Installation report

[Lucio M Nicolosi]

Charlie Kravetz wrote:
> On Tue, 17 Feb 2009 16:48:01 -0700
> Deborah <miles.deborah at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>   
>> Package: installation-reports
>>
>> Boot method: CD
>> Image version: http://ubuntu.cs.utah.edu/releases/intrepid/ 
>> ubuntu-8.10-desktop-i386.iso
>> Date: Several times around Feb 11 '09 to Feb 17 '09
>>
>> Machine: A beige-colored tower.  A logo on the front says 'Sunpower  
>> Computing'
>> Processor: Pentium3 1Ghz
>> Memory: 512 MB
>> Partitions: A single, empty, UNIX-format partition.  If I remember  
>> correctly, we named it 'Linux.'  Either that or 'Ubuntu.'
>>
>> Output of lspci -nn and lspci -vnn: (No idea what that is.)
>>
>> Base System Installation Checklist:
>> [O] = OK, [E] = Error (please elaborate below), [ ] = didn't try it
>>
>> Initial boot:           [O]
>> Detect network card:    [ ]
>> Configure network:      [ ]
>> Detect CD:              [O]
>> Load installer modules: [ ]
>> Detect hard drives:     [E]
>> Partition hard drives:  [ ]
>> Install base system:    [ ]
>> Clock/timezone setup:   [ ]
>> User/password setup:    [ ]
>> Install tasks:          [ ]
>> Install boot loader:    [ ]
>> Overall install:        [E]
>>
>> Comments/Problems: When it gets to step 4 of 7, the partitioner, it  
>> brings up a list of devices, which is blank.
>>
>> We bought a used computer, with the hard drive completely wiped.  We  
>> tried giving it a blank partition, in case the installer needed one,  
>> even making it UNIX format because it sounded like it had the best  
>> chance of working, and working well, with a *nix system.  The hard  
>> drive is set as the master, and is detected by the BIOS and
>> something called Ultimate Boot CD.  It is a 20 gig IBM 'DeskStar'
>> Hard Drive. The computer boots from the CD without a problem.  CD
>> test found no problems.  I've been looking through the installation
>> guide for answers with no luck yet.
>>     
>
> Check the IDE drive cables. If the cables used to connect the drive to
> the motherboard are not 80-wire cables connected correctly (long end to
> motherboard), 8.10 has issues seeing the hard drive. 
>
>   
80 wire cable on a 20 gig HD? I doubt this is the problem.

These are the specs.:

IBM DeskStar 40GV
Mfr P/N: 07N3924
Formatted Capacity: 20GB
Interface: 40-pin ATA      <<---
Data Transfer Rates: 100MB/s (UATA)
Average Seek Times: 9.5ms
Buffer Size: 512KB
Rotational Speed: 5400rpm

It seems you are using the Desktop CD. Try to remove the option "quiet" 
from the boot command line (F6, I guess), to be able to see what's going on.

Perhaps you could try a partition editor like GParted to clean the disk 
at first:

http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=115843&package_id=271779

IF the disk is not dead GParted will probably "see" it, (and partition 
it, at least one root, one home and one swap - ext2 or 3 format). Then 
it might be a matter of fiddling with the boot parameters at the CD boot 
screen. (My system needs a "pci=nomsi" parameter to find the disk, but 
it is a much different situation - SATA, etc..)

(Ever thought about buying a slightly better disk, say a Seagate 40 gig? 
Old disks tend to die soon).

L.


-- 

-- 
Lucio M. Nicolosi, Eng. - São Paulo - Brazil
Lat.:  23°34'4.79"S - Long.: 46°39'59.53"W
email: lmnicolosi at gmail.com - skype: lmnicolosi1
Linux Registered User #481505 - http://counter.li.org/