How to run system file checker on ubuntu 10.10 without damaging the system

mansour · 04-09-2011, 04:08 PM

Hello:

I am getting occasional errors during the boot process.
One at the beginning and one or two when I switch to single user mode.I 'd like to run the system file checker to fix any possible errors.But when I run fsck in the terminal I get the message:

Code:

mansour@ubuntu-notebook:~$ fsck
fsck from util-linux-ng 2.17.2
e2fsck 1.41.12 (17-May-2010)
/dev/sda5 is mounted.  

WARNING!!!  The filesystem is mounted.   If you continue you ***WILL***
cause ***SEVERE*** filesystem damage.

Do you really want to continue (y/n)?

mansour

AlucardZero · 04-09-2011, 04:17 PM

touch /forcefsck
reboot

serafean · 04-09-2011, 04:19 PM

Hi, there are three methods :

Create a file called forcefsck in the base of the root partition. "touch /forcefsck" should o the trick.
Pass the -F option to the shutdown program. "shutdown -rF"
Boot a livecd, an run fsck on the right partition from there (quite a hassle to do)

All commands are to be run from command line. Choose which suits you

As to the root of your problem : what errors?

Serafean

mansour · 04-09-2011, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by serafean

Hi, there are three methods :

Create a file called forcefsck in the base of the root partition. "touch /forcefsck" should o the trick.
Pass the -F option to the shutdown program. "shutdown -rF"
Boot a livecd, an run fsck on the right partition from there (quite a hassle to do)

All commands are to be run from command line. Choose which suits you

As to the root of your problem : what errors?

Serafean

Hello:

I ran the first option as mentioned by previous poster.
touch /forcefsck
reboot

but I am still getting an error at the beginning of my boot process.
It goes very fast and I can't write it down for that reason.

mansour

AlucardZero · 04-09-2011, 06:37 PM

Is it in the output of "dmesg" after you boot?

mansour · 04-09-2011, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlucardZero

Is it in the output of "dmesg" after you boot?

Hi:

I am not sure it is something like this:

XXXXXXX Asus notebook failing to call WCP..

It goes very fast I can't see what is it?

mansour

AlucardZero · 04-09-2011, 07:07 PM

Is the error message in the output of "dmesg" or the contents of /var/log/syslog after you boot?

markush · 04-09-2011, 07:14 PM

Depending on the time in the bootprocess when the message comes up, you may look into the /var/log/messages file if you can find it there.

try

Code:

grep -i wcp /var/log/messages

but if the message comes at the very beginning of the bootprocess you'll not find it in the logfile since the logging starts in the moment when the rootfilesystem is mounted.

Markus

mansour · 04-09-2011, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlucardZero

Is the error message in the output of "dmesg" or the contents of /var/log/syslog after you boot?

I am not sure, it is the second message at the boot process.

mansour

mansour · 04-09-2011, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markush

Depending on the time in the bootprocess when the message comes up, you may look into the /var/log/messages file if you can find it there.

try

Code:

grep -i wcp /var/log/messages

but if the message comes at the very beginning of the bootprocess you'll not find it in the logfile since the logging starts in the moment when the rootfilesystem is mounted.

Markus

Code:

mansour@ubuntu-notebook:~$ grep -i wcp /var/log/messages
mansour@ubuntu-notebook:~$

The message comes at the very beginning of the bootprocess.

mansour

AlucardZero · 04-09-2011, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mansour

I am not sure, it is the second message at the boot process.

Well did you look???

And on Ubuntu it's /var/log/syslog, like I've been saying. messages has a lot less than on RHEL-based distros.

We can't be much help without the exact error message.

markush · 04-10-2011, 02:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mansour

The message comes at the very beginning of the bootprocess.

mansour

well, then you will not find the message in the logs.

Markus

tommcd · 04-10-2011, 04:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mansour

I am getting occasional errors during the boot process. ...
I am not sure it is something like this:
XXXXXXX Asus notebook failing to call WCP..

Are you having any problems with the computer or the operating system?
Many errors that are displayed during boot are harmless. If it is not causing you any problems then it is likely safie to ignore these error messages.

mansour · 04-10-2011, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlucardZero

Well did you look???

And on Ubuntu it's /var/log/syslog, like I've been saying. messages has a lot less than on RHEL-based distros.

We can't be much help without the exact error message.

Hi AlucardZero:

When you say the output of "dmesg", where would I find that output exactly?
Or should I run dmesg in command line? It is the second message that I see at the beginning of boot process.

The /var/log/syslog is a huge amount of data, I am trying to see how I could post some of it here. But has to be relevant content to our discussion here, or just would be unacceptable to the forum to post all that here.

mansour

jmc1987 · 04-10-2011, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by serafean

Hi, there are three methods :

Pass the -F option to the shutdown program. "shutdown

Serafean

The -F option don't work on Ubuntu for some reason. Devs didnt like it I guess lol. The best way IMO is to touch /forcecheck