Hello everyone!
Recently I tried to install openSUSE 11.2 on my HP Pavilion dv6-2125tx notebook PC which comes preloaded with Windows7.
I used a DVD to install the openSUSE.
Before installation, I created partitions on my hard drive for root, /home and swap by shrinking the C:\ volume. This is the only way to create partitions on my laptop. I used NTFS filesystem during format of these partitions.
During installation, the first error message that appeared was YaST error saying that it could not format the partitions though it was allowing me to set mount points and filesystems for the partitions I had created.
The next problem was swap. I was not able to see the mount point and F (for format) for the swap partition. However when I continued by ignoring the warning for swap there was a partition for swap and it was the same partition I wanted to have for swap.
So, I clicked the Install button.
The next problem was grub error 17: cannot mount the partition. And then when I continued ignoring this too, the computer did not get any of the OSes saying that BOOTMGR (BOOT MANAGER) is missing.
I had no options left but to recover it using recovery disks of my laptop.
I searched a bit on the internet and found that grub error 17 happens if the corresponding partition exists but the filesystem is not recognized by the GRUB.
I concluded that it was happening bacause YaST was unable to format any of partitions with the filesystem selected. So in my next attempt, I formatted the partitions in FAT32 filesystem in Windows which I think GRUB can recognize. I did that because even if YAST would be unable to format the partition the filesystem could be recognized by GRUB.
And I think that happened but I got a new error this time.
The grub error 22.
Now I don’t know what to do.
One thing that I am expecting is that my hard drive cannot be partitioned in the correct way for linux. I can only shrink the volume and create logical partitions only from one dynamic partition c:.
And that may be the reason YaST could not format the partitions in the correct filesystem and inturn the grub error is happening.
I need help, just any kind of suggestions would be appreciated.
Thank you.
Not sure whether using Windows to create partitions is the problem but people normally simply asking Windows to create some free space and leave the partition creation to openSUSE.
You may find it easier to delete the Windows created partitions and ask openSUSE to do the job.
Same situation here… HP preloaded with 7, shrinked c:, left the space unformatted, formatted it with opensuse install, softwere was installed and when grub came to turn…error 17. I have even lost partition, Repair tool box now trying to restore it…
Any ideas?
@shivaltiwari: you can’t install on partitions that have been pre-formatted to a filesystem that is not a Linux native filesystem. You have to boot to windows and delete all the extra partitions you originally made for Linux. That will create an empty space at the end of the drive. Then install openSUSE again and get it to use the completely empty space that you made.
Thanks for your reply.
You are right that I should leave the partition job to opensuse but the problem is when i did so the YaST error came in saying that it cannot create partitions; only allowed me to set mount points and format any pre-created partition in desired filesystem.(And in actual, it even did not formatted the pre-created partitions because at the end of installation i got grub error 17).
Now, what i mentioned earlier that this problem may be happening because of the type of the hard drive given by HP Pavilion notebooks. I have bought my laptop in March, 2010 and as i had already said it provides no options to create partitions when i format my computer but creates a single big volume c:\ for windows and other files, one partition for recovery files, another partition named HP_TOOLS. If have to create partitions i must shrink the c:\ volume as i said before and then proceed.
So i think solution lies in the hard disk drive issue.
One more thing, is there any partitioning tool available for windows that creates partitions and can format the partition in ext3 or ext4 filesystems. And do you think that may be the solution?
Please think on my points. Any help wolud be appreciated.
Thanks again for leaving a reply. Good Luck.
The problem is that YaST is unable to recognize(or whatever I don’t know)my hard drive correctly and hence is unable to create partitions from free space on my HDD.
So the problem becomes:
What I should do so that YaST can recognize my HDD correctly and create, format and set the mount points to partitions correctly?
Please help. Just any kind of help would be helpful to me in understanding the situation clearly.
Thanks for you reply. I’m waiting…
OK there may be a clue in what you say. There isn’t a partitioner that will create Linux partitions from within windows (except perhaps a proprietary item from Paragon software). But you can use GParted Live CD
I suggest that you delete all the Linux partitions from inside windows. Then download GParted Live CD or Ubuntu CD (which contains GParted) and boot off of that then make an extended partition to fill the entire space at the end and then make an ext3 inside of that for root partition plus an ext3 for home plus a small partition for swap, altogether filling all the space.
In fact, if you use the Ubuntu Live CD and boot from it you can do this:
Open Firefox and cruise back here (it should connect out of the box – excellent distro).
Then open a terminal window (applications → accessories → terminal) and run this command:
sudo fdisk -l
then copy/paste the results back here in this forum thread so we can give you much more detailed instructions.
I can only shrink the volume and create logical partitions only from one dynamic partition c.
This appears to be a similar problem to here, dual boot with windows 7 - openSUSE Forums
You may need to convert your dynamic to basic.
But importantly, we need to see that requested fdisk -l output.
One more thing, is there any partitioning tool available for windows that creates partitions and can format the partition in ext3 or ext4 filesystems. And do you think that may be the solution?
Not a windows program,But one that boots without needing to be on any hard disk,
PartedMagic boots a linux system from a liveCD, by default it loads to ram (leaving your CD/DVD drive free), The OS provides a number of the best tools you will find, Including Gparted.
Hi, swerdna (Admin),
Thanks for your suggestions.
I will try it and give it to you. I am quite busy right now and hope would do it after few weeks.
Thanks so much, again for your your help.
Hello dvhenry.
Thanks for making a post.
Do you have any idea (just outline of the process) of converting a dynamic hard drive into basic one. Please illustrate.
Waiting for your reply…
Thank you.
Hello dvhenry.
Thanks for making a post.
Do you have any idea (just outline of the process) of converting a dynamic hard drive into basic one. Please illustrate.
Waiting for your reply…
Thank you.
Have a read here How to non-destructively convert dynamic disks to basic disks « My PKB
This is using the program TestDisk from a liveCD.
When microsoft says something can’t be done, I don’t believe them,
It could be better to actually find out!
I have a problem to install opensuse,
I checked the date of my bios but the
problem persists, in other words, when
I start the installation, it sends an
invalid signature, my bios is
with the current date. how do I fix this
problem? Another thing, I checked my
record and has no problem. can you help me?
1 don’t understand the question?? Something to do with the system time???
2 this is in no way the same as the original poster please start a new thread.
Thanks
I can not install opensuse11.2 because he always reports an invalid message signature…
I can not install opensuse11.2 because it always reports an invalid message signature…
I also think asking this as a separate question with a good explanation would provide a better resault.