[SOLVED] Partitions

mamaforestcritter · Yesterday 01:39:11

Hi, can someone point me in the direction of where i can find concise , understandable requirements for setting partitions? I have a dell precision T5600 with a broken windows os and a defective debian install, nothing bootable. I have gotten to the partition portion of the install and I keep getting messages that writing to my partition has failed. Originally i did not have a designated root mount. I have fixed that. I'm sure there is something I am missing in how my partitions are set. I have tried to look this information up but what I am finding doesn't seem to relate precisely to the partition menu in the devuan installer. What should my partitions look like? How big? What color underwear! Ghaaah!

Dutch_Master · Yesterday 01:49:10

Why are you installing manually? Just use the automated installer, it'll fix pretty much anything.

For underwear,try https://www.lttstore.com

Oh wait, different forum

mamaforestcritter · Yesterday 01:56:38

Now I'm more confused, what do you mean by automated installer? I am using the desktop installer on a usb. It worked perfectly on my son's desktop but mine is having problems. Granted mine was messed up to begin with.

ralph.ronnquist · Yesterday 02:04:07

Hmm I've never seen the installer give the message "writing to my partition failed". Perhaps you could show a photo?

mamaforestcritter · Yesterday 02:37:23

I will post the exact error message as soon as it finishes erasing data on one of my partitions. 42% (I've been fearlessly trying stuff) This computer has been a bit of a nightmare throwing out errors that nobody who knows stuff seems to understand much less me. I had made an installation usb with a laptop that I realized afterward had broken ports that were making corrupted usb files and I haven't been able to install an os since. The fact that I've gotten this far with the installer is already a mini miracle.

mamaforestcritter · Yesterday 05:43:36

Couldn't figure out how to post a picture. Error says.

Failed to create file system
The ext4 file system creation in partition #2 of SCSI8 (0,0,0) (SDA) failed.

settings are:
use as: Ext4 journaling file system
mount point: /
mount options: defaults
label: none
reserved blocks: 5%
typical usage: standard
bootable flag: off

partitions:
SCSI8 (0.0.0) (sda) - 123.0 GB sandisk cruzer glide
primary 4,5 GB free space
#2 primary 33.3 MB f ext4 /
pri/log 1.0 GB free space
#5 logical 111.4 GB
#6 logical 6.1 GB k swap

ralph.ronnquist · Yesterday 06:03:37

33.3 MB for "/" does seem a bit tight, but I'd suspect rather that /dev/sda is write protected.

Use C-A-F2 to get a shell prompt and inspect /var/log/syslog, and also, run "fdisk /dev/sda" to check out the ablility to write. Note that the partition table to be written will reside on the first 1 Mb of the device.

mamaforestcritter · Yesterday 07:33:34

Well that would make sense. I suspect I installed read only files with my corrupted usb. These are my results.

/var/log/syslog:
/bin/sh: /var/log/syslog: Permission denied

fdisk /dev/sda:
This disk is currently in use - repartitioning is probably a bad idea.
It's recomended to unmount all file systems, and swapoff all swap partitions on this disk.
The device contains 'iso9660' signature and it will be removed by a write command. See fdisk(8) man page and --wipe partition for more details.

Last edited by mamaforestcritter (Yesterday 07:34:39)

ralph.ronnquist · Yesterday 08:08:16

1) "/var/log/syslog" is a file. you could use "less /var/log/syslog" to view it.

2) It appears you try to install on the installer USB. Perhaps you meant to install on /dev/sdb rather?

mamaforestcritter · Yesterday 08:41:28

The installer says that #2 primary 33.3 MB f ext4 / is the problem file.

ralph.ronnquist · Yesterday 08:56:05

How does the installer say that? I.e. in what way?

If you are at all interested in getting some help you do need to start reporting actual error messages.

Camtaf · Yesterday 10:32:09

If you intend using the whole disk for Linux, I would start by giving it a new mbr or gpt partition designation, then try installing from your pendrive, to the whole disk.

mamaforestcritter · Yesterday 10:42:27

I was able to wipe my disk in the menu you got me into with the shell prompt. I was then able to install so thank you. It now says no bootable devices but i figure it out.

Altoid · Yesterday 10:43:33

Hello:

... a dell precision T5600 ...
... broken windows os and a defective debian install, nothing bootable.

Right ...

Q1: do you need to recover any glass from that broken window?
ie: data you may need because you don't have/cannot find a back-up.

Q2: do you (for whatever reason) want to double boot on your T5600?

If the answer is no to both, you may want to consider doing a thorough clean-up and run tests before installing Linux.
ie: nuke any/every partiton on the HDD, re-format and run a comprehensive memtest.

From your OP it would seem that you are able to boot from a USB, so I expect that you should be able to get that done without issues.

Once you have your box set up and properly tested you can go ahead and install Devuan on it.

Thrashed Windows installations always leave a lot of crud behind.

Caveat:
Your T5600 is probably BIOS/UEFI so read up on the pertinent instructions for installing Linux on it.
eg:
Things like disabling secure boot, setting SATA to AHCI and boot mode to BIOS or UEFI.

