The Link "initrd.img.old" is Broken
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The Link "initrd.img.old" is Broken
How to fix a broken ititrd.img.old link?
This link cannot be used, because its target "/boot/initrd.img-3.5.0-17-generic" doesn't exist.
This link cannot be used, because its target "/boot/initrd.img-3.5.0-17-generic" doesn't exist.
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 6 months after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 6 months after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.
Re: The Link "initrd.img.old" is Broken
This type of link is usually created when the kernel is updated. It points to the previous version. If that previous version is removed, the link should be removed as well. As the actual file the link should point to doesn't exist anymore, I assume kernel 3.5.0-17 no longer exists on your system either, so you can just remove the link.
On the other hand, you may have inadvertently removed /boot/initrd.img-3.5.0-17-generic without properly uninstalling that kernel.
Does the link /vmlinuz.old exist?
Is there a file /boot/vmlinuz-3.5.0-17-generic?
On the other hand, you may have inadvertently removed /boot/initrd.img-3.5.0-17-generic without properly uninstalling that kernel.
Does the link /vmlinuz.old exist?
Is there a file /boot/vmlinuz-3.5.0-17-generic?
Re: The Link "initrd.img.old" is Broken
e
Could a program like TestDisk make my Hard Drive bootable once again? Glad to have access to my old files once again, but would be nice to once again use the original hard drive and add new files, folders, etc.
Thanks for your response, grizzler.
No /vmlinuz.old, but there is /boot/vmlinuz-3.5.0-17-generic. However, it is listed as a link to a DOS/Windows executable. The only OS on the hard drive was Linux Mint 14. I'm using an .iso flash drive at this time to look at the contents of the Hard Drive. My friend helped me to bring access to them, but the Hard Drive is having a hard time booting.grizzler wrote:This type of link is usually created when the kernel is updated. It points to the previous version. If that previous version is removed, the link should be removed as well. As the actual file the link should point to doesn't exist anymore, I assume kernel 3.5.0-17 no longer exists on your system either, so you can just remove the link.
On the other hand, you may have inadvertently removed /boot/initrd.img-3.5.0-17-generic without properly uninstalling that kernel.
Does the link /vmlinuz.old exist?
Is there a file /boot/vmlinuz-3.5.0-17-generic?
Could a program like TestDisk make my Hard Drive bootable once again? Glad to have access to my old files once again, but would be nice to once again use the original hard drive and add new files, folders, etc.
Thanks for your response, grizzler.
Re: The Link "initrd.img.old" is Broken
Yes, my system's vmlinuz file is also reported as such. A bit odd, but apparently that's what these linux kernel files look like internally.theonow wrote:No /vmlinuz.old, but there is /boot/vmlinuz-3.5.0-17-generic. However, it is listed as a link to a DOS/Windows executable.
However, you mention /boot/vmlinuz-3.5.0-17-generic is a link. Are you sure? I would expect the link to be vmlinuz in the root of the drive and vmlinuz-3.5.0-17-generic in /boot to be the target of that link.
I can imagine. The initial ram disk (the initrd.img file in /boot) appears to be missing. Strange that the link to it should have an .old extension.The only OS on the hard drive was Linux Mint 14. I'm using an .iso flash drive at this time to look at the contents of the Hard Drive. My friend helped me to bring access to them, but the Hard Drive is having a hard time booting.
I don't know if TestDisk would be of any use here. Has the hard drive been written to since the initrd.img file disappeared? And why did it disappear in the first place?Could a program like TestDisk make my Hard Drive bootable once again?
To make sure we're looking at the right files and not at incomplete remnants of a previous kernel, what exactly does the /boot directory contain? Also, what is the contents of the /boot/grub/grub.cfg file?
Does a GRUB menu appear when you try to boot from the hard drive? If it does, does it only show the 3.5.0-17 kernel to select?
Re: The Link "initrd.img.old" is Broken
My hard drive doesn't want to boot at all. It tells me, "MDM could not write your authorization file." I've gotten the login menu and that's it. Also, can I change the entire hard drive permissions back to my username as it only shows user as being root?
At this point I'm thinking to get a high gigabyte flash drive and save what I can onto it and do a fresh install.
Contents of my /boot/grub/grub.cgf file
At this point I'm thinking to get a high gigabyte flash drive and save what I can onto it and do a fresh install.
