ubiquity failed

[gcb]

Binary package hint: ubiquity

executed on a live system `ubiquity -g --only` to install ubuntu on new drive.

choose install. selected NO to unmount active /dev/sda2.
choose manual partition. partitioned /dev/sdb to be used.
the installer reformats /dev/sda1 as swap again, hopefully it was not being used at all.
i select time zone, keyboard, and then it fails. with a message to open a new bug.

The keyboard window is still visible.

Here's the end of my syslog:

Nov 3 22:52:22 marfim os-prober: debug: running /usr/lib/os-probes/50mounted-tests on /dev/sda1
Nov 3 22:52:22 marfim 50mounted-tests: debug: /dev/sda1 is a swap partition; skipping
Nov 3 22:52:22 marfim os-prober: debug: os detected by /usr/lib/os-probes/50mounted-tests
Nov 3 22:52:22 marfim os-prober: debug: running /usr/lib/os-probes/50mounted-tests on /dev/sda2
Nov 3 22:52:22 marfim 50mounted-tests: debug: /dev/sda2 type not recognised; skipping
Nov 3 22:52:22 marfim os-prober: debug: os detected by /usr/lib/os-probes/50mounted-tests
Nov 3 22:52:22 marfim os-prober: debug: running /usr/lib/os-probes/50mounted-tests on /dev/sdb1
Nov 3 22:52:22 marfim 50mounted-tests: debug: /dev/sdb1 is a swap partition; skipping
Nov 3 22:52:22 marfim os-prober: debug: os detected by /usr/lib/os-probes/50mounted-tests
Nov 3 22:52:22 marfim os-prober: debug: running /usr/lib/os-probes/mounted/10freedos on mounted /dev/sdb3
Nov 3 22:52:22 marfim 10freedos: debug: /dev/sdb3 is not a FAT partition: exiting
Nov 3 22:52:22 marfim os-prober: debug: running /usr/lib/os-probes/mounted/10qnx on mounted /dev/sdb3
Nov 3 22:52:22 marfim 10qnx: debug: /dev/sdb3 is not a QNX4 partition: exiting
Nov 3 22:52:22 marfim os-prober: debug: running /usr/lib/os-probes/mounted/20macosx on mounted /dev/sdb3
Nov 3 22:52:22 marfim macosx-prober: debug: /dev/sdb3 is not an HFS+ partition: exiting
Nov 3 22:52:22 marfim os-prober: debug: running /usr/lib/os-probes/mounted/20microsoft on mounted /dev/sdb3
Nov 3 22:52:22 marfim 20microsoft: debug: /dev/sdb3 is not a MS partition: exiting
Nov 3 22:52:22 marfim os-prober: debug: running /usr/lib/os-probes/mounted/30utility on mounted /dev/sdb3
Nov 3 22:52:22 marfim 30utility: debug: /dev/sdb3 is not a FAT partition: exiting
Nov 3 22:52:22 marfim os-prober: debug: running /usr/lib/os-probes/mounted/40lsb on mounted /dev/sdb3
Nov 3 22:52:22 marfim os-prober: debug: running /usr/lib/os-probes/mounted/70hurd on mounted /dev/sdb3
Nov 3 22:52:22 marfim os-prober: debug: running /usr/lib/os-probes/mounted/80minix on mounted /dev/sdb3
Nov 3 22:52:22 marfim os-prober: debug: running /usr/lib/os-probes/mounted/90linux-distro on mounted /dev/sdb3
Nov 3 22:52:22 marfim os-prober: debug: running /usr/lib/os-probes/mounted/90solaris on mounted /dev/sdb3
Nov 3 22:52:22 marfim ubiquity[19742]: debconffilter_done: ubi-timezone (current: ubi-timezone)
Nov 3 22:52:22 marfim ubiquity[19742]: Step_before = stepLocation
Nov 3 22:52:23 marfim ubiquity[19742]: log-output -t ubiquity setxkbmap -model pc105 -layout us -variant altgr-intl -option
Nov 3 22:52:23 marfim ubiquity[19742]: switched to page console_setup
Nov 3 22:52:26 marfim python: Exception during installation:
Nov 3 22:52:26 marfim python: Traceback (most recent call last):
Nov 3 22:52:26 marfim python: File "/usr/share/ubiquity/install.py", line 608, in <module>
Nov 3 22:52:26 marfim python: install.run()
Nov 3 22:52:26 marfim python: File "/usr/share/ubiquity/install.py", line 122, in run
Nov 3 22:52:26 marfim python: self.copy_all()
Nov 3 22:52:26 marfim python: File "/usr/share/ubiquity/install.py", line 299, in copy_all
Nov 3 22:52:26 marfim python: assert os.path.exists(fs_size), "Missing filesystem.size."
Nov 3 22:52:26 marfim python: AssertionError: Missing filesystem.size.
Nov 3 22:52:26 marfim python:
Nov 3 22:52:34 marfim ubiquity: Your console font configuration will be updated the next time your system
Nov 3 22:52:34 marfim ubiquity: boots. If you want to update it now, run 'setupcon' from a virtual console.
Nov 3 22:52:34 marfim ubiquity[19742]: log-output -t ubiquity setxkbmap -model pc105 -layout us -variant altgr-intl -option -option lv3:ralt_switch
Nov 3 22:52:34 marfim ubiquity[19742]: debconffilter_done: ubi-console-setup (current: ubi-console-setup)
Nov 3 22:53:05 marfim kernel: [14624.323098] lo: Disabled Privacy Extensions

