Can I back-up data from init3 rescue mode?

d-kam · 03-20-2005, 11:32 AM

Hi. I have a problem. I have messed-up my kernel after trying to get 3d acceleration on SuSe 9.2 and no matter how hard I try I cannot get the thing to work again. What happens is that linux will not boot from either normal or failsafe and i can only boot from rescue mode on the dvd. I have given up trying and want to re-install from scratch

This time I am gonna install a distribution that comes with official ati drivers, if one exists.

However, my problem is that I do not want to lose all my data in the home folder, but since it is on the same partition it will surely be reformatted during any re-installation?!?

But I just want to back it up!

I have tried the following without success:

cp'ing the entire folder to my windows partition (in root from rescue mode, after mounting hd and chroot'ing) - will not allow this.
accessing the drive from xp using various tools and copying the data from there - will not allow this even though i can see the data (linux security is TIGHT!)

Is there any other possible solution to copy a users folder on the home drive (should be under 650mb)?

Many thanks,

d-kam.

david_ross · 03-20-2005, 11:43 AM

What filesystems are you using?

d-kam · 03-20-2005, 11:48 AM

Here is fdisk:

Code:

Disk /dev/hda: 40.0 GB, 40027029504 bytes
255 heads, 63 Sectors/track, 4866 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device          Boot          Start          End          Blocks          Id          System
/dev/hda1        *            7              837          6674976         7           HPFS/NTFS
/dev/hda2                     838            4866         32362942+       f           W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/hda5                     838            2472         13133106        7           HPFS/NTFS
/dev/hda6                     2473           2600         1028128+        82          Linux Swap/Solaris
/dev/hda7                     2601           4866         18201613+       83          Linux

Disk /dev/hdg: 120.0 GB, 120034123776 bytes
255 heads, 63 Sectors/track, 14593 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device          Boot          Start          End          Blocks          Id          System
/dev/hdg2        *            2              14593        117210240       f           W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/hdg5                     2              10216        82051956        b           W95 FAT32
/dev/hdg6                     10217          14593        35158221        7           HPFS/NTFS

hda7 is where the data i want to retrieve resides.

d-kam · 03-20-2005, 11:59 AM

Forgot to say thanks for quick reply! Also, to explain my partitions:

I have GRUB dual booting between linux and xp, and then have two instances of xp within the MBR.

/dev/hda1 * 7 837 6674976 7 HPFS/NTFS = C:WINDOWS XP
/dev/hda5 838 2472 13133106 7 HPFS/NTFS = D:WINDOWS XP MUSIC
/dev/hda7 2601 4866 18201613+ 83 Linux = SuSe 9.2 Pro

EDIT: Oh and the other disk is just for data (used in windows and linux but formated for windows).

david_ross · 03-20-2005, 12:03 PM

What filesystem did you install linux onto?

d-kam · 03-20-2005, 12:06 PM

'Linux Ext2' (using Partition Magic) and then 'Linux Swap' for the swap file.

david_ross · 03-20-2005, 12:10 PM

If it is ext2 or ext3 then you can use Explore2fs:
http://uranus.it.swin.edu.au/~jn/linux/explore2fs.htm

To copy the file from your linux partitions.

d-kam · 03-20-2005, 12:10 PM

If all else fails: "rm -rf /"

From the web... "For novices, "/" is the root directory, and -r means recursive, so rm keeps deleting files until the entire file system is gone, or at least until something like libc is gone after which the system becomes, as we often joke, a warm brick..."

sounds like something I might need to do!

d-kam · 03-20-2005, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by david_ross
If it is ext2 or ext3 then you can use Explore2fs:
http://uranus.it.swin.edu.au/~jn/linux/explore2fs.htm

To copy the file from your linux partitions.

ok i'll try that

d-kam · 03-20-2005, 01:28 PM

oh man.... i can't get the d**n thing to work, will not see my hard drive. also tried 'ltools' but that won't even install. have you ever used Explore2fs before? Is there anything I'm not doing (i've looked through all the docs that came with it and it doesn't mention needing to set it up to see your hdd)?

d-kam.

david_ross · 03-20-2005, 01:37 PM

I've used it a few times without any problems.

If it is just a kernel issue, why don't you just boot the previous kernel?

d-kam · 03-20-2005, 02:10 PM

well, I have to admit that I have only forayed into the world of linux properly (I tried out RH8 for a few weeks a year or so ago) the last three weeks. I sought a lot of advice on various forums to try and get SuSe back and running again but just got lost - whenever I almost got to a breakthrough another issue reared its head... Why? Well here is what I did. To begin with, I downloaded the wrong source files for my kernel and ran the following commands to try and get 3d acceleration with the files from *tp://ftp.suse.com/...../fglrx/8.8.25/ (shortened link):

[note, have omitted directory changes]

Code:

rpm -Uhv fglrx*.rpm
rm -f .config
make cloneconfig
make prepare-all
rm -rf /usr/src/kernel-modules/fglrx
rpm -Uhv km_fglrx*.rpm
KERNEL_SOURCE=/usr/src/linux make modules
KERNEL_SOURCE=/usr/src/linux make install
depmod -a
sax2 -r -m 0=fglrx -b /usr/X11R6/lib/sax/profile/firegl -i
[OK]
init5

Obviously, I was not aware that I had used the wrong kernel sources (although I thought I had definitly got the right ones) until after this operation. I was notified of the fact when I rebooted and got:

Code:

Kernel panic - not syncing : VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown -block(3,7)

SO, after the initial sweat had dried from my forehead and the desie to throw the pc out the window had subsided, I decided to post a few questions on various forums. The answers I got were very helpful, but neccesitated a degree of command line knowledge that overwhelmed me. I tried out a few of the suggestions and believe that I may have made even more mistakes and screwed-up the system further with them (like messing up the GRUB loader so that my faulty SuSe partition is the default rather than XP, although thankfully it does boot ok). If you know of an easy way to revert back to the original kernel it would help me greatly, as I could then try and run the firegl set-up again and get the system working.

OTHERWISE.

Can you give me some advice about using the explore2fs program? When I run it, it is plain empty. I am running it from the desktop, should it be anywhere else? Also, I am using SP2 on XP, could this be interefering with it?

Many thanks,

d-kam

d-kam · 03-20-2005, 02:12 PM

Forgot to add, the kernel panic message comes up the same on 'failsafe' mode as well, and i am reduced to using the rescue mode from the dvd. The computer freezes when the panic notice comes up and i have to manually reset the box with the switch.

david_ross · 03-20-2005, 02:13 PM

What files are in the /boot partition of your hard drive? Can you post the output from "ls -l" in that directory.

With regards to explore2fs, I've never had any problems with it - are you sure it is an ext2 partition? It seems a little funny for suse 9.2 to be installed on such and old filesystem.

d-kam · 03-20-2005, 02:24 PM

Thanks so much for your help so far

Regarding "With regards to explore2fs..." it says, in Partition Magic on XP, "83(Hex) Linux Ext2".

It that bad?

I will check the output of the boot partition.

d-kam