Help! Lost my mount for /home - data is still there & accessible for the moment

[Grisen]

Logged in as root on the live CD:

[root@localhost root]# mount /dev/sda9  /mnt/here
mount: you must specify the filesystem type
[root@localhost root]# mount -t ext4 /dev/sda9 /mnt/here
mount: special device /dev/sda9 does not exist                                                                                                               
[root@localhost root]# mount |grep /dev/sd                                                                                                                   
[root@localhost root]# mount /dev/sda9  /mnt/here                                                                                                           
mount: you must specify the filesystem type               

You can see I'm stuck...  don't know why live cd as root does not recognize sda9                                                                                                   

[Grisen]

FWIW system seems to function normally.  I won't try updates until I hear back.

Current /etc/fstab via Dolphin
# Entry for /dev/sda9 :
UUID=562dc3b7-cd05-4856-8085-118701201bb4 / ext4 defaults 1 1
# Entry for /dev/sda6 :
UUID=DECE3062CE30355D /Windows7 ntfs-3g defaults,umask=000 0 0
# Entry for /dev/sda3 :
UUID=1C904E90904E6FF6 /Windows\040Vista ntfs-3g defaults,umask=000 0 0
# Entry for /dev/sda5 :
UUID=862A2F402A2F2D1D /Windows\040XP ntfs-3g defaults,umask=000 0 0
none /dev/pts devpts defaults 0 0
tmpfs /dev/shm tmpfs defaults 0 0
none /proc proc defaults 0 0
# Entry for /dev/sda8 :
UUID=1955e3a4-a687-4eff-a445-c94967fff8f3 swap swap defaults 0 0
# Entry for /dev/sda7
UUID=61495399-6fc2-464a-9545-8e9ab676a567 /home ext4 defaults 0 0

[Old-Polack]

Logged in as root on the live CD:

[root@localhost root]# mount /dev/sda9  /mnt/here
mount: you must specify the filesystem type
[root@localhost root]# mount -t ext4 /dev/sda9 /mnt/here
mount: special device /dev/sda9 does not exist                                                                                                              
[root@localhost root]# mount |grep /dev/sd                                                                                                                  
[root@localhost root]# mount /dev/sda9  /mnt/here                                                                                                            
mount: you must specify the filesystem type              

You can see I'm stuck...  don't know why live cd as root does not recognize sda9                                                                                                  

You are not showing the creation of the mount points /mnt/here and /mnt/there. It is helpful if all the steps are shown, so that in the event of an error  we can check for typos in the command that triggered the error.  

When you get an error of this type, it means the liveCD running system doesn't recognize the partition as /dev/sda9. To see what it is currently seen as, use the command;

[root@locakhost ~]# fdisk -l                         <Enter>

The output will show each attached hard drive and each partition as well as any USB storage devices attached. The size of each drive will tell you which is which if there are more than one, and there will be a /dev/sd<something> designation to tell you what letter has been assigned to each drive. If, for whatever reason, the drive you think of as /dev/sda is being seen as /dev/sdb or /dev/sdc, modify the mount command to use the current designation. Ie:

[root@localhost root]# mount /dev/sda9  /mnt/here

would become;

[root@localhost root]# mount /dev/sdb9  /mnt/here

or;

[root@localhost root]# mount /dev/sdc9  /mnt/here

depending on the results of the fdisk -l command.

[Old-Polack]

FWIW system seems to function normally.  I won't try updates until I hear back.

Current /etc/fstab via Dolphin
# Entry for /dev/sda9 :
UUID=562dc3b7-cd05-4856-8085-118701201bb4 / ext4 defaults 1 1
# Entry for /dev/sda6 :
UUID=DECE3062CE30355D /Windows7 ntfs-3g defaults,umask=000 0 0
# Entry for /dev/sda3 :
UUID=1C904E90904E6FF6 /Windows\040Vista ntfs-3g defaults,umask=000 0 0
# Entry for /dev/sda5 :
UUID=862A2F402A2F2D1D /Windows\040XP ntfs-3g defaults,umask=000 0 0
none /dev/pts devpts defaults 0 0
tmpfs /dev/shm tmpfs defaults 0 0
none /proc proc defaults 0 0
# Entry for /dev/sda8 :
UUID=1955e3a4-a687-4eff-a445-c94967fff8f3 swap swap defaults 0 0
# Entry for /dev/sda7
UUID=61495399-6fc2-464a-9545-8e9ab676a567 /home ext4 defaults 0 0

At this stage it should function normally. The copy process has been successful and the "mike" directory on the partition is now in use. This is good.

