On Sun, 2012-03-18 at 13:22 -0700, Paul Allen Newell wrote: > On 3/18/2012 12:05 PM, R. G. Newbury wrote: > > Paul Allen Newell wrote > > >>>> its does the same "No usable disks" > > > > >> > > >> PartedMagic was the one option I asked about in my original email > > and it > > > > >On both the LiveCD and the installation DVD troubleshot into a bash > > shell, I am getting "parted - Invalid partition table - recursive > > partition on /dev/sr0" and I am pretty certain it is looking at the > > CD/DVD as that's the device it displays. So I don't know whether I am > > even able to get at the hardware via parted/cfdisk (???) > > dn't make sense of them. > > > > >I am also going to look at the sysresccd site and see if it > > presents me with easier to understand access. > > > > >All I want to do is get it back to a sane minimal state that I can run > > the installation DVD and let it do the proper partitioning. > > > > Paul, you really do need the system rescue disk. Grab the cd iso and > > read the instructions to make a usb stick from the iso. The iso is > > 84Meg. I carry one of my oldest memory sticks in my briefcase with > > this installed. Then it is a quick matter to interrupt a boot and > > select the usb stick as the boot medium (F12 on my Thinkpad). Or > > change the boot order in the bios on the desktop. > > > > Also, there is a good explanation of GPT vs MBR boot processes on the > > sysrescue site. I STRONGLY suspect that your prior attempt at > > installation failed with the disk prepared for, but not yet > > partitioned as GPT. > > > > And no software not GPT-aware can deal with that. Thus 'no usable > > disks'. (The F16 repos now carry the 'gdisk' package which is a > > gpt-aware version of fdisk but I am not sure that the install uses > > that capability.) > > > > The system rescue cd is based on the 3.2 kernel and has gparted .12, > > which should be gpt aware. It should allow you to change back to a > > blank MBR setup drive. > > > > If that does not work, then use gdisk from the the Fedora16 LiveCD. > > You will need to use the -x option and then -z to zap the (wrong) gpt > > structures. Again, luckily you need not worry about zapping any data > > or even an mbr setup. > > > > How did this happen? The anaconda installer will leave an mbr > > partitioned disk as is, but will use gpt if the disk is blank or if > > you let *it* partition the drive. Thus another poster's comment: > > 'never let fedora partition your disk.' Always pre-partition, and > > select 'Custom', so you are in control of the partition sizes and names. > > > > HTH > > > > G. > > - > > R. Geoffrey Newbury > > > > G.: > > I downloaded and burned last night, testing to make sure that it ran on > the brick in question. Today I am reading up on the program (and > partitioning in general) as I want to make sure I have some idea what I > am doing before running the program. > > As for "never let fedora partition your disk", I might end up knowing > enough about partitioning by the time I finish this that such might be > an option in the future. > > Appreciate the help, > Paul For what you are doing all you need is a LiveCD and fdisk applied to a unmounted disk. There is a option inn fdisk to clear all partitions from the disk which will leave you in a position to partition the disk from scratch. parted and/or partitionmagic are not needed. I assume that your disk will be something like /dev/sda so you would run the command : fdisk /dev/sda, and away you go. -- ======================================================================= Interfere? Of course we should interfere! Always do what you're best at, that's what I say. -- Doctor Who ======================================================================= Aaron Konstam telephone: (210) 656-0355 e-mail: akonstam@xxxxxxxxxxxxx -- users mailing list users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx To unsubscribe or change subscription options: https://admin.fedoraproject.org/mailman/listinfo/users Guidelines: http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Mailing_list_guidelines Have a question? Ask away: http://ask.fedoraproject.org
