Assertion at disk_dos.c:485? when trying to install(update) to Fedora Core 3?

drivel · #1 2004-11-09, 12:58 AM CST

When installing Fedora Core 3, I am unable to perform any actions with the installer, the installer just keep prompting:

Assertion (heads > 0) at disk_dos.c:485 in function probe_partition_for_geom() failed.
Assertion (sectors <= 63) at disk_dos.c:490 in function probe_partition_for_geom() failed.

install exited abnormally.

The system has 2 IDE harddisks and they have the following partition information:

Disk /dev/hda: 255 heads, 63 sectors, 20023 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/hda1 * 257 260 32130 83 Linux
/dev/hda2 1 256 2056288+ 82 Linux swap
/dev/hda3 261 7272 56323890 83 Linux
/dev/hda4 7273 20023 102422407+ 83 Linux

Partition table entries are not in disk order

Disk /dev/hdb: 255 heads, 63 sectors, 30401 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/hdb1 1 1274 10233373+ 83 Linux
/dev/hdb2 1275 1339 522112+ 82 Linux swap
/dev/hdb3 1340 5036 29696152+ 83 Linux
/dev/hdb4 5037 30401 203744362+ 83 Linux

Is there any body that can help?

vnpenguin · #2 2004-11-09, 01:03 AM CST

I have the same error when do fresh installation. When I click on "Ignore" the PC reboot

When I click on "Cancel" the installing procedure continue but it exits after selecting packages

So I cant install FC3

On the same hdd, I can install without any problem FC1, FC2, Slackware, SuSE, Ubuntu,...

Any solutions ?
Thanks

drivel · #3 2004-11-09, 02:48 AM CST

Looks like I am not the only one getting similar assertion

:

Bug#138419: Installer fails to read HD geometry

Bug#138430:Fedora Core 3 prompts Assertion at disk_dos.c during the...

Bug#138431: A bug when doing update on fedora 1 to fedora 3

vnpenguin · #4 2004-11-09, 03:16 AM CST

Yes, I see bug reports. But I'm looking for the solution

wally_walrus · #5 2004-11-10, 06:18 PM CST

I managed to get around this problem. I already had Fedora FC1 and Ubuntu installed and working fine, but the FC3 installer would give errors and eventually fail (from hard drive geometry errors reported by parted, I suppose).

What worked for me: I booted into Ubuntu Linux and ran parted. parted gave a verbose error message about how the hard drive geometry it calculated differed from the one reported by linux, and it gave a suggested boot option that looked like hda=xxx,xxx,xx (but with digits instead of x's). I quit parted, and restarted the computer booting from the first Fedora FC3 Install CD, and typed
linux hda=xxx,xxx,xx
(with the digits parted had suggested instead of the x's) at the boot prompt, and the install proceeded without errors.

WARNING: I don't know much about disk geometries and such, but I suppose this could be pretty dangerous and there is a good possiblity of destroying existing data on the hard drive if something goes wrong. Best not try this if there is any non-backed-up data you care about on the hard drive.

Brilwing · #6 2004-11-11, 04:09 AM CST

I had the same problem, and my solution was to install FC2 first and perform an update to FC3.

jarifed · #7 2004-11-16, 02:37 PM CST

I had also the same problem
I also tried to install Fedora core2 and failed too. Worked OK on Mandrake 10.0 and previous version
I found this article
http://lwn.net/Articles/86835/ and carried out this command
> sfdisk -d /dev/hda | sfdisk --no-reread -H255 /dev/hda
This was the message I got

