read-only file system when booting...

funkmuscle · 2008-12-27 17:05:10

hey, after doing a pacman-Syu today, my system crashed.
Actually, I had to do a pacman -Syuf because it wouldn't update or let me use yaourt to build packages.

now the system only boot with a read-only file system...
it stops at "Starting Hardware Abstraction Layer" for about 5-10 minutes then boots to console login.
Also says PolicyKit username not found while booting...

I have no clue on what happened.... Can I rescue this? Have important files to first remove then I don't mind reinstalling...

every thing say "read-only file system" when booting....
before all this happened, system was lagging a bit.

Last edited by funkmuscle (2008-12-27 17:05:54)

lilsirecho · 2008-12-27 17:34:30

Read only is normal for boot sequence....becomes r/w after boot is finished.

funkmuscle · 2008-12-27 17:45:40

thanx lilsirecho but what about the rest?
I tried to bring up the network since nothing worked and doing a
dhdpcd gave me a read-only....
Is there a way of booting my system to back up my files?

lilsirecho · 2008-12-27 17:52:22

Using the install CD is usually the repair methodology or any "live" CD or USB "Live" for troubleshooting.

Read the "news items" in arch "home" for clues to latest changes which impact your "Syu".

mutlu_inek · 2008-12-27 18:02:41

funkmuscle wrote:

I had to do a pacman -Syuf because it wouldn't update

You shouldn't do that. If packages don't install cleanly, file bug reports. If an Arch Linux news item says, you need to force, only force install on the specific package (pacman -Sf), not in general (-Suf).

funkmuscle wrote:

or let me use yaourt to build packages.

yaourt is broken atm since the AUR website changed slightly. You need to wait for an update of yaourt.

funkmuscle wrote:

now the system only boot with a read-only file system...

The normal procedure is for it to start r/o and switch to r/w later on. Does it turn r/w mode on? Or are you dumped into the console while the drives are r/o? Do you get any fsck errors? Does the boot process complete normally (apart from taking long when hal loads and the r/o mount issue)?

funkmuscle wrote:

it stops at "Starting Hardware Abstraction Layer" for about 5-10 minutes then boots to console login.
Also says PolicyKit username not found while booting...

That surely is an error. Can you give more (and more specific) boot messages?

Also, can you paste the logging of your last upgrade as recorded in /var/log/pacman.log?

funkmuscle wrote:

Can I rescue this?

I don't know, but my experience is that nearly all errors can be solved.

funkmuscle · 2008-12-27 18:29:55

I will try to post the log but even to login at the console doesn't work. I would login in as user or root and password prompt will not come up, it just moves cursor to next line and waits about 5 minutes then it logs in at the user or root without password.
then when trying to do anything, I would type and about 30 secs later, the print shows up.

It's takes over 5 minutes to login.... I can't get the /var/log/pacman.log

I've got arch 7.2 cd, can I fix it with that and if yes, what do I do?
I've never seen it like this before.
everything is super slow........

Last edited by funkmuscle (2008-12-27 18:40:46)

funkmuscle · 2008-12-28 05:04:39

hey, I managed to get the pacman.log... something weird happened by the looks of it.
I was able to put the Archlinux Harddrive into an external usb box and connect it to a deb system.
will I be able to fix things this way or will I have to reinstall?

