HELP! HD not detected by linux...want to install really bad!

[bluemandrin]

Hey everyone. how is it going? This post is going to be a bit lenghty for the sake of being explicit about my situation. Hopefully someone can help me.

I am trying to install linux from the knoppix CD onto a used HD which has been reformatted. I type "knoppix-installer" and am taken to the partition screen. I select the drive to partrtion and am told: "opened disk read-only - you have no permission to write." I hit enter and it says "FATAL ERROR: cannot read disk drive."

This is all taking place with a 30 gig maxtor HD.

Here is what I have done so far:
1. Physically installed the HD.
-drive seemed to already be partitioned as "my computer" in windows read it as two drives.

2. I formatted the larger partition by typing format e: in MS-DOS. "my computer" showed the drive as being empty after this.

3. I attempted the same process with the smaller partition and was not allowed to do so because of a write protection.

4. I tried deleting all of the files form the drive, and then emptying the recycle bin. Next, I typed reformat d: in MS-DOS and it seemed to work, yet in "my computer" (windows) it said there were still 13 hidden objects. However, the drive appeared empty.

5. I attempted the install again, but received the same error message (see above).

6. Following advice from a linuxquestions.org forum, I downloaded powermax from the maxtor website. I scanned the disk with this program, and it passed all tests. I then tried to refomat the disk and it said to remove other hard drives. To be safe, I opened the cpu, and I unplugged the ribbon to my main drive (the one with windows, and all my files on it.) After closing the cpu and hooking up the keyboard etc. I started the computer booting from the floppy into the maxtor program again. I selected the reformat option and the program said the disk was successfully reformatted.

7. I rebooted again into knoppix (from the CD). Typed "su - " "knoppix-installer," followed the screens to the partition screen again. SAME PROBLEM, SAME MESSAGE.....

The difference is that now KDE does not even show the other drive on the desktop whereas before it did. Also, "my computer" in windows does not show the drive either.

Is this where mounting the hard drive comes in?? If so, I do not know anything about this and will be in need of detailed information if possible.

Thank you so much. <---- (thats a funny one)

amanda

[marhleet]

when you start knoppix from the cd and you have a desktop you can't type
knoppix-installer and get that to work. the drives are open in read only mode and you are a user. you need to type
sudo knoppix-installer then you will have permission to wreck your drive to your heart's content

[bluemandrin]

Thank you! you rock! Hopefully I haven't wrecked the drive already. (I may have because the computer doesnt even detect it anymore.) Im gonna try to unplug it and plug it back in and see if that works. I read that if you format the drive wrong it may destroy it by making it unbootable. Im crossing my fingers I guess.

thanks again...

mandy