All that's left is to remove the stuff in the mount point directory /home on the / partition to regain the space there. It won't hurt anything being there, other than wasting some space that could otherwise be better used for installed applications or system processes.

[Grisen]

[root@localhost root]# fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x2a2808f0

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1               1           8       64228+  de  Dell Utility
/dev/sda2               9        1967    15735667+   7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3   *        1968       14369    99619065    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda4           14370       60801   372965040    5  Extended
/dev/sda5           14370       26118    94373811    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda6           26119       43350   138416008+   7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda7           43351       58397   120864996   83  Linux
/dev/sda8           58398       58791     3164773+  82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda9           58792       60801    16145293+  83  Linux
[root@localhost root]# mkdir -p /mnt/here
[root@localhost root]# mount /dev/sda9  /mnt/here
[root@localhost root]# rm -rf /mnt/here/home/*
[root@localhost root]#

Hats off to you, OP!  Not just for your knowledge but for even more valuable character qualities of patience AND persistence.

My trip has been delayed a day-- people who were going to watch the dog changed their minds .  So, if you care to proceed with the 1TB drive, I'm game.  My objective there is to COPY the PCLOS installation from the 500 gig to the 1 TB, which failed when using the Acronis cloning utility.  I have usable ext4 partitions there, so just need some directions on how to copy files over, probably after a reformat.  BTW the partitions should be exactly the same size, since Acronis dynamically expanded the six windows partitions and kept the size of the Linux partitions static (go figure) to use all of the 1TB space.

Have a SATA>USB rig that makes the 1 TB appear in PCLOS and windows as a removable usb drive.

[Old-Polack]

[root@localhost root]# fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x2a2808f0

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1               1           8       64228+  de  Dell Utility
/dev/sda2               9        1967    15735667+   7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3   *        1968       14369    99619065    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda4           14370       60801   372965040    5  Extended
/dev/sda5           14370       26118    94373811    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda6           26119       43350   138416008+   7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda7           43351       58397   120864996   83  Linux
/dev/sda8           58398       58791     3164773+  82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda9           58792       60801    16145293+  83  Linux
[root@localhost root]# mkdir -p /mnt/here
[root@localhost root]# mount /dev/sda9  /mnt/here
[root@localhost root]# rm -rf /mnt/here/home/*
[root@localhost root]#

Hats off to you, OP!  Not just for your knowledge but for even more valuable character qualities of patience AND persistence.

My trip has been delayed a day-- people who were going to watch the dog changed their minds (I seriously thought about shooting the dog today).  So, if you care to proceed with the 1TB drive, I'm game.  My objective there is to COPY the PCLOS installation from the 500 gig to the 1 TB, which failed when using the Acronis cloning utility.  I have usable ext4 partitions there, so just need some directions on how to copy files over, probably after a reformat.  BTW the partitions should be exactly the same size, since Acronis dynamically expanded the six windows partitions and kept the size of the Linux partitions static (go figure) to use all of the 1TB space.

Have a SATA>USB rig that makes the 1 TB appear in PCLOS and windows as a removable usb drive.

Both of my drives on this computer are external, and can be connected be either e-SATA or USB cables. All my installations are on these two drives so they are portable between this and my backup unit.

To do the copying to the 1 TB drive, both drives need to be attached, and the actual copying should again be done from the liveCD. The first thing that needs to be shown is the current partition layout of the 1 TB drive. Is it the same, except for size, as the 500 GB drive? This can again be shown with the fdisk -l command, from the liveCD, as root, with both drives attached.

Show me the full results, so I can see what you see.