here is the pacman.log from the 27/12/2008

[2008-12-27 00:34] synchronizing package lists
[2008-12-27 00:34] starting full system upgrade
[2008-12-27 10:13] synchronizing package lists
[2008-12-27 10:13] starting full system upgrade
[2008-12-27 10:32] synchronizing package lists
[2008-12-27 10:32] starting full system upgrade
[2008-12-27 10:57] synchronizing package lists
[2008-12-27 10:57] starting full system upgrade
[2008-12-27 11:01] synchronizing package lists
[2008-12-27 11:09] synchronizing package lists
[2008-12-27 11:10] synchronizing package lists
[2008-12-27 11:10] starting full system upgrade
[2008-12-27 11:14] installed ncurses (5.7-2)
[2008-12-27 11:14] installed readline (5.2-8)
[2008-12-27 11:14] installed bash (3.2.048-1)
[2008-12-27 11:14] installed kernel-headers (2.6.27.6-2)
[2008-12-27 11:14] installed tzdata (2008i-1)
[2008-12-27 11:14] installed texinfo (4.13a-1)
[2008-12-27 11:14] warning: /etc/locale.gen saved as /etc/locale.gen.pacorig
[2008-12-27 11:14] installed glibc (2.9-2)
[2008-12-27 11:14] installed gcc-libs (4.3.2-2)
[2008-12-27 11:14] installed pcre (7.8-1)
[2008-12-27 11:14] installed glib2 (2.18.3-1)
[2008-12-27 11:14] installed atk (1.24.0-1)
[2008-12-27 11:14] installed zlib (1.2.3.3-2)
[2008-12-27 11:14] installed libpng (1.2.34-1)
[2008-12-27 11:14] installed xcb-proto (1.2-2)
[2008-12-27 11:14] installed xproto (7.0.14-1)
[2008-12-27 11:14] installed libxdmcp (1.0.2-1)
[2008-12-27 11:14] installed libxau (1.0.4-1)
[2008-12-27 11:14] installed libxcb (1.1.90.1-1)
[2008-12-27 11:14] installed kbproto (1.0.3-1)
[2008-12-27 11:14] installed libx11 (1.1.5-2)
[2008-12-27 11:14] installed renderproto (0.9.3-1)
[2008-12-27 11:14] installed libxrender (0.9.4-1)
[2008-12-27 11:14] installed expat (2.0.1-2)
[2008-12-27 11:14] installed freetype2 (2.3.7-1)
[2008-12-27 11:15] updating font cache... done.
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed fontconfig (2.6.0-2)
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed pixman (0.12.0-1)
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed xcb-util (0.3.2-1)
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed cairo (1.8.6-1)
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed libxft (2.1.13-1)
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed libdatrie (0.1.2-1)
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed libthai (0.1.9-1)
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed pango (1.22.4-1)
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed inputproto (1.4.4-1)
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed xextproto (7.0.4-1)
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed fixesproto (4.0-2)
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed libxfixes (4.0.3-1)
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed libxcursor (1.1.9-1)
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed libxext (1.0.4-1)
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed xineramaproto (1.1.2-1)
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed libxinerama (1.0.3-1)
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed randrproto (1.2.2-1)
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed libxrandr (1.2.3-1)
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed libxi (1.1.4-1)
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed cracklib (2.8.13-1)
[2008-12-27 11:15] warning: /etc/security/limits.conf saved as /etc/security/limits.conf.pacorig
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed pam (1.0.2-2)
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed shadow (4.1.2.1-2)
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed attr (2.4.41-1)
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed acl (2.2.47-1)
[2008-12-27 11:15] warning: /etc/pam.d/su saved as /etc/pam.d/su.pacorig
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed coreutils (6.12-1)
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed db (4.7.25-1)
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed openssl (0.9.8i-2)
[2008-12-27 11:15] warning: /etc/mke2fs.conf saved as /etc/mke2fs.conf.pacorig
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed e2fsprogs (1.41.3-2)
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed heimdal (1.2.1-2)
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed libtasn1 (1.7-1)
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed libgpg-error (1.6-1)
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed libgcrypt (1.4.3-2)
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed gnutls (2.6.3-1)
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed libjpeg (6b-6)
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed libtiff (3.8.2-4)
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed libcups (1.3.9-2)
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed compositeproto (0.4-1)
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed libxcomposite (0.4.0-1)
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed damageproto (1.1.0-1)
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed libxdamage (1.1.1-1)
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed gtk2 (2.14.6-1)
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed libxml2 (2.7.2-1)
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed libglade (2.6.3-1)
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed bzip2 (1.0.5-3)
[2008-12-27 11:15] installed gdbm (1.8.3-5)
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed python (2.6.1-1)
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed pycairo (1.8.0-1)
