Member Avatar for lewashby

A while back I built a computer with an Asus motherboard, a SSD, and two milk creates for a cheap case, and I had Xubuntu installed on it. I have tried to install Xubuntu on it again several times today but it always fails to create the partitions. I keep getting an error -> 'Creation in partitoin # x (0,0,0) failed' or something like that. Then after this happens the computer will not even boot back into the live USB Ubuntu again or even the BIOS, all I get there after is a black screen with a blinking white cursor at the top left of the screen. If I want to boot the computer back into Xubuntu again I have to write a new usb image, that thumb drive on which the installation fails will not work again. Also I've tried two different Xubuntu images so I doubt that it's a currupt image file. Any ideas? Thanks.

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Short summary and focused checklist that builds on ’s report and the suggestions from and . The installer message "Creation of partition # (0,0,0) failed" most often means the installer could not write or commit a partition table change (kernel couldn’t rescan the device, device mounted read‑only, leftover RAID metadata, or a hardware/controller problem). The steps below are targeted diagnostics and safe repair actions to try before a full reinstall.

First, inspect how the live system sees the drive and look for kernel-level errors:

lsblk -o NAME,MODEL,SIZE,RO,TYPE,MOUNTPOINT
sudo fdisk -l /dev/sdX
sudo parted /dev/sdX print
dmesg | tail -n 80

If the device appears read‑only, shows I/O errors, or dmesg reports driver/ATA/NVMe faults, treat it as a hardware or firmware issue (bad cable, bad port, SSD firmware, or failing drive). If no obvious I/O errors appear, remove leftover signatures and partition tables and force a fresh label. These commands are destructive — double‑check the device name before running them:

sudo wipefs -a /dev/sdX
sudo sgdisk --zap-all /dev/sdX
sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sdX bs=1M count=10

Additional practical points not yet covered in the thread: try a different SATA port and cable or an external USB‑SATA adapter; confirm firmware/UEFI mode (install media booted in the same UEFI/legacy mode intended for the install); disable motherboard RAID/Intel RST if present; run SMART tests (smartctl) and memtest if instability is suspected. If partitioning still fails after the above, the problem is likely physical (drive or controller) — testing the SSD in another machine will confirm that.

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Member Avatar for rubberman

Try using a live DVD instead of USB drive. That way, any faulty software on the live image can't break the media. Also, I am guessing that the ISO you built your live image from is faulty. Have you run a checksum on it and compared that to what is on the system you got it from? Also, did you get it from the Ubuntu web site, or somewhere else?

Member Avatar for lewashby

I haven't check the chucksum but I have used several different images so I'M doubting that it's a corrupt iso file. Both images that I'v treid were from the Ubuntu website. Also, there is no dvd or cd drive.

Edited by lewashby because: I messed up
Member Avatar for lewashby

Just tried a Debian iso image instead of an Xubuntu image and I had a similar problem. I got an erro while while it was creating the partitions. It said something about how that the partition had been created but that the Kernal didn't know about it and that I should reboot before making any changes. The it asked if I wanted to Cancel or Ignore, I chose ignore and the partition creation didn't give me any more errors but it progress bar stopped in one spot and would not move any further.

3rd try
I just tried with another live usb and a whole new SSD and now when I boot up the computer a blue screen that says "Xubuntu" comes up and just when I think it's about to start the installation process the screen goes black and I see the following messages in white on the screen.

[ *** ] A start job is running for Ubuntu live CD installer ($COUNTER MIN SEC / no limit)
[ OK ] Started Network Manager Script Dispatcher Service.

Any ideas, please help. Thanks.

Member Avatar for lewashby

In an angry keyboard rant I hit Ctrl Alt Delete, nothing, Ctrl Alt F2, nothing, Ctrl Alt F1 boom, there was my installation screen hiding. Go figure? Thanks.

Member Avatar for rproffitt

That story, that color, oh what a mess.

OK, the blinking cursor and can't get to the BIOS would have me unplugging ALL storage devices. No HDD, SSD, ODD, flippy, floppy and sticks. Now a CMOS reset and try for the BIOS. If the BIOS comes up, then I set date/time and what settings I wanted THEN I save, reboot and make sure I can get to the BIOS screen again.

With that out of the way I can connect up my USB bootable Linux to see that work. No other devices yet.

OK, we're up and time to add the SSD and try again.

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