hi,
I'm new to linux, I mistakly delect my dev directory, now I can't boot server after restart,it says: failed to start initializing console.
if anyway to recover it ?
thanks!
jimmy

Boot from the installation media into rescue mode, answer a few questions and use the chroot command as instructed on screen. Run; /sbin/MAKEDEV -D /dev -a

hi,
thanks for your help! I followed your instuction ,and it did create dev files in /dev,but when I reboot server(linux redhat Enterprise ws 3), it give me a warning:unable to open an initial console, and hangup there, can you tell me why? I have 120mb space left at /.
jimmy

The warning:unable to open an initial console message is usually means you have a problem with how your booting with the default kernel.

Could be a missing/bad initrd-XXXX.img file or the path where the file should be found. Could be a bad partition label, try using the exact path for the root partition (/) instead of the partition label see the top comments section of your /boot/grub/grub.conf file for help.

Could also be a bad kernel, did you just add or create one maybe???, try booting using an older kernel if available.

Try booting into single user mode also by adding a space followed by the number one (1) to the kernel line when the grub splash screen is displayed.

Boot into resuce mode once more, using the chroot command when ready check if you have multiple consoles (Ctrl+Alt+F2 to F6) and try if you have X and a GUI (Gnome, KDE or whatever) installed the command; startx

You may have to restore from backup or [re]install a kernel (even the same one you currently have installed). Since you can boot into rescue mode and have access to the filesystems, you might want to save everything that is important and reload.

You should boot up with a rescue CD, and “ls -l /dev”. If you don’t see console, see this post.

Also, make sure console (and friends) are writeable.

thanks! Guys! you are so helpful, I found copy /dev directory from other server will resolve this problem.