Startup problem (emergency:D )

English Install/Boot/Login
1

Hello,

It just recently happened that I got a nasty problem after trying some 3d games. Trouble is somewhere in inittab file and sdb3, and not graphic crash or such - I am sure because I have descently installed ATI drivers and was running 3D effects with no problem. First game I tried to emulate was through wine but then all froze and after restart it reported something about initab, fstab,sbd or similar. But I solved it somehow with fcsk, it then seemed alright after check/repair. Then I tried another game, client for 3d game actually, written for linux(.sh file install) and noticed after that no application can be started, firefox, opera, terminal, nothing. Next reboot brought me the latest problem. This is what it says:

doing fast boot
Creating device nodes with udev
Trying manual resume from /dev/disk/by-id/ata-Hitachi_HDS721616PLAT80_PV690... **(etc)**... -part6
resume device /dev/disk/by-id/ata-Hitatchi...**(ED - SAME LINE AS ABOVE)**.. not found (ignoring)
resume device **(SAME LINE)** not found ignoring
Waiting for device **SAME LINE AS ABOVE** -part 3 to appear: ok
fsck from util-linux-ng 2.16
[/sbin/fsck.ext4 (1) --/] fsck.ext4 -a /dev/sdb3
       (by less than a day, probably due to buggy init scripts). FIXED.
/dev/sdb3: Superblock last write time is in the future.
       (by less than a day, probably due to buggy init scripts). FIXED.
/dev/sdb3 contains a file system with errors, check forced.
/dev/sdb3: Missing '..' in directory inode 16419.

/dev/sdb3: UNEXPECTED INCONSISTENCY; RUN fsck MANUALLY.
       (i.e., without -a or -p options)
fsck failed. Mounting root device read only.
Mounting root /dev/disk/by-id/ata-Hitachi....**(AGAIN, SAME AS MENTIONED)** -part3 
mount -o ro,acl,user_xattr -t ext4 /dev/disk/by-id/ata-Hitachi_HDS7216...**ETC** -part3 /root
INIT: version 2.86 booting
INIT: No inittab file found

Enter runlevel:               "

Any number I enter, it will respond:

INIT: Entering runlevel: 3
INIT: no more processes left in this runlevel

After entering I can’t do anything further.

I tried to use DVD Repair option and any error concerning SDB was impossible to fix, I could only go with “Skip”. I’ve chosen to repair sdb3, by necessary delete of some other 3 partitions, not sure which but its not important now. Finished the procedure, restarted and nothing… Its still the same errors.

Suse 11.3 is coming out soon, but it would be good if I menage to start this system again and keep the data (if most of if remained anyway), so can someone please help here?

2

Btw, using Suse 11.2, KDE 4.3

3

This sounds like a failing disk drive to me. File system corruption just does not happen without a hardware problem or power problem.

4

I will try to install something else, like Ubuntu, until 11.3 comes out just to check if there really is any hardware problem.

In fact I can’t even re-install Suse 11.2 because its DVD won’t boot anymore. Why? I worked on Ubuntu live DVD but only Suse won’t boot. It just stays at “Booting from cd…” endlessly. This appeared when I manually run fsck, fixing everything that system asked for.

5

If physical disc is critical then its relatively new Hitachi 130GB in question, because I have a smaller hard disk as well, where Windows XP are installed. Now I formatted Hitachi through Win xp as one NTFS partition. Its just weird that because of hard drive or power(less probable) - as answer posted in thread suggests - no Linux DVD Live would work, like when I tried to load Ubuntu from DVD. Or Suse DVD doesn’t boot at all, suddenly.

Ubuntu installation or try from DVD loaded endlessly or gave hundreds of errors like:

"error: squashfs_read_data failed to read block 0x3369ea44

squashfs error: unable to read fragment cache entry [3369ea44] error on device sr1, logical block
init: failsafe-x main process (2015) terminated with status 1
end_request: I/O error, dev sr1, sector 1710784" and similar.

Linux LIVE CD/DVD instant try loads from CD/DVD medium, AND NOT from hard drive. So how is all this possible? I should know how to explain the problem when changing my hard drive for a new one, if it is indeed guilty as charged.

6

Is there a way for you to check your PSU and GPU. Looks to me like you have hardware errors, and I think its a failing PSU.

Got a spare PSU you could swap out to test? When every bootable CD/DVD fails its not the CDs, and because the problem started with your hard drive, I don’t think that’s the problem either.

