Stuck in Grub Rescue. Filesystem is unknown?

3em8826 · 10-31-2019, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrmazda

Only msdos1 matters, since msdos5 is a swap partition. Did you forget to insmod linux? That's how EXT4 gets to be known to grub. It might be all you need is the following:

Code:

insmod linux
root=hd0,msdos1
linux /vmlinuz root=/dev/sda1 noresume
initrd /initrd.img
boot

I didn't need insmod normal or normal.

Hi, do you mean to put those lines in Grub Rescue? Because when I did, all I kept getting was "Unknown Filesystem", "Unknown Command 'linux'", "Unknown Command 'initrd'", "Unknown Command 'boot'".

Am I doing something wrong?

3em8826 · 10-31-2019, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smallpond

When a disk command fails due to a bad block or broken disk the filesystem on the disk is set read-only. Please run the command

Code:

smartctl -a /dev/sda

and paste the output here.

Hello, this is what it gave me:

Code:

=== START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION ===
SMART overall-health self-assessment test result: PASSED

General SMART Values:
Offline data collection status:  (0x00)	Offline data collection activity
					was never started.
					Auto Offline Data Collection: Disabled.
Self-test execution status:      (   0)	The previous self-test routine completed
					without error or no self-test has ever 
					been run.
Total time to complete Offline 
data collection: 		(15600) seconds.
Offline data collection
capabilities: 			 (0x7b) SMART execute Offline immediate.
					Auto Offline data collection on/off support.
					Suspend Offline collection upon new
					command.
					Offline surface scan supported.
					Self-test supported.
					Conveyance Self-test supported.
					Selective Self-test supported.
SMART capabilities:            (0x0003)	Saves SMART data before entering
					power-saving mode.
					Supports SMART auto save timer.
Error logging capability:        (0x01)	Error logging supported.
					General Purpose Logging supported.
Short self-test routine 
recommended polling time: 	 (   2) minutes.
Extended self-test routine
recommended polling time: 	 ( 181) minutes.
Conveyance self-test routine
recommended polling time: 	 (   5) minutes.
SCT capabilities: 	       (0x7037)	SCT Status supported.
					SCT Feature Control supported.
					SCT Data Table supported.

SMART Attributes Data Structure revision number: 16
Vendor Specific SMART Attributes with Thresholds:
ID# ATTRIBUTE_NAME          FLAG     VALUE WORST THRESH TYPE      UPDATED  WHEN_FAILED RAW_VALUE
  1 Raw_Read_Error_Rate     0x002f   200   200   051    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
  3 Spin_Up_Time            0x0027   186   149   021    Pre-fail  Always       -       1700
  4 Start_Stop_Count        0x0032   082   082   000    Old_age   Always       -       18415
  5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct   0x0033   200   200   140    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
  7 Seek_Error_Rate         0x002e   100   253   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
  9 Power_On_Hours          0x0032   090   090   000    Old_age   Always       -       7484
 10 Spin_Retry_Count        0x0032   100   100   051    Old_age   Always       -       0
 11 Calibration_Retry_Count 0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
 12 Power_Cycle_Count       0x0032   083   083   000    Old_age   Always       -       17694
191 G-Sense_Error_Rate      0x0032   001   001   000    Old_age   Always       -       609
192 Power-Off_Retract_Count 0x0032   200   200   000    Old_age   Always       -       119
193 Load_Cycle_Count        0x0032   095   095   000    Old_age   Always       -       317919
194 Temperature_Celsius     0x0022   116   099   000    Old_age   Always       -       31
196 Reallocated_Event_Count 0x0032   200   200   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
197 Current_Pending_Sector  0x0032   200   200   000    Old_age   Always       -       51
198 Offline_Uncorrectable   0x0030   100   253   000    Old_age   Offline      -       0
199 UDMA_CRC_Error_Count    0x0032   200   200   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
200 Multi_Zone_Error_Rate   0x0008   100   253   051    Old_age   Offline      -       0

SMART Error Log Version: 1
ATA Error Count: 1
	CR = Command Register [HEX]
	FR = Features Register [HEX]
	SC = Sector Count Register [HEX]
	SN = Sector Number Register [HEX]
	CL = Cylinder Low Register [HEX]
	CH = Cylinder High Register [HEX]
	DH = Device/Head Register [HEX]
	DC = Device Command Register [HEX]
	ER = Error register [HEX]
	ST = Status register [HEX]
Powered_Up_Time is measured from power on, and printed as
DDd+hh:mm:SS.sss where DD=days, hh=hours, mm=minutes,
SS=sec, and sss=millisec. It "wraps" after 49.710 days.

