I have searched and maybe I am missing something but all Wiki/Sticky/FAQ I have found predates the 13.1 release and I find references to updategrub which doesn’t exist on my 13.1 installation? There are plenty of grub2 files but no updategrub. Does anyone know the equivalent of it for Grub2 and in the alternative how to update grub to recover a crashed installation where the desktop no longer boots but instead drops to a console prompt.
Some grub documentation can be found here http://activedoc.opensuse.org/book/opensuse-reference/part-iii-system … or if you need more extensive, just go to the grub website and read the doc there.
if you have a console prompt, you unlikely have anything wrong with grub.
Never heard of an updategrub on openSUSE.
For re-installing grub2, have a look here:
http://forums.opensuse.org/content.php/128-Re-install-Grub2-from-DVD-Rescue
But on openSUSE 13.1 you have to use “mount -t proc proc /proc” instead of “mount /proc”, and “mount -t sysfs sysfs /sys” instead of “mount /sys” because those are not in /etc/fstab anymore.
Does anyone know the equivalent of it for Grub2 and in the alternative how to update grub to recover a crashed installation where the desktop no longer boots but instead drops to a console prompt.
If you reach a console prompt, grub2 is ok.
Try to start X manually with “sudo rcxdm start”.
If that doesn’t work, have a look at /var/log/Xorg.0.log why it fails.
And have you tried to select recovery mode in grub’s boot menu (“Advanced Options”)?
This assumes grub2 is installed in MBR which is wrong in general case (actually, it is not even default in openSUSE). Instead of grub2-install and grub2-mkconfig directly it is better to use “update-bootloader --reinit” which executes the same code as YaST bootloader module and tries to reinstall grub2 in configured location and re-create configuration.
The references to updategrub are here and again it is old
sudo rcxdm start
I executed as root and got the message with no graphical display
redirecting to systemctl] start xdm
I had a look at the X log file and have no way of getting it off the system but the last entry is
[37.255] (EE) Server terminated successfully (0). Closing log file.
Recovery mode always dumps me to a root console prompt hence my desire to update grub. The partitions are automounted and I can see the files but no desktop. I have tried all the options available in Grub and I always end up at a prompt. The machine is booting locally off the hard drive.
That is for grub-legacy AFAICS.
sudo rcxdm start
I executed as root and got the message
redirecting to systemctl] start xdm
So nothing happens?
What does “sudo systemctl xdm.service” say?
Try “startx” (as root, it won’t work as user on a default installation), does X start then?
And again, /var/log/Xorg.0.log might give a clue.
Or the logfile of your configured display manager (/var/log/kdm.log f.e.).
Sorry, but that alone doesn’t help.
Somewhere before that should be another error.
Maybe display the log and take a photograph?
Recovery mode always dumps me to a root console prompt hence my desire to update grub. The partitions are automounted and I can see the files but no desktop. I have tried all the options available in Grub and I always end up at a prompt. The machine is booting locally off the hard drive.
Well, X fails to start.
No need to re-install Grub.
If Grub would not work, you wouldn’t even get to a text mode login.
There are a lot of lines in log file and no glaring errors. What caused this was a crash of Xen. I had tried to install windows 2012 in a virtual machine and Xen crashed during the process so I shutdown and rebooted. ON reboot I had no desktop. The hardware is fine. I verified by removing hard drive and putting in a harddrive with windows which runs fine with the graphics card. Opensuse was running fine prior to the crash.
If I take a picture how many lines do you want. Just the last or all of them. I can of course pipe through more and get it page by page using a low res camera setting.
Well, hard to tell really.
I guess the best would be to just cat the file and take a picture of the last screen.
But please have a look at the file modification date/time first. (ls -l /var/log/Xorg.0.log)
If X fails to start at all the log shouldn’t be really that long. Maybe it is still there from the last successful boot? (i.e. X is not even trying to start)
What about kdm.log or startx?
If I delete the logs will they be recreated. I propose this to make troubleshooting easier. The ultimate goal here is to get either the OS running so I can send out my resume of somehow get my files off the machine until I can fix this failure. Right now I am working on both. Here I will focus on getting the OS running. Is it possible to reinstall the KDE environment without wiping out all my files and installed software? I would consider this.
Yes. just be sure when you install that you mount your current home partition as /home and DO NOT FORMAT it. Can be set in the advanced in the partitions part of the install. Also if from the install DVD if you do a update (ie 13.1 to 13.1) that should be set that way any way. and that should bring the system back. But always verify that the installer is doing what you expect on the final partition screen before actually executing it.
Note that if you have a bootable live DVD the recovery of you files could be done from there a lot easier.
Yes.
Here I will focus on getting the OS running. Is it possible to reinstall the KDE environment without wiping out all my files and installed software? I would consider this.
Maybe run something like this:
zypper in -f `rpm -qa`
That should reinstall all installed packages.
