Write-protect sctors?

No.

What you're seeing is likely a Ubiquity (the graphical installer) bug.
Try using the "alternate" CD to do your re-install.

http://ubuntu-releases.cs.umn.edu//6.06/ubuntu-6.06.1-alternate-i386.iso

-CMP

On 8/25/06, scott <[email protected]> wrote:
> I had a probable rootkit in ubuntu dapper that proved to be more
> persistent than I thought possible.I did rkhunter and showed some
> anomalies in /dev/...Trying to track those dir's down proved
> elusive,even with root enabled(in ubuntu,root is disabled by default.You
> can still sudo, but no su without certain switches,)the dir's
> effectively hid from my view.
> So I decided to reinstall a clean slate.This is when I encounter
> problems that don't make sense.
> As the install progresses to the partitioning of the disc,I opt for the
> erase whole disc option.It progresses to a certain point and then quits
> with an error..repeatedly.
> I filed a bug report with launchpad,but my question is this:Can any
> malware you are aware of write-protect certain segments of a HD,without
> BIOS support?Or is there a BIOS trojan that I'm not aware of in Linux?Is
> this even possible with a hardened system?
> Is this even possible in any system,Windows included?
> What I.m asking is : Can any malware write-protect sectors on a HD that
> survive repartioning?
> Sounds really crazy,huh?
>  Thanks,Scott
>
>


--
Cristobal M. Palmer
UNC-CH SILS Student
TriLUG Vice Chair
[email protected]
[email protected]
ils.unc.edu/~cmpalmer
"Television-free since 2003"

<tarheelcoxn> iank has trouble with English. his native language is Python
<iank> Yeah
<iank>   I'm forced
<iank>     To indent
<iank>   My sentences


-- 
Cristobal M. Palmer
UNC-CH SILS Student
TriLUG Vice Chair
[email protected]
[email protected]
ils.unc.edu/~cmpalmer
"Television-free since 2003"

<tarheelcoxn> iank has trouble with English. his native language is Python
<iank> Yeah
<iank>   I'm forced
<iank>     To indent
<iank>   My sentences