Unable to install, Aspire One A110

[HandsomeRob]

Hi guys,

New here, new to Linux, new to Ubuntu. Something of a Windows, sort of power user, sick of it.

Trying to install UNR on the Aspire One, it has an 8GB SSD, and I also have an 8GB SD card, sometimes in while trying to install, sometimes not.

I've tried to search, but so many variations of the netbook model, so many different issues, and me not knowing all the terms, so, here goes:

The installer tends to hang at 70% while launching the partitioner, at the menu: 'Detecting File Systems'. Sometimes happens, sometimes not, installer functions better while running UNR off the live CD.
Not really a major issue, but maybe a symptom?

Big problem is here, when I get through, I get a partition failed to mount message:

The attempt to mount a file system with type ext4 in SCSI2 (0,0,0), partition #1 (sda) at / failed.

The drive is empty of all partitions prior to beginning the install:

Have tried multiple different sources of ISO files. Have tried multiple different USB programs. Tried multiple different USB Pen Drives, and have tried to install the OS on both the SSD & SD Card.

Getting pretty frustrated at this point. I even tried to install Jollycloud, which installed successfully, however GRUB failed to install.

Tried to zero it:

ubuntu(A)ubuntu:-$ sudo -s
root(A)ubuntu:-# dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sda bs=512
dd: writing '/dev/sda': Input/output error
49+0 records in
48+0 records out
24576 bytes (25kB) copied, 0.10802 s, 228 kB/s

(A) due to unable to post URL's.

Not entirely certain what that means.

I also notice that when I run Gparted off the Live CD, I can't edit /dev/sda2 and /dev/sda5, /dev/sda1 isn't recognized. Live CD runs off of /dev/sdb.

Any help would be much appreciated. Trying the Acer & Ubuntu forums as well, all I'm finding are people with the same problem and no answers.

[HandsomeRob]

Bump for a little hope.

[reed9]

I also notice that when I run Gparted off the Live CD, I can't edit /dev/sda2 and /dev/sda5, /dev/sda1 isn't recognized.

Just for basics, none of these partitions are mounted when you try and edit them, right?

Can you boot a live cd and post the output of

sudo fdisk -l

[HandsomeRob]

Disk /dev/sdb: 4009 MB, 4009754624 bytes
124 heads, 62 sectors/track, 1018 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 7688 * 512 = 3936256 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00074330

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 * 1 1018 3913161 c W95 FAT32 (LBA)

Unable to do anything to /dev/sda2 & /dev/sda5. Can't unmount, even in terminal.
i47.tinypic.c0m/23idkrq.jpg
i49.tinypic.c0m/2mc7eko.jpg

However, by creating a new partition table on /dev/sda
i46.tinypic.c0m/2njbt6f.jpg
I am able to get it all clean, still get the same installation error.

I put smartctl on it, trying to make sense of those results, if they're worth anything at all with an SSD.

Tinypic Urls written as .c0m due to image posting restrictions.

Thanks much for the response, they're hard to find. On 5 forums right now, another guy, Paulb104 doing the same with the same issues.

[HandsomeRob]

This probably helps more:

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo fdisk -l /dev/sda

Disk /dev/sda: 8069 MB, 8069677056 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 981 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x0001700d

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System

[HandsomeRob]

Another interesting tidbit:

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo mkfs.ext4 /dev/sda1
mke2fs 1.41.9 (22-Aug-2009)
Filesystem label=
OS type: Linux
Block size=4096 (log=2)
Fragment size=4096 (log=2)
492880 inodes, 1969962 blocks
98498 blocks (5.00%) reserved for the super user
First data block=0
Maximum filesystem blocks=2017460224
61 block groups
32768 blocks per group, 32768 fragments per group
8080 inodes per group
Superblock backups stored on blocks:
32768, 98304, 163840, 229376, 294912, 819200, 884736, 1605632

Warning: could not read block 0: Attempt to read block from filesystem resulted in short read
Writing inode tables: done
Creating journal (32768 blocks): done
Writing superblocks and filesystem accounting information: done

This filesystem will be automatically checked every 28 mounts or
180 days, whichever comes first. Use tune2fs -c or -i to override.

[HandsomeRob]

So, Gparted does not recognize the partition, however, sudo cfdisk displays:
i49.tinypic.c0m/35an0q8.jpg

Recognized?

[HandsomeRob]

Well, just tried to install XP using USB, and it says C: may be corrupted. Looks like that probably seals the deal.

Sigh. Thanks for reading anyway.

[reed9]

I was going to say, it sounds like the disk is bad.