HELP my linux server crashed completely !

['chris']

hi

my linux server SuSE 8.2 (Ext3) after restart crashed completely !
If I try to restart I get each time on the screen:
" /dev/hda3 contains file system with errors, check forced...(it try to repqair)
fsck for root file system failed
please repair manually and reboot
the root file system is currently mounted read only "

I've tried to boot with Knoppix but cannot write on the damaged Ext3 system.
Knoppix can mount damaged partition "read only".

what can I do now or how can I repair manually ?

regards
chris

[KapilRaj · Accepted solution]

CAn u boot with the Install CD and run a shell for recovery ?.

I think you will be able to perform fsck from that prompt.

Regds,

Kaps

[Steven E. Protter]

If you can not fix with fsck, your options are limited.

remove the filesystem and recreate it afterwards restoring the data from a backup.

You might try booting and repairing with a utilty from Suse or the emergency disk you had he option of creating during installation.

SEP

[Mark Grant]

I would try doing what it says i.e running fsck manually. Boot knoppix and then try doing an fsck on /dev/hda3

Alternatively you can remount the filesystem rw. To do this do something like the following if root is already mounted.

mount -o remount,rw /dev/hda3

Doing an fsck on a mounted filesystem isnt great though.

[Jeroen Peereboom]

Chris,

try booting with Knoppix again.
Do NOT mount the root filesystem of your hard disk, but do an fsck on it before mounting it.

JP.

['chris']

but Knoppix mount the damaged system automatically during startup !

howto boot Knoppix 3.4 without any mounts ?

[Mark Grant]

chris,

You should be able to unmount the damaged filesystem with "umoutn /dev/hda3" and then do your fsck.

[Stuart Browne]

Can't you simply boot into single user mode, and manually 'fsck /dev/hda3' from there?

['chris']

thanks everyone !

but should I use:

fsck -f -c -y /dev/hda3

or

e2fsck -f -c -y /dev/hda3

for Ext3 file system ?

['chris']

or better:

fsck.ext3 -f -c -y /dev/hda3 ?

[Stuart Browne]

Actually, they all do the same thing.

fsck will spawn off and do 'fsck.'.

The 'e2fsck' is the same binary.

If you do:

ls -li /sbin/{e2fsck,fsck.ext2,fsck.ext3}

you'll see that all 3 share the same i-node number, and are hard-linked (on most systems at least).

['chris']

hi

I've started with SUSE setup CD in "rescue mode",

did:

fsck -f -c -y /dev/hda3

and the file system was successfully repaired !

now the the server starts without any problems and I'm very happy.

greetings
chris