Newbie question here, The Linux expert here in work has left, and I have been landed with looking after the server, apart from knowing nothing about Linux a nightmare has arisen.

We are using RedHat 6.1, if you need any more info you will have to hold my hand for me to find it.

Had to Reboot the server this morning, went out of the room when I came back it was at a grub > prompt. Not seen that before so had a blind panic for a bit.

managed to load the kernel, and typed in boot, it failed and recomended that I run e2fsck.

Used the linux cd to boot to linux rescue mode, created a directory called /foo and using
mount -t ext2 /dev/hda1 /foo mounted the disc, then
e2fsck /dev/hda1

It ran through and fixed some problems that it found, I thought that would be it, still boots to a grub prompt.

Also if i boot it again with the cd to linux rescue the directory I created (foo) has gone. I get the impression that I havent checked the actual Hard disc. Or do I need to do something else

Have I done something wrong, or have I missed something blindingly obvious.

Any help greatly appreciated.

Ken

I would very seriously suggest downloading Knoppix and booting from there. You should able to view your HDDs and run your fsck repairs from the comfort of your very own GUI.

If worse comes to worse you can move the data to another hard drive for recovery as well.

Thanks for the suggestion, I am off work till Wednesday, moving house, I will read up on knoppix and give it a try when I get back.

I will let you know how I get on. Once again thanks for the time.

Ken

This paired with the following bit...
...indicates that your Linux expert used a very old and unsupported version of Red Hat Linux and modified it. The GRUB bootloader was not used in Red Hat Linux 6.1, LILO was used. Modifications like that alter your configuration in a way, the system is no longer Red Hat Linux.

An fsck does not fix any bootloader problems. You need to examine /boot/grub/grub.conf (provided that it exists, maybe your Linux expert put it elsewhere, e.g. /etc/menu.1st, or didn't even include GRUB tools at all) and reinstall GRUB with "grub-install /dev/hda" into the MBR.

Btw, if the server is exposed to untrusted people (via the Internet or locally), I would advise that you install a Linux distribution version which is still supported with security fixes.

Hello again, sorry to be a pain, I will download knoppix tonight.

I have noticed that if at the grub prompt i type in root (hd1,0), then do grub-install (hd1,0) /<tab> all the files are there. I can see the grub.conf file in /etc. How can I amend it.

I booted to the linux rescue from the cd (REDHAT 6.2, not 6.1) and tried to mount the second hard drive, I assume thats right, but couldn't get it to mount. how do I mount the other drive.

If all the files are still there is this rescuable or will it need to be reinstalled.

At GRUB command prompt, you could type

root (hd1,0)
configfile /etc/grub.conf

I would need many more configuration details from you before I would have a better picture. What's in grub.conf would be interesting, because (hd1,0) is second drive's first partition, e.g. /dev/hdb1 for an IDE disk.

Hi misc

if i type configfile /etc/grub.conf , I get error 15 File not found

If I type configfile (hd1,0) /etc/gr <tab> I get the list of everything that starts with gr, grub.conf is there.

If I type configfile (hd1,0) /etc/grub.conf , I get error 1 Filename must be either an absolute pathname or blocklist.

Is there anything else I can do.

Thanks for the help so far, I'll be Mr Linux before long.

Ken

Well, this goes into the wrong direction anyway...