ubuntu + XP

[haxorico]

well i have XP for some time.. and i decided to go for ubuntu... again... (1st time wasnt that good )

so after alot of virus problems i wanted to try ubuntu again.
well its going to be a long story so ill try to be as specific as possible.

i had 2 local discs. C and D
where C is primary and most of the free space is at D.
so i downloaded partition magic and made D a linux ext (called linux ext2)
and while it was working i burned ubuntu to a disc.

after partition magic was done. i needed to restart so i restarted with ubuntu CD inside and installed ubuntu (and im talking from ubunto atm..) and it works fine.
i have the "install ubuntu 9.10" on desktop.

installed got steps 1 - 6 good.
at 7 when it was copying files it said there was an error of smthing with hard disc i think that wasnt clean or smthing and go to reboot.
before it was rebooting it was loading in this DOS window i guess and it said to take the ubuntu CD out and close the CD-ROM (that got open like magic woot)

i did that. restarted PC (by itself like another magic) but when it said "getting boot from CD/DVD" or smthing cant rly check and write it at the same time. it said there was an error in the system.

tho when i put the ubuntu back in and restart i get the install screen again. so i thought that coz of the error the installation wasnt succesfull so i instaleld again. then to my amazment as i went to step 2 i think it showed me the way the memory is spiliting in the hard disc or w/e it is.

it showed some blue part that the WINDOWS XP takes. then some orange part the ubuntu takes like shown in the last installation. then another blue part another ubuntu WILL take after i finish installing. so it guess it ment the ubuntu is installed and im installing it again...

so i canceld the installtion and got here to tell u i need help

some info.

if it was only my PC it was pure linux but my bro uses it aswell and he hates changes... so... thats why the other XP is installed.

on ubuntu if i go the "Computer" well it looks kinda weird... pic in spoiler.

Spoiler:

is it good? bad? why is it like that? what does it mean?

thanks for helpers

[Senethior459]

You have a few drives in My Computer because it shows each partition as a drive. That's why it says 160GB Drive: 5GB Partition, etc. You've got a 5GB, a 58GB, and a partition labeled LINUX.
When it shows you that bar with the different colours, it's asking you how you want to partition your drive to install Ubuntu. It has a key under it explaining what each colour is and how big it is. If you've got the Windows partition on there, too, it means it's trying to shrink your Windows partition and install Ubuntu in the free space remaining. Hint: If you choose Manual, it's a lot easier to install things without wiping out Windows.

[haxorico]

well i talked with FatherSpace about it and then i spoke with hillo about it. and my problem seemed to be from few reasons.

1) i burned the .iso into a normal 700MB disc and i should have done it to DVD-R
2) the CD i burned on wasnt good
3) my hard-drive wasnt fully dedicated for ubuntu.

well i started with option #3 coz i couldnt enter my windows. so i thought what the heck.. i saved my important files...

but it didnt work.

so im left with options 2 and 3... but there is a problem.

when i reset my PC i install ubuntu from the disc.. some dos is running. up comes this screen. i install the ubuntu from the icon on the desktop but again the same error (error #5 or smthing if i remember correctly)

so now when im at the not-installed ubuntu lets call it. i have less then 1GB how can i burn the .iso again? all the room i have is.

here is a picture of how my drivers are splited now.

Spoiler:

out of what i understood im in the 5GB red part right now. tho most of it is taken by default i guess and im left with less then 700MB

here is an SS from my "Computer" now.

Spoiler:

so with not enough room to re-download the .iso file. how can i fix my problem? im in a real pickle =\

edit: here is the error when i try to install it from the desktop

Code: Select all

The installer encountered an error copying files to the hard disk:

[Errno 5] Input/output error

This is often due to a faulty CD/DVD disk or drive, or a faulty hard disk. It may help to clean the CD/DVD, to burn the CD/DVD at a lower speed, to clean the CD/DVD drive lens (cleaning kits are often available from electronics suppliers), to check whether the hard disk is old and in need of replacement, or to move the system to a cooler environment.

[Senethior459]

Using a CD works fine. You don't need to use a DVD, that's why they make the .iso under 700mb. The burn could have been bad, true... The hard drive having XP on it probably wasn't the problem.

The linux-swap partition is analogous to a paging file on Windows. The other partition is where Ubuntu should have been reinstalled. The problem says that it's having issues reading from the DVD or writing to the HD. Since you're already using the whole drive, reformat it completely, delete all the partitions. Then run the installer and try again. I dunno if that will work, but it's a start.
And about My Computer: Swap partitions don't show up in My Computer. The large partition is the failed Ubuntu install, and Filesystem is the filesystem of Ubuntu, that you're booted into. You're booted into the LiveDVD, which is why there's only 73MB free, I guess.

TL;DR: Wipe the drive, attempt to install again.

[haxorico]

there are 2 ways of i figured to change the partitions..

1 - at the install the final step is showing space etc.. i can use manual way or press smthing i cant recall now (on a diffrent PC atm) but was smthing like "erase everything and make ubuntu take maximum size" or smthing like that..

2 - system > administrator > GParted (think its called)

so which way?

and just delete everything? make all teh 160GB as "free space" then try to install?

[Senethior459]

Run GParted and wipe the drive, make it all one partition. Then run the Ubuntu installer, and tell it to use the whole drive.

[haxorico]

did what u say.
restarted.
ran install.
same error.

tho now... i took a look at my Disk Usage Analyzer and this is what it says.

Spoiler:

edit:

after restart (again) i notice a little red icon at the top,, near the date.. i clicked on it and this is what it said.

Spoiler:

edit#2 - i tried to update.. over 200 files tho like allways "i have no space" so i just installed 100 and smthing little files.. got this error

Code: Select all

E: /var/cache/apt/archives/xsane-common_0.996-2ubuntu1.1_all.deb: failed in buffer_write(fd) (10, ret=-1)
E: /var/cache/apt/archives/evolution-documentation-en_2.28.1-0ubuntu2_all.deb: failed in buffer_write(fd) (10, ret=-1)
E: /var/cache/apt/archives/evolution-indicator_0.2.4-0ubuntu3.1_i386.deb: subprocess dpkg-deb --control returned error exit status 2
E: /var/cache/apt/archives/gnome-settings-daemon_2.28.1-0ubuntu2_i386.deb: subprocess dpkg-deb --control returned error exit status 2

after hitting closed i have this error

Code: Select all

E: dpkg was interrupted, you must manually run 'sudo dpkg --configure -a' to correct the problem. 
E: _cache->open() failed, please report.

[haxorico]

Sorry for double tho its second message since long time ago.

Well anyhow ubuntu send me a CD how cool is that.. It works tho still I'm using only 2.3GB and 2GB is taken by default and I cant seem to find GParted for some reason.

Any idea on what to do?

[Senethior459]

sudo apt-get install gparted
Run that in Terminal; it's only pre-installed on the LiveCD. Those 2.3GB are Ubuntu itself, I would assume. A 145GB disk, only 2.3GB used because that's how much space Ubuntu is taking up on it. I'm not sure exactly what your problem is right now...

[haxorico]

Thanks.
Install GParted though now It looks like a real mess =\.
Here is a screen shot.
[spoiler=picture][/spoiler]
I'm kinda afraid to touch anything atm so ill appriciate if you tell me what to do next.