[SOLVED]Unable to mount a partition prevents startup??

[jakke5]

LM 17.2 Mate
I have a ssd with programs and a hd with data.
Data on different partitions ( documents, video , ...) automatically mounted by means of links.
Now the system doen't start anymore.
I get a long list of messages from which I copy those (from a photograph):

Code: Select all

ACPI PCC probe failed
ata1.001 exception Emask 0x0 

etc
and further what seams to me to be the most important

Code: Select all

blk_update_request: I/O error, dev sda, sector 374296600
Buffer I/O error on dev sda10, logical block 3, async page read

I believe sda is the one with data.
After the long list of messages I get the maintenance shell and after giving my password I get the prompt:
name-of-my-system ~#
How can I ever save (part of) my data?

[coffee412]

Boot from your Mint cd to the desktop and run "disks" in accessories. Take a look at the smart data of the drive. Run the short test also would be nice. I bet the drive is probably failing. Perhaps after running the smart tests you can mount the drive thru disks and grab your data.

[jakke5]

Thx.
# 1 test: only the ssd connected
Smart data and short selftest do not show any failure on the ssd.
# 2 test: only the hd is connected
The system attempts to boot from the hd but fails. (I have LMDE2 on it too)
# 3 test: both ssd and hd connected
Same list of errors appears as while not booting from usb and finally the system says

Code: Select all

Give root password for maintenance 

Doing so I get the root-prompt
name-of-computer ~ #

[Flemur]

Thx.
# 1 test: only the ssd connected
...
Doing so I get the root-prompt
name-of-computer ~ #

Are you booting the LiveDVD/USB ?

I'd suggest using gparted (you might have to install it) to check the disks after you boot from the LiveDVD/USB. Disk selector is in the upper-right of the gparted GUI.

[jakke5]

Thx

Are you booting the LiveDVD/USB

Yes. The system doesn't boot from ssd or hd anymore.

I'd suggest using gparted

Done. It shows one warning after another but finally it shows an error reading /dev/sda10.

The important thing for me is not to be able to open /dev/sda10 and read its contents.
I'll be happy with being able to boot from the ssd, and being able to copy the content of /dev/sda (exept the sda10 part)
I can not open the other partitions of /dev/sda because I don't have the permissions necesary.

[jakke5]

If have a copy of the fstab file.
I wonder if it is possible to change the fstab copy, omitting the UUID of /dev/sda10, and then replace the fstab by the changed copy and if so HOW to do it?
Would that be helpfull?

[coffee412]

If have a copy of the fstab file.
I wonder if it is possible to change the fstab copy, omitting the UUID of /dev/sda10, and then replace the fstab by the changed copy and if so HOW to do it?
Would that be helpfull?

Please see my earlier post.

If your drive is having issues then I would suggest that you backup the partition and work with the backup copy on another known good drive. Otherwise the extra stress of recovering files on this drive could cause it to all out fail.

Playing around with the fstab file is not going to do anything when you are getting I/O errors on the drive itself.

[jakke5]

Thx
Maybe I didn't explain the problem well enough.
The machine has an ssd and a hd. I want to start the LM 17.3 which is on ssd, the data partitions being on the hd and links set to them .
With both disks connected the machine starts to boot and shows the LM symbol. That's all.
And that's my original question is about.
Does the error in mounting the partitions on the hd prevent the machie to boot??? I guess it does.

With only connected the ssd, I get something like a little menu.
It allows me to choose Wait, or Skip mounting or M for manual recovery.
In an earlier post I commented the result of choosing M: finally the root prompt.
Choosing Skip mounting gives me access to the system but without mounting the partitions on the hd (because not connected).
I.e.I cannot do any operation on my data.
This also means I cannot have a backup of the partition sda10 as you suggest.
But I don't care, because I have a rather recent backup of it.
The only thing I'm interested in (for now) is to be able to access the other data because from some data I don't have a recent backup.
Is the idea of changing fstab from within the system bad? What else can I do?

[coffee412]

Thx
Maybe I didn't explain the problem well enough.
The machine has an ssd and a hd. I want to start the LM 17.3 which is on ssd, the data partitions being on the hd and links set to them .
With both disks connected the machine starts to boot and shows the LM symbol. That's all.
And that's my original question is about.
Does the error in mounting the partitions on the hd prevent the machie to boot??? I guess it does.

With only connected the ssd, I get something like a little menu.
It allows me to choose Wait, or Skip mounting or M for manual recovery.
In an earlier post I commented the result of choosing M: finally the root prompt.
Choosing Skip mounting gives me access to the system but without mounting the partitions on the hd (because not connected).
I.e.I cannot do any operation on my data.
This also means I cannot have a backup of the partition sda10 as you suggest.
But I don't care, because I have a rather recent backup of it.
The only thing I'm interested in (for now) is to be able to access the other data because from some data I don't have a recent backup.
Is the idea of changing fstab from within the system bad? What else can I do?

