Fedora Cora 4 won't boot .. Superblock?
 

Okay, Here are my error(s):

Uncompressing Linux... Ok, booting the kernel.
Red Hat nash version 4.2.15 starting
md: invalid raid superblock magic on hda1
md: invalid raid superblock magic on hda2
md: invalid raid superblock magic on hda3
EXT-3fs: unable to read superblock
mount: error 22 mounting ext3
ERROR opening /dev/console!!!!: 2
error dup2'ing fd pf 0 to 0
error dup2'ing fd pf 0 to 1
error dup2'ing fd pf 0 to 2
switchfroot: mount failed: 22
Kernel panic - not syncing: Attempted to kill init!

It says about raid, but this machine does not have a raid setup..
Also I got this error after cloning the original Disk - but prior to this error I was getting a superblock error also (can't quite remember the original error) but I cloned the disk so I could use this second disk as my 'sandbox' I guess you could say so I don't lose any of my data trying to fix it.. If anyone has any insight please help me out! :) Thank you!

RHEL4 not FC4
 

Hi,
I guess the first thing is I don't think you are using Fedora Core 4.

This looks more like Redhat Enteprice Linux 4 (RHEL4).

So, given that others might have an idea on the error.

If this server have been working steadily and you haven't done any serious upgrades recently, I would say it looks like a harddrive crash. I guess thats the worst case scenario...

Mons

How do you do your copy ?
If you try to use a RAID-1 mirror disk into a other server, it won't work depending if the raid controller is permissive or not.

Weird... Because when booting it does say Fedora Core.. but you're right I didn't even notice it said redhat there.. my mistake..?? ::confused::

Anyways.. There have been no significant changes to the machine it has been running for a very long time and just started giving me this superblock error, so I ordered a new harddrive, pulled the old harddrive plugged both of them into a windows xp box and used acronis true image to clone original disk to new disk so I would have a copy to work on and try to fix.

Because it says fedora when I boot, I just downloaded Fedora 11 to try and salvage whatever I can with an upgrade installation.. But if you guys think I should hold off... and have other ideas? Also remember I can re-clone this drive from the original so I'm up to trying multiple things to try and get this data back up.. It is a very important redundancy server.. Thanks for all of your help!

Josh

That's nash - I'd be prepared to believe the OP has FC4.
How are you trying to do the recovery - booting the clone somewhere else ? I'd be guessing you're having trouble with LVM. Does the original system still boot ? If so you might be better seeing if you can use the FC4 CD in rescue mode to run a fsck against the bad partition/lv.

there is also NO WAY a upgrade from fedora 4 to 11 will work
use the fedora 4 install cd ( disk 1 of 5 ) and back up data then do a reformat then a fresh install of fedora 11

The original setup isn't booting, I get a superblock error.. Something of the sort of no ext3 filesystem found, bad superblock.. I can't remember exactly, if anyone wants me to get the exact error i will throw the harddrive back in the existing hardware and give you the error. Again what I did:

took the only hard drive out of the backup server, because it was giving me that error, so I wanted to make a clone of it so I could run some tests to try and get the server backup without losing my data. I used acronis true image on a windows xp computer. plugged original drive in, and new drive in, cloned original to new and kept old data on the original disk. so I put the new disk in the server try to boot, and I am receiving the error I originally posted..

I am not the builder of this system, I've been working for this company for about 3 years and nothing has gone wrong with it and it has been up for several years prior. not up everyday of course, a few reboots here and there.. But there was no problems, just went down. Also in the process of from whoever originally built it, and me starting working here I dont have the fedora core 4 discs. Does anyone know of a mirror I can download it from? I can't find it on fedora's website.. Any help appreciated.. Thank you..

Josh

once you do get data backed up .I would install CentOS 5.3 on the server ,that is it's main target user -- THE SERVER --.
Cent has a 5 year life cycle fedora has ONLY a 13 month .After 13 months THERE ARE NO SECURITY UPDATES ,NO UPDATES AT ALL. so your server be wide open to attack and in all likely hood be turned into a ZOMBIE .

a mirror for the OLD fedora 4 iso
http://archive.kernel.org/fedora-arc...re/4/i386/iso/
disk ( cd ) 1 will be all you need to boot into "rescue mode "

then install CentOS or debain-extended life

Thank you for your help. However, I downloaded the ISO, and burned it to a disc and went to try and boot the disc and it will not boot.. - NO I did not just burn the file to the disc, in Nero 8 I selected what time of Cd to burn, and selected to burn an image, every other time i've ever burned an iso like this, its always been bootable.. This iso wont boot, Doesn't make any sense whatsoever.. so I am downloading the iso again to try.. Anyone have any suggestions other than what i am doing? (downloading again)?

Thanks again for all your help everyone..

are you installing the fedora 11 cd /dvd or the CentOS 5.3 iso

there is a bug in the fedora 11 cd and dvd dealing with partitioning the drive
on some systems it dies just before or during deleating the OLD partitions .
But will reformat to ext4 IF THE PARTITIONS are blank to begin with

I use Gparted to leave the partitions unformatted ,then use the install cd /dvd to format them to ext4 ( boot to ext3)

is this machine set up to boot from cd/dvd in the bios ???