SOLVED unable to boot after re-install

[flighty]

Hi,

I re-installed Pclinuxos 2010 without problem, using a cd downloaded some time ago.  All worked well as I have come to expect from our OS over many years now.  However, I then updated as normal, which took about an hour, and when I re-booted I found my computer unusable.

PcLinuxOS was my sole OS, using the whole of the hard drive.  The initial screen came up okay, offering the ordinary boot and the 'safe' mode.  Whichever one I selected all is got was the blue screen with the bull on it.  The computer then froze there.  Using the F12 booting option made no difference.

So I have had to install another distro to be able to post here.  I don't like this distro at all and want 'mine' back.

I hope someone can help here, please.

[Texstar]

Hi,

I re-installed Pclinuxos 2010 without problem, using a cd downloaded some time ago.  All worked well as I have come to expect from our OS over many years now.  However, I then updated as normal, which took about an hour, and when I re-booted I found my computer unusable.

PcLinuxOS was my sole OS, using the whole of the hard drive.  The initial screen came up okay, offering the ordinary boot and the 'safe' mode.  Whichever one I selected all is got was the blue screen with the bull on it.  The computer then froze there.  Using the F12 booting option made no difference.

So I have had to install another distro to be able to post here.  I don't like this distro at all and want 'mine' back.

I hope someone can help here, please.

Download and install from a fresh iso and keep up with your updates every week or two and not wait 2-3 months and you will be able to run for a long long time. Once the updates get too large, too much can go wrong so we make an updated iso.

http://www.pclinuxos.com/?page_id=10

[aguila]

When you boot in verbose mode, do you get any messages that might help here?

Next time maybe try a livecd first so you don't have to install a different distro.

You say

PcLinuxOS was my sole OS, using the whole of the hard drive.

Does it mean you have one sole partition?

[flighty]

Thanks for your replies.  All is well now and I will update at regular intervals as recommended.

Keeping a live distro handy for another such occurence is a good idea.  And, yes, I had PCLinuxOS occupying all of my hard drive, except for a swap partition.

[aguila]

Just some ideas for less headaches in such cases:

1) Create three partitions:

- swap (max. twice your RAM)
- / (root), about 20 to 30 GB should be fine, depending on what to intend to install
- /home, rest of the drive for you personal data

2) a suggestion found in the forum

instead of only /home, create a small /home and a /data partition for your personal stuff, then create softlinks for "Documents", "Pictures", etc. folders in your /home partition for the folders in your /data partition.

That will keep your personal stuff and all the .files (settings, profiles, etc.) seperate. When re-installing, you'll only have to save your e-mails and contact data and you can format the /home partition for a clean install. Re-create the symlinks and you're done.

3) a suggestion found somewhere else on the net

keep a partition of approx. 10 gb free where you could place a new installation before wiping the old one. Of course you can make it the same size as your / partition.


Just in case it might be helpful for someone...

All is well now

Would you mark the thread as [SOLVED] then?

[flighty]

Aguila,

Yes, I think that will be helpful for me.  I'll have to study your instructions of course and will come back if I have any queries.

Many thanks.