Just my opinion. :wink:

7

On 2010-07-05 16:16 GMT druj nas wrote:

…

> /dev/sdb3: UNEXPECTED INCONSISTENCY; RUN fsck MANUALLY.
> (i.e., without -a or -p options)
> fsck failed. Mounting root device read only.
> Mounting root /dev/disk/by-id/ata-Hitachi…(AGAIN, SAME AS
> MENTIONED) -part3 mount -o ro,acl,user_xattr -t
> ext4 /dev/disk/by-id/ata-Hitachi_HDS7216…ETC -part3 /root INIT:
> version 2.86 booting INIT: No inittab file found

You have to add that “inittab” file from a backup via rescue cd. Either
something erased a lot of things in your HD, or your HD is bad. Run
manufacturer tests on it, or use smartctl.

If also your dvds will not be read, it is possible that your dvd unit
is bad, or that you have another serious issue.

You mentioned you have another HD with XP? If that works, I doubt it is
the power supply.

You could try to download the HD manufacturer test utility, and use it
to test your HD. Seagate has a good one (boots from floppy, old
version, or from CD, newer version).

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 11.2 x86_64 “Emerald” GM (Elessar))

8

Thanks for the answers.

Gogalthorp and Tararpharazon, I will check for power supply, in BIOS or something, because I have very little space left inside computer, its quite a mess.

Carlos E.R., yes, cd or floppy will help maybe, and I must add that result from last formatting of suspicious hard drive(into NTFS) brought me standard GRUB error, so I can’t start windows from another drive anymore. Fun, is it not? lol!

But that is only GRUB screwed, anyway I can be 99.9% sure that power supply problem is not the case.

HARD DRIVE on the other hand is a hell of a good candidate.
As far as I remember I had some bad sector reports when I first bought it (about 2 years ago). I ignored it, all worked fine for year or so.

I don’t remember if I checked DVD device in windows. But I must be under some kind of curse if that component just stopped working at the same time as hard drive rotfl!

Can someone explain logic beyond not being able to start DVD Live/Installation?
Does it maybe copy some files to (broken) hard disk before installation starts so that could interrupt?

I didn’t try XP installation cd, only latest Ubuntu and Suse 11.2. While Ubuntu loads without end when configuring installation should follow, Suse won’t boot at all.

Keep in mind that I can’t start anything now because of broken GRUB. Honestly, I have no clue what to do next besides traveling to other city with my components(the store where I bought it has stopped working here as well:) ).

Is there ANY solution?
Sorry for longer post but I try to be detailed.

9

Yep Druj_nas, looks bad. :
If you haven’t back up your XP installation. Other than the hw suspects mentioned before or a failed sdb drive, there’s limited diagnosis tools. **You should re-post your problems in one of the Hardware forums, alt.comp.hardware and alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt, etc. just in case. **

If this is a hardware issue as I suspect, can you boot a base system? Disconnect the /dev/sdb drive and PCIs other than VGA/GPU just to see if that eliminates DVD and HD read errors, and check that your memory and GPU are securely installed.

You can also visually check your m/b and GPU for leaky transistors, fans work, etc.
If you can read DVD/CDs without errors, your problem could be a failing psu. I wouldn’t try to install from DVD/CD unless you can check the media successfully each time.

If you can boot nicely just the XP drive, then you can look at events logs to see what system errors are being reported. IIRC, GPU errors look like stuck screens, memory error messages or blotchy screens.

10

On 2010-07-10 18:16 GMT druj nas wrote:

> HARD DRIVE on the other hand is a hell of a good candidate.
> As far as I remember I had some bad sector reports when I first bought
> it (about 2 years ago). I ignored it, all worked fine for year or so.

So you did not use SMART tests. (SMART: see wikipedia).

> I don’t remember if I checked DVD device in windows. But I must be
> under some kind of curse if that component just stopped working at the
> same time as hard drive rotfl!

Things happen. Unless… unless those two are pATA on the same cable.

> Can someone explain logic beyond not being able to start DVD
> Live/Installation?
> Does it maybe copy some files to (broken) hard disk before
> installation starts so that could interrupt?

No, but it tries to read it.

> Honestly, I have no clue what to do next besides traveling to other
> city with my components(the store where I bought it has stopped
> working here as well:) ).

It smells of hardware problem, and the usual test is to interchange
suspected pieces.

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 11.2 x86_64 “Emerald” GM (Elessar))

11

Old hard drive was a thrash. All is solved now. Thanks for help.