Install problem?

[dude444]

Here are the facts
- tried to install on 2 computers
- debian installed correctly as a 3rd oper sys
But was with out desktop GUI environment
- than tried the same with fedora, it failed, after going thru the wizard, it says unable to find root dir install directory - than I chose several directory locations & still unable to find it.
- tried to install fedora on x86 ho notebook with several partitions - no error msg it just freezes on initialize hardware detection
- tried to than install solaris on separate notebook with a clean had, it worked fine, but than tried to install solaris on old hdd, it failed!!!
Any help appreciated, what can I do to install Linux & solaris together???

[devils casper]

Which version of Fedora are you trying to install?
Sometimes installers do not configure Nvidia and ATI Graphics cards properly. Which Graphics Card do you have? Post your machine(s) specs here.

Have you tried to install in Text Mode?

[dude444]

I tried to install fedora version 10 & 12 but failed.

here are the spec's using 1TB external my WD drive with 4 partitions, ntfs 160gb, 160 fat,160 fat & 200 gb fat & rest is unpartitioned space.

HP notebook :
OS Name Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
Version 6.1.7600 Build 7600
Other OS Description Not Available
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name Sharyar-PC
System Manufacturer Hewlett-Packard
System Model HP Pavilion dv4 Notebook PC
System Type x64-based PC
Processor AMD Turion(tm) II Dual-Core Mobile M520, 2300 Mhz, 2 Core(s), 2 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date Insyde F.17, 10/12/2009
SMBIOS Version 2.6
Windows Directory C:\Windows
System Directory C:\Windows\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume1
Locale Canada
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "6.1.7600.16385"
User Name Sharyar-PC\Sharyar
Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 4.00 GB
Total Physical Memory 3.75 GB
Available Physical Memory 2.49 GB
Total Virtual Memory 7.49 GB
Available Virtual Memory 6.06 GB
Page File Space 3.75 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys
prod # wa892ua#aBC
model:dv4-2148ca
ser cnd0073p3f

Gateway spec's:
OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 3 Build 2600
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name 1057-GATEWAY
System Manufacturer Gateway
System Model Gateway M320 and 4500 Series
System Type X86-based PC
Processor x86 Family 6 Model 13 Stepping 6 GenuineIntel ~1594 Mhz
BIOS Version/Date Phoenix 53.01.02, 10/7/2004
SMBIOS Version 2.31
Windows Directory C:\WINDOWS
System Directory C:\WINDOWS\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume1
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "5.1.2600.5512 (xpsp.080413-2111)"
User Name 1057-GATEWAY\Shaz
Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Total Physical Memory 2,048.00 MB
Available Physical Memory 1.10 GB
Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB
Available Virtual Memory 1.93 GB
Page File Space 3.81 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys

[yancek]

here are the spec's using 1TB external my WD drive with 4 partitions, ntfs 160gb, 160 fat,160 fat & 200 gb fat & rest is unpartitioned space.

Are you trying to install to this drive attached to your notebook?
You have four windows partitions, where are you trying to install Fedora. Are the four windows partitions primary? Can you use the Fedora CD, let it boot and open a terminal, login as root user (su -) then enter command: fdisk -l (lower case Letter L in the command) which will give your partition information to post here. Have the external drive attached, of course.

[dude444]

Yes there are 4 partitions in my external mass storage 1TB hdd

error:you have not defined root partition (/)
harddrives
/dev/sdc
/dev/sdc1 ntfs 160gb
/dev/sdc2 ntfs/hpfs 160gb
/dev/sdc3 ntfs/hpfs 160gb
/dev/sdc4 extended 160gb
/dev/sdc5 ntfs/hpfs 200gb
free freespace 200gb

[yancek]

The information you posted on your partitions is not enough for anyone to tell you how/where to install. You have three windows primary partitions and your fourth primary is the extended partition of 160GB where you could install Linux. You also have a logical partition with windows on it. You have unallocated space but since you did not post the actual output of the fdisk command, there is no way to tell if this in contiguous space that can be used as part of the extended partition. If you posted the entire fdisk output, someone should be able to tell you what you can do.

[Segfault]

Hmh ... if Debian installed no problem why didn't you install a desktop on it?

[dude444]

Yes Debian installed but now I can't remove it, I'll lose Win 7 also on the hdd.
I went though the wizard & no desktop option was given?

However I am putting these pics for the Fedora wizard, where it asks to give root install dir but than the error msg as above: error:you have not defined root partition (/)

Here are the images for the fedora wizard showing my external hdd partitions:
http://shaz444.ipage.com/personal/AUGSIX%20002.jpg
http://shaz444.ipage.com/personal/AUGSIX%20006.jpg
http://shaz444.ipage.com/personal/AUGSIX%20007.jpg

[Segfault]

Yes Debian installed but now I can't remove it, I'll lose Win 7 also on the hdd.
I went though the wizard & no desktop option was given?

I've never used nothing but Debian netinstall and don't know what wizard you are talking about. To install a desktop just use apt-get.