Example:

Mine looks like this;

[root@fatman ~]# fdisk -l

Code:

Disk /dev/sdb: 750.2 GB, 750156374016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 91201 cylinders, total 1465149168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x2db1883a

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdb1              63      208844      104391   83  Linux
/dev/sdb2          208845    12225464     6008310   82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdb3        12225465    72244304    30009420   83  Linux
/dev/sdb4        72244305  1465144064   696449880    5  Extended
/dev/sdb5        72244368   272253554   100004593+  83  Linux
/dev/sdb6       272253618   670713749   199230066   83  Linux
/dev/sdb7       670713813   731278799    30282493+  83  Linux
/dev/sdb8       731278863   811378889    40050013+  83  Linux
/dev/sdb9       811378953  1045767239   117194143+  83  Linux
/dev/sdb10     1045767303  1280155589   117194143+  83  Linux
/dev/sdb11     1280155653  1465144064    92494206   83  Linux

Disk /dev/sda: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders, total 1953525168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x0000d21c

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1              63      626534      313236   83  Linux
/dev/sda2          626535    16820054     8096760   82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda3        16820055   114495254    48837600   83  Linux
/dev/sda4       114495255  1953520064   919512405    5  Extended
/dev/sda5       114495318   329332499   107418591   83  Linux
/dev/sda6       329332563   534434354   102550896   83  Linux
/dev/sda7       534434418   596943269    31254426   83  Linux
/dev/sda8       596943333   659452184    31254426   83  Linux
/dev/sda9       659452248   721961099    31254426   83  Linux
/dev/sda10      721961163   784470014    31254426   83  Linux
/dev/sda11      784470078   994198589   104864256   83  Linux
/dev/sda12      994198653  1623368249   314584798+  83  Linux
/dev/sda13     1623368313  1685893229    31262458+  83  Linux
/dev/sda14     1685893293  1749366044    31736376   83  Linux
/dev/sda15     1749366108  1816485614    33559753+  83  Linux
/dev/sda16     1816487663  1889887982    36700160   83  Linux
/dev/sda17     1889890031  1953520064    31815017   83  Linux

Note that I don't have any Windows partitions, and my results show starting and ending sectors, rather than cylinders. Also note that for reasons I don't know, /dev/sdb is shown before /dev/sda. To see the results expressed as cylinders I can use the following command;

[root@fatman ~]# fdisk -l -u=cylinders

Code:

Disk /dev/sdb: 750.2 GB, 750156374016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 91201 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x2db1883a

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdb1               1          13      104391   83  Linux
/dev/sdb2              14         761     6008310   82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdb3             762        4497    30009420   83  Linux
/dev/sdb4            4498       91201   696449880    5  Extended
/dev/sdb5            4498       16947   100004593+  83  Linux
/dev/sdb6           16948       41750   199230066   83  Linux
/dev/sdb7           41751       45520    30282493+  83  Linux
/dev/sdb8           45521       50506    40050013+  83  Linux
/dev/sdb9           50507       65096   117194143+  83  Linux
/dev/sdb10          65097       79686   117194143+  83  Linux
/dev/sdb11          79687       91201    92494206   83  Linux

Disk /dev/sda: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x0000d21c

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1               1          39      313236   83  Linux
/dev/sda2              40        1047     8096760   82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda3            1048        7127    48837600   83  Linux
/dev/sda4            7128      121601   919512405    5  Extended
/dev/sda5            7128       20500   107418591   83  Linux
/dev/sda6           20501       33267   102550896   83  Linux
/dev/sda7           33268       37158    31254426   83  Linux
/dev/sda8           37159       41049    31254426   83  Linux
/dev/sda9           41050       44940    31254426   83  Linux
/dev/sda10          44941       48831    31254426   83  Linux
/dev/sda11          48832       61886   104864256   83  Linux
/dev/sda12          61887      101050   314584798+  83  Linux
/dev/sda13         101051      104942    31262458+  83  Linux
/dev/sda14         104943      108893    31736376   83  Linux
/dev/sda15         108894      113071    33559753+  83  Linux
/dev/sda16         113072      117641    36700160   83  Linux
/dev/sda17         117641      121601    31815017   83  Linux

This reflects a change in fdisk for it's latest versions, in order to be able to partition drives larger than 2 TB.

