double check it

Steve

Same results, and what we need. I don't know where these GPT partition tables are coming from. As stated in the other thread, this is supposed to be Intel's solution to drives larger than 2 TB in size. It certainly has no place on a 500 GB hard drive. With what tool was the sdb1 partition created? Whatever is creating them, they are not being created as either a proper GPT, or DOS, partition, hence the long error message.

The solution is to repartition the drive, using a proper DOS partition table. Not knowing what GUI tool is doing this, I would avoid them all, and repartition it with fdisk.

As to the existing installation, when the / partition is "full" thinks lock up. What you need to know is that the drive is not full for root. The partition reserves 5% of it's space as working room for root, to correct this condition. You need to find where all the extra garbage is located and delete it. Start by emptying /tmp. Also delete anything in .trash. Check the size of the logs in /var/log and look in /root to see what's in there. Somewhere in / you should be able to eliminate a few GB of unneeded junk, after which you should be able to log in as your normal user again.

[steveblezy]

Ok, I will start looking into deleting all of that stuff. if memory serves correct, when i first set up the system, I installed windows first. then i used a live cd for PCLOS and ran the normal install procedure. 'use spare space (whatever it was called), resized the windows partition and installed PCLOS. It was a run of the mill installation. Took about 15 min in total. I then used grub for the boot manager and was up and running with no issues at all. i will try to use the live cd to delete the  .trash.

If it all goes sideways, I will just have to wipe the entire hard drive and install windows again, then try installing PCLOS and start from scratch again. Seeing that the problem lies with
/dev/sda1   *           1       12748   102398278+   7  HPFS/NTFS
And it is the windows partition, i am assuming the repartitioning it will probably nuke the windows install. like i said before, i am not a software engineer and some of this stuff is completely above my head.

time to pull out the usb drives and perpare for whatever happens

steve

[Old-Polack]

Ok, I will start looking into deleting all of that stuff. if memory serves correct, when i first set up the system, I installed windows first. then i used a live cd for PCLOS and ran the normal install procedure. 'use spare space (whatever it was called), resized the windows partition and installed PCLOS. It was a run of the mill installation. Took about 15 min in total. I then used grub for the boot manager and was up and running with no issues at all. i will try to use the live cd to delete the  .trash.

If it all goes sideways, I will just have to wipe the entire hard drive and install windows again, then try installing PCLOS and start from scratch again. Seeing that the problem lies with
/dev/sda1   *           1       12748   102398278+   7  HPFS/NTFS
And it is the windows partition, i am assuming the repartitioning it will probably nuke the windows install. like i said before, i am not a software engineer and some of this stuff is completely above my head.

time to pull out the usb drives and perpare for whatever happens

steve

The problem is not with /dev/sda1, but with /dev/sdb, the entire partition table is wrong on the second hard drive.

[steveblezy]

ok. That drive was partitioned with PCLOS and the drake tool about 1-2 years ago.

I managed to boot into my used account on the 4.2 install. There was just a few text files in the .temp folder and there was only 1 text file in the trash. now i need to figure out how to repartition the problematic partition in question.

Currently backing up everything.

seeing that the problem is with the 'second hard-drive', i could also try unplugging the silly thing and see if the install process want to run. Now that i am back into my used account, i will do a little looking around with drake tools and verify the data and hd's and stuff just to wrap my head around the mapping.

Steve

[Old-Polack]

steveblezy:

Is the second drive internal, or external USB?

[steveblezy]

It is internal. Been using it for a few years. Now that I am back in my user account, I can fire off the details.

Mount point /mnt/sdb1
device sdb1
type Linux native (0x83)
start sector 63
size 465gb
partition booted my default
    (for MS_DOS boot,not lilo)

According to the color code, it comes up as 'other'

Steve