HD Install problem

**bigjandet** · 07-03-2008, 07:52 PM

Have 2nd computer with 120gb hd. OS was window xp.
I downloaded knoppix and liked so I tried install from livecd. Halve way through all stopped no idea why.
Knoppix will run but will not install.
I now have hd with nothing and windows only reads 2.1gb anf pclinuxos only reads 1.7 gb.
When I started live cd install I did allow entire disk as was not bothered about windows as have on 1st computer.
Is there a way to get back my lost space.
It seems that the formats that knoppix writes partitions that cannot be read by others OSs

**Harry Kuhman** · 07-03-2008, 07:58 PM

Originally Posted by bigjandet

Is there a way to get back my lost space.

Sure there is. Delete the partition table and start over again. Or just Install Debian and tell it to use the entire disk.

**bigjandet** · 07-03-2008, 09:10 PM

I do thank for reply but I cannot delete partition if I cannot get into program

**Harry Kuhman** · 07-03-2008, 11:29 PM

Originally Posted by bigjandet

I do thank for reply but I cannot delete partition if I cannot get into program

What part of Knoppix is a Live CD needs explanation? You don't need your disk partitions to run Knoppix, it runs from the CD and can run with NO HARD DISK at all. It can delete the partitions. But If you want a Linux system installed on your hard disk, make yourself a Debian Net-Install CD or even business card CD and Install Debian from that, getting the rest of the files that it needs across the internet at Install time. It will give you an option at install time to delete everything on the hard disk and start fresh, and it will partition the disk will all needed partitions for you (although there is certainly an option for those who want to define their partition and partition sizes themselves). I have to think that you can boot the Knoppix CD or DVD on that computer, otherwise you wouldn't have been able to try any Knoppix install foolishness.

I'm also going to assume that even if you think that computer is really mucked up, you have access to another computer to download and make the Debian net-install disc, since you have access to post here.

I would suggest that you use the "testing" version of Debian, it's new enough to have good hardware support and is actually very stable (much more so than anything that you can get from Microsoft).

**bigjandet** · 07-04-2008, 07:55 AM

HD is 120 gb Windows finds 2.7gb, Debian finds 2.1gb, Ubuntu finds 2.1 gb.
Knoppix has formatted the rest (112gb) with knoppix files. I need to get back with Knoppix
and delete partition it has set up but do not know how.

**Harry Kuhman** · 07-04-2008, 09:23 AM

Originally Posted by bigjandet

... Debian finds 2.1gb...
Knoppix has formatted the rest (112gb) with knoppix files. I need to get back with Knoppix and delete partition it has set up but do not know how.

You're saying that Debian, when you use a Debian Install disc like The Net-Install Disk or the Business-card CD, and you take the option for Debian to use the entire disk for the new install (not the option to install into the remaining available space) the the Debian install program will claim that the disk is only 2.1g in size??? Amazing! It sure has never done that for me, and I've installed Debian more times than I can count on many different computers.

It is not an issue if the disk is filled with Knoppix files or not, whatever the heck knoppix files are. It's simply an issue of what file partitions are out there. (And there are no partitions of type "knoppix".)

OK, you have you heart set on deleting the partitions with Knoppix. You can certainly do that. Unfortunately, I never use Knoppix myself to partition drives (I use the small DOS utility Ranish), so I don't remember the exact syntax of the commands and don't even want to trust my memory on the command names. And my system is busy in some massive file transfers, so I can't boot Knoppix right now and look. But I'll do you even better: I'll tell you how you could look up this information yourself. Got to Google.com and type into the search windows the words linux delete partition. You'll get about 2.8 million hits from places on the Internet that want to tell you how to delete partitions. Read some, make notes, and get yourself at least two different commands that you could try (just in case one has the Linux noobie detection feature and tries to frustrate you).

Then boot Knoppix. But I suggest that in the boot process you use the noswap option to avoid using a swap partition. You likely have a swap partition out there, and if your objective is to remove all partitions on the hard drive then you may not want Knoppix using the swap partition at the time (although, what's the worst that could happen?). Try one of the commands that you found to identify and delete the partitions. When that doesn't work, try the other one. Be sure to write out the new partition table when done. if that's a step that you have to do with your tool of choice. Don't bother to create any new partitions. Don't try to format anything (there should be nothing to format, as you should have no partitions.

Put your Debian install CD back in and run the install process. Tell Debian to use the entire disk. QED.