Ubuntu
util-linux package

System halts on Boot

Asked by Alanbas

Hi
I'm running 9.something (most recent prior to newest release 10.04), I have not yet upgraded.
I had not loaded anything new simple shutdown then following day started up to check emails etc, screen went blank after the Ubuntu symbol. After pressing ESC gets the following message:
  "Gave up waiting for root device. Common problems: 288158ff29c
    - Boot args (cat /proc/cmdline)
      - check rootdelay = (did the system wait long enough?)
      - check root = (did the system wait for the right device ?)
    - missing modules (cat /proc/modules; ls /dev)
   ALERT! /dev/disk/by-uuid/00a5b04c-2476-49ed-bfed-7288158ff29c does not exist. Dropping to a shell!"

the command prompt is (initramfs)

Thinking the partition was damaged I have started the computer using flash drive, I can access the Hard Drive, however cant access files due to access denied (which I can understand.)

Please Help, haven't backed up photos for a while!

Cheers

AL

Question information

Language:
English Edit question
Status:
Answered
For:
Ubuntu util-linux Edit question
Assignee:
No assignee Edit question
Last query:
Last reply:
Revision history for this message
actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#1

If you boot to live cd you can run:

sudo blkid

and make sure the UUIDs match.

you can also mount the internal partition where you stored the OS to use raw block devices instead of UUIDs.

in fstab you will see someting like this:

# /dev/sda5
UUID=be35a709-c787-4198-a903-d5fdc80ab2f8 / ext3 relatime,errors=remount-ro 0 1

change it to

/dev/sda5 / ext3 relatime,errors=remount-ro 0 1

Yours will most likely be DIFFERENT so don't blindly copy this text as it won't work and you will need to read the file contents (as you can see I simply replaced the UUID with the comment which identified the /dev item at instal time above it)

HTH

Revision history for this message
Alanbas (alanbas) said : 		#2

Hi
I must be missing something here, I have found the fstab file on the Harddrive, and made the suggested change, however can't save the file as I have no permission to the files and folders on the drive.

Any more suggestions?

Cheers

Revision history for this message
actionparsnip (andrew-woodhead666) said : 		#3

use:

gksudo gedit

Then open the file, you will now have write access.

Revision history for this message
Alanbas (alanbas) said : 		#4

Thanks the SUDO part is what I was missing
Changing the fstab file didn't work, but replacing the missing /dev/disk folder made it work.

Any idea's why this folder would just dissappear??

Can you help with this problem?

Provide an answer of your own, or ask Alanbas for more information if necessary.

To post a message you must log in.