Lost system after update. Can I get access to some data? {pretty much solved!}

[davey]

After installing kernel 3.8.18-pclos.a64,  synaptic wouldn't update further because of a broken package. A question in another topic (http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,113794.0.html) helped me identify the culprit as kdenetwork4-kppp-provider. (<= 4.6.5). I deleted that and installed the newer kdenetwork-kppp-provider. On reboot the OS started to open but ended up just showing a login box. I put in my usual info (as user and root) and got two terms on a black screen. Nothing I tried there got any response. The same thing happened with all the older versions of PCLOS on the boot screen. I was playing with Bodhi on another partition and that's OK, so it isn't the whole harddrive blowing up.

I installed a new MiniMe on an extra partition, hoping it could at least find some data, but it didn't even find the old partition. (Neither did Bodhi.) Tried Redo MBR with no results -- it didn't find the partition either. Gparted finds the partition, which even still has the PCLOS label, but that doesn't do any good that I know of. I don't want to make that install usable again so I'll just rebuild the MiniMe install, but there's some data I'd like to get at if possible. The important stuff was backed up, but there were a couple things I forgot, like the TBird address book.

If anyone has thoughts about using the terminals that pop up to get to some files? I'll probably download a recovery disk and see if that has anything, but will see if there are any ideas here first. Whether anything works or not, I'm thinking I'll format the whole harddrive and reinstall Mini again, just in case there are some viruses or other deep-down problems going on. Any help would be appreciated.

[muungwana]

can you expand on the "two terms on a black screen".

[davey]

Kind of hard to describe. Most of the screen is black except for localhost.localdomain   login box. After logging in with the usual passwords two small terminals appear. They take commands, but nothing I tried has any effect. Cressida has a similar report that crossed this topic in the mail: http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,113835.msg970935.html#msg970935

[JohnW_57]

Is it possible to run dmesg and post it on www.pastebin.com and post the link on the forum?

JohnW

[muungwana]

Kind of hard to describe. Most of the screen is black except for localhost.localdomain   login box. After logging in with the usual passwords two small terminals appear. They take commands, but nothing I tried has any effect. Cressida has a similar report that crossed this topic in the mail: http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,113835.msg970935.html#msg970935

For future reference,two terminals appearing after you log in is usually caused by X successfully starting but a desktop environment failed to start.

Since X is running,you should be able to start synaptic or any other GUI program.

Can you start synaptic?

In that link, he tried to start X while it was already running and went on to try to solve a different problem.

Both problem seem to be the same and its root is a bad desktop environment update.

[daniel]

What i'm not understanding is, if you have update the kernel, you can't access the older kernel to start your system?

Can you post the latest logfiles from Synaptic?
You find them under /root/.synaptic/log/
You can use

Code: [Select]

cat /root/.synaptic/log/latest_logfile

[davey]

muungawa, synaptic did run from the term. I tried to install task-kde4 but it wouldn't do it due to unresolvable dependencies.

John, I'll try that. Should work.

daniel, I tried to boot from the older systems on the boot list, but all now behave the same way. I'll try getting the logfiles.

Guys, thanks for the help. A thread on this topic came in just before this one, so we're running on two tracks. I'm going to paste my original post at http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,113835.msg970935.html#msg970935 and close this one so we're not duplicating. I really hope you'll join in there.

Update: sorry changed my mind and unlocked the topic. The problems seem slightly different, and all I care about is getting at some data if possible. I'll keep building my new Mini install as my default os. I'll be checking both topics, so please post where you think best. And try to excuse my zigzagging -- time to go get some coffee or calm-down stuff or something.

[Old-Polack]

muungawa, synaptic did run from the term. I tried to install task-kde4 but it wouldn't do it due to unresolvable dependencies.

John, I'll try that. Should work.

daniel, I tried to boot from the older systems on the boot list, but all now behave the same way. I'll try getting the logfiles.

Guys, thanks for the help. A thread on this topic came in just before this one, so we're running on two tracks. I'm going to paste my original post at http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,113835.msg970935.html#msg970935 and close this one so we're not duplicating. I really hope you'll join in there.

Update: sorry changed my mind and unlocked the topic. The problems seem slightly different, and all I care about is getting at some data if possible. I'll keep building my new Mini install as my default os. I'll be checking both topics, so please post where you think best. And try to excuse my zigzagging -- time to go get some coffee or calm-down stuff or something.

Open a terminal in the new installation, then type the command    fdisk -l    and press the Enter key.

Post the entire results, so we can see your partition layout. Include the prompt and command with the output.

[joechimp]

Well, I did a search , and low and behold someone else has the same problem as I.
I did an update yesterday and after the update, I have the same problem.
I too can't get any commands to work.
Lucky for me I have additional computers to use.
I will try some of the things mentioned here that I have not already tried and see what happens.


EDIT: I can't get any command to run in either of the white box terminals.

This really sucks. I get so used to never having problems with PCLinuxOS that when I do it hits you more than when Windows was in play. Every day with Windows something was possible to get wrong. Such a distant memory.

I guess this too will pass.

[menotu]

After installing kernel 3.8.18-pclos.a64,  synaptic wouldn't update further because of a broken package.

davey after installing kernel 3.8.18-pclos.a64 did you first reboot before doing any updates and/or new installations?

I personally do a new kernel installation in "isolation" from any updates and/or installation.

For your data you could run a LiveCD and grab the stuff you want

[joechimp]

OK, I decided to try some other things.

Even though no commands were working, I kept trying.

I was able to su to root. Why I didn't try that before, who knows ?
Well, I was able to fdisk-l. And it worked.
login however did not.

Any other commands anyone can suggest that might get me out of this?

[Old-Polack]

OK, I decided to try some other things.

Even though no commands were working, I kept trying.

I was able to su to root. Why I didn't try that before, who knows ?
Well, I was able to fdisk-l. And it worked.
login however did not.

Any other commands anyone can suggest that might get me out of this?

It would be helpful if you started a thread of your own. Include in the first post exactly what you upgraded, and how; ie did you add or remove any packages, did you reboot, did you install a different kernel at the same time, etc?

Just because the symptoms are similar doesn't mean the root cause is the same. It may well be, but it's best to treat each occurrence as a separate indecent, to avoid confusion.

[joechimp]

Thank you for responding O-P .

I will do what you say, but I have no idea what was removed or added.
I do know that there was a kernel update though.

It was on a computer that I hadn't done an update on for a few months so there was lot of updates and removals.

You are correct that we didn't get to this point in the same way. My synaptic update worked fine. My problem occurred when I did a reboot.
 The end problem is the same.

Also what board would be best to post this in to get the most attention?

[Old-Polack]

After installing kernel 3.8.18-pclos.a64, 

The above would seem to be inaccurate, as we do not have a kernel of that description. What kernel did you actually install?

Example:

[joechimp]

Before I start my own thread is this what I should have after yesterday's update.

That command works on mine and mine says 2.6.38.8-pclos3.bfs