Linux Disaster - Partition Magic Error #1201
 

Dear users,

Recently, while using Fedora Core 1 as usual, it came up saying "partition full." I have found out that the partition actually WAS full, so I attemptedto remedy it. The first thing I noticed was that Linux refused to boot. It ran through its boot procedures and then where the graphical or text login screen should be, it displayed nothing and kept turning off and on my monitor.

I use Partition Magic 8 (from Windows) to modify and change my disk partitions.

So, first of all, I attempted to simply give it more memory to make it let me in. It wouldn't. It have me the problem that I received when trying to resize partitions when /dev/hda1 had errors on it. So, I ran a Windows chkdsk /f .......nope. Found no errors, not even on its second or third run. So, I used a Linux Live-CD to enter my Linux /dev/hda3 and remove some un-needed files to make some room. Still didn't work. So, lastly, I decided to run a check on my Linux /dev/hda3 partition using Powerquest's Partition Magic 8. It gave me "Error #1201 Ext2 superblock contains illegal information."

When I looked this up, I got this un-helpful page .

Is there a way to spare my data from this mess, or do I need a complete format of my Linux partition? Please help! :)

Thanks.

"Is there a way to spare my data from this mess, or do I need a complete format of my Linux partition?"

Before you can answer that question I think that you need more information about what the problem is. Boot your Live-CD and use this command:
fdisk -l /dev/hda
to print out the geometry of your partition table. Go through the list and make sure that all of the space on your hard drive belongs to a partition and that there are no overlaps among the partitions.

Use this command:
df /dev/hda3
to list how big your filesystem is and how much space is actually used. Check the amount of file space available against the table printed by fdisk. It is possible that your partition is full. It is also possible that you have lost all of your free space.

___________________________________
Be prepared. Create a LifeBoat CD.
http://users.rcn.com/srstites/LifeBo...home.page.html

Steve Stites

in addition to what the above user said, to get more diagnostics info, get into a live-cd and mount your root partition so that you can change your /etc/inittab to runlevel 3

once that is done, reboot into your normal linux partition and run startx; then post what output you get here (your screen will flicker a few times)

also, yes you can salvage data (in Partition Magic, use the partition explorer to copy and paste data from linux to windows; you can use the program explore2fs also; cd-burning may also be a possibility with linux live cd)

oh, in Partition Magic, can you even browse the partition? if not, then fedora has modified the ext3 partition like mandrake does so it will not be readable by PM; in that case, a reformat will likely be needed.... (even linux partitioning tools cannot resisize unnatural ext3 partitions)

I was unaware that such a command even existed. I am using Partition Magic 8. I do not know of something in P.M. that can do this. Are you referring to version 8, the version I use? :)


[EDIT]

Oh! You can right click, and select browse! I'm sorry, I didn't know about this feature before. Yes, I can browse my drive from Windows. (Which I did not know)

My inittab file is blank. :eek: (0 kb)

...eh, now what?

[EDIT]

Perhaps I should just format the Linux partition and re-install Fedora?

"Perhaps I should just format the Linux partition and re-install Fedora?"

Probably, but before you do you should use the fdisk and df commands to see if your partition is really too small or if the file system is screwed up. If the partition is really too small then you need to change its size before you reinstall Fedora.

___________________________________
Be prepared. Create a LifeBoat CD.
http://users.rcn.com/srstites/LifeBo...home.page.html

Steve Stites

I used Fedora for a while before this incident, so I'm assuming I've messed it up somehow with my reckless learning habits! :-P

...I generally mess things up when I'm learning, but I assume that's all part of the "Learning Experience" ^_^

Thanks all, this weekend I will re-format the Linux partition and re-install Fedora.

But now that it comes to that,

What distro do you reccomend for beginners? I know Fedora/RedHat is good just because it comes with easy, pre-installed apps and such. Is Debian any good? Any others?

Thanks for the info!

Two things-

1. I know this is too late for you but FYI, fedora(/redhat) writes the partition table in some wierd wacky way that partitionmagic absolutely HATES! PM 8 displays a fedora drive as all "BAD". And you can't even delete the fedor partition with PM, it throws an error. I think the fedora/redhat people aren't being pragmatic here- they should figure that people who try linux are probably also technical enough to use PM.

2. Anyway, about trying distro's- I suggest Mandrake. Also, mandrake is more PM compatible (although I'm told PM is bad about linux in general.)

good luck