[SOLVED ]Please help with installation mint

[stirling]

I am looking foorward to trying out linux but am stuck at the " installation Type" screen. I have searched the forum but all the answers I see show a different menu system to what I have on my screen. The information on the instalation PDF relates to Mint 11 not 12 and is slightly different
Here is my issue. I am installing alongside XP. I am not familliar with partioning and understood the install would take care of this for me.
When I get to the Installation type srceen I hit install now and get a message " No root file system is defined. Please correct this from the partioning menu"
How do I do this?

This what is shown

Device Type Mount point Format? Size Used
/dev/sda1 fat32 5239 MB 4888 MB
/dev/sda2 fat32 27126 MB unknown
/dev/sda3 fat32 27645 MB 27331 MB

Clicking "Change" takes me to menu where I can change the partition size, change the useage, format the partition and mount point. I don't know what to enter. Any recomendtions?
A step by step help would be much appriciated.

Update.. I did the option in a previous menu to Repace Windows XP media centre edition with linux mint or Something else which i now realise is why I am in the custom partion option.
Choosing replace windows says i will loose all my photos docs, etc which I am not worried about so maybe this is the option to go for. I just didn't want to loose the windows OS at this stage.

[dvhenry]

I'm replying because no-one else has,...
I run installs of multiple OS's, The info you have given is useful, but what is on /dev/sda1, /dev/sda2, and /dev/sda3 ?
Which partition(s) would you like to resize/move to make room for the Linux partitions?
This is not as difficult to decide as it may seem, please explain what is on the partitions. (partition size may help to define the current usage , check against windows 'disk' size data).

[dvhenry]

Choosing replace windows says i will loose all my photos docs, etc which I am not worried about so maybe this is the option to go for. I just didn't want to loose the windows OS at this stage.

This option will, to my knowledge, (I don't use windows, nor have I used the Mint installer more than once) overwrite the windows OS and any data on that partition.
So, I'd say, not the option to go for.

[dvhenry]

One more suggestion that can make things easier.
Create the free space before attempting the install, you can use windows tools, Linux tools on the Mint liveCD, specialist liveCD like PartedMagic, or whatever.
The installer should then offer as the preferred install option, that free space.

[stirling]

Thanks for you reply.
I think I need to familerise myself with partioning, I'm in the dark here. I don't know how to see what is on/dev/sda1 -3.

Re option 2 the warning says I will loose all my XP media ceter edition programs photos docs music and any other files. It doesn't mention the OS.

[wayne128]

You can read this guide.

http://blog.sudobits.com/2011/11/30/how ... or-cd-dvd/


Do not use option 2, which erase everything.

Choose Something else as in the guide.

If you still get stuck, what you do is capture the screen shot of the gparted, which shows the partition and post here.

[stirling]

Thanks for the link wayne 128.
When I get tp "Select a partition to install Linux Mint 12" ,there is no free space shown, I just have the display shown in my first post.
Do i need to create a space somewhere else first?

[wayne128]

You need to have space for Linux OS installation.

May be you could do this:

1. when come to gparted, capture the screen and post here.

or

2. while you are running Mint in Live mode, I assume you can get to the terminals, and type a few commands, then, copy the results of each command, paste here to see what your partitions look like

a. sudo fdisk -l

b. sudo parted -l print

[stirling]

i am unable to connect to the internet with the laptop I am doing the install on. I have the install dvd in the laptop but it tells me wireless firmware is missing.
I can connect ok when this laptop is running XP.
I am posting this using my desktop PC.
Any idea how to get wireless enabled on the laptop?

[wayne128]

Boot laptop and run Linux Live.
Plug ethernet cable into laptop LAN port, so as to access internet.

Most Linux OS will work out of the box with LAN port , in live mode.

