#! has lost root drive !

xaos52 · 2012-03-19 16:25:39

Have you tried to rebuild initramfs already? (my post #18, last part)

Last edited by xaos52 (2012-03-19 16:27:41)

stevewalsh · 2012-03-19 17:09:41

ok, i followed the update-initramfs instructions, the command completed without any problems....

sadly, the problem still exists though... sad

any more idea's ???? smile

Cheers for your support....
Steve

xaos52 · 2012-03-19 17:24:06

Running out of ideas, yes.
Can you remember installing/upgrading packages before you ran into this problem?

If you are using apt-get, /var/log/apt/history would be interesting to see the last packages that were installed.

If you use aptitude, I suppose something similar exists?

What kernel are you running?
Post output of

uname -a

after chrooting into #!

Are you using the latest #! images (February 2012)? If not, is reinstalling #! from the latest images an option for you?

stevewalsh · 2012-03-21 12:48:04

Here's the content of /var/log/apt/history.log

Start-Date: 2012-03-02 14:08:23
Commandline: apt-get install parted
Install: parted:i386 (2.3-8)
End-Date: 2012-03-02 14:08:53

whilst i agree parted (if i'd used it) could be the cause of many problems, i only installed it to run 1 command -

parted -l

I promise i've not run any other parted commands... big_smile

Here's my uname output....
Linux crunchbang 2.6.32-5-686 #1 SMP Mon Jan 16 16:04:25 UTC 2012 i686 GNU/Linux

I'd be happy to "upgrade" to the latest #! if it didn't mess up my old system and settings... you know what it's like when you've got everything just as you like it.... Is it possible to upgrade my "old" installation using the new ISO's ?

Thanks again,
Steve

Last edited by stevewalsh (2012-03-21 16:42:31)

xaos52 · 2012-03-21 15:01:57

I believe you.
And you can chroot to #! on disk, so everything still seems to be there.

Make a backup of your $HOME directory and of /etc to an external USB disk, so that you can restore your settings, and then install one of the latest #! ISO's (Feb 2012).

Make sure to install to the right partition, so that your DATA and DATA_ are not affected.

Good luck.

Edit: I am not saying you must re-install. If you want to debug the current situation even further, that is OK with me, and I will be glad to help.

Last edited by xaos52 (2012-03-21 15:11:24)

stevewalsh · 2012-03-21 16:47:09

I would like to recover the existing installation if possible, and I'd be very grateful for your continued support.
I accept that there must be a point where if all fails, I have no choice but to re-install... Feel free to tell me when you think we've reached that point !!!

So short of sticking the disk in the post to you, what else can we try ? big_smile

Cheers,
Steve

xaos52 · 2012-03-21 17:43:31

Oh there is still quite a lot we can do...

Since you get the error while the filesystem from initramfs is still mounted, lets start with a listing of what is in that initramfs.

To do that, you will have to boot from a live system, and chroot into #! on disk.
I suppose that will be no problem by now smile

In the chroot shell:

/usr/bin/lsinitramfs /boot/initrd.img-2.6.39-bpo.2-686-pae

if this produces no output, something is wrong. Let me know. Stop.

Normally there will be (quite a lot) of output, and I want to capture it, so you can post it on the forum.
run the command again, now as folows:

/usr/bin/lsinitramfs /boot/initrd.img-2.6.39-bpo.2-686-pae >/tmp/lsinitramfs.out

Get out of chroot: Ctrl+D
Copy the output file - which will now be in location /mnt/sda1/tmp/lsinitramfs.out - to a stick.
Publish the file on the forum.

If you have any questions do not hesitate to ask.

Last edited by xaos52 (2012-03-21 17:46:02)

stevewalsh · 2012-03-26 10:38:32

Hi,

I hope you had a good weekend.

I've put the output of the command onto the crunchbang pastebin - http://crunchbanglinux.org/pastebin/1549

Please let me know if you need more info.... (or if I'm using the pastebin thing incorrectly/for the wrong purpose etc...)

Cheers,
Steve

xaos52 · 2012-03-26 16:12:59

Hi Steve,

I had a good weekend, thanks.
Hope yours was good as well.

