Submitted 27-May-00 by Bruce Endries:
| I have on too many occasions seen Linux machines shut off
| improperly and never run again until the OS is re-installed.
This is like using explosives to solve a rodent problem. You destroy
the old house and build a new one. You lose everything of value that
was in the original.
I have indeed had problems with an ext2 file system that prevented a
proper boot, but if you are patient you can recover the existing
system without catastrophic data loss. The tools are there, but you
need to know how to use them *before* you need them.
| I admit, sometimes, it will do it. But sometimes isn't good enough.
The vast majority of time it will recover just fine. On occasion,
user intervention is required, typically if the disk was being written
to when the power was interrupted.
| As much as I dislike Windows, I can always count on Windows
| coming back from this kind of situation. It will complain, run
| scandisk, and come back up. You might have some application
| files corrupted, but at least the OS will run.
Sure-fire way to make Windows unuseable: Try removing the primary
video adapter in a dual head system. Mandrake (via Kudzu) detects
this situation and has you reconfigure X. That is a real show stopper.
Also, I *have* seen Windows die completely after an improper shutdown.
Rare to be certain, but it does happen.
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( ) * Anton Graham
/v\ / <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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(m_m) GPG ID: 18F78541
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