Re: [gentoo-user] What to do when you can't loggin
On 6/21/06, Paul Stear [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Hi,I am running an ~x86 system and yesterday I did an emerge world, all went welluntil the next time I booted. kdm ran but the screen just had a flashingloggin box.I could not even get another terminal using alt F1-F7. So I am faced with not being able to loggin at all.This raises a few questionsabout my own inadequacies :-1. What is the correct procedure to recover a system in this state?Whattools do I need? You answered yourself in point 3. It's also possible to boot in single user mode (edit kernel line in grub and add 1 to the end) and remove xdm from default bootlevel, so on next reboot you are console only and can downgrade freetype. 2. I have an rsynced backup on an external usb harddrive, but unless I can loggin how can I restore the files from the backup?Again, single user or livecd. 3. It appears that a freetype update was the cause of this failure, but thisinformation was hard to find on the forum's (I was lucky). I had an oldinstallation cd and chroot'ed and emerged the previous version of freetype, rebooted and all is well (I hope).Good. 4. How can an update like this get into ~x86 tree when it plainly causes a major problem?I wonder if I should revert to just x86.That's what ~arch is for, packages are TESTED there, not all problems can be known beforehand. Of course after the bug was reported, the first thing they should have done was to package.mask it to prevent problems even for more users, because now it was a known major problem.But still if you run ~arch, you should be ready for problems. If you don't want, revert to arch...Caster
Re: [gentoo-user] What to do when you can't loggin
On Wed, 21 Jun 2006 10:47:11 +0100, Paul Stear wrote: I am running an ~x86 system and yesterday I did an emerge world, all went well until the next time I booted. kdm ran but the screen just had a flashing loggin box. I could not even get another terminal using alt F1-F7. So I am faced with not being able to loggin at all. This raises a few questions about my own inadequacies :- 1. What is the correct procedure to recover a system in this state? What tools do I need? In this case, all you need to do is boot without X, or SSH in from another box. As a last resort you could boot a live CD chroot and fix things. 2. I have an rsynced backup on an external usb harddrive, but unless I can loggin how can I restore the files from the backup? By booting from a live CD. 3. It appears that a freetype update was the cause of this failure, but this information was hard to find on the forum's (I was lucky). I had an old installation cd and chroot'ed and emerged the previous version of freetype, rebooted and all is well (I hope). Yes, it was a patch to freetype that caused this. I got bitten too. 4. How can an update like this get into ~x86 tree when it plainly causes a major problem? Because ~arch is for testing. A ~ keyword only guarantees that it works for the ebuild's author, that's why it is called testing, you are the tester. Had this bug made it through to the stable tree, you would have cause for complaint. I wonder if I should revert to just x86. If you are not willing to accept the risks and responsibilities of running a testing system, then the answer is probably yes. -- Neil Bothwick Bumper Sticker: If you can read this, you are in phaser range. signature.asc Description: PGP signature
Re: [gentoo-user] What to do when you can't loggin
On Wednesday 21 June 2006 11:05, Neil Bothwick wrote: On Wed, 21 Jun 2006 10:47:11 +0100, Paul Stear wrote: 1. What is the correct procedure to recover a system in this state? What tools do I need? In this case, all you need to do is boot without X, or SSH in from another box. As a last resort you could boot a live CD chroot and fix things. How do I boot without x? (I've got a feeling I should know this) I am using grub. 2. I have an rsynced backup on an external usb harddrive, but unless I can loggin how can I restore the files from the backup? By booting from a live CD. I tried that but my cd didn't have rsync on it Its 2005.1 created Sept 05 -- This message has been sent using kmail with gentoo linux -- gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list
Re: [gentoo-user] What to do when you can't loggin
2006/6/21, Paul Stear [EMAIL PROTECTED]: On Wednesday 21 June 2006 11:05, Neil Bothwick wrote: On Wed, 21 Jun 2006 10:47:11 +0100, Paul Stear wrote: 1. What is the correct procedure to recover a system in this state? What tools do I need? In this case, all you need to do is boot without X, or SSH in from another box. As a last resort you could boot a live CD chroot and fix things. How do I boot without x? (I've got a feeling I should know this) I am using grub. You have 2 options : - add 'single' or '1' to the grub boot params. - press I (interactive mode) during init and then choose to NOT start xdm when the init script asks for it. HTH. Boris. 2. I have an rsynced backup on an external usb harddrive, but unless I can loggin how can I restore the files from the backup? By booting from a live CD. I tried that but my cd didn't have rsync on it Its 2005.1 created Sept 05 -- This message has been sent using kmail with gentoo linux -- gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list -- Quiconque me parle de Dieu en veut à ma bourse ou à ma liberté. -- gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list