Contents of my /boot/grub/grub.cgf file
Code: Select all
#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then
set have_grubenv=true
load_env
fi
set default="0"
if [ x"${feature_menuentry_id}" = xy ]; then
menuentry_id_option="--id"
else
menuentry_id_option=""
fi
export menuentry_id_option
if [ "${prev_saved_entry}" ]; then
set saved_entry="${prev_saved_entry}"
save_env saved_entry
set prev_saved_entry=
save_env prev_saved_entry
set boot_once=true
fi
function savedefault {
if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then
saved_entry="${chosen}"
save_env saved_entry
fi
}
function recordfail {
set recordfail=1
if [ -n "${have_grubenv}" ]; then if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then save_env recordfail; fi; fi
}
function load_video {
if [ x$feature_all_video_module = xy ]; then
insmod all_video
else
insmod efi_gop
insmod efi_uga
insmod ieee1275_fb
insmod vbe
insmod vga
insmod video_bochs
insmod video_cirrus
fi
}
if [ x$feature_default_font_path = xy ] ; then
font=unicode
else
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='hd0,msdos1'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1 9bc9b613-8d72-4f40-94e7-a204dc0aa5c7
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 9bc9b613-8d72-4f40-94e7-a204dc0aa5c7
fi
font="/usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2"
fi
if loadfont $font ; then
set gfxmode=auto
load_video
insmod gfxterm
set locale_dir=$prefix/locale
set lang=en_US
insmod gettext
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
if [ "${recordfail}" = 1 ]; then
set timeout=-1
else
set timeout=10
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=black/light-gray
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/06_mint_theme ###
set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=white/light-gray
### END /etc/grub.d/06_mint_theme ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
function gfxmode {
set gfxpayload="$1"
if [ "$1" = "keep" ]; then
set vt_handoff=vt.handoff=7
else
set vt_handoff=
fi
}
if [ ${recordfail} != 1 ]; then
if [ -e ${prefix}/gfxblacklist.txt ]; then
if hwmatch ${prefix}/gfxblacklist.txt 3; then
if [ ${match} = 0 ]; then
set linux_gfx_mode=keep
else
set linux_gfx_mode=text
fi
else
set linux_gfx_mode=text
fi
else
set linux_gfx_mode=keep
fi
else
set linux_gfx_mode=text
fi
export linux_gfx_mode
if [ "$linux_gfx_mode" != "text" ]; then load_video; fi
menuentry 'Linux Mint 14 Cinnamon 64-bit, 3.5.0-17-generic (/dev/sda1)' --class linuxmint --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
gfxmode $linux_gfx_mode
insmod gzio
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='hd0,msdos1'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1 9bc9b613-8d72-4f40-94e7-a204dc0aa5c7
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 9bc9b613-8d72-4f40-94e7-a204dc0aa5c7
fi
linux /boot/vmlinuz-3.5.0-17-generic root=UUID=9bc9b613-8d72-4f40-94e7-a204dc0aa5c7 ro quiet splash $vt_handoff
initrd /boot/initrd.img-3.5.0-17-generic
}
menuentry 'Linux Mint 14 Cinnamon 64-bit, 3.5.0-17-generic (/dev/sda1) -- recovery mode' --class linuxmint --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
recordfail
insmod gzio
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='hd0,msdos1'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1 9bc9b613-8d72-4f40-94e7-a204dc0aa5c7
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 9bc9b613-8d72-4f40-94e7-a204dc0aa5c7
fi
echo 'Loading Linux 3.5.0-17-generic ...'
linux /boot/vmlinuz-3.5.0-17-generic root=UUID=9bc9b613-8d72-4f40-94e7-a204dc0aa5c7 ro recovery nomodeset
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/initrd.img-3.5.0-17-generic
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_lupin ###
### END /etc/grub.d/10_lupin ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###
### END /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='hd0,msdos1'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1 9bc9b613-8d72-4f40-94e7-a204dc0aa5c7
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 9bc9b613-8d72-4f40-94e7-a204dc0aa5c7
fi
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='hd0,msdos1'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd0,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,msdos1 9bc9b613-8d72-4f40-94e7-a204dc0aa5c7
else
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 9bc9b613-8d72-4f40-94e7-a204dc0aa5c7
fi
linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
if [ "x${timeout}" != "x-1" ]; then
if keystatus; then
if keystatus --shift; then
set timeout=-1
else
set timeout=0
fi
else
if sleep --interruptible 3 ; then
set timeout=0
fi
fi
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_uefi-firmware ###
### END /etc/grub.d/30_uefi-firmware ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries. Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment. Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
if [ -f ${config_directory}/custom.cfg ]; then
source ${config_directory}/custom.cfg
elif [ -z "${config_directory}" -a -f $prefix/custom.cfg ]; then
source $prefix/custom.cfg;
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
Last edited by theonow on Fri Oct 18, 2013 2:58 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: The Link "initrd.img.old" is Broken
Thanks. You may want to put that between Code tags.theonow wrote:Contents of my /boot/grub/grub.cgf file
Wait a minute. If you get that far, the machine has already booted. This is starting to look like an entirely different problem than I originally thought it was.My hard drive doesn't want to boot at all. It tells me, "MDM could not write your authorization file." I've gotten the login menu and that's it.
