Load a user from LiveCD

Cichlid · 05-30-2009, 06:12 PM

Me again,

I boot using the latest Ubuntu 9.04 LiveCD.
Whenever I try to install grub, a grub directory and menu.lst is installed on the ramdisk that the LiveCD created. Grub is therefore not actually installed. I know this because my system won't boot at all without a CD.

What I'd like to know is if I can load a user from the currently installed Ubuntu 8.04? Or, how can I run commands that will affect the installed system and not the ramdisk?

Thanks

irishbitte · 05-30-2009, 09:09 PM

Hmm, the idea of the LiveCD is to stay away from exactly the situation you describe. In order to do what you want, you need to do a couple of things. Please note, I have never done this, and I don't recommend it. You have been suitably warned!

:

1: Mount the root of your 8.04 install somewhere in the ramdisk file system

Code:

sudo mkdir /mnt/somewhere
sudo mount -t ext3 /dev/sda1 /mnt/somewhere

or something like that, assuming that your 8.04 install is on /dev/sda1.
2: You need to chroot (change root) to /mnt/somewhere

Code:

sudo chroot /mnt/somewhere

Then I think, your commands will run on the underlying system. Please read this for more info:https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DebootstrapChroot

I suggest lots of reading and research if you do not want to end up with a brick!

My other suggestion is use the option at the boot screen of the livecd to boot from the first hard drive.

Cichlid · 05-31-2009, 08:25 AM

Thank irishbitte,

Some of the tutorials on installing grub describes the same steps. Except for the chroot command. As for the boot option on the liveCD, when I do select to boot from the first HDD, the computer just hangs, as it does if I try to boot normally.

I'm also presented with a new problem. Though, it feels like a step in the right direction. At boot, after the splash screen of the computer, I get the message "Invalid partition table". At least I have something to work with now.

Thanks again.

irishbitte · 06-01-2009, 07:43 PM

Is it possible that a GRUB installation has been tried using the LiveCD and has messed up the partition table on your harddrive? Can you try picking the second option in your GRUB menu, without using a CD and see how you go?

Here is some nice reading for you: http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/ubunt...-wipes-it-out/