Cannot create a new partition...

English Install/Boot/Login
#1

Hi, at the start I want to say I know only a little about Linux. I use it on virtual machine, but never installed it.
Linux on Virtual Machine work great, but there is a problem that I cannot solve it even with a lot of suggestions from google.

I want is to install openSUSE 13.1 x64 next to Windows 7 Professional x64 on Acer Aspire V3-772G. I burned iso image on dvd, and I start a install process. Everything work great untill he asked to choose partition. The program is showing me no default partition for this instalation (in Polish). When I want to manually create a partition it shows me a error message about partition table…

Partition tool parted can’t read /dev/sda disk partitions…

I had a 3 partitions -Windows System 80 GB, Multimedia 500 GB and Documentary 350 GB. I left a 70 GB of free space only for Linux. When I start to asking people for help they advise me that it can be olny 4 partitions so I delete a Documentary partiton. At this point I have a 2 partitions and a lot of free space on a disc.

Does someone know what is wrong? I really need some help, because I want to have it working and I really want to avoid formatting a whole disc.

#2

First, you can only have four primary partitions on a standard Windows drive; however, if you convert one of the partitions to an extended partition (no need to delete any of the others as long as the total number is four), you can then create the logical partitions you need.

In the openSUSE installer, there is an expert mode which allows you to do this. The steps are:
delete one of the existing partitions
create an extended partition in its place
create a Linux swap partition (normally 1-2 × RAM)
create a / (root) partition (10GB is normally enough but you could go up to 20GB)
create /home on the remainder

You may also have to mount the other Windows partitions at this stage (in earlier versions of openSUSE, you had to do this yourself if you chose expert mode but it may be done for you anyway in current versions).

#3

On 2014-04-27 20:56, caesar wrote:
>
> Hi, at the start I want to say I know only a little about Linux. I use
> it on virtual machine, but never installed it.
> Linux on Virtual Machine work great, but there is a problem that I
> cannot solve it even with a lot of suggestions from google.
>
>
> I want is to install openSUSE 13.1 x64 next to Windows 7 Professional
> x64 on Acer Aspire V3-772G. I burned iso image on dvd, and I start a
> install process. Everything work great untill he asked to choose
> partition. The program is showing me ‘no default partition for this
> instalation (in Polish)’

Well, that unfortunate, because many of us will not be able to
understand those photos. You could try again the installation process
telling it to use English instead… then aborting.

>> Partition tool parted can’t read /dev/sda disk partitions…
> I had a 3 partitions -Windows System 80 GB, Multimedia 500 GB and
> Documentary 350 GB. I left a 70 GB of free space only for Linux. When I
> start to asking people for help they advise me that it can be olny 4
> partitions so I delete a Documentary partiton. ‘At this point’
> (http://scr.hu/0wso/5s17u) I have a 2 partitions and a lot of free
> space on a disc.

To be precise, you can only have 4 primary partitions. The typical
procedure is deleting one, and then create instead an “extended”
partition (the Linux installer can do it). That is a sort of “faked”
partition that inside can contain as many “logical” partitions as needed
(hundreds if you want).

But I do not understand that photo of the partition table you took from
Windows - for two reasons: it is in Polish, and it is Windows parlance :-))

We need to find out how Linux sees those partitions, in English. If you
have any live Linux cd or usb stick, boot it, and run in a terminal:


sudo LANG=C fdisk -l

and take a photo. If it is a graphical live you can connect the internet
from inside and post the text here. If not, make a photo with a camera.

The install DVD will do. Once it starts running, you press ctrl-alt-f1,
or f2, or f3… two or three of them will allows you to type commands,
the rest are just logs.

ctrl-alt-f7 returns to the graphical session.

For a graphical live, I would suggest the one labelled “Rescue” on the
openSUSE download page. Put it on a usb stick, it becomes very useful.

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 13.1 x86_64 “Bottle” at Telcontar)

#4

I know, I want delete one of the existing partitions, but I can’t. Error message in English:

http://screenshu.com/static/uploads/temporary/u0/sr/b6/cyb1xf.jpg

I can only edit partition. Any other action shows this message. Again and again…

I already used this command fdisk -l for Polish forum: https://www.dropbox.com/s/nykqvzodljj20d2/2014-04-27%2021.13.50.jpg

#5

Is Windows using any special partitioning ie dynamic disk? If so you need to change that since dynamic disk is totally propritary and nothing but Windows can deal with it.

