Score:0

The installer error: faulty hard risk ... old and need replacement

sk flag

I attempted several times to install Ubuntu 20.04.2.0 from bootable USB stick. I am installing on a 10 years old but powerful Dell PC. Based on issues and researches, I have done the following changes:

  • deleted all partitions
  • changed bios settings from legacy to UEFI
  • created two partitions, one for installation and formatted as ext4, and one for swap, using GParted in Ubuntu live

During installing, I chose the formatted ext4 partition and swap for installation. It was accepted, but after a few minutes, I got the error below when installer was installing.

The installer encountered an error copying files to the hard disk.

[error 30] read only file system '/target/snap'

It's often due to faulty hard disk. It may help to check whether the hard disk is old and it need replacement or move the system to a cooler environment.

Here in South hemisphere, it's winter so it shouldn't be the heat issue. I'm wondering if Ubuntu installer is age biased or there is an issue that I can resolve without buying a new hard disk. Thanks.

in flag
An `Error 30` message is usually the result of the source files being bad, not your hard disk. You may need to re-download the .iso file, make a new Ubuntu installation USB/DVD, or both
guiverc avatar
cn flag
FYI: I don't see that the Southern hemisphere relates... I'm in Melbourne AU (*thus currently in covid lockdown too*) and many of us have heaters on inside and boxes can overheat in winter too... You weren't specific as to which *fs* was RO (did you look? was it the media you are installing from? or to?, but the obvious issues are did you verify the ISO? did the write to media succeed? You didn't say if Desktop or Server install, but I'd also have scanned for *squashfs* errors in logs. To check drive health you can use your *live* media (https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Smartmontools)
guiverc avatar
cn flag
and you can use GUI tools too to check SMART or drive health if using desktop (prior link was for command as you didn't mention if desktop/server).. We don't know what installer you're talking about as you weren't specific enough about ISO used (did you use a `ubiquity` (desktop) or `subiquity` (server) one.. or another?) but they don't check drive health or age (that's a user maintenance issue; software just flips *fs* to RO on errors thus protecting data)... I QA-test using old dell/hp/etc devices from 2005 up; am replying now on a 2009 dell running *impish*... I'd look in your logs.
user535733 avatar
cn flag
Did you let the installer self-test run? Did it complete without error?
Aryo Z avatar
sk flag
Thank you guys @matigo I tried to make bootable USB stick from another app, this time Rufus. Took 1 hour to make it. Then I tried to install. Same issue. I checked the disk by fsck and dd commands. The progress was better than before, but still installer crashed. Since the hard drive became slow since windows 10 ran auto update (the hard drive was dual boot win10/Ubuntu), I thought there is something wrong with the hard drive, as the error message tries to convey. I replaced the hard drive with another one, and was able to install Ubuntu in 5 min.
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