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed pygobject (2.15.4-2)
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed python-numeric (24.2-3)
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed pygtk (2.13.0-2)
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed libidl2 (0.8.11-1)
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed orbit2 (2.14.16-1)
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed pyorbit (2.24.0-2)
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed libart-lgpl (2.3.20-1)
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed libgnomecanvas (2.20.1.1-2)
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed dbus-core (1.2.4-1)
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed libice (1.0.4-1)
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed libsm (1.1.0-1)
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed dbus (1.2.4-1)
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed dbus-glib (0.78-1)
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed policykit (0.9-7)
[2008-12-27 11:16] ==>
[2008-12-27 11:16] ==> cyrus-sasl has been split up into several standalone packages.
[2008-12-27 11:16] ==>
[2008-12-27 11:16] ==> - If you use saslauthd, make sure you have cyrus-sasl installed
[2008-12-27 11:16] ==>
[2008-12-27 11:16] ==> - If you use authentication modules other than sasldb,
[2008-12-27 11:16] ==> install cyrus-sasl-plugins
[2008-12-27 11:16] ==>
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed libsasl (2.1.22-7)
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed libldap (2.3.43-3)
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed gconf (2.24.0-2)
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed libusb (0.1.12-3)
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed util-linux-ng (2.14-1)
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed udev (135-1)
[2008-12-27 11:16] warning: /etc/fstab saved as /etc/fstab.pacorig
[2008-12-27 11:16] warning: /etc/resolv.conf saved as /etc/resolv.conf.pacorig
[2008-12-27 11:16] warning: /etc/passwd saved as /etc/passwd.pacorig
[2008-12-27 11:16] warning: /etc/shells saved as /etc/shells.pacorig
[2008-12-27 11:16] warning: /etc/shadow saved as /etc/shadow.pacorig
[2008-12-27 11:16] warning: /etc/group saved as /etc/group.pacorig
[2008-12-27 11:16] warning: /etc/ld.so.conf saved as /etc/ld.so.conf.pacorig
[2008-12-27 11:16] warning: /etc/gshadow saved as /etc/gshadow.pacorig
[2008-12-27 11:16] warning: /etc/hosts saved as /etc/hosts.pacorig
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed filesystem (2008.07-1)
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed hal-info (0.20081219-1)
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed eject (2.1.5-3)
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed libsmbios (2.0.2-1)
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed dmidecode (2.10-1)
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed pciutils (3.0.3-1)
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed usbutils (0.73-5)
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed libx86 (1.1-2)
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed vbetool (1.1-1)
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed procps (3.2.7-5)
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed pm-utils (1.2.3-3)
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed hal (0.5.11-4)
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed portmap (6.0-2)
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed fam (2.7.0-11)
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed libcap (1.10-2)
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed libdaemon (0.13-1)
[2008-12-27 11:16] adding avahi system group... done.
[2008-12-27 11:16] adding avahi system user... done.
[2008-12-27 11:16] ==> The following daemons may be added to DAEMONS in /etc/rc.conf:
[2008-12-27 11:16] -> avahi-daemon - the mdns responder, you probably want this.
[2008-12-27 11:16] dbus needs to be running when you start it.
[2008-12-27 11:16] -> avahi-dnsconfd - daemon used for peer-to-peer automatic dns
[2008-12-27 11:16] configuration on dhcp-less networks.
[2008-12-27 11:16]
[2008-12-27 11:16] ==> To use some of the client applications you will have to install python.
[2008-12-27 11:16] -> In addition, pygtk is required for the graphical ones and
[2008-12-27 11:16] twisted-web for avahi-bookmarks.
[2008-12-27 11:16]
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed avahi (0.6.23-2)
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed popt (1.14-1)
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed tdb (3.2.6-2)
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed smbclient (3.2.6-2)
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed shared-mime-info (0.51-1)
[2008-12-27 11:16] installed gnome-mime-data (2.18.0-3)
[2008-12-27 11:17] installed gnome-vfs (2.24.0-2)
[2008-12-27 11:17] installed audiofile (0.2.6-3)
[2008-12-27 11:17] installed tcp_wrappers (7.6-8)
[2008-12-27 11:17] installed alsa-lib (1.0.18-1)
[2008-12-27 11:17] installed esound (0.2.41-1)
[2008-12-27 11:17] installed libbonobo (2.24.0-1)
[2008-12-27 11:17] installed libgnome (2.24.1-1)
[2008-12-27 11:17] installed libbonoboui (2.24.0-1)
[2008-12-27 11:17] installed gnome-keyring (2.24.1-1)
[2008-12-27 11:17] installed libgnomeui (2.24.0-1)
[2008-12-27 11:17] installed gnome-python (2.22.3-3)
[2008-12-27 11:17] installed dbus-python (0.83.0-2)
[2008-12-27 11:17] installed alunn (0.7.8-1)

