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Trouble installing Red Hat Linux.

Started by Utwo Nov 8, 2002 at 9:52 AM 8 replies 250+ views

Original Post

Nov 8, 2002 at 9:52 AM

Okay, so I'm trying to install Red Hat Linux 6.1. Most of it went pretty smoothly. I choose GNOME. I created two new partitions, one for the Linux Swap (150MB) and another for the Linux files (7GB). Then, I continue to answer the configuration questions as best as I can after the packages install. However, something always goes wrong: 1. About half the time, I get the "Formatting / File Sysem..._" screen and it just sits there with the cursor blinking for ages and ages. 2. At one point, I got all the way through but then it told me that some of my configuration settings were invalid and I had to start over. 3. A few times I tried the install, the screen crapped out and looked like a jumbled mess of colored squares on a mostly black background. It kinda reminded me of how some NES games would look when the connectors were dusty. The worst part is that I can't boot Windows now, either. When I remove the startup disk and Linux CD from their drives, to let it boot from the HDD, I get a screen full of "01 01 01 01." I tried calling Windows from the boot disk by typeing "C:" then "cd windows" then "win," but then it said it can't find HIMEM.SYS and to make sure it is in the WIndows folder. Assuming that my BIOS was confused by the presence of two OS's on my system (since Linux didn't finish installing, I didn't get a LILO prompt), I tried to use fdisk to delete the Linux partitions. Fdisk asks me if I want to enable large HDD support. I select "Y" and I get a blank screen with a cursor that stays there for ages. Sooo...then I booted from the Linux CD-ROM. I choose to partition manually and deleted the Linux partitions, but I believe that upon saving those partitions, two more were automatically created for the Linux install -- which was confirmed when I re-booted off that CD-ROM and saw that there were indeed two Linux partitions there of sizes I did not specify. Sooo....I figured the best way to go from here is to try installing Linux all the way so I can change the LILO to recognize windows and go from there. No luck. Got the same results as above. Now, I don't know anything about my monitor. I tried specifying Generic Monitor. My video card wasn't listed (it's an eVGA Geforce2 MX200) and so I chose "Unlisted Card." I also tried defining a custom Monitor, but I bought my monitor off of ebay and it came with no documentation. I have NO idea what my vertical refresh rate is, and even if Windows would tell me, I can't check now. I choose 1024x768 16-bit as my only resoution, because I know that's one that I will use and that my card can handle. The only think I had to guess at (and this may be the source of my problem) is which X-Server to choose. The Linux book I bought did not tell me anything about this screen in the Installation chapter. The items on the list sounded like video modes. There was SVGA, AGI, S3, 3dNow, and some others. Does anyone know which one I should be choosing? I chose SVGA because it sounded like a standard display type to me. My wrong choice, however, may have resulted in the jumbled colors and such. Please help! Side note: Why is S3 on the list of video card but nVidia is not? If I remember correctly, S3 was a 3DFX thing, no? [edited by - utwo on November 8, 2002 11:02:24 AM]

AnonymousPosterChild

Nov 8, 2002 at 9:58 AM

What distro are you using? Linux is just the kernel, not the OS.

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Ever find this beachboys record at a pawn shop for 2 dollars, then you buy it, only to remember you don''t like the beachboys?

Utwo

Nov 8, 2002 at 10:02 AM

Oh jeeze I''m sorry. I don''t know where my head is. It''s Red Hat.

I''ll edit my original topic.

Cyberdrek

Nov 8, 2002 at 11:19 AM

quote:
Original post by Utwo
Oh jeeze I''m sorry. I don''t know where my head is. It''s Red Hat.

I''ll edit my original topic.

What version, what hardware do you have in your computer, etc...

Lets clear something up, when you ask for help( I''m not just talking about you, I''m talking about everybody that ain''t technical ), here''s what people need to know:

1- Operating system ( be extremely precise. There are about 200 Linux distros around, at least 8 versions of Windows, about 10 Unix versions still in circulation, there''s a couple of versions of VMS, about 6 versions of Novell, etc.. )
2- Your computer system specs( all of them, not just "Oh my computer is a compaq pressario blah blah blah." I DON''T work for compaq, dell, gateway and most people here don''t either
3- What the problem is( Be verry precise. Error numbers are good along with the exact explanation from the computer. Not put in your own words. Alot of troubleshooters know the error messages and are able to trouble shoot it properly if given the right one. )

Keep in mind when you ask for help that we aren''t in front of your computer and we can''t guess what happened to it unless you tell us what you did precisely...

[Cyberdrek | the last true sorcerer | Spirit Mage - mutedfaith.com]

Yann L

Nov 8, 2002 at 11:34 AM

A few things:

* there is something very bizarre with your partioning. Linux will never create some partitions just for fun, it will always ask you and you''ll have to confirm. It won''t touch your Windows partition either, nor the MBR, unless you asked for it.