I have been going over the info you supplied (you are using the pastebin for what it is meant, no problem:) )

But there is a problem with the initrd image. I am almost sure that you were not properly chrooted when you rebuilt the initramfs.

So, this is what I want you to do:

1. boot from live CD and chroot into #! on disk, as per my tutorial
2. in the chroot environment, run

update-initramfs -u -k all

3. Get out of chroot environment.
4. check that the correct initrd image has been created:

ls -al /mnt/sda1/boot/initrd.img-2.6.39-bpo.2-686-pae

Check that the creation date/last modification date is today.
5. Try to reboot into #! on disk from the grub menu - so a normal boot into crunchbang.

hth

Last edited by xaos52 (2012-03-26 16:25:37)

stevewalsh · 2012-03-28 12:42:27

I followed your tutorial about chroot http://crunchbanglinux.org/forums/topic … -via-grub/
I had 1 small problem with the instructions.... the final mount command in the instructions didn't use sudo, but as you can see below, it won't work otherwise.... i notice you have recently changed the instructions to reflect this ????

crunchbang@crunchbang:~$ TARGET=/mnt/sda1
crunchbang@crunchbang:~$ sudo mkdir -p $TARGET
crunchbang@crunchbang:~$ sudo mount /dev/sda1 $TARGET
crunchbang@crunchbang:~$ sudo mount --bin /dev $TARGET/dev
crunchbang@crunchbang:~$ sudo mount --bin /dev/pts $TARGET/dev/pts
crunchbang@crunchbang:~$ sudo mount --bin /proc $TARGET/proc
crunchbang@crunchbang:~$ mount --bin /sys $TARGET/sys
mount: only root can do that
crunchbang@crunchbang:~$ sudo mount --bin /sys $TARGET/sys
crunchbang@crunchbang:~$ sudo chroot $TARGET /bin/bash
root@crunchbang:/# update-initramfs -u -k all
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.39-bpo.2-686-pae
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.36-2.dmz.5-liquorix-686
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-2.6.32-5-686
root@crunchbang:/# 
root@crunchbang:/# exit
exit
crunchbang@crunchbang:~$ ls -al /mnt/sda1/boot/initrd.img-2.6.39-bpo.2-686-pae 
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 15296860 Mar 26 17:30 /mnt/sda1/boot/initrd.img-2.6.39-bpo.2-686-pae
crunchbang@crunchbang:~$

I tried to reboot but it failed with the same error....

so i have rebooted back into live environment to check the initramfs update took place...

crunchbang@crunchbang:~$ sudo mkdir /mnt/sda1
crunchbang@crunchbang:~$ sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/sda1
crunchbang@crunchbang:~$ sudo chroot /mnt/sda1
root@crunchbang:/# ls -al /boot/initrd.img-2.6.39-bpo.2-686-pae
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 15296860 Mar 26 17:30 /boot/initrd.img-2.6.39-bpo.2-686-pae
root@crunchbang:/# date
Wed Mar 28 13:17:14 BST 2012
root@crunchbang:/#

As far as i can tell, the initramfs rebuild was done correctly on Monday, and as of today, is still the same one i rebuilt on Monday.... yet the problem still exists... pesky Linux.... big_smile

Cheers,
Steve

xaos52 · 2012-03-28 14:26:39

Yes, I changed instructions for chroot recently. Noticed the missing sudo and added it. smile

I was almost certain this would solve it.

OK. We try something else:

When you have the GRUB menu displayed:
enter c

grub> set root=(hd0,1)
grub> linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.39-bpo.2-686-pae root=/dev/sda1 ro nomodeset vga=793
(you can press the Tab key after vmlinuz to use auto-completion)
grub> initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.39-bpo.2-686-pae
(again you can press Tab after initrd for auto-completion)
grub> boot

and touch wood...

