fs damage. e2fsck will not run to fix linux partition
 

Hi,

When I ran e2fsck -n /dev/hda3 (my linux partition) to check my fs I got this:

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Warning! /dev/hda3 is mounted.
/dev/hda3 was not cleanly unmounted, check forced.
Pass 1: Checking inodes, blocks, and sizes
Deleted inode 68476 has zero dtime. Fix? no

Deleted inode 427941 has zero dtime. Fix? no

Deleted inode 427942 has zero dtime. Fix? no

Pass 2: Checking directory structure
Pass 3: Checking directory connectivity
Pass 4: Checking reference counts
Pass 5: Checking group summary information
Block bitmap differences: -6740 -6741 -6742 -37681 -37682 -37683 -37684 -37685 -37686 -37687 -76221 -76222 -76223 -76224 -76225 -76226 -76227 -465346 -465347 -465348 -465349 -465350 -465351 -465352
Fix? no

Inode bitmap differences: -68476 -427941 -427942
Fix? no

/dev/hda3: 33180/557056 files (0.2% non-contiguous), 146354/534161 blocks

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How can I fix this? I tried to shutdown to administrative mode and run e2fsck but it says / is "busy". Also, I checked the /etc/rc files that run with
shutdown -h and shutdown -r and they both go execute 'umount' and 'sync' commands so I don't know where this is coming from.

Any suggestions on fixing my filesystem?

I'm working on Slack 7.1 with e2fsck 1.18 and can't upgrade at this time.

Thanks

Hi,

hda3 is (probably) your root (/), you need to unmount it before you can repair it. Because it is the root fs you cannot do this while the system is up and running.

Don't know if slack (7.X) checks the fs on reboot, the following should force it: shutdown -F

Another way would be to start from a 'live' cd (knoppix being one) and execute e2fsck command on /dev/hda3 (without the -n option). You could consider using the -y option. Take a look at the e2fsck manpage.

Hope this helps.

That's what I was thinking ("how can I possibly unmount root when I'm running from it."), but I only have Windoze and Slack 7.1 on my old laptop. And 7.1 does do a check but it doesn't fix anything. I just get the error messages and it continues on.

I have tried the -y option. I was hoping I could fix the fs within Slack7.1, but from what you are saying I actually need to have a second linux system on my computer to do that? That is, bootup, say a Debian kernal/partition and run e2fsck from there to fix my Slackware root partition?

You can't unmount a root partition that would be like taking away the C; drive in windows . you could try to boot off of a cd rescue or floppy rescue of some sort. You could try something like
http://www.sysresccd.org/download.en.php I am sure the slackware cd contains ext2fsck and you probably could fix it from there too

Hi,

You misunderstood.

You do need another (minimal) 'linux system', but it does not have to be on your computer (hd that is). In short this is what you have to do (one option):

1) If you do not have a rescue/live cd, download one and burn it to cd. It's always a good idea to have a live cd handy in case something happens to your system (hd/partition problems to name just one ;) ).

Personally I like the knoppix live cd (Knoppix download page). There are others (john8675309 gave one).

2) Boot from the live cd
3) run e2fsck (from the cd) and let it check /dev/hda3
4) if e2fsck was able to fix the problem(s), remove cd and reboot.

Hope this clears things up a bit.