Fw: Re: Root partition stuck in read-only mode.
On Fri, 31 Jan 2003 20:13:03 -0500 (EST)
"Lloyd Zusman" <ljz@asfast.com> wrote:
> I'm having a problem with my testing+unstable system, and
> I'm not sure whether it's a hardware or software problem. It
> has rendered my system virtually useless. But before I start
> fooling around with hardware, I'd like to see if my problem might
> be familiar to any of you, and if perhaps there is some sort of
> known fix for it, software-wise.
>
> The problem is that yesterday, my root file partition started booting
> up read-only. Because /var and /tmp are on that partition, my system
> is virtually useless.
>
> I haven't made any kernel changes for more than two weeks, and I
> have booted up numerous times with my 2.4.20-686-smp kernel without
> a single problem before yesterday.
>
> I have a Dell 530 box with dual Xeon 1700MHz processors.
>
> I have two 17G SCSI disks: SEAGATE model ST318451LW, Rev: 0003,
> Type: Direct-Access. I have an Adaptec controler (I'm not sure
> what model), and I went through the SCSI verification (accessible
> at boot-up time via Ctrl-A), and both disks verify fine ... no
> bad blocks, no errors of any kind.
>
> I get numerous "read-only file system" errors on boot-up, and then
> the system freezes for a long time. But finally, it unfreezes and
> the boot continues limpingly, until I finally get a login prompt on
> the console. As you probably surmise, I cannot bring up X, but at
> least I can run simple things from the console.
>
> A while ago, I had changed my /etc/fstab by commenting out and
> replacing my root partition mount, as follows:
>
> #/dev/sda2 / ext3 errors=remount-ro 0 1
> /dev/sda2 / ext3 0 1
>
> Since the "errors=remount-ro" line is commented out, I don't
> see how this could be causing my problem ... or could it?
well reversing the comment is the first thing I would try... are you
able to mount it normally once booted? ie:
mount -o remount / ?
try this and mail back...
Shawn
>
> I'm writing you from my webmail account via my (ARGGH!)
> Windows-based laptop, but at least my Linux machine is nearby
> and I can run a few diagnostics on it.
>
> Does any of this sound familiar? Can any of you suggest some
> diagnostics that I can run that might help me zero in on the
> problem?
>
> As I mentioned, I'm not sure if this is a hardware or software
> problem ... but I want to eliminate the software before I start
> taking my machine apart.
>
> Thanks in advance for any help you folks can give me on this.
>
> --
> Lloyd Zusman
> ljz@asfast.com
> God bless you.
--
Shawn Lamson
shawn.lamson@verizon.net
Debian GNU/Linux 3.0
Reply to: