Is it possible to get all that installed on G partition ?

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Chinny
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Post by Chinny »

I had tons of trouble repairing my partition table after installing MCE.

Make sure you are installing to unpartitioned space. If you install to space also occupied by your f drive (say the end of your partition) you will get data corruption eventually. If you install to space that you partitioned to G (say through xbpartitioner for example) your partition table will get messy and you will have trouble with your fat table.

(1) Backup all of your files - even if you think there's no problem
(2) Install to unpartitioned space (make sure the starting sector is not included in any other partitions).

I can go into more detail about why your fat table with disappear, but I doubt you really need to know that. Just follow the precautions I posted.
crow
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Post by crow »

Huh i dont wonna trouble with partition :))).

I have blank G partition, i format it trought UnleasX or Slayer Boot CD(sorry if talk about these apps is ilegal).
So i guest if i put the sectors that A.K sey will not use anything with F partition and just format at start of G partition.
I neved use xbpartitioner or such tools i just insert HDD 160GB format it with such dashboard and use it.
What you think is it safe :))) with above that i write.

Thnx

Edit: Huh i almost format everything :))
I need to rebuild iso,because MCE start formating at the begining not like A.K. mention for home 3.2* version.

I mounted iso on xebian with (mount IsoOfMCE.iso /mnt/iso)
Now need to extract packages and edit them, then make packages and then make new iso)
Well that part i dont know.
If some could provide me with this info, that would be great.
Sorry for my english :)>
Chinny
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Post by Chinny »

No, you do not want a G partition.

1) Backup your F drive
2) Setup your bios so that F takes the rest of the Drive
3) Use xbparitioner to make your F Drive 15g smaller - format your F or you will not have access to all of the space. Also note: changing the partition size will make your fat table move (ie., you won't see your files). So you MUST backup.
4) Edit the etc/mceinstaller script - the mce script doesn't zero out your header
5) Install, restore your back'd up files and done
crow
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Post by crow »

Well i do wonna G nativ install of MCE :))

1) My F partition is full around 120GB of divx/xvid, mp3, fev full dvd,and 2 game that i play.
2) I dont have such space in my hause and dont know anyone that can borrow me HDD for such.
3) How to edit /etc/mceinstaller script i have iso and i have burned it, but when i try to start from MCE 1.1 disk it start about preparing and formating so i dont think that there is time for that.

You are telling me that i make F take rest it will be arount 150GB, to use that apps and rezite it to be 140GB, and that 20gb will use MCE(how to tel l MCE that)
And why i dont wonna G nativ install(i have 20gb or not used space).

Thnx
Chinny
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Post by Chinny »

If you have a 300g drive, c e x y z = 10, f = 275, g = 15. When you perform the install your g drive will be destroyed and your xbox will think f = 290 now (you will get data corruption if you write past 275 since you are sharing that last 15g with your linux distro). The best thing is if you have no drive partitioned. Your F Drive will not therefore overwrite anything.

There is still a possibility that your on disk partition table will get overwrited. I've dealt with it many, many, many times.
crow
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Post by crow »

Huh i see :) good explanation and good tip. Now i need space for backup :((((.
Other thing how you rebuild new MCE 1.1 iso to tell him to use that space.. How you done this? i know you told me to edit /ect/mceinstaller but what you put there what value on what line :).

Thnx for helping me in this.
wHack
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Post by wHack »

I agree that backing up is a good precaution but it isn't necessary if all is done correctly I managed to get a clean G install without hosing my f partition but it took me a while and I can't gauruntee it would end in success. I didn't even attempt it till I had a second 250 Gb HD to do all my bacing up to. And I'm very glad I didn't because I lost it all several times but the last install I did worked flawlessly with no loss of data so it can be done safely.

here's a brief step by step to rebuild the disk if it helps this is exactly how I did it when it worked corrctly for me.

this needs to be done under linux as you have to mount the loopback filesystem

first extract the contents of the cd to a folder in my case it went to /vol/hd2/mce

cd /vol/hd2/mce //or whereever you extracted the CD
gzip -d initrd.gz
mkdir /mnt/initrd-mce
mount -t ext2 -o loop initrd /mnt/initrd-mce
vim /mnt/initrd-mce/etc/mceinstaller

while in vim look for the lines that say
###
# Start block for the end of the standard 8GB hdd
###
START=15633072
SWAPSIZE="+256M"
BOOTSIZE="+800M"
ROOTSIZE="+3000M"
and change the start velue to the correct start block for a standard LBA48 F: and G: setup it's 268435455 if you are using custom sized partitions from XBPartitioner take the startblock from the G partition and convert it from hex to decimal and add 2

after that save the file and exit vim

then do these commands
umount initrd
gzip initrd
mkisofs -udf -r -o mce.iso /vol/hd2

then burn your new image

P.S. The directions you gave mentioned editing a second line that looks like this
dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/hda seek=15633072 bs=512 count=1 > /dev/null 2>&1 fdisk $DEVICE < /tmp/make.fdisk > /dev/null 2>&1

that line does not exist in this install so you don't need to do it

and one last note if you are using an X3 chip don't try the custom partition sizes the bios will just rewrite you're partition tables to what it's set for.
wHack
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Post by wHack »

