On Fri, 2023-06-09 at 13:32 +0200, Pascal Hambourg wrote: > On 09/06/2023 at 01:27, tomas k wrote: > > > > I'm on a different system than the problem one. For years I have > > had to boot knoppix > > and run a chroot to change a password I've forgotten, because I use > > a separate usr partition, > > and rescue thinks it's the root directory. Butr without etc it's > > not going to work. > > Rescue mode does not "think" anything about any partition. It is up > to > the user to select the proper root partition, although I admit this > might be improved by providing more information about available > partitions to the user. > > With /usr-merged layout (default since buster IIRC), a separate /usr > must be mounted before running any program. The initramfs mounts a > separate /usr before running init, but the installer rescue mode did > not > before running a shell. This feature has been added to bookworm > installer (rescue 1.86) but not backported to bullseye installer > AFAIK. > That explains it. I can't open the root patitiion, because rescue system says it's not a root partition until I try what is actually /usr. But, I have finally given up separate /usr, and just lumped it in with the pile. But in bookworm it should work?
> > My suggestion is, if a user wants a separate usr, to place a hidden > > flag file in root, the presence of which > > informs the system to mount THAT partition AND look in /etc/fstab, > > and mount usr. > > /etc/fstab already exists in the root filesystem, so no need to > create a > flag file.
