Problem with mounting a hd in rescue mode
 

Hello!

I have the problem with mounting a hd in rescue mode. The troubles go this way:
1.) Changing the screen refresh rates to the right values (listed in the screen manual) in the file XF86Config.
2.) Startup again with Linux Version Red hat 6.2
3.) XWindows (KDM-Login Manager) starts automatically after booting and the monitor displays a signalling error. Obviously can't synchronize the signal.

What i tried so far: :study:
a) Pressing Ctrl-Alt-Backspace to stop the XWindows desktop is not working. Maybe the keyboard at all does not work anymore because Ctrl-Alt-F1..F4 doesn't work too.
b) The connection to the Linux-PC via LAN is not working anymore.
No ping during startup and in 'blank screen' mode is coming back.
c) Using the Boot-disk causes the same blanc screen because after a certain point the boot sequence of the hd is used (however the bootprocess started from the floppy).
d) When using the Installation CD to startup in rescue mode i get the bash mode. This sounds good but i can't mount any of my harddisks.

Now my questions: :confused:
- Can someone help me ??!!!
- Is it possible to stop in prompt mode before starting Xwindows?
- Is it possible to mount hd's when not listed in /dev ?
- How to reactivate the LAN (it was working before) ?
- Are there any options when starting with the boot-disk ?
- Does a kernel-upgrade with the same version help ?
- Is there a wa to get my data from the disk before reinstalling Linux (last option)?

Thanks for you help! :D

OK, I'll take a stab at this. Boot up into the rescue mode. In the rescue mode, use mkdir to create a directory. Let's say mkdir /foo. Next, run the command mount -t ext2 -o rw /dev/hdXY /foo. This will mount your drive in directory /foo. The X is your hard drive letter and the Y is your partition number of your root partition.

Now, you can edit your /etc/inittab file( actually it will be /foo/etc/inittab ). Look for a line that looks something like this id:5:initdefault:. Change the ' 5 ' to a ' 3 ' and save the change. Then umount /foo and reboot. When it reboots, you won't be in the X window mode. You'll be in a text mode startup and you'll be able to reconfigure your X window. I hope this is what you want.

Sorry, but this mount command was not working.
I tried: mount -t ext2 /dev/hdax /foo
and mount -t ext2 -o rw /dev/hdax /foo
(where x was 1..9, info: hda7 is the root partition)
both lines are not working. :(
After entering the command there are no files and links under /foo at all.
I suppose that the mount commands are not working because the system can't find any hd under /dev. Just the console, the cd, the ram, some /tty's,.. but no hda1..hda9.
Maybe the rescue mode doesn't check or can't find the hd's?

Any other advice?

Yes. X starts because the default initlevel in /etc/inittab is set to 5. 3 will be console+networking mode and 1 console in single user mode.
Try appending any of these lines to the kernel u choose at the boot prompt, depending on what ure /etc/fstab has. These would get u in at initlevel 1. Append values could be: rescue, S, single or init=/bin/sh. U could also try to append the root partition if necessary like root=/dev/hda1.

No. If it aint in /dev it doesnt exist :-[, same goes for /proc.

better first try to get ure box up. Worry bout LAn later, it aint ure biggest problem.

Other than Linux rescue, I dont know, no. Using (tab) should give any prompt options.
*There are other linuxes like one-floppy type rescue disks like tomsrtbt, LOAF, trinux etc. Maybe u can access ure disk with one of them.

Not unless was severely borken like missing parts.

If booting standalone/cdr/fd doesnt work u could always try to physically remove the disk and either attach it to another Linux box to mount it, or a Windoze box and use ExploreFS (freeware) to save data.
Some one-floppy distro's contain enough modules to get eth0 going if its not borken, then u could mount/image it and stream it to a remote host.

GL.

OK. I have one more idea. At the prompt, instead of typing in ' linux rescue ' type in ' linux single '. This should get you into the single user mode and your partitions should all be mounted. Then you can do anything you need to do to get it running again. I got the info for this here .

If this doesn't work try to get a fresh boot-/rescue-disk set from the webpage of your linuxdistribution.

Good news from Austria! :D

Using the single-mode (with command: linux single) from CD caused the start of the installation procedure. The same thing happens when starting the linux emergency procedure.

;)
BUT:
I got an Installation CD for rh 7.0
The rescue mode on this version is working fine.
It was possible to mount all necessary hd's!

I want to thank everybody who tried to help me!
:D

THAT'S GREAT!!! You're welcome.