Linux install help?

Question

When installing mandriva linux free 2007 (the 4 CD set) I get about half way in the install and it asks me to put in the third CD then immediately after inserting the third CD it comes up:

AN ERROR OCCURRED
mounting partition /dev/hdc in
directory /mnt/mnt/cdrom failed

What does this mean? How can i fix this?

Answer 1

Linux shows all the directories in one directory tree, irrespectively of what drives/hardware they are found on. Generally, this is a much better solution than the traditional DOS/Windows model--it completely abstracts the file system from the underlying hardware. You will appreciate this if you ever have to re-arrange or expand your hardware or add network resources. But for the users who are accustomed to the DOS way of dealing with drives, it adds some extra complexity.

To be brief, don't search for drive letters. There are none under Linux; the content of your disks appears as subdirectories on your single Linux filesystem (directory tree). On default, the content of removable media does not appear automatically in these subdirectories--you have to "mount" your drives. See the next answers for details. You should also unmount a drive before ejecting the media.

You can access (read and write) a variety of drives and file systems from under Linux. This includes native Linux partitions, DOS and MS Windows partitions (on hard drives or floppies), ZIP and Jazz drives, and CDROM disks. Many less common file system types are also supported. This means that you can download your Linux software using Netscape for Windows, save the downloaded file on your MS Windows hard drive partition, and then boot Linux and copy the downloaded software from the Windows partition on your harddrive to the Linux partition, and finally install the software under Linux.

To access your CD Drive you have to mount it.

The mounting adds all the directories and files from your CD to your Linux directory tree so you can easily access them without the drive letter.

As root, you can mount the CDROM with a command like this:

mount -t auto /dev/cdrom /mnt/cdrom

If this works, the contents of your CD appears in the directory /mnt/cdrom

Chances are this command will not work for you right away--you may have to customize it. Here is how it works.

The command tells the operating system to mount a filesystem autodetecting the filesystem type ("-t auto"). The device is /dev/cdrom. The mountpoint (the directory where to which "mounting" takes place) is /mnt/cdrom. This directory must exist and be empty. If it does not exist, create it with:

mkdir /mnt/cdrom

If the mounting command fails, maybe the device /dev/cdrom does not exist on your system? Try

ls -l /dev/cdrom

/dev/cdrom is just a convenient symbolic link to a real "device" that is mapped onto your hardware. On an IDE system, chances are your real cdrom is on /dev/hdb. Therefore, try /dev/hdb instead of /dev/cdrom in the mount command above:

mount -t auto /dev/hdb /mnt/cdrom

Answer 2

You can't normally fix errors like that during install. The obvious problem is that /dev/hdc should be mounted in /mnt/cdrom. not /mnt/mnt/cdrom, but you do not have access to a terminal during install to correct this. I downloaded the DVD and that installed with no problem. Is there a way you could do this? A quick search for your error message revealed nothing to me, although I suspect you had already tried that.

Failing all else how about downloading just CD3?

Sorry I couldn't help more.

Answer 3

sure. First, you are able to attempt many distributions of Linux out without setting up. lots of them come on a "LiveCD", that's a bootable version of the gadget that runs precise from the CD. in case you like it, you are able to setting up from the CD on your complicated disk you are able to setting up on a separate partition or disk force once you're arranged. there's a partitioning gadget in maximum Linux installs which will walk you thru springing up a 2nd partition (in case you do not have one) for the setting up. Then, the setting up will set up a boot loader so which you cab boot between the two structures. there is likewise a thank you to place in Linux interior of a homestead windows setting up, and however I easily have heard some human beings say it fairly works ok, i think of working a loose working gadget interior a non-loose one defeats the objective of having open source.

Answer 4

the least painful thought is check cd for scratch or debris, clean it , try again, next is download go bad ? retry. 3rd is hard drive space ok? 4th is partition scheme did you do it or auto, if you did it maybe a partition isnt large enough.
i once did an install and mistakenly set /usr as 1 meg... i didnt get far.

Answer 5

sounds to me like there is something wrong with the disc. the only thing u can do, is go buy another set of linux discs and try it again. if that doesnt work, then its time for a new system.

Answer 6

If you are new to LINUX try UBUNTU. It's easy to install and use. You can multi-boot it with other operating systems.