In a previous post you mentioned this error:

Code: Select all

blk_update_request: I/O error, dev sda, sector 374296600
Buffer I/O error on dev sda10, logical block 3, async page read

This tells me that there is a problem with your hard drive (/dev/sda) and it might be causing your issues. So, We have to discover if this hard drive is functioning ok. We do this by booting your linux cd or usb stick to the live desktop. From the live desktop click on MENU/ACCESSORIES/DISKS .

In the disks program you click on the hard drive (/dev/sda) and see if anything shows up right a way about it having problems. If its not having problems then its a filesystem error of some kind that has to be explored further. Without first determining the health of the hard drive its just not feasible to try and fix anything - any other way.

If the hard drive shows bad sectors or just says its failing then it gets replaced.

So, Do the above and so that we know the health of your hard drive. Otherwise I cannot advise any further.

coffee

[jakke5]

I apologize for having used the word 'yet' when I should have used 'already'.
Maybe that's why you appear not to understand my posts.
So I'm trying to explain what I've already done.
You advice

We have to discover if this hard drive is functioning ok. We do this by booting your linux cd or usb stick to the live desktop. From the live desktop click on MENU/ACCESSORIES/DISKS .
In the disks program you click on the hard drive (/dev/sda) and see if anything shows up right a way about it having problems. If its not having problems then its a filesystem error of some kind that has to be explored further. Without first determining the health of the hard drive its just not feasible to try and fix anything - any other way.
If the hard drive shows bad sectors or just says its failing then it gets replaced.

All this I already have done. Please see my post of Wed Feb 22, 2017 6:45 am
I resume:
- booted from live-usb stick
- opened menu/accessories/disks
- in the diskprog clicked on the hd
As I wrote in earlier posts the outcome shows an error on sda10 (and only on sda10)
sector 374296600
Buffer I/O error on dev sda10, logical block 3, async page read
All that seem to be very clear: the hd suffers a problem on sector 374296600 and filesystem works just fine.

[coffee412]

I apologize for having used the word 'yet' when I should have used 'already'.
Maybe that's why you appear not to understand my posts.
So I'm trying to explain what I've already done.
You advice

We have to discover if this hard drive is functioning ok. We do this by booting your linux cd or usb stick to the live desktop. From the live desktop click on MENU/ACCESSORIES/DISKS .
In the disks program you click on the hard drive (/dev/sda) and see if anything shows up right a way about it having problems. If its not having problems then its a filesystem error of some kind that has to be explored further. Without first determining the health of the hard drive its just not feasible to try and fix anything - any other way.
If the hard drive shows bad sectors or just says its failing then it gets replaced.

All this I already have done. Please see my post of Wed Feb 22, 2017 6:45 am
I resume:
- booted from live-usb stick
- opened menu/accessories/disks
- in the diskprog clicked on the hd
As I wrote in earlier posts the outcome shows an error on sda10 (and only on sda10)
sector 374296600
Buffer I/O error on dev sda10, logical block 3, async page read
All that seem to be very clear: the hd suffers a problem on sector 374296600 and filesystem works just fine.

Alright, Was not clear to me. Thats the problem with message bases sometimes. Anyways.........

For whatever reason, Your hard drive is dying. So, Now you need to get a hold of a new hard drive and if you can, Clone over your operating system or start fresh.

Easiest way to clone it is using DD but you can also use clonezilla.

Sorry I was not understanding your posts from earlier.

coffee

[jakke5]

Thx
My operating sytem on the ssd is working just fine in stand-alone modus. The only problem is it doesn't boot any more when also the hd is connected.
And therefore I cannot mount the partitions on that one, the hd.
And consequently, I cannot make a copy nor clone it.
And now I'm looking for a workaround.
Once I can copy the data on the partitions, I can integrate partitions on a new hd in the system by means of links and copy the data to it. That's no problem.

[jakke5]

As I thought right from the beginning, not able to mount a partition (set to be automatically mounted at startup) prevents the system to start.
I now changed fstab. I put a comment-mark # before each line that refers to a UUID and now the system on ssd starts without hesitation.

Unfortunately, the hd remains unmountable.
I tried to read it from a dockstation, but it cannot be mounted.
No great harm done, I have 99.9 % of my data copied in backup.

I finally encountered a workaround:
Disconnect the hd.
Boot from ssd. After a long time the system offers a little menu.
It allows to choose Wait, or Skip mounting or M for manual recovery.
Choose S
The system boots normally.
In the terminal 2x

Code: Select all

cd ..

and further

Code: Select all

cd etc
sudo gedit fstab

Mark all the partitions as comment (by putting # in front of them)
Save fstab.
Restart. The system boots smoothly (i.e. without the data on the hidden partitions)
Shut down, connect the hd, start the system. Now you can use the prog GPART in order to try to recover the data. I've only lost the data in the corrupted partition.