Re: [gentoo-user] What to do when you can't loggin
Paul Stear wrote: On Wednesday 21 June 2006 11:05, Neil Bothwick wrote: On Wed, 21 Jun 2006 10:47:11 +0100, Paul Stear wrote: 1. What is the correct procedure to recover a system in this state? What tools do I need? In this case, all you need to do is boot without X, or SSH in from another box. As a last resort you could boot a live CD chroot and fix things. How do I boot without x? Hit I when the system prompts if interactive mode mode should be used. I usually hold I all the way from after the boot loader until something happens... Another way: If you use grub, you can edit the boot command line. Add init=/bin/sh to the end of the boot command line. Alexander Skwar -- Dreams are free, but there's a small charge for alterations. -- gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list
Re: [gentoo-user] What to do when you can't loggin
Another way: If you use grub, you can edit the boot command line. Add init=/bin/sh to the end of the boot command line. Alexander Skwar -- Dreams are free, but there's a small charge for alterations. -- gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list The same method applies to lilo too. -- Best regards, Daniel -- gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list
Re: [gentoo-user] What to do when you can't loggin
Daniel Iliev wrote: Another way: If you use grub, you can edit the boot command line. Add init=/bin/sh to the end of the boot command line. Alexander Skwar -- Dreams are free, but there's a small charge for alterations. -- gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list The same method applies to lilo too. True. But with lilo, you've got to modify the lilo.conf (or what's it called?) and run lilo, don't you? Or can you modify the boot command line on-the-fly in the boot menu? Alexander Skwar -- Dreams are free, but there's a small charge for alterations. -- gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list
Re: [gentoo-user] What to do when you can't loggin
On Wednesday 21 June 2006 13:39, Alexander Skwar wrote: True. But with lilo, you've got to modify the lilo.conf (or what's it called?) and run lilo, don't you? Or can you modify the boot command line on-the-fly in the boot menu? Of course: after selecting an entry from the lilo menu, just append the parameters you need to the command line (shown at lilo the prompt) *before* hitting enter. Well, no flame, but it's probably easier than with grub, where you have to explicitly press some key to modify the command line. -- gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list
Re: [gentoo-user] What to do when you can't loggin
Etaoin Shrdlu wrote: On Wednesday 21 June 2006 13:39, Alexander Skwar wrote: True. But with lilo, you've got to modify the lilo.conf (or what's it called?) and run lilo, don't you? Or can you modify the boot command line on-the-fly in the boot menu? Of course: after selecting an entry from the lilo menu, just append the parameters you need to the command line (shown at lilo the prompt) *before* hitting enter. Well, no flame, but it's probably easier than with grub, where you have to explicitly press some key to modify the command line. Hm - can you also *modify* the boot commands? Say, the boot command in lilo.conf contains vga=123 and now, for whatever reason, you want vga=ask - what to do? Alexander Skwar -- Then you admit confirming not denying you ever said that? NO! ... I mean Yes! WHAT? I'll put `maybe.' -- Bloom County -- gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list
Re: [gentoo-user] What to do when you can't loggin
2006/6/21, Etaoin Shrdlu [EMAIL PROTECTED]: Well, no flame, but it's probably easier than with grub, where you have to explicitly press some key to modify the command line. I agree. I don't want to say anything like lilo is better (I personally prefer grub because I always forget to run lilo after I changed anything at the boot volume), but modifying the command line is way easier. -- gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list
Re: [gentoo-user] What to do when you can't loggin
-BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE- Hash: SHA1 Nico Schümann wrote: 2006/6/21, Etaoin Shrdlu [EMAIL PROTECTED]: Well, no flame, but it's probably easier than with grub, where you have to explicitly press some key to modify the command line. I agree. I don't want to say anything like lilo is better (I personally prefer grub because I always forget to run lilo after I changed anything at the boot volume), but modifying the command line is way easier. Definitely. In any case, I would like to add that one must choose lilo or grub depending on lots of different aspects. For example, I have an ASUS a7n8x-e deluxe mobo at home, with two sata drives and one ide hdd. The boot options on the BIOS do not allow me to specify from WHICH sata drive I want to boot. So, grub sometimes had the ugly timestamp error (if my memory is not failing here). I had to go back to lilo to avoid the problem. And I like both! :P - -- Arturo Buanzo Busleiman - VPN Mail Project - http://vpnmail.buanzo.com.ar Consultor en Seguridad Informatica - http://www.buanzo.com.ar Genetic - A multiplatform Gentoo Portage Frontend - http://genetic.sourceforge.net for f in www blog linux-consulting vpnmail; do firefox http://$f.buanzo.com.ar ; done -BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE- Version: GnuPG v1.4.2.2 (GNU/Linux) Comment: Using GnuPG with Mozilla - http://enigmail.mozdev.org iD8DBQFEmTtNAlpOsGhXcE0RAij4AJ9QtKv+kyuRjIhnbTPt7Eonf9UwPACfebFv ZeQB4bbwn79wwICfJTAypkI= =JL5w -END PGP SIGNATURE- -- gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list