Edit: There is something wrong with the size of your initrd: here are mine:

  -rw-r--r--  1 root root 8469948 Mar 27 15:18 initrd.img-2.6.32-5-486
  -rw-r--r--  1 root root 9069649 Mar 27 15:18 initrd.img-2.6.39-bpo.2-486
  -rw-r--r--  1 root root 9611392 Mar 27 15:17 initrd.img-3.2.0-0.bpo.1-686-pae

Much smaller than yours.
Could it be that your initrd is not a gzipped cpio archive?
Let me show the output of

file /mnt/sda1/boot/initrd.img-2.6.39-bpo.2-686-pae

Let me check where that is specified.
It is in /etc/initramfs/initramfs.conf
Please post output of

cat /mnt/sda1/etc/initramfs/initramfs.conf

x

Last edited by xaos52 (2012-03-28 14:51:15)

stevewalsh · 2012-03-28 14:48:47

well, before you edited your post, i followed the instructions and whaddya know - maybe it was the touching of wood - it booted up and i'm in the "old" OS....

There was 1 error when the gui started - XFCE power manager is not started, and something about HAL in relation to this XFCE error... i can do it again if you need to know more ???

I await further instructions :-)

xaos52 · 2012-03-28 14:52:33

Yes, please give the error messages.
And output of the commands I wanted to see after my 'Edit'.

Last edited by xaos52 (2012-03-28 14:54:12)

stevewalsh · 2012-03-28 16:08:06

ok, the error box which pops up says :

and the output from the commands :

user@crunchbang:~$ file /boot/initrd.img-2.6.39-bpo.2-686-pae 
/boot/initrd.img-2.6.39-bpo.2-686-pae: gzip compressed data, from Unix, last modified: Mon Mar 26 17:30:37 2012

initramfs.conf (/etc/initramfs-tools on my "old" system !)

#
# initramfs.conf
# Configuration file for mkinitramfs(8). See initramfs.conf(5).
#
# Note that configuration options from this file can be overridden
# by config files in the /etc/initramfs-tools/conf.d directory.

#
# MODULES: [ most | netboot | dep | list ]
#
# most - Add most filesystem and all harddrive drivers.
#
# dep - Try and guess which modules to load.
#
# netboot - Add the base modules, network modules, but skip block devices.
#
# list - Only include modules from the 'additional modules' list
#

MODULES=most

#
# BUSYBOX: [ y | n ]
#
# Use busybox if available.
#

BUSYBOX=y

#
# KEYMAP: [ y | n ]
#
# Load a keymap during the initramfs stage.
#

KEYMAP=n

#
# COMPRESS: [ gzip | bzip2 | lzma | lzop | xz ]
#

COMPRESS=gzip

#
# NFS Section of the config.
#

#
# BOOT: [ local | nfs ]
#
# local - Boot off of local media (harddrive, USB stick).
#
# nfs - Boot using an NFS drive as the root of the drive.
#

BOOT=local

#
# DEVICE: ...
#
# Specify a specific network interface, like eth0
# Overridden by optional ip= bootarg
#

DEVICE=

#
# NFSROOT: [ auto | HOST:MOUNT ]
#

NFSROOT=auto

Thanks again for your continued support :-)

xaos52 · 2012-03-28 16:53:58

Would you mind trying this: in stead of /dev/sda1 for root device, use UUID again, but without the splash:

When you have the GRUB menu displayed:
Position the cursor over the 2.6.39.bpo.2 entry
enter e
Use the arrow down key to go past the line that starts with 'linux'
Press the left arrow to go to the end of the linux line
Press backspace to remove the 'splash' boot param
Then press F10 or Ctrl+X to boot

and touch wood... smile

If this works, the 'splash' boot param is causing the problems, else it is the UUID thingy.

Will look into the hal problem when you can boot properly.

x

stevewalsh · 2012-03-30 10:48:48

ok, I tried your instructions (which "worked") but used the UUID instead...

in other words, i did the command line in grub and changed the line :

grub> linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.39-bpo.2-686-pae root=/dev/sda1 ro nomodeset vga=793

to

grub> linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.39-bpo.2-686-pae root=UUID=728ae5bc-0457-4fa4-ae4d-e68731b2a43e ro nomodeset vga=793

All other lines were identical...

