after full update machine will not boot

[gilado]

Started synaptic
reload
mark all upgrades
apply

all seemed well. rebooted and machine won't boot

used live cd to examine the disk (fine) partitions (all readable and seem fine)

i then noticed that the upgrade apparently changed (replaced?) initrd but not the kernel.

{{{
[root@localhost ~]# ls -l  /media/disk/boot
total 10316

-rw-rw-r-- 1 root root     440 2010-09-13 11:14 boot.backup.sda
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root      26 2011-07-08 10:13 config -> config-2.6.33.5-pclos1.bfs
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  112815 2010-05-30 02:42 config-2.6.33.5-pclos1.bfs
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root  517632 2011-08-07 11:36 gfxmenu*
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root    4096 2011-08-07 11:24 grub/
-rw------- 1 root root 6146901 2011-08-07 11:36 initrd-2.6.33.5-pclos1.bfs.img
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root      30 2010-09-13 11:04 initrd.img -> initrd-2.6.33.5-pclos1.bfs.img
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root      34 2011-07-08 10:13 kernel.h -> /boot/kernel.h-2.6.33.5-pclos1.bfs
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root    1493 2011-07-08 10:13 kernel.h-2.6.33.5-pclos1.bfs
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  254766 2006-11-05 23:23 message-graphic
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root      30 2010-09-13 11:04 System.map -> System.map-2.6.33.5-pclos1.bfs
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1410698 2010-05-30 02:42 System.map-2.6.33.5-pclos1.bfs
-rw-rw-r-- 1 root root     256 2010-09-13 11:14 us.klt
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root      27 2010-09-13 11:04 vmlinuz -> vmlinuz-2.6.33.5-pclos1.bfs
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 2059536 2010-05-30 02:42 vmlinuz-2.6.33.5-pclos1.bfs
}}}

The symptom is that upon boot and bios output the machine reboots again and again.

Redid the mbr to no avail.

Writing this using live CD

What should I do now ?

[Rudge]

Before this "update" how long had it been since your last "update"?

You might look here > http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,92661.0.html

Looks like you are using an old kernel as well. ??

[gilado]

> Before this "update" how long had it been since your last "update"?
sometimes in july 2011

[Old-Polack]

gilado:

Why would you think the initrd image had been changed?

No upgrade touches the kernel or the initrd image. You must manually install new kernels through Synaptic, and then the initrd image for each new kernel will automatically be created specifically for your installation. If you change hardware or alter the partitions, causing boot problems, you can manually run the mkinitrd application to then create a new initrd image that takes into account the changes. It won't be done automatically except for the original kernel installation.

[gilado]

> Why would you think the initrd image had been changed?
Because its time stamp is from the time i ran the update (see above  file list) while the kernel itself has a timestamp from the time it was initially installed.

I have a copy of the original initrd on another machine. I copied over to this machine with the name suffix .org

different size
{{{
[root@localhost boot]# ls -l initrd-2.6.33.5-pclos1.bfs.img initrd-2.6.33.5-pclos1.bfs.img.org
-rw------- 1 root root 6146901 2011-08-07 11:36 initrd-2.6.33.5-pclos1.bfs.img
-rw------- 1 root root 6830443 2010-09-11 23:09 initrd-2.6.33.5-pclos1.bfs.img.org
[root@localhost boot]#
}}}

and different md5sum
{{{
[root@localhost boot]# md5sum initrd-2.6.33.5-pclos1.bfs.img initrd-2.6.33.5-pclos1.bfs.img.org
865375dc50d69b7868e2abf7fb8b4ec8  initrd-2.6.33.5-pclos1.bfs.img
ee590f4b450a865492fa2725cc485879  initrd-2.6.33.5-pclos1.bfs.img.org
[root@localhost boot]#
}}}

[gilado]

I think I'll have to reinstall.

This machine has separate partitions for root (/),  /home and /var

How to I reinstall but preserve my home partition and ideally also var?

[Rudge]

I think I'll have to reinstall.

This machine has separate partitions for root (/),  /home and /var

How to I reinstall but preserve my home partition and ideally also var?

I would wait,, see what O-P has to say.  


EDIT: The instal has a "customize" feature that allows you to pick what and where you want everything installed but I have not used it in some time. I just backup /home and copy all the files back after the instal. 

[Texstar]

Are you able to boot into safemode?

[Old-Polack]

I think I'll have to reinstall.

This machine has separate partitions for root (/),  /home and /var

How to I reinstall but preserve my home partition and ideally also var?

Rather than reinstall the entire system, why not install the 2.6.38.8-pclos3.bfs kernel to the existing installation? That should create an initrd image that would take into account the system as it now exists. I'd think it would at least be worth a try, before doing a complete reinstall. What have you got to lose, if you are already resigned to a reinstall? At worst, you'd be no worse off than you are right now.

[gilado]

textar: I restart the machine, it shows the bios screens, then access the hard drive and promptly reset (i.e. goes through bios screens again.) It never gets to the boot screen.

o-p: I don't know how to do that. boot off of the live cd and then ...?

it's really looks like the mbr is toast (but I ran redo mbr and it did not help) or ... actually what code shows the boot options? isn't it grub? where does it live and what loads it?

[Rudge]

textar: I restart the machine, it shows the bios screens, then access the hard drive and promptly reset (i.e. goes through bios screens again.) It never gets to the boot screen.

o-p: I don't know how to do that. boot off of the live cd and then ...?

it's really looks like the mbr is toast (but I ran redo mbr and it did not help) or ... actually what code shows the boot options? isn't it grub? where does it live and what loads it?

You can't do that if you can't boot.

While in Live CD mode, can you mount and save data to the hard drive,, retrieve data? 

From your description, I would consider a hard drive failure.  (( I'm an idiot so you can safely ignore me )) LOL 

[Old-Polack]

textar: I restart the machine, it shows the bios screens, then access the hard drive and promptly reset (i.e. goes through bios screens again.) It never gets to the boot screen.

o-p: I don't know how to do that. boot off of the live cd and then ...?

it's really looks like the mbr is toast (but I ran redo mbr and it did not help) or ... actually what code shows the boot options? isn't it grub? where does it live and what loads it?

Define BIOS screens? Are you talking about the screens that normally show while the machine is posting, or actual BIOS screens where you can set up boot order and such?

[gilado]

Define BIOS screens? Are you talking about the screens that normally show while the machine is posting, or actual BIOS screens where you can set up boot order and such?

I meant the screen shown while the machine is posting

[Old-Polack]

Define BIOS screens? Are you talking about the screens that normally show while the machine is posting, or actual BIOS screens where you can set up boot order and such?

I meant the screen shown while the machine is posting

Are you getting any error messages, like "Please Insert bootable media" or "No operating system found"?

[gilado]

Rudge, I also thought it might be a HD failure.

However, after booting off of the live CD I can mount and access all partitions.

I also ran e2fsck -f on all partitions and they all checked ok

o-p: no error message of any kind, it just restarts.