$ sudo fdisk -l /dev/sda

Disk /dev/sda: 8069 MB, 8069677056 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 981 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x294a294a

   Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 31 242688 82 Linux swap / Solaris
Partition 1 does not end on cylinder boundary.
/dev/sda2 31 981 7634945 5 Extended
Partition 2 does not end on cylinder boundary.
/dev/sda5 31 981 7634944 83 Linux

$ sudo fdisk -l /dev/sdb

Disk /dev/sdb: 32.0 GB, 32019316736 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 3892 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00090c3b

   Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 1 36 289138+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdb2 37 888 6835200 83 Linux
Partition 2 does not end on cylinder boundary.
/dev/sdb3 888 3893 24142848 83 Linux

i'm trying again with swap off and pre-partitioning the new drive...

[gcb (gcb0)]

no luck. it fails on the "Copying files" step. as soon as it starts.

my syslog this time:

Nov 3 23:04:35 marfim ubiquity[4243]: Ubiquity 2.4.8
Nov 3 23:04:38 marfim ubiquity[4243]: log-output -t ubiquity laptop-detect
Nov 3 23:04:39 marfim ubiquity[4243]: log-output -t ubiquity fontconfig-voodoo --auto --force --quiet
Nov 3 23:04:39 marfim ubiquity[4243]: Unable to determine the release.
Nov 3 23:04:46 marfim ubiquity[4243]: switched to page language
Nov 3 23:04:49 marfim localechooser: info: Locale has been preseeded to en_US.UTF-8
Nov 3 23:04:49 marfim localechooser: info: Set localechooser/languagelist = 'en'
Nov 3 23:04:49 marfim localechooser: info: Set debian-installer/country = 'US'
Nov 3 23:04:49 marfim localechooser: info: Set debian-installer/locale = 'en_US.UTF-8'
Nov 3 23:04:49 marfim ubiquity[4243]: switched to page prepare
Nov 3 23:04:49 marfim ubiquity[4243]: switched to page language
Nov 3 23:04:51 marfim localechooser: info: Language = 'en'
Nov 3 23:04:51 marfim localechooser: info: line=en;0;US;UTF-8;en_US.UTF-8;;console-setup
Nov 3 23:04:51 marfim localechooser: info: Set debian-installer/language = 'en'
Nov 3 23:04:51 marfim localechooser: info: Set debian-installer/locale = 'en_US.UTF-8'
Nov 3 23:04:51 marfim localechooser: info: Set debian-installer/fallbacklocale = 'en_US.UTF-8'
Nov 3 23:04:51 marfim localechooser: info: Default country = 'US'
Nov 3 23:04:51 marfim localechooser: info: Set debian-installer/consoledisplay = 'console-setup'
Nov 3 23:04:51 marfim localechooser: info: Set debian-installer/country = 'US'
Nov 3 23:04:52 marfim localechooser: info: Set debian-installer/locale = 'en_US.UTF-8'
Nov 3 23:04:52 marfim localechooser: info: Selected locale (debian-installer/locale) = 'en_US.UTF-8'
Nov 3 23:04:56 marfim ubiquity[4243]: debconffilter_done: ubi-language (current: ubi-language)
Nov 3 23:04:56 marfim ubiquity[4243]: Step_before = stepLanguage
Nov 3 23:04:58 marfim ubiquity[4243]: switched to page prepare
Nov 3 23:04:58 marfim ubiquity[4243]: switched to page prepare
Nov 3 23:05:00 marfim ubiquity[4243]: debconffilter_done: ubi-prepare (current: ubi-prepare)
Nov 3 23:05:00 marfim ubiquity[4243]: Step_before = stepPrepare
Nov 3 23:05:00 marfim activate-dmraid: No Serial ATA RAID disks detected
Nov 3 23:05:07 marfim os-prober: debug: running /usr/lib/os-probes/50mounted-tests on /dev/sda1
Nov 3 23:05:07 marfim 50mounted-tests: debug: /dev/sda1 is a swap partition; skipping
Nov 3 23:05:07 marfim os-prober: debug: os detected by /usr/lib/os-probes/50mounted-tests
Nov 3 23:05:07 marfim os-prober: debug: running /usr/lib/os-probes/50mounted-tests on /dev/sda2
Nov 3 23:05:07 marfim 50mounted-tests: debug: /dev/sda2 type not recognised; skipping
Nov 3 23:05:07 marfim os-prober: debug: os detected by /usr/lib/os-probes/50mounted-tests
Nov 3 23:05:07 marfim os-prober: debug: running /usr/lib/os-probes/50mounted-tests on /dev/sdb1
Nov 3 23:05:07 marfim 50mounted-tests: debug: /dev/sdb1 is a swap partition; skipping
Nov 3 23:05:07 marfim os-prober: debug: os detected by /usr/lib/os-probes/50mounted-tests
Nov 3 23:05:07 marfim os-prober: debug: running /usr/lib/os-probes/50mount...