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

[Doppelgaenger <dopp@dopp.bog.dsl.scc.net>]

> 
> 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

You're going to have to give cp a -p flag to preserve simlinks...  or else
it will copy recursively through your links and you'll have twice as much data
as you started with.  I've actually tried this...  It may hang when it tries to 
copy /dev.  You have a lot of partitions, so assuming you have separate /usr and
/home partitions, just copy important config files to your home directory and
reinstall.

Gabe

> 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
> 
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Gabe Turner <dopp@acm.cs.umn.edu>       
U of MN Csci/IT Systems Staff
Systems Staff Manager - ACM @ U of MN

"Blood is life and it shall be all ours!" -Dimmu Borgir "The Night Masquerade"
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