Or you can use YaST in text mode as well.
Or boot from an Installation medium and select “Upgrade an existing installation”, that should work as well (and fix your system) I think.
So before I pull the trigger I just want to confirm that I can go ahead and do the following without losing files or settings or installed software.
- Make a bootable USB stick and install from there.
- Do not change partitions - use the same.
- There should be 3 partitions used - boot, swap and home. Is this correct
- When I restart all my original settings, added on software packages, and files will be there.
If I have this right I will proceed. Point 4 is most important or it is a 3 day job to get packages, recompile etc.
And there is must one thing that kind of bugs me. I surely cant be the first to lose their desktop to a system crash.I have not made any changes to the OS. I simply need to get the graphical environment back. Is it possible to reinstall KDE?
I deleted the old log files, let OpenSuse restart into 13.1 desktop and the log files are attached. Is there a way here to attach files rather than cut and paste.
Here is kdm.log
Note that your system uses syslog. All of kdm’s internally generated messages
(i.e., not from libraries and external programs/scripts it uses) go to the
daemon.* syslog facility; check your syslog configuration to find out to which
file(s) it is logged. PAM logs messages related to authentication to authpriv.*.
This is a pre-release version of the X server from The X.Org Foundation.
It is not supported in any way.
Bugs may be filed in the bugzilla at http://bugs.freedesktop.org/.
Select the “xorg” product for bugs you find in this release.
Before reporting bugs in pre-release versions please check the
latest version in the X.Org Foundation git repository.
See http://wiki.x.org/wiki/GitPage for git access instructions.
X.Org X Server 1.14.3.901 (1.14.4 RC 1)
Release Date: 2013-10-26
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
Build Operating System: openSUSE SUSE LINUX
Current Operating System: Linux linux-31n4 3.11.6-4-desktop #1 SMP PREEMPT Wed Oct 30 18:04:56 UTC 2013 (e6d4a27) x86_64
Kernel command line: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.11.6-4-desktop root=UUID=f158dc1e-0d39-49cd-a1a4-b5ed6cf9cff1 resume=/dev/disk/by-id/ata-ST3500320AS_5QM08B0T-part5 splash=silent quiet showopts
Build Date: 19 December 2013 01:42:00PM
Current version of pixman: 0.30.2
Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org
to make sure that you have the latest version.
Markers: (–) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting,
(++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
(WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
(==) Log file: “/var/log/Xorg.0.log”, Time: Mon Jan 27 14:05:31 2014
(==) Using config directory: “/etc/X11/xorg.conf.d”
(==) Using system config directory “/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d”
Initializing built-in extension Generic Event Extension
Initializing built-in extension SHAPE
Initializing built-in extension MIT-SHM
Initializing built-in extension XInputExtension
Initializing built-in extension XTEST
Initializing built-in extension BIG-REQUESTS
Initializing built-in extension SYNC
Initializing built-in extension XKEYBOARD
Initializing built-in extension XC-MISC
Initializing built-in extension SECURITY
Initializing built-in extension XINERAMA
Initializing built-in extension XFIXES
Initializing built-in extension RENDER
Initializing built-in extension RANDR
Initializing built-in extension COMPOSITE
Initializing built-in extension DAMAGE
Initializing built-in extension MIT-SCREEN-SAVER
Initializing built-in extension DOUBLE-BUFFER
Initializing built-in extension RECORD
Initializing built-in extension DPMS
Initializing built-in extension X-Resource
Initializing built-in extension XVideo
Initializing built-in extension XVideo-MotionCompensation
Initializing built-in extension XFree86-VidModeExtension
Initializing built-in extension XFree86-DGA
Initializing built-in extension XFree86-DRI
Initializing built-in extension DRI2
Loading extension GLX
(II) [KMS] Kernel modesetting enabled.
(EE) Server terminated successfully (0). Closing log file.
Here is the last part of Xorg.o. It is too big to cut and paste
40.259] (**) Option "config_info" "udev:/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:13.0/usb7/7-1/7-1:1.1/input/input1/event1"
40.259] (II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "Logitech USB Keyboard" (type: KEYBOARD, id 9)
40.259] (**) Option "xkb_rules" "evdev"
40.259] (**) Option "xkb_model" "pc104"
40.259] (**) Option "xkb_layout" "us"
40.259] (II) evdev: Logitech USB Keyboard: initialized for absolute axes.
40.259] (**) Logitech USB Keyboard: (accel) keeping acceleration scheme 1
40.259] (**) Logitech USB Keyboard: (accel) acceleration profile 0
40.259] (**) Logitech USB Keyboard: (accel) acceleration factor: 2.000
40.259] (**) Logitech USB Keyboard: (accel) acceleration threshold: 4
40.260] (II) config/udev: Adding input device HDA ATI SB Line (/dev/input/event10)
40.260] (II) No input driver specified, ignoring this device.
40.260] (II) This device may have been added with another device file.
