Re: install fails during formatting

[Chuck Hawks <charlesh compu net>]

"Johnston, Steve" wrote:
> 
> I've tried at least 20 times now to get RED HAT 5.2 installed on a DELL PC. (Yes, I am an idiot).

Na, just lucky

> 
> These install attempts invariably hang during formatting after displaying "Running -- Making ext2 filesystem on dev/hda5"(or on dev/hdc2, or whatever partition I am trying to format)).  At that point the only way out is with the power switch.
> 
> It happens during custom installs with various partitioning schemes.  It happens with "workstation" install exercises.  It happens with either of two hard drives installed, or with both of them installed.
> 
> Note: The boot disk successfully boots the system.  The CD-ROM is accessible, and is successfully  scanned for packages during the pre-lockup stage of the install.  The partition table is readable by fdisk and by disk druid.  (In fact, I can clear the partition table via fdisk, and then write the changes. Then, after a typical failed workstation install attempt, when I look at the partition table again, I see that the workstation install process made 4 entries in the partition table (a 17 meg boot partition, a swap partition, a large linux ext partition, and a native linux partition).  I can if I wish, format and install DOS with no problems on either of the hard drives.

Ok, did the system have dos on it originally? If so, did you remove the
partions with fdisk for DOS? then create your Linux partions with fdisk
for Linux? If you didn't delete DOS partions and just put Linux on those
(even after udeleteing and creating with linuv) DOS might thonk they are
'owned' by that OS and Linux might also. Had that problem once, cleaned
up the fdisk/fdisk confusion and installed fine. (I get Signal 7's and
11', but thats MB/Mem problems on install/upgrades) 


SNIP

> Help! Any suggestions before I toss either RED HAT or the PC?

I could try to catch the PC <grin>

> 
> Hardware:
> I have now reduced the DELL XM950 (a P-90) to a minimal hardware configuration.
> 
> RAM:48 Meg
> VIDE0: S3 Chipset of some sort;
> 
> Hard Drive 0: Primary IDE -- 535 Meg Western Digital Caviar 2540
> (disconnected at the moment)Hard Drive 1: Secondary IDE -- 1.032 Gig Quantum Fireball 1080A
> 
> CD-ROM ( On Primary IDE)

I had some problems with only one drive (Quantum 2.5 Gig Bigfoot) and my
CD on the same IDE> I still have problems, but the format/problem seemed
to go away when I put the HD on the primary IDE as Master, ont the CD on
the Secondary IDE Master. I think it was a timing problem between the HD
and CD. I could be wrong (Been know to happen many times)

> 
> Thanks!  Steve
> 
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-- 
Chuck Hawks
Greenfield, TN, USA-NA
Linux GNUbie since November 1998
Red Hat 5.2 - Netscape 4.51