Re: [gentoo-user] What to do when you can't loggin
On Wednesday 21 June 2006 13:58, Alexander Skwar wrote: Hm - can you also *modify* the boot commands? Say, the boot command in lilo.conf contains vga=123 and now, for whatever reason, you want vga=ask - what to do? You pass vga=ask on the fly on the command line and this takes precedence over whatever is in lilo.conf. The same happens for the root=, initrd=, ramdisk=, and other kernel parameters. As an example, consider the root= option: if you mistakenly put the wrong root= in lilo.conf, it would be impossible to recover without booting a live cd or some other kernel. Instead, you pass a different root= options on lilo command line (which passes the option to the kernel, of course) and you can boot without having to resort to external media. -- gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list
Re: [gentoo-user] What to do when you can't loggin
Arturo 'Buanzo' Busleiman wrote: Nico Schümann wrote: 2006/6/21, Etaoin Shrdlu [EMAIL PROTECTED]: Well, no flame, but it's probably easier than with grub, where you have to explicitly press some key to modify the command line. I agree. I don't want to say anything like lilo is better (I personally prefer grub because I always forget to run lilo after I changed anything at the boot volume), but modifying the command line is way easier. Definitely. Is it? How do you *modify* the command line (ie. change it, instead of just adding to it)? Alexander Skwar -- It's easy to get on the internet and forget you have a life -- Topic on #LinuxGER -- gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list
Re: [gentoo-user] What to do when you can't loggin
On Wed, 21 Jun 2006 15:04:04 +0200, Etaoin Shrdlu wrote: You pass vga=ask on the fly on the command line and this takes precedence over whatever is in lilo.conf. The same happens for the root=, initrd=, ramdisk=, and other kernel parameters. What happens if something is wrong with your initrd and you need to remove the initrd= option from the command line? -- Neil Bothwick KPLA Klingon Radio : All glory, all the time! signature.asc Description: PGP signature
Re: [gentoo-user] What to do when you can't loggin
2006/6/21, Neil Bothwick [EMAIL PROTECTED]: What happens if something is wrong with your initrd and you need to remove the initrd= option from the command line? I'd try things like initrd= for example. Maybe it's ignored. -- gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list
Re: [gentoo-user] What to do when you can't loggin
On Wednesday 21 June 2006 15:40, Neil Bothwick wrote: What happens if something is wrong with your initrd and you need to remove the initrd= option from the command line? Good question! In this regard, grub is certainly better since it shows you the complete command line, and you can tweak everything you want. Anyway, passing an empty initrd= could possibly work (I never tried this). -- gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list
Re: [gentoo-user] What to do when you can't loggin
On Wed, 21 Jun 2006 16:37:27 +0200, Etaoin Shrdlu wrote: What happens if something is wrong with your initrd and you need to remove the initrd= option from the command line? Good question! In this regard, grub is certainly better since it shows you the complete command line, and you can tweak everything you want. Anyway, passing an empty initrd= could possibly work (I never tried this). When I find myself in that situation, I want something more than could possibly work :( Anyway, I rarely edit the command line. I forgot to re-run lilo far more often, so it's GRUB for me. Those of you that only use x86 based system don't know how lucky you are to have two decent bootloaders. If you took the worst aspect of LILO and GRUB and added some extra user-hostility for luck, you'd still have something a hundred times better than yaboot, the PPC bootloader :( -- Neil Bothwick Talk is cheap because supply exceeds demand. signature.asc Description: PGP signature
Re: [gentoo-user] What to do when you can't loggin
On Wed, 21 Jun 2006 15:41:56 +0100 Neil Bothwick [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Those of you that only use x86 based system don't know how lucky you are to have two decent bootloaders. If you took the worst aspect of LILO and GRUB and added some extra user-hostility for luck, you'd still have something a hundred times better than yaboot, the PPC bootloader :( Actually you'd have ELILO, well after adding in MS-DOS and making EFI the default partitioning. /boot becomes a DOS filesystem. But not limited to 8.3 character set. Bob - -- gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list