It could be the permissions of the /tmp directory. If you boot with the flash drive and look at the hard drive's root directory in the file browser (nautilus/nemo/caja/whatever), does the tmp directory there have all read/write/execute bits and the sticky bit set on the Permissions tab?
Also, what are the permissions of the file .ICEauthority in your home directory?
No, that would be a sure way to mess things up further. Most of a hard drive should be owned by root.Also, can I change the entire hard drive permissions back to my username as it only shows user as being root?
That's always an option.At this point I'm thinking to get a high gigabyte flash drive and save what I can onto it and do a fresh install.
Re: The Link "initrd.img.old" is Broken
grizzler wrote: If you boot with the flash drive and look at the hard drive's root directory in the file browser (nautilus/nemo/caja/whatever), does the tmp directory there have all read/write/execute bits and the sticky bit set on the Permissions tab?
Also, what are the permissions of the file .ICEauthority in your home directory?
Opened the /tmp directory saw a folder titled pulse-PKdhtXMmr18n. Tells me I do not have the required permissions to open that folder. Root is owner and I can not change permissions.
Re: The Link "initrd.img.old" is Broken
Let's go back a bit. Open the root of the hard drive in the file browser. Right click on the tmp folder, select the last item in the menu (probably 'Properties', but I can't be sure because I don't use an English language setup), click the third tab in the Properties window of tmp (most likely named 'Permissions') and look at the window. Are the owner/group both root? Are the nine option flags on the next three lines all set? Is the sticky bit set?
Then open your home folder in the file browser. Make sure hidden items are visible (press Ctrl+H if they aren't). Open the Properties window of the file .ICEauthority, just like described above for tmp, and look at the Permissions. Are owner and group both your username? Of the nine option flags on the next three lines, are only the first two top left set (owner read/write)?
Then open your home folder in the file browser. Make sure hidden items are visible (press Ctrl+H if they aren't). Open the Properties window of the file .ICEauthority, just like described above for tmp, and look at the Permissions. Are owner and group both your username? Of the nine option flags on the next three lines, are only the first two top left set (owner read/write)?
Re: The Link "initrd.img.old" is Broken
No. The owner and group of the .ICEauthority file are Owner: 1000- user #1000. Access for owner is read and write. Group access is read only.grizzler wrote: Open the Properties window of the file .ICEauthority, just like described above for tmp, and look at the Permissions. Are owner and group both your username? Of the nine option flags on the next three lines, are only the first two top left set (owner read/write)?
Re: The Link "initrd.img.old" is Broken
On Debian and Ubuntu based installations, the user id used for the only user on a single user system usually is 1000. I should have mentioned that you can't see the correct username when you boot with a live system on CD or flash drive. So the number should correspond to your username. As you don't mention tmp, I'll assume the settings there were correct.
Group shouldn't have any kind of access, not even read. Can you switch that option off using the file browser?Group access is read only.
Re: The Link "initrd.img.old" is Broken
Tells me I'm not the owner and cannot change the permissions. All the menus are grey and can not be clicked on. No options can be switched when looking at my hard drive.grizzler wrote:Group shouldn't have any kind of access, not even read. Can you switch that option off using the file browser?
Re: The Link "initrd.img.old" is Broken
There should be a way to start the file browser as root, even on a live cd/usb system, by pressing Alt+F2 and entering gksu nautilus (provided nautilus is the name of the file browser you use) or entering that in a terminal window. It will ask for a password, but you need to set that first using the procedure described here: http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=63075
Re: The Link "initrd.img.old" is Broken
grizzler wrote:There should be a way to start the file browser as root, even on a live cd/usb system, by pressing Alt+F2 and entering gksu nautilus (provided nautilus is the name of the file browser you use) or entering that in a terminal window. It will ask for a password, but you need to set that first using the procedure described here: http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=63075
To clarify so I hope I don't make a big mistake while doing this, do sudo passwd, make a password, then run su whateverpassword I use, and try to see if I can make my hard drive bootable again? Thanks for all this help grizzler. With all this help I may just be able to get my hard drive bootable again.
Re: The Link "initrd.img.old" is Broken
Yes, if you can run the file browser as root, you should be able to set those permissions correctly. However, if after that you still get the same error when you try to log in, I'm out of ideas. As far as I am aware, the only other possible source of this problem would be a complete lack of free space on that disk.
Re: The Link "initrd.img.old" is Broken
How should I change the permissions and which folders should I change when running? Who should I change the owner to, as my username is not listed. Do I list it as Nobody, Mint live session user, or something entirely different. Thanks for the help as now I can actually change the owners, accessibility, etc. And as you mentioned, group should be listed as nobody with no access folder and files access as --- or None?grizzler wrote:Yes, if you can run the file browser as root, you should be able to set those permissions correctly. However, if after that you still get the same error when you try to log in, I'm out of ideas. As far as I am aware, the only other possible source of this problem would be a complete lack of free space on that disk.
