Ubuntu Resizing Partitions

Artifice · 10-28-2008, 03:27 PM

I have two problems when I'm installing Ubuntu. First, after booting Ubuntu from a CD and selecting "install ubuntu" my monitor goes blank and says "cannot display this mode". This is right after the orange progress bar is filled up. In order to solve this problem I have to boot in safe graphics mode, but I don't want this to be a permanent solution because it's not pretty.

Second, when I select "resize partition" as my partition option, I get a default error telling me basically that there was an error resizing the partition. Just for more information I have my PC booting from the CD drive first.

Thanks in advance for your help.

**wmorri** · 10-28-2008, 04:03 PM

Hi,

Here is the solution to your second problem.

Please follow these instructions line for line. This will allow you to partition your hdd. You will need two things, an ISO file from

Gparted, and a program that will allow you to burn a LiveCD. I would recommend CDburnerXP, or Finalburner. Unless you have a cd burner that will burn ISO files. A regular cd burning program won't work. It must have an ISO burning function.

Go to GParted, then download an ISO file for the latest version.
Download a copy of CDburnerXP or Finalburner or an ISO burner of your choice.
Burn a LiveCd

Let me know when you have that done and I will help you with the next step.

About your first problem. Do you have a graphics card by chance and what card is it, make and model. This has caused problems in the passed with some setups.

Cheers!

Artifice · 10-28-2008, 04:11 PM

Done.

Attached is my graphics card information. Figured it would be better to just take an sc than to write it all.

**Bartender** · 10-29-2008, 06:01 AM

Try this
http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/nvidia
It's an older guide, written for Ubuntu 7.04, but I don't think the process has changed. You still need to enable the nvidia drivers. Also, you need to be online to let it fix itself. So in your case you're going to have to install, even if the video looks awful, and have faith that you can fix it once you're done installing.

What wmorri is asking you to do is download/burn a bootable copy of the GParted LiveCD. After you've downloaded and correctly burned a bootable CD, you boot from that CD and partition. The nice thing about the GParted LiveCD is that it's an expanded version of the partitioner on the installer CD that you've been trying to use, so it'll look familiar to you.

I assume you're trying to dual-boot? Have you defragged the Windows data three or four times? If there's Windows data strewn all over the disc the partitioner might not be able to do the deed.

Are you running Vista? If so, you should use the Vista partitioner to shrink it.

Also, do you have four primary partitions?

Artifice · 10-29-2008, 06:12 AM

I only have one partition.

I'm running XP on that computer.

I defragged it before trying to install ubuntu.

Thank you for the information on nvidia, I'll try that once I get ubuntu installed.

Artifice · 10-29-2008, 03:00 PM

After I chose the language for GParted my screen went blank and my monitor said the same "cannot display this mode" error

**wmorri** · 10-30-2008, 08:09 AM

I am guessing that it has something to do with your video card, I would try connecting your monitor cable to your onboard video female jack and see if that makes a difference.

Cheers!

**Bartender** · 10-30-2008, 08:35 AM

Artifice -
I'm sorry this isn't going smoothly for you.
I got out my Ubuntu laptop and tossed in the latest version of GParted that i have on CD.
It's a newer version, with GParted and Clonezilla combined. It's version 0.3.4-11. It opens to a long list of booting options where you can choose numerous GParted boot options and numerous Clonezilla options.
My Acer has never had problems running GParted CD's so I chose the default GParted option (auto-configuration) and it came up. It came up a little funny - the map didn't fill the screen and the toolbar was kind of odd, but it worked. Got back out and chose the "Force VESA driver" option. GParted got to a prompt and went no further, so that didn't work for me.
Got back out, tried "auto-configuration plus framebuffer" and that didn't work either.

Thing is, one of those options might work for you. Try downloading a recent version of GParted plus Clonezilla
http://gpartedclonz.tuxfamily.org/
and if it at least gets to that first window try "auto-configuration". Then try "Force VESA" if auto-config doesn't work.
If you get stuck with one of these paths, don't panic. Just push the power button and the PC will shut down, then restart.

You also might want to try an older version of GParted. I've been using a version from the middle of '06 that still seems to be the most reliable!

Artifice · 10-30-2008, 03:39 PM

I'll try what you guys posted.

But to clear things up my monitor can't display gparted under "safe graphics mode" but under normal I get a display like the attached.
(It's sideways but you get the picture)

**Bartender** · 10-31-2008, 06:24 AM

Wow. That is seriously screwed up.

Do you have any other options for getting signal to your monitor? Onboard graphics? Another graphics card you could try out?
Is the GeForce 6800 an AGP or PCI-X interface?