#6

On 2014-04-28 00:06, caesar wrote:

> I know, I want delete one of the existing partitions, but I can’t. Error
> message in English:
>
> [image:
> http://screenshu.com/static/uploads/temporary/u0/sr/b6/cyb1xf.jpg]
>
> I can only edit partition. Any other action shows this message. Again
> and again…
>
> I already used this command fdisk -l for Polish forum:
> https://www.dropbox.com/s/nykqvzodljj20d2/2014-04-27%2021.13.50.jpg

You only have two partitions at present, and ample free space. I have
seen people reporting that error now and then, about the partition not
being readable or supported. But I don’t have a clear idea about why it
appears. Maybe I’m too tired now.

Suggestion: try that rescue image I told you about, and in it, try
“gparted”, to create the needed partitions.

Also, in that “fdisk” session you used before, you could type “v” for
verify. Let’s find out what it says (not use the “-l”, you have to enter
the menu).

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 13.1 x86_64 “Bottle” at Telcontar)

#7

On 2014-04-28 00:36, gogalthorp wrote:
>
> Is Windows using any special partitioning ie dynamic disk? If so you
> need to change that since dynamic disk is totally propritary and nothing
> but Windows can deal with it.

It does not appear so. He posted a photo with the output of fdisk, and
it would show.

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 13.1 x86_64 “Bottle” at Telcontar)

#8

I already used “gparted”. Shows me a whole disk as “unallocated” and it doesn’t show any existing partition. I don’t want to make a new partitions because I can’t copy my data and I don’t want to lose it.

I should do a “fdisk -l” command again, or not?

I will check every commands and advices that you gave me and I will respond with some info tonight.

#9

On 2014-04-28 14:16, caesar wrote:
>
> I already used “gparted”. Shows me a whole disk as “unallocated” and it
> doesn’t show any existing partition. I don’t want to make a new
> partitions because I can’t copy my data and I don’t want to lose it.
>
> I should do a “fdisk -l” command again, or not?

No, my suggestion so far is to use “fdisk /dev/sda”, then use the “menu”
entry “v” for verify, make a photo, and “q” for exit without writing
anything.

We don’t know yet why this is happening, we need some clue…

Me, I would try every Linux partitioning tool in sight to find out what
they have to say.

You could also try this script:
> bootinfoscript
and upload the result to susepaste.org (two months suffices). You would
need the xfce rescue system on usb stick I suggested, so that you can
“install” the script in there.

A I just got is that your disk may have some stale GPT info lying around.

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 13.1 x86_64 “Bottle” at Telcontar)

#10

Interesting possibility.

It’s risky, but I suppose one could:

  1. use “dd” to copy the MBR to a file;
  2. use “gdisk” with “x” (expert mode) to zap any GPT partition table.
  3. use “dd” to restore the MBR from that file (the full 512 bytes).

Since there’s a lot of empty space near the beginning and end of the disk, where GPT data goes, this is unlikely to damage the actual partitions. But it’s still a risk.

#11

From what I have read in this thread to this point:

I think what you are ultimately going to have to do is boot Windows, install EaseUs ToDo Backup, then backup each of the used partitions to separate backup images. Don’t bother backing up the entire disk, because that will keep the problem moving forward.

Pay attention to the sizes of the partitions, because you will later recreate the partitions and will want to make them at least the same size, or slightly larger in order to successfully restore.

http://www.todo-backup.com/products/home/free-backup-software.htm

First, though, you might want to look things over with this tool (also free for personal use), see if it helps:

http://www.partition-tool.com/personal.htm

If the partition tool doesn’t help, then do the backups as suggested. If this backup can be done running EaseUS from within Windows, then you may have a chance to fix things.

Once the images are done, and verified to restore, then write a new boot record to the drive and MBR, create the partitions, then restore each image to the corresponding partition.

Make certain the Windows partition is set as Active or Boot.

You might have to run Windows repair.

This is all very risky, so make sure you have your Acer Restore/Recovery Disk set up and verified, first. Actually, best make sure you have at least 2 copies, in case one decides to have a glitch.

#12

/dev/sda isn’t a ‘partition’; it is the disk. The partitions will be /dev/sda1, /dev/sda2 etc.