Re: [TCLUG:4144] No boot - Drastic Actions

[lueyb@carleton.edu]

I seems like there isn't an easy fix for my crashing at boot computer, so
I'm ready to take more active measures. But before I do anything potentially
stupid, I'd like to make sure my actions sound safe. I really really don't
want to lose my data.

My Plan:

I have an unused ext2 partition, /dev/hda9. boot with rescue disk, mount my
root partition (hda1) and hda9. 
cp -A /hda1 /hda9
chroot /hda1
edit /etc/lilo.conf to have an entry that boots off of hda9 (i.e.
root=/dev/hda9)
run lilo, reboot, at lilo load option for hda9 and hope that works.

If not, then I will do a minimum install of rh5.2 on hda1. (Can I assume
that if I don't touch the entries to my other partitions in disk druid that
rh5.2 will ignore them and just edit /hda1 and leave the rest of my data?)
Reboot with my small linux install.  Assuming it works, reboot with rescue
disk. Make a backup of hda1's /etc/ and /home and /usr and /lib and /var.
copy /var and /etc and /lib from my backup /hda9 to the root drive. Make
sure I have empty directories for /usr and /home for my other partitions.
Reboot and load my modified rh5.2 install, and ohpefully my computer will be
back to normal. It will read /etc/fstab to mount /home and /usr etc.  If
this works, copy new kernel to /boot edit and run lilo reboot and pray.

Does this sound like a good plan? Is it safe to my data?

Thank you for all your help,

Ben