cfdisk / fdisk probs

**Chris H** · 10-08-2004

Friend wants to install Slack on top of his mandrake install.

Boots from Slack install disk.

Goes to partition

fdisk /dev/hda

Gets error unable to open /dev/hda.

With cfdisk

cfdisk /dev/hda

Gets error FATAL ERROR: Cannot open disk drive

Boots up knoppix. Same results.

Boots into already installed mandrake and tries with same results.

df in mandrake gives his hard drive as /dev/ide/host0/bus0/target0/lun0.

Retries using that instead of /dev/hda and gets exactly the same results.

Any ideas? I'm stumped on this one. Mandrake 10 installed to this drive and boots into it.

Ta

**Chris H** · 10-08-2004

* cough *

**imdeemvp** · 10-09-2004

how many partitions does your friend have in the hard drive? the limit is 4.

**Chris H** · 10-09-2004

Two partitions, I think a primary swap and logical root.

**sether** · 10-09-2004

my guess is it's a bad hard drive.

a similar thing happened with my friend. we already knew his hard drive was going bad, (even though win xp which was installed much earlier still worked on it). it repartitioned ok at first, but then failed to install a new OS. after trying knoppix, cfdisk on a slack cd, and even the winxp partitioner, there was nothing left to do except get a new hard drive. same error too.

you can search around for utilities on the web that might be able to repair this. also, the cd(s) or floppie(s) that came with the hdd might be useful. but chances are it's gonna be hard to fix.

just curious - how old is the hard drive?

**keri** · 10-09-2004

Hi, i am the one who was pestering Chris for help with this, the HD runs Mandrake 10 fine, but i can't get anything else on it

The drive is about 3 years old if that, is is a 40Gb Seagate 7200 drive.

**sether** · 10-09-2004

Originally Posted by keri

Hi, i am the one who was pestering Chris for help with this, the HD runs Mandrake 10 fine, but i can't get anything else on it

The drive is about 3 years old if that, is is a 40Gb Seagate 7200 drive.

have any repair cds or floppies that came with the drive?

**keri** · 10-10-2004

nope, afraid it was an OEM drive

**imdeemvp** · 10-10-2004

are planning to use the entire drive for your installation? if so backup any important data such as bookmarks, docs, pics, music. and wipe out the entire drive by doing a low level format

you can go to www.maxtor.com and download their hd tools and use the quick low level format it will be done in 10mins or less

**keri** · 10-10-2004

Originally Posted by imdeemvp

are planning to use the entire drive for your installation? if so backup any important data such as bookmarks, docs, pics, music. and wipe out the entire drive by doing a low level format

you can go to www.maxtor.com and download their hd tools and use the quick low level format it will be done in 10mins or less

Thanks for that i'll give it a go tomorrow, there is nothing important on the drive and i am wishing to use the whole disk as i am still learning / playing with Linux, so my primary computer is a windows machine - is admitting that on here the same as swearing or committing a crime

, hopefully not, i am planning on using Linux more once i get the hang of it

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