Operation not permitted on dev/sda

English Install/Boot/Login
21 
1. How to do this?
2. From Winodws 7 Disk Management, all volume types was basic. Is it what are you looking for?
Thanks for help :). I don't want to wait a year for a new version.
22

Something like

dd if=/dev/sda skip=6 count=1 | xxd | less
dd if=/dev/sda skip=<sd-number-of-sectors-minus-1> count=1 | xxd | less

LDM magic string should be at the beginning if present.

From Windows 7 Disk Management, all volume types was basic. Is it what are you looking for?

Well, it is still possible that there is leftover information. Just to rule this out.

23

Should I write them in the terminal? After I had written the first line in terminal, the following appeared:

lines ?-?/? (END)_
24

On 2013-12-06 09:06, sherif6 wrote:
>
> arvidjaar;2604623 Wrote:
>> Something like
>>>
> Code:
> --------------------
> > > dd if=/dev/sda skip=6 count=1 | xxd | less
> > dd if=/dev/sda skip=<sd-number-of-sectors-minus-1> count=1 | xxd | less
> --------------------
>>>
> Should I write them in the terminal?

Of course, and after you do “su -”.

> After I had written the first line
> in terminal, the following appeared:
>
> Code:
> --------------------
> lines ?-?/? (END)_
> --------------------

That’s because sda does not exist on your system, or some other mistake.
If you remove the last part you can see it:


Telcontar:~ # dd if=/dev/sdj skip=6 count=1 | xxd | less
dd: opening ‘/dev/sdj’: No such file or directory
Telcontar:~ #

If I repeat with the less pipe I see the same as you.

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 12.3 x86_64 “Dartmouth” at Telcontar)

25

After I had used the “su”, the command:

dd if=/dev/sda skip=6 count=1 | xxd | less

output’s:

0000000: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
0000010: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
0000020: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
0000030: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
0000040: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
0000050: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
0000060: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
0000070: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
0000080: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
0000090: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
00000a0: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
00000b0: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
00000c0: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
00000d0: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
00000e0: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
00000f0: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
0000100: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
0000110: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
0000120: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
0000130: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
0000140: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
0000150: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
0000160: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
0000170: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
0000180: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
0000190: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
00001a0: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
00001b0: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
00001c0: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
00001d0: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
00001e0: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
00001f0: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
~
~
~
~
~
lines 1-32/32 (END)

Output from command:

dd if=/dev/sda skip=<sd-number-of-sectors-minus-1> count=1 | xxd | less

is:

lines ?-?/? (END)_

What does this mean?*
Thanks for help.* :slight_smile:

26

On 2013-12-06 22:16, sherif6 wrote:

> Output from command:
> Code:
> --------------------
> dd if=/dev/sda skip=<sd-number-of-sectors-minus-1> count=1 | xxd | less
> --------------------
> is:
> Code:
> --------------------
> lines ?-?/? (END)_
> --------------------

You have to type the number, not the string!

> If I repeat with the less pipe I see the same as you.
> What does this mean?-

That is for arvidjaar to say.

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 11.4, with Evergreen, x86_64 “Celadon” (Minas Tirith))

27

May you tell what you mean? I’m a bit beginner.
Thanks.

28

On 2013-12-07 10:16, sherif6 wrote:

>> You have to type the number, not the string!
> May you tell what you mean? I’m a bit beginner.

Sorry, then arvidjaar will have to explain.

I guess you have to get the number of sectors from the output of fdisk,
subtract 1, and enter that number.

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 12.3 x86_64 “Dartmouth” at Telcontar)

29

What would the command, to be written in terminal, be?

30

You have to calculate the number from knowing the sector layout. ie the numberofsectors -1

Get thenumberofsectors from fdisk

31

On 2013-12-07 19:56, sherif6 wrote:
>
> robin_listas;2606034 Wrote:
>> I guess you have to get the number of sectors from the output of fdisk,
>> subtract 1, and enter that number.
> What would the command, to be written in terminal, be?

You have to replace the number in the command where the text says to
enter the number… it is not that difficult. If the number were 555, then:


dd if=/dev/sda skip=555 count=1 | xxd | less

But it is not 555. You have to do the calculations.

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 12.3 x86_64 “Dartmouth” at Telcontar)

32

How (In detail), please?

33

On 2013-12-08 17:56, sherif6 wrote:
>
> gogalthorp;2606119 Wrote:
>> You have to calculate the number from knowing the sector layout. ie the
>> numberofsectors -1
>>
>> Get thenumberofsectors from fdisk
> How (In detail), please?


> Telcontar:~ # fdisk -l /dev/sda
>
> Disk /dev/sda: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
> 255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders, total 976773168 sectors  <<*********
> Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
> Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
> I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
> Disk identifier: 0x000ccd24
>
>    Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
> /dev/sda1              63      417689      208813+  83  Linux
> /dev/sda2   *      417690      819314      200812+  83  Linux

....

See the number in there? Subtract one, replace in the dd command.

