Unable to install 10.04 on XP - corrupt MBR partition table

Are you referring to the popup menu that runs when you insert an ubuntu cd, or something else?

Can you go to a command prompt (hit START key, type CMD, look above, right click on CMD.EXE and select Run as Administrator. Then navigate to the location with wubi.exe (e.g. if on F: enter "F:") then run wubi.exe from the command line and see if it gives any output.

It's actually when you install wubi (windows installer from the ubuntu website). I don't use CD. Wubi installed perfectly on my other comp which has windows 7. I am not sure where to find CMD.EXE file but when I typed CMD, I just received a command prompt awaiting further instructions. Don't understand how I can run as an admin. Btw, I also tried running as an admin in safe mode with networking option.

My mistake - I didn't notice the XP part. Ignore the CMD.EXE and Run as administrator bit.

So if I understand you correctly, your browser is not letting you download the wubi.exe program? Click on this link and see if it will download: http://releases.ubuntu.com/lucid/wubi.exe
That's the direct link to the wubi.exe for release 10.04.2.

No, it still doesn't work. I can download from my browser, but when I click run in the installer window, I just don't see anything as it completley forgets I have given it a commnad.

Please explain what you mean by the "installer window". From my perspective, Wubi is the installer, and there is no "Run" in it's window.

Try and be as verbose as possible to help us understand what exactly is happening. Include a screen shot if you like (you can use http://imagebin.org/ for this). Thanks

I have put the image in the website you provided me. The file name is wubi. After I click on run, nothing happens on my computer.

You need to save it to your computer, and run it from there. Not within internet explorer.

PS 10.04.3 has been released so download it again (if you already have it).

Still no, again the same situation. I just don't see anything.

Ok, I was able to get it working, I had to delete pythonpath 1 in environment variables. But now I ran into another problem, I got message No root file system is defined when I was booting it for the first time. Any ideas anyone?

Ah you had another version of python installed - that explains it! (Don't know why it causes grief)

Usually the no root filesystem issue is caused by an unsupported raid setup or a mix of MBR and GPT partition tables or some other partition problem that Ubuntu is sensitive to (and not windows).

Boot from a live CD and run the bootinfoscript: http://bootinfoscript.sourceforge.net/ That might show the problem.

Post results to http://pastebin.ubuntu.com/ and don't forget to return the pastebin address here. Thanks

the pastebin address is: http://pastebin.ubuntu.com/651258/
Please include detailed steps as to how I can solve this problem.
Thanks for the help!

Here is your problem:
"Extended partition linking to another extended partition.
Invalid MBR Signature found.
EBR refers to a location outside the hard drive."

I don't know enough about corrupted partition tables to suggest a fix. There is an expert on ubuntuforums.org who can probably help (user srs5694: http://ubuntuforums.org/member.php?u=1032238 ). You will probably have to create an account there to message him.

I'll also move this from Wubi to the Ubiquity section of answers.launchpad.net as this is a fundamental issue that occurs during the install process (ubiquity) and is not specific to Wubi - so maybe some experts there can assist.

Hope that helps
bcbc

PS for other's benefit here is the full fdisk -l and blikd output:
============================ Drive/Partition Info: =============================

Drive: sda _____________________________________________________________________

Partition Boot Start Sector End Sector # of Sectors Id System

/dev/sda1 * 63 95,561,994 95,561,932 7 NTFS / exFAT / HPFS
/dev/sda2 95,563,774 147,814,064 52,250,291 5 Extended
Extended partition linking to another extended partition.
Invalid MBR Signature found.
EBR refers to a location outside the hard drive.
/dev/sda3 147,828,240 156,295,439 8,467,200 12 Compaq diagnostics

"blkid" output: ________________________________________________________________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/loop0 squashfs
/dev/sda1 BEE00CEDE00CADA9 ntfs IBM_PRELOAD
/dev/sda3 1B33-0A00 vfat IBM_SERVICE

OK, thanks a lot though for your efforts. Should I pm srs5694 regarding my problem?

Generally on ubuntuforums.org it's better to create a thread so that others can benefit. I think it's okay to leave a message directing srs5694 to your thread - he's pretty active anyway so if you wait a day you might get an answer by then.

I think there are many people in the community with knowledge so it's possible you'll get other help too. There are probably many experts on launchpad as well.

Another great place for help is askubuntu.com

This question was expired because it remained in the 'Open' state without activity for the last 15 days.