> Warning: HDIO_GETGEO says that there are 16 heads
>
> Disk /dev/hda: 59598 cylinders, 255 heads, 63 sectors/track
> Old situation:
> Units = cylinders of 8225280 bytes, blocks of 1024 bytes, counting from
> 0
>
> Device Boot Start End #cyls #blocks Id System
> /dev/hda1 * 0+ 3738 3739- 30033486 c W95 FAT32 (LBA)
> end: (c,h,s) expected (1023,254,63) found (666,254,63)
> /dev/hda2 0 - 0 0 0 Empty
> /dev/hda3 0 - 0 0 0 Empty
> /dev/hda4 0 - 0 0 0 Empty
> New situation:
> Units = sectors of 512 bytes, counting from 0
>
> Device Boot Start End #sectors Id System
> /dev/hda1 * 63 60067034 60066972 c W95 FAT32 (LBA)
> /dev/hda2 0 - 0 0 Empty
> /dev/hda3 0 - 0 0 Empty
> /dev/hda4 0 - 0 0 Empty
> Successfully wrote the new partition table
>
> Re-reading the partition table ...
> BLKRRPART: Device or resource busy
> The command to re-read the partition table failed
> Reboot your system now, before using mkfs
>
> If you created or changed a DOS partition, /dev/foo7, say, then use
> dd(1)
> to zero the first 512 bytes: dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/foo7 bs=512
> count=1
> (See fdisk(8).)
> [root@Fuji janriet]#
> [root@Fuji janriet]# sfdisk -d /dev/hdb | sfdisk --no-reread -H255
> /dev/hdb
> Warning: HDIO_GETGEO says that there are 16 heads
>
> Disk /dev/hdb: 155114 cylinders, 255 heads, 63 sectors/track
> Old situation:
> Units = cylinders of 8225280 bytes, blocks of 1024 bytes, counting from
> 0
>
> Device Boot Start End #cyls #blocks Id System
> /dev/hdb1 * 0+ 1215 1216- 9767488+ c W95 FAT32 (LBA)
> end: (c,h,s) expected (1023,254,63) found (191,254,63)
> /dev/hdb2 1216 9731 8516 68404770 f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
> start: (c,h,s) expected (1023,254,63) found (192,0,1)
> end: (c,h,s) expected (1023,254,63) found (515,254,63)
> /dev/hdb3 0 - 0 0 0 Empty
> /dev/hdb4 0 - 0 0 0 Empty
> /dev/hdb5 1216+ 2431 1216- 9767488+ b W95 FAT32
> start: (c,h,s) expected (1023,254,63) found (192,1,1)
> end: (c,h,s) expected (1023,254,63) found (383,254,63)
> /dev/hdb6 2432+ 3647 1216- 9767488+ b W95 FAT32
> start: (c,h,s) expected (1023,254,63) found (384,1,1)
> end: (c,h,s) expected (1023,254,63) found (575,254,63)
> /dev/hdb7 3648+ 4863 1216- 9767488+ b W95 FAT32
> start: (c,h,s) expected (1023,254,63) found (576,1,1)
> end: (c,h,s) expected (1023,254,63) found (767,254,63)
> /dev/hdb8 4864+ 4964 101- 811251 83 Linux
> /dev/hdb9 4965+ 4989 25- 200781 82 Linux swap
> /dev/hdb10 4990+ 9731 4742- 38090083+ 83 Linux
> New situation:
> Units = sectors of 512 bytes, counting from 0
>
> Device Boot Start End #sectors Id System
> /dev/hdb1 * 63 19535039 19534977 c W95 FAT32 (LBA)
> /dev/hdb2 19535040 156344579 136809540 f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
> /dev/hdb3 0 - 0 0 Empty
> /dev/hdb4 0 - 0 0 Empty
> /dev/hdb5 19535103 39070079 19534977 b W95 FAT32
> /dev/hdb6 39070143 58605119 19534977 b W95 FAT32
> /dev/hdb7 58605183 78140159 19534977 b W95 FAT32
> /dev/hdb8 78140223 79762724 1622502 83 Linux
> /dev/hdb9 79762788 80164349 401562 82 Linux swap
> /dev/hdb10 80164413 156344579 76180167 83 Linux
> Successfully wrote the new partition table
>
> Re-reading the partition table ...
> BLKRRPART: Device or resource busy
> The command to re-read the partition table failed
> Reboot your system now, before using mkfs
>
> If you created or changed a DOS partition, /dev/foo7, say, then use
> dd(1)
> to zero the first 512 bytes: dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/foo7 bs=512
> count=1

I tried again to install Fedora core 3 and it completed the installation procedure.

I also tested to see if Windows would boot. with succes!

I hope this will be of assistance as I am only commencing Fedora core 3 recently

fooboy · #8 2005-01-16, 08:28 AM CST

I got this on a old VAIO I am usung for a bang around machine. I nuked the partitions and removed the malware known as MSWindows, and presto! I install without this issue.

AJB2K3 · #9 2005-01-16, 02:02 PM CST

I had this too when i tryed but the answer is simpleLEAVE SOME UNFORMATTED UN PARTITIONED SPACE ON THE HARD DRIVE
i did this and all went fine
BTW im a neewbe , i had this error 3 time and ive posted this possible solution 4 times!!!!

mapleleaf · #10 2005-03-11, 04:26 PM CST

Quote:

Originally Posted by AJB2K3

I had this too when i tryed but the answer is simpleLEAVE SOME UNFORMATTED UN PARTITIONED SPACE ON THE HARD DRIVE
i did this and all went fine
BTW im a neewbe , i had this error 3 time and ive posted this possible solution 4 times!!!!

PLS help me guys-I got fedora 3 today-Im a noob to linux full stop and Im getting this error everytime-is there anyway around this prob-and Im not a techie so can u pls put it in laymans terms!

Pls answer my prayers!lol

Jon
aka
mapleleaf

Autunos · #11 2005-03-30, 09:12 PM CST

Yes, I worked around the errors . . .
How? Popped in my Fedora Core 1 CD, let it auto partition the drive, as soon as it fixed the partition, I reboot comp, with Fedora 3 disc in drive, went right through whole installation, no problems or errors. I was about to say, "NOT WORTH IT" to a great distro.

ama · #12 2005-04-12, 05:44 PM CDT

This problem is caused by the partition table on the harddrive.
Boot to linux rescue boot and use fdisk to wipe out the partitiion tables
reboot from the distribution CD and all is well.

Autunos · #13 2005-04-12, 05:52 PM CDT

Not all of us have the luxury of wiping out partitions out. I am running my ministry on one partion, why install linux on another . I like linux AWHOLE lot better than WinXP, but until all my hardware is supported, I have to jump the fence from time to time.

TheCowGod · #14 2005-04-12, 10:35 PM CDT

if you have two hard drives, unplug the one with windows on it and istall normally. If you are trying to install fedora on a partition of your windows drive, i dont know what to tell you.

wizard · #15 2005-04-13, 09:29 AM CDT

Quote:

Originally Posted by Autunos

Not all of us have the luxury of wiping out partitions out. I am running my ministry on one partion, why install linux on another . I like linux AWHOLE lot better than WinXP, but until all my hardware is supported, I have to jump the fence from time to time.

It's not necessary to repartition the hard drive. You can run sfdisk from the rescue CD and rewrite the existing partition table.

A couple of us have already solved this - IME it's caused by creating a Linux partition with something other than Linux - in my case it was Partition Magic.