mutlu_inek · 2008-12-28 16:34:00

This is indeed weird. Since when do you run this system? When did you last upgrade before the 27th?

The log suggests that you did four times "pacman -Syu", then two times "pacman -Sy" and finally another "pacman -Syu". You wrote that this last one was forced by you. I am not sure what pacman does when you force a whole system update, but I assume from your log that it handles all upgrades as fresh installs (it says "installed" instead of "upgraded" which would be the standard entry for the log).

The main culprit may be the numerous .pacorig files. Pacman rarely creates these and if it does, there is a news announcement on the Arch Linux front page. The only time in the last years has been very recently, as ly log file records:

[2008-12-22 09:25] warning: /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist saved as /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist.pacorig

Your log, however, has several such entries. This means that pacman encountered important config files which listed in /etc/pacman.conf as to be backed up, but which are not owned by any package. This would imply that on your system either
a) this is normal behavior if you force the upgrade since it is handled as a fresh install (my assumption from a paragraph above), which I find rather unlikely, or
b) my assumption about the meaning of "install" in your log file was wrong and either
1) packages like glibc, coreutils, pam, etc. were either not installed, which, again, is highly unlikely and would indicate serious screw up on your behalf, or
2) the pacman database of installed packages is/was corrupted.

You need to find out what is the case here. I hope someone else can enlighten us about the behavior of pacman when global upgrades are forced. If this is not normal behavior, this is a case of b) and you should check the files in /var/lib/pacman/local/ This directory contains pacman's memory of everything installed on your system. Do not mess with it, if you make changes or delete files, you will lose the functioning of pacman and need a fresh install. When looking at this directory try to figure out whether it contains folders for all the packages you have installed and whether their content looks right.

In both cases, however, you should also read up on properly handling config files, including the issue with .pacorig files and restore your config files (see log) to a meaningful state. Read for example http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Pac … save_Files

funkmuscle · 2008-12-28 17:17:39

mutlu_inek, thanx... you've been great help along with everyone else. Yeah, this actually happened after the latest pacman upgrade and I did read the news on it. The thing is I did an upgrade after it and it worked... it's only on the 27th that this happened when I wanted to install an app and kept getting errors...

I've rescued all my important files and downloaded the latest arch iso so to save headaches and time, I will reinstall Arch..
should I mark this as solved??

mutlu_inek · 2008-12-28 17:42:52

funkmuscle wrote:

should I mark this as solved??

Yeah, would probably be a good idea. Good luck!

jacko · 2008-12-28 18:23:49

should I mark this as solved??

It's not solved, you did nothing but rescue files and reinstalled, that is not a solution to a specific problem. Anyone can reinstall but that is far from a solution to any problem.

The issue here is that you never ever run pacman -Syuf. It's NOT needed in anyway way shape or fashion.

Only time the f switch should be used is when you know for a fact that using it will not cause problems. The most common use is to force install a SINGLE package. pacman -Sf <singlepackage> and you only force it after you have conceided there is no other possible solution.

Last edited by jacko (2008-12-28 18:25:30)

funkmuscle · 2008-12-28 20:02:17

Thanx Jacko, so now that we know what the issue is and that I screwed it up, we can now close this right?

I did the -Syuf after trying everything. I was trying to install alunn when the issue started. It gave me some error about why it wouldn't install so then I tried the -Syu, that failed so I did the -Syuf.
So from everything above, we've figured out that -Syuf should NOT BE MESSED WITH...
-Syuf should ONLY BE USED WHEN FORCING A SINGLE PACKAGE AFTER EXHAUSTING ALL POSSIBLITIES and the COMMAND SHOULD BE -Sf, NOT -Syuf..

That said, the only way around this is to reinstall Arch since it's not working...
Do we now consider it solved?
I just need to know so others don't waste time with my idiotic move. You guys got better things to do and much thanx to you all.
I've tried other distros and no other forums helps as quickly as this one. That's one of the main reasons I use Arch plus you guy educate without making anyone feel stupid... That's cool.
Thanx again...

funkmuscle

Last edited by funkmuscle (2008-12-28 20:03:45)

Arch Linux

#1 2008-12-27 17:05:10

read-only file system when booting...

#2 2008-12-27 17:34:30

Re: read-only file system when booting...

#3 2008-12-27 17:45:40

Re: read-only file system when booting...

#4 2008-12-27 17:52:22

Re: read-only file system when booting...

#5 2008-12-27 18:02:41

Re: read-only file system when booting...

#6 2008-12-27 18:29:55

Re: read-only file system when booting...

#7 2008-12-28 05:04:39

Re: read-only file system when booting...

#8 2008-12-28 16:34:00

Re: read-only file system when booting...

#9 2008-12-28 17:17:39

Re: read-only file system when booting...

#10 2008-12-28 17:42:52

Re: read-only file system when booting...

#11 2008-12-28 18:23:49

Re: read-only file system when booting...

#12 2008-12-28 20:02:17

Re: read-only file system when booting...

Board footer