Arch Linux

Arch-Hoochie

Member

Registered: 2014-09-23

Posts: 75

error /dev/sda3 when no sda3 exists [Fixed]

Okay I've been asked to put arch on a old laptop. Everything is fine till I reboot.

I get

error /dev/sda3 not found
Error unable to find root device /dev/sda3
Dropping to recovery shell (I've never used the recovery shell before so have no idea what to do)

This is confusing to me became I only have a SDA 1 n 2 so why does it even think 3 exists?

SDA 1 is the primary and a small SDA 2 for swap

I am using syslinux for boot.

Any suggestions ??

Thanks in advance

needed to update the fallback on syslinux.

Last edited by Arch-Hoochie (2015-04-14 18:20:48)

Head_on_a_Stick

Member

From: The Wirral

Registered: 2014-02-20

Posts: 8,778

Website

Re: error /dev/sda3 when no sda3 exists [Fixed]

Post the content of /etc/fstab and your syslinux configuration file and the output of:

lsblk -f

---

Jin, Jîyan, Azadî

nullified

Member

From: Massachusetts, USA

Registered: 2013-12-09

Posts: 468

Re: error /dev/sda3 when no sda3 exists [Fixed]

Check the fstab and the syslinux config. You can post them both here in code tags if you'd like. Presumably one or both of them are pointing to sda3 for some reason. You are better off using UUIDs rather than labels to point to devices.

Did you follow just the Arch wiki beginner's guide for the installation or did you use something else?

---

"We may say most aptly, that the Analytical Engine weaves algebraical patterns just as the Jacquard-loom weaves flowers and leaves." - Ada Lovelace

Arch-Hoochie

Member

Registered: 2014-09-23

Posts: 75

Re: error /dev/sda3 when no sda3 exists [Fixed]

How do i access fstab from the livecd? God I'm  super noob all over again lol

Head_on_a_Stick

Member

From: The Wirral

Registered: 2014-02-20

Posts: 8,778

Website

Re: error /dev/sda3 when no sda3 exists [Fixed]

How do i access fstab from the livecd? God I'm  super noob all over again lol

Mount all your partitions (at /mnt, for example) and use `sprunge` to send command output to a pastebin:

cat /mnt/etc/fstab | curl -F 'sprunge=<-' http://sprunge.us

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php?ti … in_clients

---

Jin, Jîyan, Azadî

Arch-Hoochie

Member

Registered: 2014-09-23

Posts: 75

Re: error /dev/sda3 when no sda3 exists [Fixed]

Thanks guys well so far from what I see nothing is wrong so I guessing its the 3rd one syslinux first post updated.

alphaniner

Member

From: Ancapistan

Registered: 2010-07-12

Posts: 2,810

Re: error /dev/sda3 when no sda3 exists [Fixed]

The default syslinux.cfg references /dev/sda3. I've seen that error many times because I often forget to update it.

---

But whether the Constitution really be one thing, or another, this much is certain - that it has either authorized such a government as we have had, or has been powerless to prevent it. In either case, it is unfit to exist.
-Lysander Spooner

Arch-Hoochie

Member

Registered: 2014-09-23

Posts: 75

Re: error /dev/sda3 when no sda3 exists [Fixed]

Yeah it was that Thanks guys I didn't update the fallback I think was selecting the fallback from the menu on boot ooops lol fixed in awesome time

Thanks alphaniner Head_on_a_Stick nullified