F16-64 install degenerated then failed

[jeb3121]

Hi All,

I run an AMD Athlon 2.5 GHz dual-core processor with 4 GB RAM and a 300GB drive dedicated to Linux.

I d/l-verified-installed F16-64 v. 3.2.6-3 full version which worked fine for several weeks. 8-10 days ago, after a lapse of some time I did an update via Terminal. As I remember, there were about 600 items.

Prior to the update there were a few things requiring an extra step or two. After, the system started running slower and I had problems with opening apps.

Then a couple of days ago startup took about 10x as long and while desktop came up, I couldn't open Tbird, Ffox or even Files using the Favorites box nor did clicking on Applications bring up any icons. I then did a mouse name-logout-name but the last was not active to give me restart or power-off. I then did a cold boot.

Following some advice I selected 3.2.5-3 and then 3.2.1-3 for a fresh install. Each stopped at or near the end of the boot process with error messages.

I then d/l-verified F16-64 Live CD. Booting from the CD I clicked on the icon, Install on Hard Drive.

Fedora Installer started through the process and stopped at "Creating ext4 filesystem on /dev/mapper/vg_compname-lv_root" I started again and ended at the same place.

I have no idea as to the causes of my failure to install. The drive has one partition and the install process says everything on it is deleted just before the install starts. I tried XP's disk management thinking to eliminate the partition but it tells me it's a "protected" partition and XP can't deal with it. Nor can I see it in "My Computer," so I can't format it either. Certainly any corrupted files should be gone.

Any help or ideas gratefully accepted.
jeb3121

[leigh123linux]

Originally Posted by jeb3121

Hi All,

I run an AMD Athlon 2.5 GHz dual-core processor with 4 GB RAM and a 300GB drive dedicated to Linux.

I d/l-verified-installed F16-64 v. 3.2.6-3 full version which worked fine for several weeks. 8-10 days ago, after a lapse of some time I did an update via Terminal. As I remember, there were about 600 items.

Prior to the update there were a few things requiring an extra step or two. After, the system started running slower and I had problems with opening apps.

Then a couple of days ago startup took about 10x as long and while desktop came up, I couldn't open Tbird, Ffox or even Files using the Favorites box nor did clicking on Applications bring up any icons. I then did a mouse name-logout-name but the last was not active to give me restart or power-off. I then did a cold boot.

Following some advice I selected 3.2.5-3 and then 3.2.1-3 for a fresh install. Each stopped at or near the end of the boot process with error messages.

I then d/l-verified F16-64 Live CD. Booting from the CD I clicked on the icon, Install on Hard Drive.

Fedora Installer started through the process and stopped at "Creating ext4 filesystem on /dev/mapper/vg_compname-lv_root" I started again and ended at the same place.

I have no idea as to the causes of my failure to install. The drive has one partition and the install process says everything on it is deleted just before the install starts. I tried XP's disk management thinking to eliminate the partition but it tells me it's a "protected" partition and XP can't deal with it. Nor can I see it in "My Computer," so I can't format it either. Certainly any corrupted files should be gone.

Any help or ideas gratefully accepted.
jeb3121

Post

rpm -qa |grep fc17
cat /etc/fedora-release

[jeb3121]

Originally Posted by leigh123linux

Post

rpm -qa |grep fc17
cat /etc/fedora-release

Hi,

Thanks for your response.

Since my level of knowledge is just out of the starting gate, I opened with the CD, went to Terminal and su'd to root. I then copied "rpm -qa |grep fc17" and Enter. Nothing happened beyond the root live user came up again. I then copied "cat /etc/fedora-release" with the same results.

From this I ASSuMe there are more steps to interpolate. It would be nice to know what they are.

puzzledly,
jeb3121

[nonamedotc]

The first command in leigh's post will see if you have any packages from the Fedora 17 repository. The second command should simply give your Fedora version as output. In my machine, this is what I get

 
cat /etc/fedora-release
Fedora release 16 (Verne)

[jeb3121]

Originally Posted by nonamedotc

The first command in leigh's post will see if you have any packages from the Fedora 17 repository. The second command should simply give your Fedora version as output. In my machine, this is what I get

 
cat /etc/fedora-release
Fedora release 16 (Verne)

Hi,

Thanks for your response.

As I said all I got was the root prompt. However, having progressed(?) to questions about install, thank you for your responses there as well.

jeb3121

[JEO]

You issued the rpm and the cat command while booted from the cd. All that will show is the packages on the cd. You have to do it from your installed system. If you can't boot to graphical, try booting to emergency mode or single user mode then issue those commands. One way to enter emergency mode is to add "systemd.unit=emergency.target" to the kernel command line. You can do this by (temporarily) editing the grub boot menu early in the boot sequence. Add that, then press F10 to continue booting.

[jeb3121]

Originally Posted by JEO

You issued the rpm and the cat command while booted from the cd. All that will show is the packages on the cd. You have to do it from your installed system. If you can't boot to graphical, try booting to emergency mode or single user mode then issue those commands. One way to enter emergency mode is to add "systemd.unit=emergency.target" to the kernel command line. You can do this by (temporarily) editing the grub boot menu early in the boot sequence. Add that, then press F10 to continue booting.

Hi JEO,

Thank you for your response.

My main problem is not being able to install F16-64 from either full version or live CDs on my dedicated HDD. At this point I'm not sure if the drive is the problem. When I look at it with xp disk manager it says the partition is protected, which I gather is unusual. That wasn't the case with F15 but occurred when I installed F16-64 FV.

I was told that gparted from sourceforge could be used to clear the partition but I have d/l problems there.

jeb3121

[JEO]

Try booting the live cd and run gparted from there. Open a terminal window:

su -
yum install gparted

[jeb3121]

Hi again JEO,

I decided to have the drive checked by the seller to see if it had failed. Seeing the partition labeled "Protected," he did a low-level format, after which I Installed from the Live CD with no problems.

Your info will go into the reference file I'm generating so I won't need to ask again.

Thanks again,

jeb3121