Re: partition problem
On %M 0, Ookhoi wrote
> Hi Hammy,
>
> > I'm having a problem partitioning my hard drive with the install program.
> > Once I run install.bat, I can setup the colour monitor and the keyboard. The next step is to partition the hard drive and this is where I am having problems.
> > I keep getting the following error:
> > 'Fatal error: Bad primary partition. Press any key to exit.'
> >
> > I have a 1.2 GB hard drive that is formatted with fat16. I also tried the install from floppy but I get the same error.
> >
> > I hope someone can help me. I'm really interested in getting this working.
>
> Maybe you have more luck with the Linux fdisk? I had problems too with
> the partitionprogram that is used with the installation.
>
Hammy may have a bad partition table, or a boot sector virus, or he may be using
some proprietary partitioner (maybe, to let an ancient BIOS access 1.2G).
If he's happy to blow away the old partition table, he can zero it and the
boot sector before the partitioning stage, using the utilities on the install
disk.
Here's how, assuming we're talking about hda:
- Boot the install disk, to the 'Select color/monochrome' screen or so;
- Alt-F2, and press return to activate the console, like it says: you
now have a root prompt;
- Insert a formatted floppy disk into your floppy drive and type
cat /dev/hda | dd bs=512 count=1 > /dev/fd0
to backup your current boot sector and partition table;
- Type the command
cat /dev/zero | dd bs=512 count=1 > /dev/hda
to zero out your hard disk's boot sector;
- Alt-F1, and continue.
Should it prove necessary, and if you don't get to formatting partitions or
installing the kernel, you can restore your original boot sector by typing
cat /dev/fd0 | dd bs=512 count=1 > /dev/hda
The caveats about backups in the installation instructions apply doubly
if you do this kind of thing, of course.
John P.
--
huiac@camtech.net.au
john@huiac.apana.org.au
"Oh - I - you know - my job is to fear everything." - Bill Gates in Denmark
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