Re: Re[4]: Debian testing system won't boot

["nate" <debian-user@aphroland.org>]

Sean Abrahams said:
> nate,
>
> Ok. So I went through init.d and discovered the system reaches a
> prompt after I removed, rcS, which runs everything in /etc/rcS.d

hope you made a backup of rcS before removing it ?

> I reboot and it takes me to an emergency prompt like login, without me
> doing anything. I try to login and it boots me back out immediately to a
> login prompt. I reboot again and this time engage emergency mode, and it
> again prompts me to login and then kicks me out again.

I think the system is pretty hosed without running the needed startup
scripts in /etc/rcS, I've never had a system in this situation :)

>
> Thus, now I cannot even get to a prompt (to my knowledge).
>
> Network connectivity was not operational, ifconfig reported an error,
> which I cannot recall, and cannot reproduce since I can't reach the
> command line.

you should be able to bypass all scripts if your using lilo with the
options:

linux init=/bin/bash

that will ignore everything in /etc/rcS.d and give you a root shell
which you can do:

mount / -o remount,rw

and do whatever you wish. after your done:

mount / -o remount,ro

and reboot(likely you'll have to just hit the reset button as the system
won't know how to reboot on it's own I think)

>
> I'm beginning to feel I should just find a new HD, create a new
> system, and salvage what I can (Of course I don't have a daily backup).
> The frustrating part is that I don't know how/why this all occurred.
>
> Any other ideas?

not much no, other then make a directory in /root and move all files in
/etc/rc2.d to there, and reboot and see what it says, see if it hangs,
and of course restore a working copy of the rcS script.

nate