Install XFree86 4.0.1/can't boot/recovery puzzle
Tried to install XFree86 4.0.1 last to accomodate a new Matrox G450. Followed
ftp.xfree86.org/pub/XFree86/4.0.1/binaries/Linux-ix86-glibc21/Install
http://thedukeofurl.org/reviews/misc/3dlinux/6.shtml
Now system hangs on boot following the message
Starting X font server: xgsFontCachInitialize: hi=1048576, low=786432, bal=70
Cntl-Alt-Del reboots, but don't know any other way to escape from this.
No experience with the system recovery needed here, but evidently I need to
boot from and emergency disk, mount the root file system on the hard disk
and edit the appropriate startup file. Can boot with Debian install CD 1 or
a tomsrtbt floppy, but haven't been able to mount the root file system.
#mount -t ext2 /dev/hdb3 /mnt
EXT2-fs: 03-43: couldn't mount because of unsupported optional features
mount: wrong fs type, bad option, bad superblock on /dev/hdb2, or too many
mounted file systems
#fsck.ext2 /dev/hdb
The superblock could not be read or does not describe a correct ext2 file
system. If the device is valid (and not a swap or ufs or something else),
the the superblock is corrupt, and you might try running e2fsck with an
alternative superblock:
e2fsck -b 8193 <device>
Is it plausible that the problem booting could have corrupted the
superblock? Any suggestions short of reinstalling? No backup (but only the
install is lost, no data). On avoiding such problems in the future (backups
aside ...)?
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