AND IT FAILED TO BOOT - /dev/disk/by-uuid/728..... does not exist

Then i tried your instructions for editing the grub entry

here's a pic of the grub entries for the 2.6.39.bpo.2 entry

I removed the splash entry and it still failed...

So i tried editing the grub entry again but instead of removing the splash entry i changed the linux line from root=UUID=728.... to root=/dev/sda1 and it booted up (even with the splash screen entry left in)

Looks like it doesn't like my UUID entry for the disk.... /dev/sda1 it does seem to like !!!!!

(I still got the HAL error though)

I hope this helps....

Cheers again, Steve

Last edited by stevewalsh (2012-03-30 11:27:32)

xaos52 · 2012-03-30 12:03:46

Hi Steve,

Yes. It is definitely the UUID method that is not working.
Now I am fairly certain that /dev/disk/by-uuid should be created dynamically by udev at startup. I suspect the error to be with the udev package.

If you have network access from the #! system on disk:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get --reinstall install udev
sudo update-initramfs -u

and try to reboot normally from the grub menu.

If no internet access, do the same, except leave out the first command, and hope that the udev package is still in cache.

if no internet access, post output of

lspci -knn
lsusb
dmesg

We will try to restore network access first.

As to the hal problem: try starting hal from the command line. Publish any error messages you receive on the forum:

sudo /etc/init.d/hal start

Cheers, xaos

stevewalsh · 2012-03-30 14:09:00

ok, here's the result of the update/install command....

user@crunchbang:~$ sudo apt-get --reinstall install udev
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
Some packages could not be installed. This may mean that you have
requested an impossible situation or if you are using the unstable
distribution that some required packages have not yet been created
or been moved out of Incoming.
The following information may help to resolve the situation:

The following packages have unmet dependencies:
 libc6-dev : Breaks: gcc-4.4 (< 4.4.6-4) but 4.4.5-8 is to be installed
E: Broken packages
user@crunchbang:~$

and the result of trying to start HAL manually....

user@crunchbang:~$ sudo /etc/init.d/hal start
[sudo] password for ajt: 
sudo: /etc/init.d/hal: command not found
user@crunchbang:~$

xaos52 · 2012-03-30 14:20:37

Post your apt sources please:

sudo cat /etc/apt/sources.list
sudo cat /etc/apt/preferences

Remove libc6-dev and try installing udev again

sudo apt-get remove libc6-dev -s

This is a simulated remove. Check that it does not remove packages that are essential for you.
If OK, do it for real:

sudo apt-get remove libc6-dev
sudo apt-get --reinstall install udev

Seems like hal has been removed?

sudo ls -al /etc/init.d | grep hal

Try to re-install hal:

sudo apt-get --reinstall install hal

hth

Last edited by xaos52 (2012-03-30 14:22:08)

stevewalsh · 2012-03-30 15:24:38

user@crunchbang:~$ sudo cat /etc/apt/sources.list
## CRUNCHBANG
## Compatible with Debian Squeeze, but use at your own risk.
deb [url]http://packages.crunchbanglinux.org/statler[/url] statler main

## DEBIAN
deb [url]http://ftp.uk.debian.org/debian/[/url] squeeze main contrib non-free
# deb-src [url]http://ftp.uk.debian.org/debian/[/url] squeeze main contrib non-free

## DEBIAN TESTING
deb [url]http://ftp.uk.debian.org/debian/[/url] testing main contrib non-free


## DEBIAN SECURITY
deb [url]http://security.debian.org/[/url] squeeze/updates main
# deb-src [url]http://security.debian.org/[/url] squeeze/updates main

## DEBIAN BACKPORTS
deb [url]http://backports.debian.org/debian-backports[/url] squeeze-backports main contrib non-free


## DEBIAN MULTIMEDIA inc. myth + mplayer
deb [url]http://debian-multimedia.fx-services.com/[/url] stable main
# deb-src [url]http://debian-multimedia.fx-services.com/[/url] stable main

deb [url]http://debian.yacy.net[/url] ./

user@crunchbang:~$ sudo cat /etc/apt/preferences
Package: *
Pin: release n=statler
Pin-Priority: 1001

Package: *
Pin: release n=squeeze
Pin-Priority: 100

I've removed libc6-dev and reinstalled udev (which triggered an update-initramfs)

I've also reinstalled hal (the ls command only found "halt" )

I'm afraid I don't know where hal went, nor what happened to udev.... sad

I'm going to try to reboot again.... finger crossed.... smile

edit : it failed with the same error - /dev/disk/by-uuid/728.... does not exist

I'm on annual leave for the whole of next week so won't have access to the PC with #! on it....
Please enjoy the time without my problem/s !!!!!

