RH9 Install problems with packages

[thornzzz]

Okay...here's one I haven't really seen answered anywhere...I'm getting a fatal region error after installing RH9...here's the story:

Downloaded all 3 RH9 iso images the other day. Check the MD5SUM and all looks good! Yippe!

Burnt them to cd using Nero under XP Pro. CDs look okay, everything is on there that's supposed to be on there. Time to start install.

Reboot, system boots from cd fine. Run the check media option and all is good! No problems...goes right into the GUI install. Everything going great, just as expected. Gets to install point and the packages start installing.

Here's where I notice the problem first...the installer gets to right after Mozilla...and it seems to be working fine, but then I notice that the progress bar for installing the packages isn't moving at all and the packages are going through at an incredible speed. Not sure why but I let the install go. Goes through Disc 2 and Disc 3 the same way...packages go through really quickly. The only thing that worked correctly was about the 1st 7/8s of CD 1. After the packages, install continues like normal, with video card setup and monitor setup...etc...etc...etc...

I choose exit after install and then I see a ton of rpmdb: fatal region error. run recovery error messages and then the computer reboots. GRUB comes up...I can boot into RedHat, but can't do much here because most of the packages were not installed.

I'm thinking now, maybe I have bad cds? Reburn them again using WinOnCD, to different brand of media and try the install again (fresh). Same issue.

Okay...maybe bad ISOs? Redownload all 3 from a completely different FTP souce (as listed on Redhat website) reburn, using Nero this time, and once again, try again. Same issue.

So now I'm thinking, there's something werid going on. So this time, I try the install using the TEXT based install instead of GUI. During package install, same place as with the GUI, I run into problems, but THIS TIME, I can actually see the FATAL REGION ERROR being displayed each and everytime on the screen as each package goes by. So, in other words, I'm getting a BOAT LOAD of these messages show up. After packages are done, install goes like normal...

So now I'm really confused. I decide to make a boot floppy, and I put all ISO images on a FAT32 partion. Boot using the floppy, select hard drive to install from, pick the partition and try again. Same issue! Still dosen't work.

Now I am really stuck! So I go back to my Mandrake cds and try that install. It installs fine...so at least I've got that to work.

But...

This is bothering me...

1) Has anyone had this issue before?

2) Any suggestions on how to fix this issue?

For your information, I'm installing this onto a second hard drive in my machine. HDA has Windows. HDB is being used for Linux. Mandrake 9.1 and Gentoo 1.4 install without a hitch. Don't worry, I'm only trying to run one distro at a time. During Redhat install, I am formatting using my own partition setup (could that have anything to do with it?)....

Any thoughts?

Any help would be greatly appreciated....

[kevinalm]

I think it would be worth trying to install using rh's partitioning tools. I would delete all existing partitions on the linux drive and start from scratch. If the disks pass the install media check there's not much left to try.

[bosox79]

Originally posted by thornzzz
Okay...here's one I haven't really seen answered anywhere...I'm getting a fatal region error after installing RH9...here's the story:

Downloaded all 3 RH9 iso images the other day. Check the MD5SUM and all looks good! Yippe!

Burnt them to cd using Nero under XP Pro. CDs look okay, everything is on there that's supposed to be on there. Time to start install.

Reboot, system boots from cd fine. Run the check media option and all is good! No problems...goes right into the GUI install. Everything going great, just as expected. Gets to install point and the packages start installing.

Here's where I notice the problem first...the installer gets to right after Mozilla...and it seems to be working fine, but then I notice that the progress bar for installing the packages isn't moving at all and the packages are going through at an incredible speed. Not sure why but I let the install go. Goes through Disc 2 and Disc 3 the same way...packages go through really quickly. The only thing that worked correctly was about the 1st 7/8s of CD 1. After the packages, install continues like normal, with video card setup and monitor setup...etc...etc...etc...

I choose exit after install and then I see a ton of rpmdb: fatal region error. run recovery error messages and then the computer reboots. GRUB comes up...I can boot into RedHat, but can't do much here because most of the packages were not installed.

I'm thinking now, maybe I have bad cds? Reburn them again using WinOnCD, to different brand of media and try the install again (fresh). Same issue.

Okay...maybe bad ISOs? Redownload all 3 from a completely different FTP souce (as listed on Redhat website) reburn, using Nero this time, and once again, try again. Same issue.

So now I'm thinking, there's something werid going on. So this time, I try the install using the TEXT based install instead of GUI. During package install, same place as with the GUI, I run into problems, but THIS TIME, I can actually see the FATAL REGION ERROR being displayed each and everytime on the screen as each package goes by. So, in other words, I'm getting a BOAT LOAD of these messages show up. After packages are done, install goes like normal...

