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Axle923
n00b
Joined: 21 Mar 2005
Posts: 8
Location: Seattle
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 Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2005 4:00 am Post subject: **[Solved]** Harddrive size not correct |
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I am going through with my first install of gentoo (Linux as well), and I came across a problem. I am following the Install Guide.
(I appologize if there is an error in the following code, I typed them from another computer and might have made an error)
I got to Sect 4.c. (Using fdisk to Partition you disk) and as I typed in "fdisk /dev/hda" to start fdisk I got an error that says:
| Code: | You will not be able to write the partition table.
Note: sector size is 2048 (not 512)
Device contains neither a valid DOS partition table, nor Sun, SGI or OSF disklabel
Building a new DOS disklabel. Changes will remain in memory only,
until you decide to write them. After that, of course, the previous
content won't be recoverable.
Warning: invalid flag 0x0000 of partition table 4 will be correct to w(rite) |
Could someone explain to me what that means.
fdisk still works at that point, so I continued on with the install. When i looked at the current partition layout the output displayed:
| Code: | Disk \dev\hda: 663 MB, 663459840 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 20 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 2048 = 32901120 bytes
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System |
This seems fine, except for the fact that my HD is a 60G HD, not 663M.
So I have two Questions:
1) What does the warning mean (in leymans terms) if anything?
2) Why is my HD not diplayed as 60 G?
thanks for the help.
_________________
The Glass is Neither Half Full, Nor Half Empty...
It is Twice as Big as It Needs To Be.
Last edited by Axle923 on Tue Mar 22, 2005 7:20 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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wjholden
l33t
Joined: 01 Mar 2004
Posts: 826
Location: Augusta, GA
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| Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2005 4:47 am Post subject: |
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That's interesting. Well, first thing is to enter the command "df" (disk free) and make sure it really does think you've got only 663 MB. Something I do is go into the BIOS and find where I can enable LBA (lower-block addressing). This feature is turned off for most motherboards and caused a few weird problems about a year ago for some 2.6 kernels. Never know.
Has this hard drive ever been used before? If it hasn't been formatted then this error message is telling you exactly that and you shouldn't worry about it. |
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Axle923
n00b
Joined: 21 Mar 2005
Posts: 8
Location: Seattle
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| Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2005 9:28 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for the quick reply. I thought the warning that came up was just a reminder and it sounds like you believe so too.
Using the livecd...When I type in df (disk free), nothing about the /dev/hda shows up. I only get /dev/ROOT, /newroot/dev/cdroms/cdrom0, /dev/loop/0, none and finally tmpfs (I assume this is TeMPorary File System?)
I am not sure if I need to do anything else or not.
As far as whether the disk was used before...YES it was. This did have windows on it at one point. I had deleted the partition along with windows using fdisk (hopefully that was ok). I do not recall if prior to the deletion if the disk was 60G or 663M according to the fdisk output.
I have not poked around in the BIOS yet. I need more time.
Compaq Presario Desktop
700MHz Celeron
384 Mb pc100 ram
60 Gb HD
By the way, I am using a pci IDE HD Controller to use the HDrive, rather than the motherboard IDE input, does this matter, should this matter (Sorry I do not know the manufacturer or model).
_________________
The Glass is Neither Half Full, Nor Half Empty...
It is Twice as Big as It Needs To Be. |
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kimchi_sg
Advocate
Joined: 26 Nov 2004
Posts: 2968
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| Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2005 9:31 am Post subject: |
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/dev/hda is likely to be your read-only CDROM drive, this is why you cannot partition it. 
Use to see a list of all hard drives as well as any partitions on these drives. From its output you should be able to figure out which device name your hard drive is.  |
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wjholden
l33t
Joined: 01 Mar 2004
Posts: 826
Location: Augusta, GA
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| Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2005 6:00 pm Post subject: |
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 Why didn't I think of that? |
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Axle923
n00b
Joined: 21 Mar 2005
Posts: 8
Location: Seattle
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| Posted: Tue Mar 22, 2005 7:19 pm Post subject: Harddrive size not correct |
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That's It...Thanks for the Help.
_________________
The Glass is Neither Half Full, Nor Half Empty...
It is Twice as Big as It Needs To Be. |
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Installing Gentoo