One last thing - if you're using a flat-panel, do you have an old analog CRT monitor you can try?

Artifice · 11-01-2008, 06:48 PM

No alternative monitor, but could I install linux on a portable HD?

**Bartender** · 11-01-2008, 07:58 PM

Yes, but how would that solve your video problem?

Artifice · 11-02-2008, 08:55 AM

It wouldn't but I can't fix the video problem until I get linux installed right?

**Bartender** · 11-03-2008, 12:41 AM

I'm going to toss in a couple of links - don't know if any will help

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BinaryDriverHowto
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=3366
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...t=geforce+6800
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...t=geforce+6800
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...t=geforce+6800

OK, it looks like the 6800 card isn't the easiest, but if you can get Ubuntu installed, then get envy from the repos, then maybe problems will be over.

Do you have a spare HDD you can install? Pull your Windows drive out, plug in a spare, and see if you can install Ubuntu right off the installer CD, then fix the resolution. I realize this doesn't help you as far as your final goal, but it might give you some ideas and some practice.

Also, if you can use any other partitioner to shrink XP, then you could just pop the Ubuntu LiveCD in and tell it to install to free space. Once it's on there you can work on fixing the resolution.

I have one more suggestion, though this might be a waste of time. The "alternate install" CD might work better for you than the LiveCD.

The alternate installer is just a simpler version of the LiveCD installer and has saved the day for some. It might be able to partition when the LiveCD couldn't.
http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/down...rors#alternate

I don't think I ever got an answer - do you have four primary partitions?

Artifice · 11-03-2008, 05:50 AM

Ok I'll try all of the above.

No I have one partition.

**Bartender** · 11-03-2008, 04:10 PM

One partition. Good.
So, if you can borrow or find some partitioner that works with your graphics card to resize XP, then you could just install Ubuntu to the free space and then try the various methods to get the resolution right once it's installed.

I hadn't thought of Knoppix - maybe that'll play nice with the 6800?
http://www.cyberciti.biz/tips/how-do...-software.html

Artifice · 11-03-2008, 05:32 PM

About to try it wish me luck

Artifice · 11-03-2008, 06:07 PM

So that one loaded but my mouse was invisible... I could sort of tell where I was when I moused over something or right clicked but you have no idea how annoying that was.

Anyway, I ran qtparted from the command window but I can't figure out how that little program works. It found my current partition but what am I supposed to do resize it? The only option I had was "create new partition table" or something like that with the warning "you may lose your data" so naturally I said no.

I couldn't make half this stuff up.

Artifice · 11-03-2008, 07:38 PM

Yeah, I'm triple posting.

I tried the normal Ubuntu live cd again and guess what... it worked. It's installing now, so my only issue will be my video card. If the install continues to go without error.

Edit: Installed. 2 problems now. First, it cannot install the nvidia drivers because of a "404 not found" error when it dials out. Second, I restarted after it downloaded some updates and now it says system restart required at the top every time I turn it on.

**Bartender** · 11-03-2008, 08:03 PM

Hey, I've talked to myself on this forum more than once. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you.
If you can get it installed it looks like the fix for the video card is relatively straightforward.
Dangit, now we have internet problems? What is your ISP? How do you connect? And do you have a router? A router solves lots of connect problems with Verizon, Comcast, etc.
It says system restart required every time you start it up? Are you sure it's getting the updates?
Open Synaptic Package Manager and enable all the repos.

10-28-2008, 03:27 PM	#1 (permalink)
Artifice Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 127 OS: Windows 7 x64	Ubuntu Resizing Partitions I have two problems when I'm installing Ubuntu. First, after booting Ubuntu from a CD and selecting "install ubuntu" my monitor goes blank and says "cannot display this mode". This is right after the orange progress bar is filled up. In order to solve this problem I have to boot in safe graphics mode, but I don't want this to be a permanent solution because it's not pretty. Second, when I select "resize partition" as my partition option, I get a default error telling me basically that there was an error resizing the partition. Just for more information I have my PC booting from the CD drive first. Thanks in advance for your help.