So now I'm really confused. I decide to make a boot floppy, and I put all ISO images on a FAT32 partion. Boot using the floppy, select hard drive to install from, pick the partition and try again. Same issue! Still dosen't work.

Now I am really stuck! So I go back to my Mandrake cds and try that install. It installs fine...so at least I've got that to work.

But...

This is bothering me...

1) Has anyone had this issue before?

2) Any suggestions on how to fix this issue?

For your information, I'm installing this onto a second hard drive in my machine. HDA has Windows. HDB is being used for Linux. Mandrake 9.1 and Gentoo 1.4 install without a hitch. Don't worry, I'm only trying to run one distro at a time. During Redhat install, I am formatting using my own partition setup (could that have anything to do with it?)....

Any thoughts?

Any help would be greatly appreciated....

What is your partition setup like? can you post your table here? what file systems are you trying to use on the partitions? what tool did you use to setup your partition's?

[cousineddie]

I have had a similar problem. I downloaded the iso's for Red Hat 9 and the MD5sum checked out. I burn't them to CD and they looked good as well. I put the first CD in and it goes as normal and then I get prompted for the second disk. I instert the second disk and I get about a fourth of the way through and it tells me>>

"The package xpdf- 2.01-8 cannot be opened. This is due to a missing file or perhaps a corrupt package. If you are installing from CD media this usually means the CD media is corrupt, or the CD drive is unable to read the media.

Press <return> to try again."

I have tried this several times with no luck. I have also downloaded the iso's from different sites that I have found off Red Hat's mirrors link on the download page. Any help is greatly appreciated.

BTW - I am installing this in VMware but I get the same trouble if I install it on a real machine.

Thanks!

[kevinalm]

cousineddie,

Did you do the media check offered during install? Also, how old is your install cdrom drive?

[cousineddie]

No I didn't do the check. I don't think you get the option on the second or third disk...only the first disk right? Or is if you do choose to check the media it checks all three? I have never used it. My installation CD drive is very new. I just got a new Dell Latitude D800. It's a DVD/CD-RW combo drive. I had no trouble installing windows so it should fine.

[kevinalm]

When you boot off disk#1 you are given the option of "media check". It would be good idea to try that. You can check all three disks, one after another. Shouldn't take very long, two or three minutes per disk. If it passes, you can be fairly sure your disks are ok.

[cousineddie]

Right...I just tried it and the results were:

Disk 1 > Passed
Disk 2 > Failed
Disk 3 > Passed

So something is going on with disk 2. I have downloaded it three times from three different places and have gotten the same results. I'm using WS_FTP to download the iso's and I'm downloading them in binary mode. I verified the MD5sum and it checked out okay. Once they are downloaded I'm using Nero to burn the images. I don't get any errors. I then insert CD1 and begin the installation and runs fine until I get to CD2 then it hangs on the installation of the xpdf package. I don't think I'm doing anything wrong, or am I? How is the iso getting corrupted?

Could you point me to a link that you have used or know to have good images?

Thanks for your help!!!

[kevinalm]

Are you by chance using 650 mbyte(72min) cd's? You may need to use 700mb/80min disks, at least for disk 2.

[cousineddie]

I'm using 80 min 700 MB CD's and they manufactured by TDK.

[kevinalm]

Odd. I had a very similar problem with rh8. It was caused when I temporarily replaced a failed cdrom with an old 12x sony I had laying around. It couldn't read past 650 mb and the install would crash on a particular rpm on disk 2, just the way your's does.

Don't know what's going on with your's. Combo drives haven't been around very long, maybe there's a bug there. You might do some searches. I imagine you realize that you can media check without installing. You might want to check the disks on another machine in order to isolate the problem to disk 2 or to your drive not reading disk 2 properly.

[cousineddie]

Yeah it is pretty odd. I think I will check the CD's on another machine I have laying around. I did do a little poking around in between messages but I dodn't find much on the linuxquestions site or a general search on google. I'll keep looking though and post what I find. If you ever find anything would you please post it to this thread?

Thanks for trying!

[SQL_Rules]

Originally posted by cousineddie
Yeah it is pretty odd. I think I will check the CD's on another machine I have laying around. I did do a little poking around in between messages but I dodn't find much on the linuxquestions site or a general search on google. I'll keep looking though and post what I find. If you ever find anything would you please post it to this thread?

Thanks for trying!