Error 1 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 745 hours (31 days + 1 hours)
  When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

  After command completion occurred, registers were:
  ER ST SC SN CL CH DH
  -- -- -- -- -- -- --
  04 51 24 00 00 00 40

  Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
  CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC   Powered_Up_Time  Command/Feature_Name
  -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --  ----------------  --------------------
  e3 00 24 00 00 00 40 08      00:00:03.573  IDLE
  ec 00 01 00 00 00 40 08      00:00:03.563  IDENTIFY DEVICE
  ec 00 01 00 00 00 40 08      00:00:03.556  IDENTIFY DEVICE
  ef 05 80 00 00 00 40 08      00:00:03.556  SET FEATURES [Enable APM]
  ec 00 01 00 00 00 40 08      00:00:03.544  IDENTIFY DEVICE

SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1
Num  Test_Description    Status                  Remaining  LifeTime(hours)  LBA_of_first_error
# 1  Short offline       Completed: read failure       10%      7386         350439
# 2  Short offline       Completed: read failure       90%      7385         350413
# 3  Extended offline    Completed: read failure       90%      7385         350413

SMART Selective self-test log data structure revision number 1
 SPAN  MIN_LBA  MAX_LBA  CURRENT_TEST_STATUS
    1        0        0  Not_testing
    2        0        0  Not_testing
    3        0        0  Not_testing
    4        0        0  Not_testing
    5        0        0  Not_testing
Selective self-test flags (0x0):
  After scanning selected spans, do NOT read-scan remainder of disk.
If Selective self-test is pending on power-up, resume after 0 minute delay.

colorpurple21859 · 10-31-2019, 03:27 PM

at the grub-rescue prompt what is ouput of

Code:

ls (hd0,msdos1)/
ls (hd0,msdos5)/

3em8826 · 10-31-2019, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by colorpurple21859

at the grub-rescue prompt what is ouput of

Code:

ls (hd0,msdos1)/
ls (hd0,msdos5)/

I keep getting 'Filesystem is unknown'.

JeremyBoden · 10-31-2019, 03:40 PM

I would guess that you've got about 2 years worth of kernels in sda1.

Just the latest two or three is quite sufficient.
However, sdb looks like it has partition troubles - so if you have a decent backup of your data files, then it would be quicker to do a reinstall.

Quote:

=================== sda1: Location of files loaded by Grub: ====================

GiB - GB File Fragment(s)