10-28-2008, 04:03 PM	#2 (permalink)
wmorri Moderator/Fedora Amb. Join Date: May 2008 Location: /pm/etc Posts: 2,840 OS: Window 7/Fedora 10 My System	Re: Ubuntu Resizing Partitions Hi, Here is the solution to your second problem. Please follow these instructions line for line. This will allow you to partition your hdd. You will need two things, an ISO file from Gparted, and a program that will allow you to burn a LiveCD. I would recommend CDburnerXP, or Finalburner. Unless you have a cd burner that will burn ISO files. A regular cd burning program won't work. It must have an ISO burning function. Go to GParted, then download an ISO file for the latest version. Download a copy of CDburnerXP or Finalburner or an ISO burner of your choice. Burn a LiveCd Let me know when you have that done and I will help you with the next step. About your first problem. Do you have a graphics card by chance and what card is it, make and model. This has caused problems in the passed with some setups. Cheers! __________________ Linux Forever!

10-29-2008, 06:01 AM	#4 (permalink)
Bartender Mentally divergent Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Chehalis, WA, USA Posts: 1,285 OS: W2K, Ubuntu 8.04	Re: Ubuntu Resizing Partitions Try this http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/nvidia It's an older guide, written for Ubuntu 7.04, but I don't think the process has changed. You still need to enable the nvidia drivers. Also, you need to be online to let it fix itself. So in your case you're going to have to install, even if the video looks awful, and have faith that you can fix it once you're done installing. What wmorri is asking you to do is download/burn a bootable copy of the GParted LiveCD. After you've downloaded and correctly burned a bootable CD, you boot from that CD and partition. The nice thing about the GParted LiveCD is that it's an expanded version of the partitioner on the installer CD that you've been trying to use, so it'll look familiar to you. I assume you're trying to dual-boot? Have you defragged the Windows data three or four times? If there's Windows data strewn all over the disc the partitioner might not be able to do the deed. Are you running Vista? If so, you should use the Vista partitioner to shrink it. Also, do you have four primary partitions?

10-29-2008, 06:12 AM	#5 (permalink)
Artifice Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 127 OS: Windows 7 x64	Re: Ubuntu Resizing Partitions I only have one partition. I'm running XP on that computer. I defragged it before trying to install ubuntu. Thank you for the information on nvidia, I'll try that once I get ubuntu installed.

10-29-2008, 03:00 PM	#6 (permalink)
Artifice Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 127 OS: Windows 7 x64	Re: Ubuntu Resizing Partitions After I chose the language for GParted my screen went blank and my monitor said the same "cannot display this mode" error

10-30-2008, 08:09 AM	#7 (permalink)
wmorri Moderator/Fedora Amb. Join Date: May 2008 Location: /pm/etc Posts: 2,840 OS: Window 7/Fedora 10 My System	Re: Ubuntu Resizing Partitions I am guessing that it has something to do with your video card, I would try connecting your monitor cable to your onboard video female jack and see if that makes a difference. Cheers! __________________ Linux Forever!

10-30-2008, 08:35 AM	#8 (permalink)
Bartender Mentally divergent Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Chehalis, WA, USA Posts: 1,285 OS: W2K, Ubuntu 8.04	Re: Ubuntu Resizing Partitions Artifice - I'm sorry this isn't going smoothly for you. I got out my Ubuntu laptop and tossed in the latest version of GParted that i have on CD. It's a newer version, with GParted and Clonezilla combined. It's version 0.3.4-11. It opens to a long list of booting options where you can choose numerous GParted boot options and numerous Clonezilla options. My Acer has never had problems running GParted CD's so I chose the default GParted option (auto-configuration) and it came up. It came up a little funny - the map didn't fill the screen and the toolbar was kind of odd, but it worked. Got back out and chose the "Force VESA driver" option. GParted got to a prompt and went no further, so that didn't work for me. Got back out, tried "auto-configuration plus framebuffer" and that didn't work either. Thing is, one of those options might work for you. Try downloading a recent version of GParted plus Clonezilla http://gpartedclonz.tuxfamily.org/ and if it at least gets to that first window try "auto-configuration". Then try "Force VESA" if auto-config doesn't work. If you get stuck with one of these paths, don't panic. Just push the power button and the PC will shut down, then restart. You also might want to try an older version of GParted. I've been using a version from the middle of '06 that still seems to be the most reliable!

10-31-2008, 06:24 AM	#10 (permalink)
Bartender Mentally divergent Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Chehalis, WA, USA Posts: 1,285 OS: W2K, Ubuntu 8.04	Re: Ubuntu Resizing Partitions Wow. That is seriously screwed up. Do you have any other options for getting signal to your monitor? Onboard graphics? Another graphics card you could try out? Is the GeForce 6800 an AGP or PCI-X interface? One last thing - if you're using a flat-panel, do you have an old analog CRT monitor you can try?

11-01-2008, 06:48 PM	#11 (permalink)
Artifice Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 127 OS: Windows 7 x64	Re: Ubuntu Resizing Partitions No alternative monitor, but could I install linux on a portable HD?