Well, Eddie if it is consolation; I am having the exact same issue. I can install Mandrake and Suse their latest versions with out issue. But, When I install RH9; it is always the same problem. I have attempted the following changes in the install to fix the issue:

1. Re-burned new CD's then, installed.
2. Re-downloaded new ISO images (from different sources) then, burned new CDs and re-installed.
3. Checked all CD images before installing - the test passed all 3 CD's.

After all of these attempted trouble-shooting steps, the installation failed in the same way. Some Office.org application throws an error, then I select the 'retry' option - it appears to work. But, at the end of the installation a fatal error pops up and says I must reboot and attempt to re-install. GRRRRR!!! :mad:

So, I have one request --- HELP!!!!
:confused:

[mdwatts]

Tried any of the additional boot options?

http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/linux/RHL-8.0-Manual/install-guide/ch-bootopts.html

[cousineddie]

Have read throug the boot options from the URL you porivide but I don't see how any of them would help with exception to the text install...maybe. I'm not having trouble with booting and getting the install process started I'm having trouble when the installation has started installing the packages. It gets through disk 1 fine and part of disk 2 and then hangs on the xpdf package every single time. I'm running out of things to try. Although I found this on a news group after searching on goggle.

http://www.newsland.it/nr/article/linux.redhat.install/15397.html

I'm installing this on to a virtual machine and and in one of the post someone says they had the problem with installing in VMware. So I'm going to look on VMware's newsgroup and see if I can find anything.

In the end it sounds like the iso for disk 2 is corrupt either before I am downloading it or after I download it. If someone wants to download disk to from georgia tech's server and try it I would be greatful or if someone could provide a reliable sever to get the iso from the would be cool too.

Thanks

[SQL_Rules]

Okay CousinEddie and Thornzz, I am not sure if this fix applies to you or not. But, my problem is faulty hardware. Well, that is what it appears to be. Last night, when I got home from work sitting in my office was 2 shiny new 30 GB HDD's, I had ordered a few days ago. Being the geek that I am - I installed one of them right away. At the same time, I removed other IDE (6GB) and SCSI (9.1GB & 4.3GB) HDD's and the Adpatec 2940 card.

Of course, using the same CD's I have just used previously; I attempted to install RH9 again. Here is the wierd thing, I still ran into the same Office.org error upon installing the Office.org rpm. But, it appeared like the install ignored it or the install retried to access the file without an additional error. So, now RH9 is up and running, happily accessing the internet, playing nice with all the RPM that were installed and so on.

So, the question for both of you (CousinEddie and Thornzzz) is: Have either of you considered your problem could be a hardware failure or a hardware compatibility issue? If you have not I would advise you evaluate your hardware closer.

Well, that is my nickels worth and I believe my time is up (...lol...).

[cousineddie]

Well I found the fix. If you follow these steps below you will be able to complete you install of Red Hat 9.

Once you en****er the disk 2 error...

"The package xpdf- 2.01-8 cannot be opened. This is due to a missing file or perhaps a corrupt package. If you are installing from CD media this usually means the CD media is corrupt, or the CD drive is unable to read the media.

Press <return> to try again."

#1) Hit <Ctrl+Alt+F3>. This will take you to some type of installation report. See if you are getting some type of I/O error. I saw an I/O error, regardless if you do or if you don't you should try this anyway.

#2) Hit <Ctrl+Alt+F7>. This will bring you back to the GUI install process. Eject the 2nd disk and then hit <OK> to try reading the package again. You will get an error telling you that it can't read the disk. This is ok.

#3) Hit <Ctrl+Alt+F2>. This will take you to a command prompt. Insert the 2nd disk. Now you need to manually mount the disk so the installer can read it. Do so by typing at the prompt "mount /tmp/hdc ./mnt/source" then hit <Enter>. You should see a message telling you that it is trying to mount the disk read only or something. This is good.

#4) Hit <Ctrl+Alt+F7>. This will take you back to GUI installation process. Now hit <OK> to try reading the disk again. You should see the installation proceed.

It worked for me.

If this does or doesn't work for anyone let me know by replying to this post.

Thanks and Good Luck!!!

cousineddie

[Zlac]

The easiest way around all that mombo is to install from your iso images.
Set Vmware's removable devices CDROM to see your iso image. The install is 10 times faster and no hang up on the xpdf error.

1.install off iso disk-1 by connecting your cdrom to iso image
2.when prompted for disk-2 go to Vmwares..edit..revomable devices..cdrom..edit..use iso image...and then locate the file
3.same for disk-3

easy as pie

[kaichi]

I'm using VMWare as well .

Because I deleted the original ISO files, and this is how I got around:

1. Installing Apache on the Host.
2. In VM, choose to install from HTTP Server (Host IP).

It's really amazing how different ppl could run into the same problem - with different hardware...