To start off see here:
https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-u … nux-system

Best,

A.

mamaforestcritter · Yesterday 11:09:59

Ive been trying to nuke the computer for some time now but I had no access to a terminal and grub was not responding to commands. None of the instructions I could find could tell me how to do this nuking without a terminal. The wipe command I was able to do earlier seems to have cleaned up enough crud to let me install. Now I can boot with the usb inserted (even though It says to take it out) so I can finally access the terminal. It has bios uefi and legacy. I will read up on that link. Thank you.

Andre4freedom · Yesterday 11:12:34

Considering all that information.....
why not try to do a proper system setup (BIOS/Firmware) and reset ALL settings to default values?
If you truly know about your specifics, you can make some changes after a restart an re-entering the system setup.

Then, start your system with the external USB-stick containing the Devuan installer image.
Go through all steps, and when it comes to the partition setup: let the setup-program erase the disk completely and install the system. I've never seen a case where that doesn't work.
Should you wish to modify the partition setup, you can restart the installer (reboot) and make your modification of the partition-scheme then.
Usually it's okay to have one / (root) partition of at least 50GB, an adequate swap partition (1-2 times the RAM size), and the rest may be /home or a /home and some other partition like /srv.

The installer knows how to figure out the disk-layout, either MBR or GPT. (BIOS-mode or EFI-mode)
Never ever use things in BIOS setup like "secure boot" or "TPM", it brings nothing but grief.

The reason I recommend all this: who knows what that former Windows setup has done to your beautiful computer.

Andre4freedom · Yesterday 11:22:16

And just this:
MBR and EFI mode are fine.
UEFI mode is the devil

MBR disk scheme goes with BIOS-mode
GPT goes with EFI mode

for root (/), /home and /srv, ext4 works really well
Swap partition should be marked as swap by the partiioner.

Avoid "secure-boot", TPM and UEFI mode (these are Windows traps)

And last but not least: if your computer is equipped with ECC RAM modules, enable this feature in the BIOS setup.
Linus Torvalds tells you that. Search the Internet, there are YouTubes on that topic.
Good luck.

steve_v · Today 08:43:08

MBR and EFI mode are fine.
UEFI mode is the devil

This is pure nonsense, you clearly have no idea what you are talking about.

UEFI is a boot mechanism replacing the IBM-PC ROM BIOS bootstrap code and accompanying boot sector (MBR), which dates back to 1983 and is unsuitable for much modern hardware (notably no support for booting from NVME).

EFI is a dedicated partition used to store UEFI entries (or just a strange way of pronouncing UEFI without the "unified" because unknown reasons) much as as BIOS boot used a reserved sector. Nothing more, nothing less.
If you don't use UEFI you won't have and don't need an EFI partition, so saying the former is "the devil" and the latter is not makes no sense.

TPM and Secure Boot have nothing to do with UEFI, beyond the fact that the latter usually needs UEFI support to function as intended.

TPM and Secure Boot are operating system agnostic (so long as that operating system has a signed kernel for the latter), not exclusive to Windows.
They are not "traps" either, in that one can use or not use them as one pleases (unless your OS requires them for installation, which GNU/Linux does not).

TPM is a fairly generic crypto coprocessor and key storage. Secure Boot will use it if it's present, otherwise what you do with it is up to you - just like the rest of your hardware.

"Avoid evil feature" with no technical explanation (besides vague appeals to "youtube" wisdom) is not useful. Worse, it's plain-old FUD.

if your computer is equipped with ECC RAM modules, enable this feature in the BIOS setup.

ECC is a hardware feature, requiring additional chips on memory modules as well as motherboard, CPU (IMC) and BIOS support. Few "consumer" systems have it, and if you do you will know.

Linus Torvalds tells you

Linus says many things.

there are YouTubes on that

There are "YouTubes" on eating laundry detergent, that doesn't make it a good idea.

Last edited by steve_v (Today 09:49:05)

Altoid · Today 11:12:07

Hello:

steve_v wrote:

... "YouTubes" on eating laundry detergent, that doesn't make it a good idea.

8^D !!!
Thanks for the laugh.

Best,

A.

Andre4freedom · Today 11:19:10

Oh ever ranting steve_v,
does it ever come to your mind that this is a forum to help people seeking advice?
You help nobody with your outbursts but poison a nice and good community and forum instead.
And what you shout about is not even always correct.
So if you can help, then help.

steve_v · Today 13:12:57

a forum to help people seeking advice

Why yes, yes it is... Which is why I call out FUD and non-technical hyperbole like the above.

poison a nice and good community

Oh, you mean interrupt the "Everything new is bad, everyone is out to get you, big-software corporations evil" circlejerk? Oops.

if you can help, then help

I do, with researched and tested technical support rather than vague, unsubstantiated "[x] is bad, don't use [x]".

Last edited by steve_v (Today 13:15:03)

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#1 Yesterday 01:39:11

[SOLVED] Partitions

#2 Yesterday 01:49:10

Re: [SOLVED] Partitions

#3 Yesterday 01:56:38

Re: [SOLVED] Partitions

#4 Yesterday 02:04:07

Re: [SOLVED] Partitions

#5 Yesterday 02:37:23

Re: [SOLVED] Partitions

#6 Yesterday 05:43:36

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#7 Yesterday 06:03:37

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#8 Yesterday 07:33:34

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#9 Yesterday 08:08:16

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#10 Yesterday 08:41:28

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