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Boot in rescue mode?

Offline cactus

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Boot in rescue mode?
« on: August 20, 2006, 09:28:53 AM »
I have an old damaged disk holding a SME Server 7 installation. As my backup is not recent enough I would like to try and mount it using my newly configured server. However when I add the drive to my server and set it to slave or sewcondary master the system still boots from the old (damaged) disk and subsequentely halts boot as the disk is corrupted.

In my search to boot the drive I stumbled on bug 961 (comment 18) which states that it should be possible to use a CD to boot in to rescue mode and then change the partition type to be Linux instead of Linux Raid Autodetect.

The most recent CD I have is from SME 7.0pre1. I have tried this disc but cannot find the option to boot in to rescue mode. If I insert it it presents me with the normal installation screens (check medium, detecting previous install, etc....)

Do I need to do something special,  do I need another disk to boot into rescue mode?
Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than its worth ~ Baz Luhrmann - Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)

Offline raem

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Re: Boot in rescue mode?
« Reply #1 on: August 20, 2006, 09:56:30 AM »
cactus

Hold down the shift key while booting from CD. When you see the prompt, type "text rescue".

http://forums.contribs.org/index.php?topic=29762.0


This tip might also be useful
Single user mode works the same (as sme6). But you need to use a different technique to get into single user mode. At the grub splash screen you'll need to type 'a' for append, then add " single", then enter.
...

Offline byte

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Boot in rescue mode?
« Reply #2 on: August 20, 2006, 12:24:58 PM »
I'm pretty sure there is a "sme rescue" as well...
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Have you filled in a Bug Report over @ http://bugs.contribs.org ? Please don't wait to be told this way you help us to help you/others - Thanks!

glyndavies

ok.. assuming that you have done this
« Reply #3 on: August 20, 2006, 07:20:56 PM »
assuming that you can get in then..

any ideas how i would now repair grub so that the server will boot?

My box will boot into grub and stay there.. what would be the correct procedure to repair my loader?

Offline byte

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Re: ok.. assuming that you have done this
« Reply #4 on: August 20, 2006, 07:59:02 PM »
Quote from: "glyndavies"
any ideas how i would now repair grub so that the server will boot?

My box will boot into grub and stay there.. what would be the correct procedure to repair my loader?


I normally do something like this...

Run...

grub> root (hd0,4)

Where hd0 means master and 4 means where is your bootloader located.

Once you have found your correct config, then run...

setup (hd0)

If all is fine then it should say so on screen if not then you wil have to find another way round it...

grub> quit

And try it
--[byte]--

Have you filled in a Bug Report over @ http://bugs.contribs.org ? Please don't wait to be told this way you help us to help you/others - Thanks!

glyndavies

Boot in rescue mode?
« Reply #5 on: August 20, 2006, 11:27:47 PM »
what i did was this

kernel /vmlinuz-2.6.9-34.EL ro root=/dev/vg_primary/lv_root
initrd /initrd-2.6.9-34.EL.img
boot

and it started up

but now how do i get grub to do this for me automatically..
its in the /boot/grub/grub.conf file ...


yeh ok.. you can fee free to call me newb at any time... 8-) but at least I got a backup working now on a usb drive..  but i would really love to know how the photon to get this to repair just in case it happens again (sods law says it will...)