* Another important point: It is pretty dangerous to play around with advanced partitioning tools without knowing what exactly you do. It can lead to instantaneous and complete loss of data. If something screws up with your partitions, do not try to install new things. Your partioning must be 100% working and consistent, before attempting to install an OS.

* About the video drivers: There is no default nVidia driver for GeForce cards. You have to use the standard VGA xserver, download the current Linux graphics drivers from nVidia''s driver page, and install them afterwards.

* Don''t choose a graphics chipset just because ''it used to be the same manufacturer, or is similar''. To 99.9%, it won''t work. More important: don''t choose just some random monitor. You have to know the vertical frequency limits of your monitor, or at least the brand. Selecting a frequency above the limit will screw up your display, and in the worst case (if you have an older monitor) permanently damage your monitor.

Utwo

Nov 8, 2002 at 11:42 AM

No offense, Cyberdrek , but did you really have any intention on helping when you clicked on this topic? Or did you just want an opportunity to bitch about newbies? All of your questions were answered by my original post.

1. The OS is Red Hat Linux 6.1, as my post indicates.

2. The specs of my computer that pertain to installing the operating system were also listed, to the best of my knowledge (The video card is an eVGA with a GeForce2 MX200 chipset. The monitor is unknown as I've bought it off of eBay and there is no documentation for it). If you must know, I have a AMD Duron 1GHz processor, WD 80GB 7200 RPM HDD, an MSI K7T Turbo Motherboard, SB Live! 5.1 Sound Card, a Microsoft USB Optical Mouse. However, I don't understand how any of this information is pertainant.

3. I included a detailed description of each error I received. #1 was in the exact words, #2 was not however I can't duplicate that error, and #3 wansn't a text error message.

Jesus. Is this what bullies are like in the tech world?

[edited by - utwo on November 8, 2002 12:43:33 PM]

Utwo

Nov 8, 2002 at 11:48 AM

quote:
Original post by Yann L
A few things:

* there is something very bizarre with your partioning. Linux will never create some partitions just for fun, it will always ask you and you'll have to confirm. It won't touch your Windows partition either, nor the MBR, unless you asked for it.

* Another important point: It is pretty dangerous to play around with advanced partitioning tools without knowing what exactly you do. It can lead to instantaneous and complete loss of data. If something screws up with your partitions, do not try to install new things. Your partioning must be 100% working and consistent, before attempting to install an OS.

* About the video drivers: There is no default nVidia driver for GeForce cards. You have to use the standard VGA xserver, download the current Linux graphics drivers from nVidia's driver page, and install them afterwards.

Thanks for the help. I chose Unlisted Video Card, SVGA for the x-server and Generic Monitor. It looks like I will have to choose a standard vga for the x server? Also, my monitor brand was not on the list. Since Generic didn't work, I should probably try to figure out the specs and use a custom setting.

As for the partitioning, I have no idea what the hell happened. Here's EXACTLY what I did:

I followed the directions exactly as outlined in the book. I left the FAT32 partition alone. I added a Native partition (mount '/', 7GB, not growable, Native) and a Swap partition (150MB, not growable, Linux Swap). I hit okay, and continued with the install.

After the install didn't work, I restarted the computer. With the startup disk and boot CD removed, nothing would boot up. That's when I got a screen full of "01 01 01 01 01." I figured I created some sort of conflict. I booted with the Win98 startup disk and tried to run fdisk to remove the Linux partitions. I got a blank screen with a cursor after the "Enable Large Disk Support?" screen. So, I booted up the CD and began the instal again. Once I got to the partition screen, I hit "partition manually" and removed the two Linux partitions. I then hit "Back", thensaved the partition table, restarted the computer (with boot CD and startup disk removed) and then got the "01 01 01 01" again. I then thought that perhaps the deletion didn't work, so I booted up with the CD again, opted to partition manually, and there were two Linux partitions there of sizes that I did not specify.

It seems to me that the only way to fix this is to successfully install Red Hat, and edit LILO to recognize Windows again. The FAT32 partition is still there -- intact. I just can't get at it.

[edited by - utwo on November 8, 2002 1:02:22 PM]

Sand_Hawk

Nov 8, 2002 at 1:04 PM

When my Linux install fubarred, and I couln''t boot into windows I booted from a Win98 bootdisk, and ran "fdisk /mbr". It wiped the MBR and I could boot perfect again. You can always try that, but I''m not responsible if it fubars. It is at your own risk.

Sand Hawk

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neurokaotix

Nov 8, 2002 at 1:29 PM

be a man and install a *bsd dist.

MindEngine Developer Network

Utwo

Nov 8, 2002 at 2:15 PM

FreeBDS is next.

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