40.260] (II) config/udev: Adding input device HDA ATI SB Rear Mic (/dev/input/event11)
40.260] (II) No input driver specified, ignoring this device.
40.260] (II) This device may have been added with another device file.
40.260] (II) config/udev: Adding input device HDA ATI SB Front Mic (/dev/input/event12)
40.260] (II) No input driver specified, ignoring this device.
40.260] (II) This device may have been added with another device file.
40.260] (II) config/udev: Adding input device HDA ATI SB Front Headphone (/dev/input/event5)
40.260] (II) No input driver specified, ignoring this device.
40.260] (II) This device may have been added with another device file.
40.260] (II) config/udev: Adding input device HDA ATI SB Line Out Side (/dev/input/event6)
40.260] (II) No input driver specified, ignoring this device.
40.260] (II) This device may have been added with another device file.
40.260] (II) config/udev: Adding input device HDA ATI SB Line Out CLFE (/dev/input/event7)
40.260] (II) No input driver specified, ignoring this device.
40.260] (II) This device may have been added with another device file.
40.260] (II) config/udev: Adding input device HDA ATI SB Line Out Surround (/dev/input/event8)
40.260] (II) No input driver specified, ignoring this device.
40.260] (II) This device may have been added with another device file.
40.261] (II) config/udev: Adding input device HDA ATI SB Line Out Front (/dev/input/event9)
40.261] (II) No input driver specified, ignoring this device.
40.261] (II) This device may have been added with another device file.
40.261] (II) config/udev: Adding input device Eee PC WMI hotkeys (/dev/input/event13)
40.261] (**) Eee PC WMI hotkeys: Applying InputClass "evdev keyboard catchall"
40.261] (**) Eee PC WMI hotkeys: Applying InputClass "evdev keyboard catchall"
40.261] (**) Eee PC WMI hotkeys: Applying InputClass "LocalKeyboard"
40.261] (II) Using input driver 'evdev' for 'Eee PC WMI hotkeys'
40.261] (**) Eee PC WMI hotkeys: always reports core events
40.261] (**) evdev: Eee PC WMI hotkeys: Device: "/dev/input/event13"
40.261] (--) evdev: Eee PC WMI hotkeys: Vendor 0 Product 0
40.261] (--) evdev: Eee PC WMI hotkeys: Found keys
40.261] (II) evdev: Eee PC WMI hotkeys: Configuring as keyboard
40.261] (**) Option "config_info" "udev:/sys/devices/platform/eeepc-wmi/input/input13/event13"
40.261] (II) XINPUT: Adding extended input device "Eee PC WMI hotkeys" (type: KEYBOARD, id 10)
40.261] (**) Option "xkb_rules" "evdev"
40.261] (**) Option "xkb_model" "pc104"
40.261] (**) Option "xkb_layout" "us"
40.261] (II) config/udev: Adding input device PC Speaker (/dev/input/event4)
40.261] (II) No input driver specified, ignoring this device.
40.261] (II) This device may have been added with another device file.
40.761] (II) evdev: Eee PC WMI hotkeys: Close
40.761] (II) UnloadModule: "evdev"
40.761] (II) evdev: Logitech USB Keyboard: Close
40.761] (II) UnloadModule: "evdev"
40.761] (II) evdev: Logitech USB Keyboard: Close
40.761] (II) UnloadModule: "evdev"
40.761] (II) evdev: Power Button: Close
40.761] (II) UnloadModule: "evdev"
40.761] (II) evdev: Power Button: Close
40.761] (II) UnloadModule: "evdev"
40.774] (EE) Server terminated successfully (0). Closing log file.
I tried to reinstall using zipper and this is scary but I am getting really bad error messages from the repo
http://download.opensuse.org/distribution/13.1/repo/non-OSS/content
Connection failed.
I select retry and a few seconds later the same and then after about five in a row I aborted. And here is another ugly I am looking at on the screen right now. I was asked
Do you want to disable the repository openSuse-13.1-Non-Oss Permanently? [yes/no] (no): n /* I type the n - notice the response
Disabling repository ‘openSUSE-13.1-Non-Oss’.
^Z
[1]+ Stopped zipper in -f rpm -qa
I specifically selected n for no and just went ahead and disabled it anyways. Is this permanent if I killed the job?
Check my connection blazing fast at 25 Mbps and no problems.
That URL is wrong.
It should be http://download.opensuse.org/distribution/13.1/repo/non-OSS/, without “content” at the end.
Change it using YaST->Software Repositories (as I already said, YaST can also be used in text mode), or just disable the repo for now.
Regarding your logs, I still see no helpful error message.
Could you upload the whole Xorg.0.log to http://susepaste.org and post a link please?
PS: Your kdm.log says this:
Time: Mon Jan 27 14:05:31 2014
Was this your latest (unsuccessful) boot?
I don’t know which timezone you’re in…