In addition, there should be enough free space as only 40GB are used on the 500GB Hard Drive.
Thanks for telling me how to make the permissions in file manager working and changeable.
One last question: Can Gparted help with this problem as well?
Re: The Link "initrd.img.old" is Broken
As I wrote before, the owner is listed by number (1000) when you boot from a live cd/usb and that's fine. Changing the owner of anything to Nobody will mess things up further, so don't!
All you need to do is switch off the Group Read access bit for .ICEauthority. Don't change anything else. Login programs like MDM and GDM can be very picky about permissions and .ICEauthority is supposed to have read and write access for the user only and nobody else.
Gparted is for partitioning, so it won't help with this problem in any way.
All you need to do is switch off the Group Read access bit for .ICEauthority. Don't change anything else. Login programs like MDM and GDM can be very picky about permissions and .ICEauthority is supposed to have read and write access for the user only and nobody else.
Gparted is for partitioning, so it won't help with this problem in any way.
Re: The Link "initrd.img.old" is Broken
Switched group access to none, rebooted from hard drive:grizzler wrote:As I wrote before, the owner is listed by number (1000) when you boot from a live cd/usb and that's fine. Changing the owner of anything to Nobody will mess things up further, so don't!
All you need to do is switch off the Group Read access bit for .ICEauthority. Don't change anything else. Login programs like MDM and GDM can be very picky about permissions and .ICEauthority is supposed to have read and write access for the user only and nobody else.
Gparted is for partitioning, so it won't help with this problem in any way.
Failed to start XServer (your graphical interface) It is likely that it is not set up correctly.
The XServer is now disabled. Restart MDM when it is configured correctly.
Re: The Link "initrd.img.old" is Broken
As I wrote earlier, if this doesn't fix it, I'm out of ideas.
The fact that another component is now complaining indicates there's more amiss with your system than just that one permission bit on .ICEauthority (you did check the permissions on the /tmp folder I mentioned, didn't you?). There's no telling what else might fail next. Besides, with the X server involved, we're definitely getting into unfamiliar territory for me. Any advice I could give would just be a rehash of a search result without real insight. Not useful. Sorry.
The fact that another component is now complaining indicates there's more amiss with your system than just that one permission bit on .ICEauthority (you did check the permissions on the /tmp folder I mentioned, didn't you?). There's no telling what else might fail next. Besides, with the X server involved, we're definitely getting into unfamiliar territory for me. Any advice I could give would just be a rehash of a search result without real insight. Not useful. Sorry.
Re: The Link "initrd.img.old" is Broken
Changed the permission of the .ICEauthority file, what should the permissions of the tmp folder be? When I open the tmp folder nothing is inside of it and the permissions are both set to root.grizzler wrote:As I wrote earlier, if this doesn't fix it, I'm out of ideas.
The fact that another component is now complaining indicates there's more amiss with your system than just that one permission bit on .ICEauthority (you did check the permissions on the /tmp folder I mentioned, didn't you?). There's no telling what else might fail next. Besides, with the X server involved, we're definitely getting into unfamiliar territory for me. Any advice I could give would just be a rehash of a search result without real insight. Not useful. Sorry.
If nothing else can be done, I'm just glad my friend helped me get back access to my files and folders so I can copy what I need onto a flash drive and just make a fresh install.
Re: The Link "initrd.img.old" is Broken
You don't have to look inside the folder at this stage.
A couple of days ago I wrote this:
Edit: wait a moment - it's possible the display of the file browser's properties window you are presented with doesn't look the same as what I'm looking at, so the description above may be unclear (and the 'sticky bit' may not even be visible in that window). I think we'd better do this from the terminal, but in order to do that I need to know what the hard drive's mount point is when you boot from cd/usb. If you open a terminal window and enter mount, what is the resulting output?
A couple of days ago I wrote this:
So /tmp needs to have all options (read, write, execute) set for owner, group and other and the sticky bit must be set as well.Open the root of the hard drive in the file browser. Right click on the tmp folder, select the last item in the menu (probably 'Properties', but I can't be sure because I don't use an English language setup), click the third tab in the Properties window of tmp (most likely named 'Permissions') and look at the window. Are the owner/group both root? Are the nine option flags on the next three lines all set? Is the sticky bit set?
Edit: wait a moment - it's possible the display of the file browser's properties window you are presented with doesn't look the same as what I'm looking at, so the description above may be unclear (and the 'sticky bit' may not even be visible in that window). I think we'd better do this from the terminal, but in order to do that I need to know what the hard drive's mount point is when you boot from cd/usb. If you open a terminal window and enter mount, what is the resulting output?