[Bug 1074030] Re: installer 11.10 (&12.04) crashes: Apt Configuration Problem

[Noor]

Case resolved:

It turned out the new hdd on which I was trying to install Ubuntu was too big (500Gb) for my (un-updated) BIOS. This resulted in multiple versions of Ubuntu-installers crashing.
I was able to install Debian7 + Gnome3, but it wasn't working properly. The system would freeze regularly, or not start up at all without a manual fsck. The following errors were given:
"ata3.00 revalidation failed"
"fsck died with exit status 4"
"fsck died with exit status 8"

I have now succesfully installed Ubuntu 12.04.1 on an old 60Gb hdd, and
I'm using the new 500Gb hdd in a casing as an external drive.

Another option - I've been told - is to update BIOS, but I haven't had
the time (and courage) so far.


Thanks
Regards
Noor


PS 
I think it would be nice (if possible) if the installer gave more information about why it crashed. If there is a way for the installer to detect the compatibility of (the capacity of) the hdd and the BIOS, that would be great. It would have saved me a lot of time (and it may save others spending money trying to fix something that isn't really broken).

The errors that were given in Debian didn't clearly point towards this issue either. They were interpreted by multiple experts like "the disk is broken", "the SATA-connection is not working", "might be the motherboard" etc. I almost went to buy a new laptop...
IF it's possible for the installer to check the BIOS and its compatibility with other parts of the pc, that would be great.

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1074030

Title:
  installer 11.10 (&12.04) crashes: Apt Configuration Problem

Status in “ubiquity” package in Ubuntu:
  Incomplete

Bug description:
  I'm trying to install Xubuntu/Ubuntu. I tried
  - Ubuntu 12.04 Desktop 32 bits iso on bootable USB
  - Ubuntu 12.04 Alternate 32 on bootable USB
  - Xubuntu 12.04 Desktop on bootable USB
  - Xubuntu 12.04 Alternate on bootable USB
  - Xubuntu 11.10 Desktop op bootable USB

  All of those installers crash: 
  The Desktops crash when installing the system (usually around configuring apt/creating user)
  (Error) messages: 
  1.Apt Configuration Problem - An attempt to configure apt to install additional packages from the CD failed
  2.Installation finished (Restart now/Continue testing)
  3.We're sorry, the installer has crashed

  Once the Desktop installer (Xubuntu 12.04) got much further than all the other times, but then I got the error message
  "Unable to install GRUB in /dev/sda
  Executing 'grub-install /dev/sda failed. This is a fatal error"

  
  Alternate installers:
  error about not being able to find files on my CD-ROM.
  My CD-ROM drive doesn't work properly, that's why I use USB.

  
  I am installing on a new internal HDD. 
  sudo smartctl -a /dev/sda     did not reveal any problems with the HDD

  Every time I made 
  1 root partition:   /   (10,000MB)
  1 swap area (6,000MB)
  1 /home (the rest, about 484,000MB)

  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.10
  Package: ubiquity 2.8.7
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.0.0-12.20-generic 3.0.4
  Uname: Linux 3.0.0-12-generic i686
  ApportVersion: 1.23-0ubuntu3
  Architecture: i386
  CasperVersion: 1.287
  Date: Thu Nov  1 16:22:23 2012
  LiveMediaBuild: Xubuntu 11.10 "Oneiric Ocelot" - Release i386 (20111012)
  ProcEnviron:
   PATH=(custom, no user)
   LANG=en_US.UTF-8
   SHELL=/bin/bash
  SourcePackage: ubiquity
  UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

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