Member Avatar for spikes

Hi All,
my redhat 8.0 box froze up yesterday leaving me no chose but to powerdown. now it wont boot. it getts going but then starts doing file system checks and drops me in to a recovery shell so i can run fsck and e2fsck.

is there a way i can kick this box back in to life without the full re-install?

any ideas will be great.

spikes

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Summary and recovery checklist for the situation described: a hard power-off after a freeze that leaves the system dropping to a maintenance shell asking for a manual filesystem check. This most often indicates metadata corruption on one or more partitions, not a lost install. A full reinstall is usually unnecessary if files can be rescued and the filesystem repaired carefully.

Safe, practical steps (do these from a live/rescue environment as suggested by and ; ’s Knoppix tip is a convenient way to get one):

  • Boot a live/rescue system so the problem filesystem is not mounted read/write.

  • Mount the important partitions read-only and copy critical data (databases, configs, home) off to external media before doing any destructive repairs. Example:

    mkdir -p /mnt/recover
mount -o ro /dev/sda1 /mnt/recover
tar -cpf /media/usb/backup.tar /mnt/recover

  • Run an offline filesystem check and repair (do not run repair on a mounted RW filesystem). If repairs keep recurring or fail, run a hardware check next:

    e2fsck -f -c -v /dev/sda1
smartctl -H /dev/sda
smartctl -t long /dev/sda

  • If SMART shows problems or fsck keeps failing, image the disk before further writes (use ddrescue) and work from the clone.

Post-repair validation and prevention:

  • Inspect kernel and system logs (dmesg, /var/log/messages) for I/O errors, then start services and run database-specific integrity checks (use the DB’s repair/consistency tools). If databases are critical, restore from the backup copy you made rather than trusting a partially repaired file.
  • To reduce risk going forward: automated backups, a UPS to avoid abrupt power loss, and a journaling filesystem or regular fsck schedule.

Notes: and were right to point toward running the checks; the difference is to do that from a safe, offline environment and to back up first.

Recommended Answers

All 9 Replies

Member Avatar for i686-linux

Are you running fsck/e2fsck?

Member Avatar for spikes

i'm trying to but i'm not really sure how to use them properly, never had to before

any advice?

spikes

Member Avatar for DMR

Running the fsck command is pretty straightforward; you can run it on one partition/filesystem at a time, or have fsck automatically walk its way through all filesystems listed in /etc/fstab. The latter should happen if you simply issue the command itself (with no options/arguments). To specify a partition, just do, for example:

fdisk /dev/hda1

Read the fsck man page for a full description.

You might also want to boot into rescue mode from your installation CD and run fsck from there; it might be a bit safer.

Member Avatar for Eduardo

Take a close look at your startup. Probably you'll see a moment on the boot process will ask for run a fsck/e2fsck. But you'll have just a seconds to say Yes.

Good luck

Member Avatar for TallCool1

My redhat 8.0 box froze up yesterday leaving me no chose but to powerdown. now it wont boot. it getts going but then starts doing file system checks and drops me in to a recovery shell so i can run fsck and e2fsck.

is there a way i can kick this box back in to life without the full re-install?

Use Knoppix. See my sig.

Member Avatar for spikes

cheers people,
from boot or mannualy when i run the fsck/e2fsck command i get "/: unexpected inconsystency; run fsck mannualy" then it drops me into a shell. to be honest i think its just time for a re-install, i just didnt want to have to rebuild my databases.

any thorughts or comments note em down allways usfull for next time.

Cheers

spikes

Member Avatar for spikes

Well What do you know,
Gave it one more shot using fsck on each partision and its all cleared up. back on line and working, well a few minor personality defects but noting i cant straiten out.

cheers for your help

spikes

Member Avatar for Member #2466

Insert Redhat binary install CD-ROM
Boot from CD (You may have to change BIOS settings)
At the boot: prompt, type linux rescue. You are then asked to chose an installation method.
Instead of install, choose the Upgrade option but don't add any new packages. It will eventually prompt you to make a boot floppy.
<LI>Boot from the boot floppy and mount your hard drive. i.e.: mount /dev/hda4 /hda4
You can use fdisk as shown above to investigate your drives and partitions.

Member Avatar for DMR

Well What do you know,
Gave it one more shot using fsck on each partision and its all cleared up.

Glad you got it sorted out without having to reinstall. :cool:

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