[stirling]

Great I am hard wired to the internet, I guess the wireless option comes after the intall?
I am not faminular with Linux yet so don't know how the screen shot works but I copied and pasted the info you mentioned.



mint@mint ~ $ sudo fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 60.0 GB, 60011642880 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 7296 cylinders, total 117210240 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: 0x379c7acb

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 63 10233404 5116671 12 Compaq diagnostics
/dev/sda2 * 10233405 63215774 26491185 c W95 FAT32 (LBA)
/dev/sda3 63215775 117210239 26997232+ c W95 FAT32 (LBA)
mint@mint ~ $ sudo parted -l print
Model: ATA Hitachi HTS54166 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sda: 60.0GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number Start End Size Type File system Flags
1 32.3kB 5240MB 5239MB primary fat32 diag
2 5240MB 32.4GB 27.1GB primary fat32 boot, lba
3 32.4GB 60.0GB 27.6GB primary fat32 lba


Warning: Unable to open /dev/sr0 read-write (Read-only file system). /dev/sr0
has been opened read-only.
Error: /dev/sr0: unrecognised disk label

mint@mint ~ $

[wayne128]

Number Start End Size Type File system Flags
1 32.3kB 5240MB 5239MB primary fat32 diag
2 5240MB 32.4GB 27.1GB primary fat32 boot, lba
3 32.4GB 60.0GB 27.6GB primary fat32 lba

Your hard disk is 60G
Your current partitions 2 and 3 are fat32 ( winXP) and occupy all the hard disk till last sector.

There is no room for Linux OS

You need to free up space, says 5G to 10G...for Linux OS
The issue is , you want to retain winXP OS which is is sda2.
What is sda3? data perhaps, that is the place you could trim down from 27G to says 17G.
Can you save the data to external media ( DVD, USB drive, etc)?

[stirling]

I have downloaded a partion program and created a partion in XP . I now see a further entry in the drives list I.e /dev/sda/3 ext 3 5815 MB size. 192 MB used.
I select that click install now and it give me that message : No root file is defined. Please correct from the patitioning menu.

[dvhenry]

I have downloaded a partion program and created a partion in XP

If you choose this method you should use the tool to resize the partition to create free space only, not also then create a new partition.

I now see a further entry in the drives list I.e /dev/sda/3 ext 3 5815 MB size. 192 MB used.

we now need to see the new output of sudo fdisk -l and sudo parted -l print as it will have changed, and we need to know what you now have.

[dvhenry]

I think I need to familerise myself with partioning, I'm in the dark here.

I won't try to explain partitioning here, but I can make a few relevant points to your situation.
The problem you are seeing is that there is no free space available in which to install Mint. This is normal, as windows will use all free space.
There are a number of ways to create this free space and the installer can't know which one is safe for your situation or suits you, this is why the installer offers a number of options.
Windows refers to partitions as ;C,;D, etc, this is useless info, and why we need reliable info (from gparted, fdisk or parted for example).
Once the free space is created you have the option to manually setup partitions as you like, or allow the Linux installer to do it for you (most Linux installers do a good job of this).

[stirling]

Thank you for your help.I have completed the installation. I created a partion in Windows before installing using partition wizard.
All works well exept I have no wireless connect. i get error message "firmware missing" I am using a Acer 5050 laptop. How do I get the necessary firmware please?

[usbtux]

I get firmware missing on my old Toshiba laptop _ it means on mine the wifi card is fudged. Stick in a usb wifi stick and it works well.

[stirling]

The wifi works fine on XP though.

[wayne128]

All works well exept I have no wireless connect. i get error message "firmware missing" I am using a Acer 5050 laptop. How do I get the necessary firmware please?

Good to know you have Mint working in dual boot.

Now, run from installed Mint, find out what is the wireless card by one of the following ways

1. lspci

then read a long list to find out the wireless card
post here, depending on which card , some one familiar would help you or you can search your card within Linuxmint forum to have a list of posts on that wireless card

hmm... may be broadcom


2. inxi -N

[stirling]

[*]Now, run from installed Mint, find out what is the wireless card by one of the following ways[*]
BCM4318 [AirForce One 54g] 802.11WirelessLAN Controller
Driver b43-pci-bridge
Hope this is the info required. Thanks again