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Linux - Laptop and Netbook Having a problem installing or configuring Linux on your laptop? Need help running Linux on your netbook? This forum is for you. This forum is for any topics relating to Linux and either traditional laptops or netbooks (such as the Asus EEE PC, Everex CloudBook or MSI Wind).

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Old 03-09-2016, 01:06 PM   #1
LVitya
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Linux Mint 11 boot freezes. Log files is empty


I have Linux Mint 11 on my Acer Aspire One ZG8. Previously it boots successfully.
But now it hangs during boot. I was trying to read boot log from different suggested files in \var\log\ directory.
The files don't contain messages from the boot.

Here is the last screen of boot output: http://postimg.org/image/vsyb0pnln/

I want to fix the boot. How to access boot log, if it doesn't gets into files?
 
Old 03-09-2016, 02:57 PM   #2
jefro
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Two conditions I'd think. One is software and other is hardware.

Not all things do report to logs. May have to edit some things to report. Not all crashes have time to report.

A way to start is to use some live media to see what the state of the system is. Then I might be tempted to remove any data and consider a reload of the OS. Might want to move up to a newer OS if possible.

If live media works like expected and you see no file system issues (fsck) and quick review of logs and files look ok then you may have to fix boot process one file at a time.

Last edited by jefro; 03-09-2016 at 09:53 PM.
 
Old 03-09-2016, 03:05 PM   #3
mazinoz
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Linux Mint 11 boot freezes. Log files is empty

Linux Mint 11 is VERY OLD. Is there a reason you haven't upgraded the OS? Currently it is at 17.3.

If your log files are empty, that is concerning. You may have been hacked. My advice is to copy your data, config files, list of installed programs to a burnable DVD/s and install a new latest OS. If this bothers you try the LM17.2. I believe the 17.3 mate version is safe and cinnamon as well though they still use MD5 for hashing.
 
Old 03-09-2016, 03:36 PM   #4
LVitya
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Quote:
If live media works like expected
Live USB with Linux Mint 17.3 works good
Quote:
and you see no file system issues (fsck)
fsck says file system is good
Quote:
and quick review of logs and files look ok
As I said boot logs are empty. I guess fault is caused before logs gets into files.

Quote:
Is there a reason you haven't upgraded the OS?
I want to upgrade, but first I want to back up my data like tabs and favorites from browsers. And also other data from apps.
 
Old 03-09-2016, 09:54 PM   #5
jefro
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I think there is a way to be more verbose on boot or a diagnostic boot. Forget where that is.

Last edited by jefro; 03-11-2016 at 03:09 PM.
 
Old 03-09-2016, 10:11 PM   #6
ardvark71
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jefro View Post
I think there is a way to be move verbose on boot or a diagnostic boot. Forget where that is.
Hi all...

Would this solution work? Just report the last entry before the system freezes.

Regards...
 
Old 03-10-2016, 03:03 AM   #7
LVitya
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Quote:
I think there is a way to be move verbose on boot or a diagnostic boot. Forget where that is.
I don't need verbosity now. There is enough messages, but I can't read them.
Quoting me:
Quote:
The files don't contain messages from the boot.
Moreover, after boot freezes, only last screen is available, which doesn't have much info.

Quote:
Just report the last entry before the system freezes.
Looking at my screenshot you can see the last entry is:
Code:
fixing recursive fault but reboot is needed
But it's just the consequence, not the reason. The reason appears few screens before.
 
Old 03-10-2016, 04:01 AM   #8
syg00
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That's a kernel oops - nothing going to happen after that.
I can't understand why you insist on booting a broken system just to save files. Boot a liveCD - even current Mint - and copy your files off.
Best long-term solution IMHO is to have /home in a separate partition - then backups as well as updates, including full re-installs, "just work". Although I wouldn't trust a jump from Mint 11 to 17.3 ....
 
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Old 03-10-2016, 04:28 AM   #9
LVitya
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I can't understand why you insist on booting a broken system just to save files. Boot a liveCD - even current Mint - and copy your files off.
I want to go through my apps to check for different information, which is stored inside of them. Examples are tabs and favorites from browsers.
If boot log was available, I think it's not hard to Google the cause of the problem and fix it.
Now I'm wondering: what is the way to get boot log in my situation? What developers use in such case? I don't think they just "use another working system".
 
Old 03-10-2016, 04:56 AM   #10
syg00
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Tabs and favourites are all under hidden directories in /home/<username>/. As is most info of interest in a standard (eg Mint) single user system. Applications/services may have data elsewhere (Apache say), but if you use them you should know where that is.
Backup /etc is usually a good start.

As for early messages, use a serial console. here is a Ubuntu doc, which should suffice to show you what is required to get it all working. Mint11 was based on Ubuntu 11.04 (Natty).
 
Old 03-10-2016, 05:56 AM   #11
LVitya
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If someone know, please explain me why my log files are empty?
 
Old 03-10-2016, 12:01 PM   #12
ardvark71
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LVitya View Post
I don't need verbosity now. There is enough messages, but I can't read them.
Hi...

Then it will be more difficult to help you. The last message (that your system freezes on) would help us determine what the problem is.

Regards...
 
Old 03-10-2016, 01:15 PM   #13
LVitya
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Looking at my screenshot you can see the last entry is:

Code:
fixing recursive fault but reboot is needed
But it's just the consequence, not the reason. The reason appears few screens before.
 
Old 03-11-2016, 12:45 AM   #14
mazinoz
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I strongly advise you to read posts above re saving /etc /home & list of installed progs ? maybe in menu. If you are scared of losing info backup the whole thing and test it restores ok using live usb.

As you say if 17.3 LM works well please for everybody's sake install an updated OS such as this. It will be patched with security updates at least.
 
Old 04-06-2016, 07:07 AM   #15
LVitya
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For everyone interested: I managed to solve the task by upgrading the kernel of my Linux Mint.
Here is the general description. Details for each step can be found on the Internet.
Live USB was used to chroot into installed system. Then I changed sources.list to point it to the next version of Linux Mint, i.e. not the last version. Now Linux kernel can be upgraded to the one used by next Linux Mint.
After upgrading the kernel, system has successfully booted.

Last edited by LVitya; 04-06-2016 at 07:12 AM.
 
  


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