394.139137268 = 423.203676160 boot/grub/grub.cfg 1
394.137336731 = 423.201742848 boot/vmlinuz-3.19.0-32-generic 1
406.237972260 = 436.194701312 boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-109-generic 1
309.163753510 = 331.962052608 boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-111-generic 1
281.280944824 = 302.023114752 boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-112-generic 1
347.542690277 = 373.171122176 boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-116-generic 1
11.265350342 = 12.096077824 boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-119-generic 2
100.226284027 = 107.617153024 boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-121-generic 1
329.034881592 = 353.298513920 boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-124-generic 2
354.980201721 = 381.157089280 boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-127-generic 1
40.136451721 = 43.096186880 boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-128-generic 1
278.437236786 = 298.969706496 boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-130-generic 1
566.679428101 = 608.467402752 boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-133-generic 1
346.999740601 = 372.588134400 boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-134-generic 2
363.183338165 = 389.965139968 boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-137-generic 1
44.374748230 = 47.647023104 boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-138-generic 1
367.327873230 = 394.415300608 boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-139-generic 1
52.601310730 = 56.480227328 boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-141-generic 2
414.343513489 = 444.897959936 boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-142-generic 1
424.941169739 = 456.277106688 boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-143-generic 1
276.577888489 = 296.973246464 boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-144-generic 2
371.429458618 = 398.819344384 boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-148-generic 1
371.429458618 = 398.819344384 vmlinuz 1
276.577888489 = 296.973246464 vmlinuz.old 2
406.773040771 = 436.769226752 boot/initrd.img-3.19.0-32-generic 2
406.805660248 = 436.804251648 boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-109-generic 2
310.485347748 = 333.381103616 boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-111-generic 4
310.823963165 = 333.744689152 boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-112-generic 1
351.449115753 = 377.365614592 boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-116-generic 1
29.038967133 = 31.180353536 boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-119-generic 3
100.506744385 = 107.918295040 boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-121-generic 2
340.532222748 = 365.643689984 boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-124-generic 3
400.719795227 = 430.269603840 boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-127-generic 2
402.464122772 = 432.142561280 boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-128-generic 3
400.603149414 = 430.144356352 boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-130-generic 2
280.074604034 = 300.727816192 boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-133-generic 2
350.069625854 = 375.884398592 boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-134-generic 2
363.395988464 = 390.193471488 boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-137-generic 2
47.067863464 = 50.538733568 boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-138-generic 3
367.599113464 = 394.706542592 boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-139-generic 2
54.645992279 = 58.675687424 boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-141-generic 2
414.603507996 = 445.177126912 boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-142-generic 2
425.263179779 = 456.622862336 boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-143-generic 3
296.709957123 = 318.589890560 boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-144-generic 2
126.789352417 = 136.139030528 boot/initrd.img-4.4.0-148-generic 1
126.789352417 = 136.139030528 initrd.img 1
296.709957123 = 318.589890560 initrd.img.old 2

3em8826 · 10-31-2019, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeremyBoden

I would guess that you've got about 2 years worth of kernels in sda1.

Just the latest two or three is quite sufficient.
However, sdb looks like it has partition troubles - so if you have a decent backup of your data files, then it would be quicker to do a reinstall.

If I don't have a decent backup, would you know what would be the easiest way, considering that I can't get in to get the files? Thanks.

JeremyBoden · 10-31-2019, 04:07 PM

Using a Mint install DVD as a "live" disk (no install), you can boot from the DVD and attempt to mount relevant HD partitions.
If the mount succeeds and the HD is not dead, then it is possible to copy the disk files to an external device.

Note:- if the HD is corrupted or even no longer spinning up, there are still ways to try to extract some of the information.

mrmazda · 10-31-2019, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3em8826

Am I doing something wrong?

What worked for me may not work for you due to the problems leading up to your need to ask for help. You may need to preface what I wrote in comment 14 with:

Code:

set prefix=(hd0,msdos1)/boot/grub

Try running set before anything else to see if what grub already knows makes sense. If you don't understand any of what you see following the set command or in the URL this instruction comes from (in comment 12), then this method of attempting recovery is probably not for you.

3em8826 · 10-31-2019, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrmazda

What worked for me may not work for you due to the problems leading up to your need to ask for help. You may need to preface what I wrote in comment 14 with:

Code:

set prefix=(hd0,msdos1)/boot/grub

Try running set before anything else to see if what grub already knows makes sense. If you don't understand any of what you see following the set command or in the URL this instruction comes from (in comment 12), then this method of attempting recovery is probably not for you.

Unfortunately, didn't make a difference.

colorpurple21859 · 10-31-2019, 06:56 PM

Grub is dead you won't be able to recover from the grub rescue prompt. From a live usb, run fschk and delete and/or move files off the partition. If you can't salvage from a live usb, then a reinstall. There are a few linux rescue iso's floating around that would be useful in this
Googling how to rescue a linux system give hits on how to fix

3em8826 · 10-31-2019, 07:07 PM

All right. I'll look into it. Thanks a lot everybody.

JeremyBoden · 10-31-2019, 07:25 PM

BTW Use the latest version of Mint if you do a reload:- 19.2 or could be 19.3.

3em8826 · 10-31-2019, 10:16 PM

Will do. Thank you.