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Old 09-19-2007, 08:19 PM   #1
sixsidepentagon
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Registered: Sep 2007
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Ubuntu hangs after I messed with my /home partition


I installed Ubuntu to my computer with Wubi, which is an installer that downloads Linux directly into Windows. It was going great, until I found out that it made a home partition, so I followed the instructions of the kind people on this thread:
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...=585402&page=2
and proceeded to move my stuff to the much larger Linux OS partition. However, I did not finish the process, I got to emptying my home folder and tried to umount it. It didn't work, tried logging out then in as root, still didn't work.
I got a touch frustrated, so I turned off my computer and did something else. When I came back to turn it on, Ubuntu hung at the boot screen, where the logo and the progress bar show up! I'm pretty sure it has to do with my empty home folder.
After a while, the screen turned blank with only an underscore blinking in the top left corner of the screen. Then a text thing showed up. What I gathered was the important information was this:

BusyBox v1.1.3(Debian 1:1.1.3-3ubuntu3) built-in shell(ash)
/bin/sh Can't access tty; job control turned off

And then it gave me a command prompt sort of a thing.

I have no idea what that means. Is there a way to fix it? I'm thinking about deleting wubi altogether and trying dual-boot again, but I'd rather get back in and convert into a dual-boot.

I have had hanging problems like this before, but that was fixed by plugging my laptop into a power cord (I still haven't resolved this). Could these problems be related?

And for something completely different, my Windows internet connection is a ton slower now after I installed Ubuntu. It'll get annoying to surf the web for my Ubuntu repair without a decent connection. The little icon that tells me the speed of the connection is telling me that it's going just as fast as before (around 48 mbps), but I Firefox and Internet Explorer are both taking tons of time to load up even the simple things, like Google. Is there a way to fix this?

I realize that this must have been a long read. Thanks for your patience and any help that you could give me!
Later,
Sixside
 
Old 09-19-2007, 09:24 PM   #2
kstan
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Registered: Sep 2004
Location: Malaysia, Johor
Distribution: Dual boot MacOS X/Ubuntu 9.10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sixsidepentagon View Post
I installed Ubuntu to my computer with Wubi, which is an installer that downloads Linux directly into Windows. It was going great, until I found out that it made a home partition, so I followed the instructions of the kind people on this thread:
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...=585402&page=2
and proceeded to move my stuff to the much larger Linux OS partition. However, I did not finish the process, I got to emptying my home folder and tried to umount it. It didn't work, tried logging out then in as root, still didn't work.
I got a touch frustrated, so I turned off my computer and did something else. When I came back to turn it on, Ubuntu hung at the boot screen, where the logo and the progress bar show up! I'm pretty sure it has to do with my empty home folder.
After a while, the screen turned blank with only an underscore blinking in the top left corner of the screen. Then a text thing showed up. What I gathered was the important information was this:

BusyBox v1.1.3(Debian 1:1.1.3-3ubuntu3) built-in shell(ash)
/bin/sh Can't access tty; job control turned off
Have you add/delete any partition? Remove your data inside /home/yourusername won't cause this error.

And then it gave me a command prompt sort of a thing.

I have no idea what that means. Is there a way to fix it? I'm thinking about deleting wubi altogether and trying dual-boot again, but I'd rather get back in and convert into a dual-boot.

I have had hanging problems like this before, but that was fixed by plugging my laptop into a power cord (I still haven't resolved this). Could these problems be related?
I wonder what this happend too. I never heard before.

And for something completely different, my Windows internet connection is a ton slower now after I installed Ubuntu. It'll get annoying to surf the web for my Ubuntu repair without a decent connection. The little icon that tells me the speed of the connection is telling me that it's going just as fast as before (around 48 mbps), but I Firefox and Internet Explorer are both taking tons of time to load up even the simple things, like Google. Is there a way to fix this?
In this condition, I guess Microsoft Windows probably have something wrong with the partition (I guess), try to perform scan/defragment to remove the possiblity of hard drive problem.

I realize that this must have been a long read. Thanks for your patience and any help that you could give me!
Later,
Sixside
What I recommend you is wipe your Ubuntu partition and install it from standard ISO.
Regards,
Ks
 
Old 09-19-2007, 09:34 PM   #3
sixsidepentagon
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Posts: 41

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Thanks for the quick response!

The biggest thing I've done with the partition is open gParted up and unsuccessfully try to umount my home folder partition (it definitely told me that it didn't work). In case it wasn't clear, wubi automatically made a home folder partition 1 gb in size. Could it be that it tried to load from it and failed or something?

