Installation Stumper!!
I've seen this problem over and over and over. Can't figure out why nobody else has reported it. Seen it on completely different hardware, using different burned CDs, even different versions. Checked MD5SUMs. I think I first saw it on SimplyMEPIS 6 release, and I've seen it on 6.04b1, and b2, and now b3.
Here's what happens: Proceed with install, everything is great. Perfect. Get to the VERY LAST SCREEN, where you fill out the default user name, and passwords for user and root.
Click Next. CD spins up for a few seconds, and you're DEAD. Usually you can move the window (the one you just filled out) with the mouse, but NOTHING else responds. Sometimes even the mouse is frozen.
In the course of dozens of attempts over these past months, I always end up succeeding, after several tries. (I often reinstall when I'm playing with a new project--clean slate, etc) And when I succeed in getting through an install, sometimes I think, "Aha, I've figured out the magic bullet". There was the time when I turned on the hard drive check for bad blocks, and it installed. Thought I had it! Next time, turn on bad block check, no go. Or the time I set the video to 1024x768 instead of 1280x1024, and it worked. But next time that wasn't the cure.
Ok, just now, after about four tries, I just installed successfully on a Compaq Deskpro 1Ghz, 512MB, 10GB. In this instance, I happened to click on the QtPartEd at the beginning (even though there was no need--it was already partitioned the way I want). I formatted the partition I was going to install. (Insane, right? After all, the first thing it does in a normal install is partition it again). But this time the install worked.
You may well ask why I'm posting when I have a good install. It's just that it's been driving me crazy for a long time. When I started this post I hadn't yet successfully installed. If somebody has some SOLID theory about this, I'm willing to destroy this installation and try...whatever.
John
I dunno
I've always had a lot of problems trying to use QTParted from the MEPIS installe (MEPIS fails to install about half the time with PCs I've tried it on when using QTParted to create the partitions).
So, I now use the GParted Live CD instead.
I make sure to create the partitions I want (I create ext3 and Linux swap partitions), and make sure to format them, too.
Then, I install SimplyMEPIS, pointing it to these partitions.
I've had odd problems with swap partitions that were not formatted, linux partitions formatted in a way that seemed to cause a problem, etc. So, make sure to format them first with GParted before trying a MEPIS install and see if that solves it next time.
I had a very strange problem recently with a friend's PC that I suspected was related to memory management (PC kept hanging on me). All I did to solve it was reformat the swap partition using GParted. lol
You can download the latest Gparted Live CD from here (scroll down and select the latest gparted-livecd-0.3.3-0-iso from the top of the list). Then, burn the ISO to CD and boot into it.
http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=115843&package_id=173828
Jim C.
Installation Stumper!!
I had a very strange problem recently with a friend's PC that I suspected was related to memory management (PC kept hanging on me). All I did to solve it was reformat the swap partition using GParted. lol
You can download the latest Gparted Live CD from here (scroll down and select the latest gparted-livecd-0.3.3-0-iso from the top of the list). Then, burn the ISO to CD and boot into it.
http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=115843&package_id=173828
Jim C.
Jim, thanks. I'm downloading right now--it's a great idea. I recall getting different results with CFDisk as compared with QtParted, so your suspicions might be right.
If I get some time today, I might just wipe out my system and reformat both swap and main partitions with gparted. I'll let you know what happens.
John
Installation Stumper!!
You can download the latest Gparted Live CD from here (scroll down and select the latest gparted-livecd-0.3.3-0-iso from the top of the list). Then, burn the ISO to CD and boot into it.
http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=115843&package_id=173828
Jim C.
No joy with that. The live CD wouldn't boot up; ended with panic attack. So I ran Ubuntu Live CD, and did the GParted thing. Formated both swap and other partition. Trouble is, the Mepis installation procedure forces you to reformat. I tried to answer "no" to the format option, and it kicks you back a step. Bottom line, when I agreed to let Mepis format, it ended up with the installation failure on the last page.
John
Only instance when it
Only instance when it doesn't reformat is if you use "preserve home" option and your home is on / try to put home on / and select that preserve home to see if it makes any difference.
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Check out Mepis wiki: www.mepis.org/docs
Chat with me.
Are you sure it's formatting the same way?
I normally let it reformat them (even when I use GParted to create and format my paritions in advance).
Are you sure you're picking the right file system type (for example, ext3 versus reiserfs) to match the way you created and formatted the partitions using GParted?
I have had problems with the installer failing using ResierFS in the past with my PC (it would rarely work without failing during the install process on my Dell 8300).
But, now that I've gotten into the habit of using GParted first and switched from ReiserFS to ext3, I've had no problems with the MEPIS installer.
Jim C.
It may be your CD burner
Have you tried other CD burners? You say that you have done the md5sum check, but have you checked the sum for both the download and for the burn?
The other thing would be to try different options at GRUB menu when starting the live CD before a MEPIS install.
BTW, I also prefer gParted over QTparted.
Installation Stumper!!
The other thing would be to try different options at GRUB menu when starting the live CD before a MEPIS install.
BTW, I also prefer gParted over QTparted.
Yep, checked the md5sum right from the burned cd, and I have 4 or 5 burners to choose from. I didn't keep close tabs on which ones I used, but I burn all kinds of other ISO files without problem. I have tried acpi=force, but I haven't cycled through too many variations. DON'T FORGET, the live cd boots PERFECTLY. Does everything you could ask. Goes through the ENTIRE install, and only craps out at the end. And this happens on hardware as disparate as Pentium III 866Mhz, and Athlon XP 2500+, all with 512MB or more of memory.
I've tried to figure out what I do different than other people; I always put in the same password four times (2 times for user, 2 times for root, same password). Always set my workgroup to WORKGROUP. Always turn off GuardDog and that ppp thing, but leave CUPS. Must be something really crazy. I have my son's computer here tonight, installing mythtv--maybe I'll test Mepis install on it too.
John
Installation Stumper!!
I normally let it reformat them (even when I use GParted to create and format my paritions in advance).
Yep, that's what I did in this case.
Yes, positive that I used ext3
Installation Stumper!!
Ahhhh, I didn't think of that. So, do the formatting with Gparted, then put a bogus /home directory on it, and install.
Interesting idea--I'll let you know what happens. Thanks to all.
John
Installation trick seems to work
I normally let it reformat them (even when I use GParted to create and format my paritions in advance).
Adrian's idea of preventing the Mepis installer from formatting by asking to preserve "/home" seems to be working. Used GParted first, as per your advice. I tried it twice and it worked both times.
Thanks to all for the help!
John
Glad that it worked
Glad that it worked
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Check out Mepis wiki: www.mepis.org/docs
Cold reboot after any partitioning and formatting of HDD's helps
I find a cold reboot after any partitioning and formatting of HDD's helps. BIOS thing.
Then start the install into the partitions you just made.
Other times I need to format the HDD first with some other disk utility, then format with MEPIS install.
This can vary for different MB's, BIOS's HDD's etc...
But yet after doing the above with the cold reboot and a failed install, a warm reboot and the install will go through on older trouble-some machines... go figure... ...
Still trying to work out a theory, trouble is, as Warren knows the hardware is moving faster than the answers are appearing.