(assuming the sector size is 512 on your disk)

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 12.3 x86_64 “Dartmouth” at Telcontar)

34

Output from

fdisk -l /dev/sda

is:


Disk /dev/sda: 750.2 GB, 750156374016 bytes, **1465149168** sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
Disk label type: dos
Disk identifier: 0xd66364bf

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *        2048      206847      102400    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda2          206848   125835263    62814208    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda3       125835264   272639999    73402368    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda4       272640000  1465145343   596252672    f  W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda5       272642048   477442047   102400000    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT

Output from

dd if=/dev/sda skip=**1465149167** count=1 | xxd | less

is:

0000000: 4546 4920 5041 5254 0000 0100 5c00 0000  EFI PART....\...
0000010: 2991 fe56 0000 0000 ef66 5457 0000 0000  )..V.....fTW....
0000020: 0100 0000 0000 0000 2200 0000 0000 0000  ........".......
0000030: ce66 5457 0000 0000 f2b1 5bc4 de22 ed42  .fTW........".B
0000040: 80df b2a0 be73 7002 cf66 5457 0000 0000  .....sp..fTW....
0000050: 8000 0000 8000 0000 86d2 54ab 0000 0000  ..........T.....
0000060: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
0000070: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
0000080: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
0000090: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
00000a0: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
00000b0: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
00000c0: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
00000d0: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
00000e0: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
00000f0: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
0000100: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
0000110: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
0000120: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
0000130: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
0000140: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
0000150: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
0000160: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
0000170: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
0000180: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
0000190: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
00001a0: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
00001b0: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
00001c0: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
00001d0: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
00001e0: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
00001f0: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000  ................
~
~
~
~
~
lines 1-32/32 (END)_
35

This means that disk had GPT label in the past but does not have PMBR (protective MBR) now. It may confuse tools. Could you also post the same output for

dd if=/dev/sda skip=1 count=1 | xxd | less

to verify whether you have primary GPT table in addition.

36

Output from

dd if=/dev/sda skip=1 count=1 | xxd | less

is:

1+0 Records in
1+0 records out
512 bytes (512 B) copied, 0.280999 s, 1.8 kB/s
0000000: 4546 4920 5041 5254 0000 0100 5c00 0000 EFI PART....\...
0000010: 9a07 feca 0000 0000 0100 0000 0000 0000 ................
0000020: ef66 5457 0000 0000 2200 0000 0000 0000 .fTW....".......
0000030: ce66 5457 0000 0000 f2b1 5bc4 de22 ed42 .fTW........".B
0000040: 80df b2a0 be73 7002 0200 0000 0000 0000 .....sp.........
0000050: 8000 0000 8000 0000 86d2 54ab 0000 0000 ..........T.....
0000060: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 ................
0000070: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 ................
0000080: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 ................
0000090: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 ................
00000a0: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 ................
00000b0: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 ................
00000c0: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 ................
00000d0: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 ................
00000e0: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 ................
00000f0: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 ................
0000100: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 ................
0000110: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 ................
0000120: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 ................
0000130: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 ................
0000140: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 ................
0000150: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 ................
0000160: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 ................
0000170: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 ................
0000180: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 ................
0000190: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 ................
00001a0: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 ................
00001b0: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 ................
00001c0: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 ................
00001d0: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 ................
00001e0: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 ................
00001f0: 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 ................
lines 1-32/32 (END)_

*** Note: I tried to install OpenSUSE 13.1 RC (I don’t remember which one), but I don’t remember whether I faced the same problem now. I made the hard disk at sane state, then ran the installer at the end, but I don’t remember if it [size=2]was successful or not. I think it set partition label to GPT. Eventually, removed all of these by Windows 7 installer.
[/size]** Note: I’mn’t sure if the first and the second line in the output code are correct.
** Thanks.***

37

That explains it. You had GPT label on disk before and then changed MBR using some tools that are not GPT aware. So now you have both MBR and GPT labels that do not match. In this case parted will refuse to do anything with disk, at least by default. And openSUSE installer (actually, yast partition module) is based on parted.

If you want to retain current MBR partitions, you can use sgdisk to clear out GPT:

sgdisk --zap /dev/XXX

Or using interactive gdisk - gdisk /dev/XXX, then select ‘x’ for expert functions and ‘z’ to destroy GPT. Make sure to answer “N” when asked whether to zap MBR as well.

If you want to start with blank disk, just “sgdisk --zap-all” or answer “Y” in case of gdisk. This is wipe out both MBR abd GPT.

38

On 2013-12-10 07:26, arvidjaar wrote:
> That explains it. You had GPT label on disk before and then changed MBR
> using some tools that are not GPT aware. So now you have both MBR and
> GPT labels that do not match. In this case parted will refuse to do
> anything with disk, at least by default. And openSUSE installer
> (actually, yast partition module) is based on parted.

Could recognition of this condition be automated, so that parted fails
with a meaningful message? If you think so, then a bugzilla would be
pertinent… :-?

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 12.3 x86_64 “Dartmouth” at Telcontar)

39

parted already fails with meaningful (very obvious) message. But we are dealing with yast here …

If you think so, then a bugzilla would be
pertinent… :-?

Sure, go ahead :slight_smile:

40

On 2013-12-10 14:56, arvidjaar wrote:
>
> robin_listas;2606909 Wrote:
>>
>> Could recognition of this condition be automated, so that parted fails
>> with a meaningful message?
> parted already fails with meaningful (very obvious) message. But we
> are dealing with yast here …

Ah, I see.

>> If you think so, then a bugzilla would be
>> pertinent… :-?
>>
>
> Sure, go ahead :slight_smile:

Well, that’s for the people that suffered this issue, or the people that
are knowledgeable about it :wink:

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 12.3 x86_64 “Dartmouth” at Telcontar)