[Grisen]

Here's what I can get you.  My most recent working live CD is 2010.1.  The 2011.12 CD will not spin up.  So apparently the -u=cylinders switch must be more recent that Jan 2010.

[root@localhost root]# fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x2a2808f0

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1               1           8       64228+  de  Dell Utility
/dev/sda2               9        1967    15735667+   7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3   *        1968       14369    99619065    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda4           14370       60801   372965040    5  Extended
/dev/sda5           14370       26118    94373811    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda6           26119       43350   138416008+   7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda7           43351       58397   120864996   83  Linux
/dev/sda8           58398       58791     3164773+  82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda9           58792       60801    16145293+  83  Linux

Disk /dev/sdb: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x1e447eb6

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdb1               1          19      152586   de  Dell Utility
/dev/sdb2              20        4725    37800945    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sdb3   *        4726       34521   239336370    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sdb4           34522      121601   699470100    5  Extended
/dev/sdb5           34522       62748   226733346    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sdb6           62749      104150   332561533+   7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sdb7          104151      119197   120864996   83  Linux
/dev/sdb8          119198      119591     3164773+  82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdb9          119592      121601    16145293+  83  Linux
[root@localhost root]# fdisk -l -u=cylinders
fdisk: invalid option -- '='

Usage: fdisk [-b SSZ] [-u] DISK     Change partition table
       fdisk -l [-b SSZ] [-u] DISK  List partition table(s)
       fdisk -s PARTITION           Give partition size(s) in blocks
       fdisk -v                     Give fdisk version
Here DISK is something like /dev/hdb or /dev/sda
and PARTITION is something like /dev/hda7
-u: give Start and End in sector (instead of cylinder) units
-b 2048: (for certain MO disks) use 2048-byte sectors
[root@localhost root]#

[Old-Polack]

Here's what I can get you.  My most recent working live CD is 2010.1.  The 2011.12 CD will not spin up.  So apparently the -u=cylinders switch must be more recent that Jan 2010.

[root@localhost root]# fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x2a2808f0

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1               1           8       64228+  de  Dell Utility
/dev/sda2               9        1967    15735667+   7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3   *        1968       14369    99619065    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda4           14370       60801   372965040    5  Extended
/dev/sda5           14370       26118    94373811    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda6           26119       43350   138416008+   7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda7           43351       58397   120864996   83  Linux
/dev/sda8           58398       58791     3164773+  82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda9           58792       60801    16145293+  83  Linux

Disk /dev/sdb: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x1e447eb6

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdb1               1          19      152586   de  Dell Utility
/dev/sdb2              20        4725    37800945    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sdb3   *        4726       34521   239336370    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sdb4           34522      121601   699470100    5  Extended
/dev/sdb5           34522       62748   226733346    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sdb6           62749      104150   332561533+   7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sdb7          104151      119197   120864996   83  Linux
/dev/sdb8          119198      119591     3164773+  82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdb9          119592      121601    16145293+  83  Linux
[root@localhost root]# fdisk -l -u=cylinders
fdisk: invalid option -- '='

Usage: fdisk [-b SSZ] [-u] DISK     Change partition table
       fdisk -l [-b SSZ] [-u] DISK  List partition table(s)
       fdisk -s PARTITION           Give partition size(s) in blocks
       fdisk -v                     Give fdisk version
Here DISK is something like /dev/hdb or /dev/sda
and PARTITION is something like /dev/hda7
-u: give Start and End in sector (instead of cylinder) units
-b 2048: (for certain MO disks) use 2048-byte sectors
[root@localhost root]#

Right now the Linux partitions are the same size on the 1 TB drive as the ones on the 500 GB drive. Did you want to change those sizes to make the 1 TB partitions larger?

[zolar1]

I just had that problem too last night.
I fixed it by using the live CD.

I went into root/etc and renamed fstab to something else. I then copied the fstabbackup file to the same directory - it said same name and overwrite or rename. I renamed the copy to just fstab. I restarted the computer and everything worked fine.