Actually, after some exercise, ol' Firefox is working smooth now.

I have messed with some boot files before (at least I think I did, they were .conf files and such).

I might just wipe my current installation, it's just that I'd rather transfer what I've got now since I spent quite a bit of time customizing it and have some important files I'd like to save (though they aren't so important to be irreplaceable).

So what can cause that sort of error? I might have done it while messing with configuring my graphics card and wireless card inadvertently or something.
 
Old 09-19-2007, 09:44 PM   #4
TechWizrd
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Well, I've had problems sort of likee this before. It's best to use a live cd to back up your system. Since yu are using Ubuntu, you could use the Ubuntu live cd. If it doeesn't work I suggest using Slax, Knoppix, or DSl to mount your Linux partition. Then just use the mv command while root in the terminal and back them up somewhere safe. I really suggest not using Wubi, InstLinux, etc. They are very unstable. They work for some people but not others. Best install normally. Ubuntu allows you to edit the partition table before install (if you ae using the cd).
 
Old 09-19-2007, 09:53 PM   #5
kstan
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Registered: Sep 2004
Location: Malaysia, Johor
Distribution: Dual boot MacOS X/Ubuntu 9.10
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Hi,
its a really hard to explain, because I don't know what you'd done.
1. editing /boot/grub/menu.lst can bring little bit trouble
2. unmount /home shouldn't bring trouble to you, the worst is you not able to login.
3. Of course you wipe you installation may cause problem, however the problem is I don't know how you wipe.
4. you mess up the graphic card driver will bring you to standard ubuntu shell, not BusyBox v1.1.3(Debian 1:1.1.3-3ubuntu3) built-in shell(ash)

As a mention previously, taking time to figure out what problem is wasting time because quite many information we need to gather, the better way is reinstall it from iso file, do the partition properly, use it daily slowly you will know what to do.

It is true at least for myself. I'm forcing myself leave windows so I can learn it faster (I sacrifice a lot of game) . Now I no longer convenient in Microsoft Windows, the reason is I can't change it.

Regards,
Ks

Last edited by kstan; 09-19-2007 at 09:54 PM. Reason: change can to can't
 
Old 09-19-2007, 10:09 PM   #6
sixsidepentagon
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Registered: Sep 2007
Posts: 41

Original Poster
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Again, thanks for the help Ks.

What I want to know is what could cause that error? I've been doing a bunch of stuff, and I can't exactly recall each and every thing, so maybe I did mess with a boot file or something. I'm pretty sure I didn't mess with grub though.

I know I probably sound like a whiner, but I would really rather being able to transfer my current installation. It's just that it seems so tantalizingly close to booting up right.

I just want to make sure that that home partition wouldn't have anything to do with it. Because that's the one thing that I did before messing with it, besides logging in as the root.

Edit: On my first glance through, I didn't see your post, TechWizrd! I didn't know the liveCD could access my files, that's a great solution . Would there be a way to copy my user settings? Is it all in the home folder?

Last edited by sixsidepentagon; 09-19-2007 at 10:13 PM.
 
Old 09-28-2007, 06:23 AM   #7
kstan
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Registered: Sep 2004
Location: Malaysia, Johor
Distribution: Dual boot MacOS X/Ubuntu 9.10
Posts: 851

Rep: Reputation: 31
Quote:
Originally Posted by sixsidepentagon View Post
Again, thanks for the help Ks.

What I want to know is what could cause that error? I've been doing a bunch of stuff, and I can't exactly recall each and every thing, so maybe I did mess with a boot file or something. I'm pretty sure I didn't mess with grub though.
Since you'd forget what you'd change, nobody can help you.

I know I probably sound like a whiner, but I would really rather being able to transfer my current installation. It's just that it seems so tantalizingly close to booting up right.
If you want to transfer current installation, the better way is find an expert assist you side by side.

I just want to make sure that that home partition wouldn't have anything to do with it. Because that's the one thing that I did before messing with it, besides logging in as the root.
As I'm mentioned mess up home directory won't give you big trouble, unless you'd link something from /home to / (Normally won't happend), if you change the partition table it may happend.

Edit: On my first glance through, I didn't see your post, TechWizrd! I didn't know the liveCD could access my files, that's a great solution . Would there be a way to copy my user settings? Is it all in the home folder?


sixsidepentagon, how your progress?

Any luck?
 
  


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