Thanks again for your support....

Last edited by stevewalsh (2012-03-30 16:10:37)

xaos52 · 2012-03-30 16:16:58

OK. Let me know when you are ready pick this up again.
Enjoy your leave.

No problem. Actually I enjoy solving problems like this. smile

x

stevewalsh · 2012-04-12 09:39:32

I'm back from the easter holidays... hope you had a good one...

So a small update...

Even though i have re-installed HAL (see previous/old post), I still get the error message...
Is this error correct though - I'm not using the Xfce desktop environment and the error box refers to the Xfce power manager...

So, how do we make the manual grub commands from one of your previous posts http://crunchbanglinux.org/forums/post/204127/#p204127 work all the time ?

or is that not practical and we need to find out why the UUID doesn't get found ?

Cheers, Steve

xaos52 · 2012-04-12 14:02:18

Hi Steve,

Welcome back.
All relaxed, I suppose, after the holidays, ready to tackle any problem that is thrown at you smile

No holidays for me, but I am retired, so I am very busy... big_smile

Yes, there could be an easy way to restore the normal boot procedure:
(1) boot into #!
(2) edit /etc/default/grub with your preferred editor:
Uncomment the entry containing GRUB_DISABLE_LINUX_UUID=true: remove the leading # so that it becomes:

# Uncomment if you don't want GRUB to pass "root=UUID=xxx" parameter to Linux
GRUB_DISABLE_LINUX_UUID=true

Save the file
(3) Run

sudo update-grub

Reboot and you should now be able to select #! from the grub menu, and boot into it.

Let me know if
(1) that works
(2) you feel like continuing to debug the UUID problem

xaos

Last edited by xaos52 (2012-04-12 14:03:23)

stevewalsh · 2012-04-12 14:40:21

It worked.... smile

I'm happy to work through the UUID problem - Always willing to learn etc....

And if you have any ideas about the HAL error wink

Cheers,
Steve....

Last edited by stevewalsh (2012-04-12 14:40:38)

xaos52 · 2012-04-12 15:01:59

OK.

#! uses openbox as window manager, but installs xfce-power-manager for its functionality.

Try:

sudo apt-get --reinstall install hal hal-info libhal-storage1 libhal1

and post the output of the install command.

Then reboot and let me know if you still get that message.

xaos

CrunchBang Linux

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#26 2012-03-19 16:25:39

Re: #! has lost root drive !

#27 2012-03-19 17:09:41

Re: #! has lost root drive !

#28 2012-03-19 17:24:06

Re: #! has lost root drive !

#29 2012-03-21 12:48:04

Re: #! has lost root drive !

#30 2012-03-21 15:01:57

Re: #! has lost root drive !

#31 2012-03-21 16:47:09

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#32 2012-03-21 17:43:31

Re: #! has lost root drive !

#33 2012-03-26 10:38:32

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#34 2012-03-26 16:12:59

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#35 2012-03-28 12:42:27

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#36 2012-03-28 14:26:39

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#37 2012-03-28 14:48:47

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#38 2012-03-28 14:52:33

Re: #! has lost root drive !

#39 2012-03-28 16:08:06

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#40 2012-03-28 16:53:58

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#41 2012-03-30 10:48:48

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#42 2012-03-30 12:03:46

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#44 2012-03-30 14:20:37

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#47 2012-04-12 09:39:32

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#48 2012-04-12 14:02:18

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#49 2012-04-12 14:40:21

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#50 2012-04-12 15:01:59

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