11-01-2008, 07:58 PM	#12 (permalink)
Bartender Mentally divergent Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Chehalis, WA, USA Posts: 1,285 OS: W2K, Ubuntu 8.04	Re: Ubuntu Resizing Partitions Yes, but how would that solve your video problem?

11-02-2008, 08:55 AM	#13 (permalink)
Artifice Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 127 OS: Windows 7 x64	Re: Ubuntu Resizing Partitions It wouldn't but I can't fix the video problem until I get linux installed right?

11-03-2008, 12:41 AM	#14 (permalink)
Bartender Mentally divergent Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Chehalis, WA, USA Posts: 1,285 OS: W2K, Ubuntu 8.04	Re: Ubuntu Resizing Partitions I'm going to toss in a couple of links - don't know if any will help https://help.ubuntu.com/community/BinaryDriverHowto http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=3366 http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...t=geforce+6800 http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...t=geforce+6800 http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...t=geforce+6800 OK, it looks like the 6800 card isn't the easiest, but if you can get Ubuntu installed, then get envy from the repos, then maybe problems will be over. Do you have a spare HDD you can install? Pull your Windows drive out, plug in a spare, and see if you can install Ubuntu right off the installer CD, then fix the resolution. I realize this doesn't help you as far as your final goal, but it might give you some ideas and some practice. Also, if you can use any other partitioner to shrink XP, then you could just pop the Ubuntu LiveCD in and tell it to install to free space. Once it's on there you can work on fixing the resolution. I have one more suggestion, though this might be a waste of time. The "alternate install" CD might work better for you than the LiveCD. The alternate installer is just a simpler version of the LiveCD installer and has saved the day for some. It might be able to partition when the LiveCD couldn't. http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/down...rors#alternate I don't think I ever got an answer - do you have four primary partitions?

11-03-2008, 05:50 AM	#15 (permalink)
Artifice Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 127 OS: Windows 7 x64	Re: Ubuntu Resizing Partitions Ok I'll try all of the above. No I have one partition.

11-03-2008, 04:10 PM	#16 (permalink)
Bartender Mentally divergent Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Chehalis, WA, USA Posts: 1,285 OS: W2K, Ubuntu 8.04	Re: Ubuntu Resizing Partitions One partition. Good. So, if you can borrow or find some partitioner that works with your graphics card to resize XP, then you could just install Ubuntu to the free space and then try the various methods to get the resolution right once it's installed. I hadn't thought of Knoppix - maybe that'll play nice with the 6800? http://www.cyberciti.biz/tips/how-do...-software.html

11-03-2008, 05:32 PM	#17 (permalink)
Artifice Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 127 OS: Windows 7 x64	Re: Ubuntu Resizing Partitions About to try it wish me luck

11-03-2008, 06:07 PM	#18 (permalink)
Artifice Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 127 OS: Windows 7 x64	Re: Ubuntu Resizing Partitions So that one loaded but my mouse was invisible... I could sort of tell where I was when I moused over something or right clicked but you have no idea how annoying that was. Anyway, I ran qtparted from the command window but I can't figure out how that little program works. It found my current partition but what am I supposed to do resize it? The only option I had was "create new partition table" or something like that with the warning "you may lose your data" so naturally I said no. I couldn't make half this stuff up.

11-03-2008, 07:38 PM	#19 (permalink)
Artifice Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 127 OS: Windows 7 x64	Re: Ubuntu Resizing Partitions Yeah, I'm triple posting. I tried the normal Ubuntu live cd again and guess what... it worked. It's installing now, so my only issue will be my video card. If the install continues to go without error. Edit: Installed. 2 problems now. First, it cannot install the nvidia drivers because of a "404 not found" error when it dials out. Second, I restarted after it downloaded some updates and now it says system restart required at the top every time I turn it on. Last edited by Artifice; 11-03-2008 at 08:02 PM.

11-03-2008, 08:03 PM	#20 (permalink)
Bartender Mentally divergent Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Chehalis, WA, USA Posts: 1,285 OS: W2K, Ubuntu 8.04	Re: Ubuntu Resizing Partitions Hey, I've talked to myself on this forum more than once. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you. If you can get it installed it looks like the fix for the video card is relatively straightforward. Dangit, now we have internet problems? What is your ISP? How do you connect? And do you have a router? A router solves lots of connect problems with Verizon, Comcast, etc. It says system restart required every time you start it up? Are you sure it's getting the updates? Open Synaptic Package Manager and enable all the repos. Last edited by Bartender; 11-03-2008 at 08:06 PM.