Just one clarification I realize I mentioned this earlier but it wasn't very clear and I felt it was irresponsible to not make it VERY clear.

I said I got a clean install with no loss of data but this was only after several failed attempts with FULL loss of ALL of my data. it's VERY easy to make a mistake and hose you data and VERY dificult to get it back if you don't have it backed up. And at least in my case it took alot of trial and error that did wipe my data several times before I got it perfect. So be CAREFULL.
crow
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Post by crow »

Thnx for the tutorial :) in shore i hope i will have backup of whole disk :))).
I have Seagate 160Gb HDD,how big is your HDD.

Now do i need to do custum partition and resize F partition with let sey 21GB as hat is size of G. And write that sector to script or i just do it without resizing and use G for nativ.
I dont wonna data corupted if F filled up :))).

Once again thnx for tips untill backup of all is done i cant do anything hope tumorrow will start with Gentoox MCE :))) thnx

I have Smartxx v2 modchip(i know i will manual need to flash loader)
crow
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Post by crow »

Wow :))) what great Media Centre :))))
I backup whole F,and just install MCE 1.1 to see how install is done and is it hard and finished install :)).
Playing mp3s heh i just can sey thnx Shallax :)).

Now the big part come (del this partition maded with mce and make custum to install it on last 20GB of my hdd :)).

THnx ppl for helping i will come letter.

One info what IP of etheren is not changed to statis 192.168.1.13 as in readme i get 192.168.2.2 .... i dont have DHCP.

Thnx
crow
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Post by crow »

I see from xbpartitioner HEX code "12a19eb0" can i use WinXP Calculator View-Scientific mode.
I get that "12A19EB0" in hex is "312581808" +2 "312581810" Can someone check this pls :).
And somehow its big number.
Now the thing that i am confused.
Is it betther to have F take rest of disk(then decrease by 21gb and write that Start block of partition 7 to START=)
Or to use normal F and G and use start sector of G partition.
I need suggestion because if this what Chinny sey is correct then i will use his sugestion.
Thnx and sorry for my poor english.
Chinny
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Post by Chinny »

If you are on a windows xp machine you can just fire up the included calculator (under accessories). Change the calculator to Scientific mode. Select the HEX option. Punch in the hex code. Select DEC and it will convert it for you automatically.

After that you can add 2 to the readout if you want to be safe. I've had a little trouble with gentoox messing up my xbpartitioner table every time I install it though. Once I install home - or MCE, my partition table changes to taking up the whole drive (which then messes up my FAT table). Perhaps by adding 2 to the starting sector you won't have a problem.
crow
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Post by crow »

I am having problem :(. I create custum partition with xbpartitioner, have 6=129GB, 7=22GB with start sector "10000008"in hex,decimal =268435464 +2="268435466" i write that to mceinstaller and install went fine. But thing is that my dash(sorry for talking about it) is thinking that i have again 142GB(as full F that take whole disk).
WHen i create that partition they was seperate,when MCE format that partition 7,dash think its full again.
Chinny i sism i cant follow you.
No, you do not want a G partition.

1) Backup your F drive
2) Setup your bios so that F takes the rest of the Drive
3) Use xbparitioner to make your F Drive 15g smaller - format your F or you will not have access to all of the space. Also note: changing the partition size will make your fat table move (ie., you won't see your files). So you MUST backup.
4) Edit the etc/mceinstaller script - the mce script doesn't zero out your header
5) Install, restore your back'd up files and done
Thnx
Chinny
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Joined: Mon Sep 27, 2004 7:24 pm

Post by Chinny »

Yeah, that's the problem I'm having here. I think what is happening is that fdisk is overwriting the on disk partition - why it only effects extended partitions I don't know.

The only other option is to split the disk up - and I'm sure you don't want that. I'm working on it though
crow
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Post by crow »

Huh :( if you found any solution tell me about it. WHat we can try is to make F and G partition. Then manual create partition in G partition, and tell MCE to use them. But i dont know how to do that, and that is little have to me.
I hope someone will figure the solution and post here.
Thnx to all who help on this...
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