HD Install :: can't install DSL!! :'(



BREAKTHROUGH!!

Ok, I used the new cd I burned (with dsl-3.3-syslinux.iso on it) and I got passed the place I was stuck at. It started listing a whole bunch of stuff that it was doing.. then it came to this: (colors are the same as they were displayed on the other computer)

dsl@tty1[dsl]$

then I tried entering the two commands listed earlier, and here's what I got:

When I entered fdisk -l /dev/hda, it said
Quote
Cannot open dev/hda


When I entered sudo su, it said
Quote
su(pam_unix)[612] session opened for user (uid=0)
[/home/dsl]#



But now I don't know what to here once I get to [/home/dsl]#.. I can enter commands here, but still have no idea what to do.
So it seems you either mistyped (fdisk -l /dev/hda not fdisk -l dev/hda) or there isn't a driver for your ide controller, or your HD isn't connected..

Now that you are there, play around a bit, get to know Linux.. Try ls, cd, nano..... Try "free" it lists how much memory you have...

Then type (as root, aka after sudo su)
Quote
dmesg | grep -i ide
dmesg | grep -i hd
That | comes from alt-gr and <..
It will show all ide messages from the kernel.. Post 'em here...
Livecd: A bootable cd that doesn't touch your mass storage unless you tell it to, great for trying out distros
Quote
I tried entering the two commands listed earlier

You need to be root to do the fdisk -l (lower-case L). You can do the sudo su then then fdisk -l or just do sudo fdisk -l /dev/hda. Make sure you type it correctly like curaga pointed out.

As far as your re-partitioning, you want the 60MB one bootable. That's where you'll install DSL frugal.

You'll want to use the larger Linux partition for /home and /opt and backup. And you need to turn on your swap once you get DSL installed (X=whichever partition you set for swap):
sudo mkswap /dev/hdaX
sudo swapon /dev/hdaX
Quote
So it seems you either mistyped (fdisk -l /dev/hda not fdisk -l dev/hda) or there isn't a driver for your ide controller, or your HD isn't connected..

Now that you are there, play around a bit, get to know Linux.. Try ls, cd, nano..... Try "free" it lists how much memory you have...

Then type (as root, aka after sudo su)
Quote
dmesg | grep -i ide
dmesg | grep -i hd

That | comes from alt-gr and <..
It will show all ide messages from the kernel.. Post 'em here...


After sudo su, I get [/home/dsl]#.. from here, I tried this: dmesg l -i ide (the l being a lower-case L).. and I got:

Quote
dmesg: invalid option -- i
BusyBox v1.2.2 (2006.12.07-15:23+0000) multi-call binary

Usage:dmesg [-c] [-n LEVEL] [-s SIZE]



Then I tried: dmesg | -i ide.. (the | being the line that you get from holding shift and pressing the back-slash button).. and I got this:

Quote
bash: -i command not found



I don't get the alt-gr thing you mentioned.. 'cause when I hold alt and press even just the letter G, it auto-types the word Events..

Sorry once again for dragging this on and complicating it.. but I really appriciate all the help.
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