Read only file system and Problems witth pacman -S

headlong · 2006-08-29 16:25:53

Hi im a newbie at Arch, and i have 2 problems...

1) When I log in as a root user i can't modify any of the configuration files cause i only have a " Read only file System" does anyone know how I can change this cause im sick of using my live cd to modify the files i need to change..

2) I have problems with pacman -S it says " Unable to lock database if you're sure pacman is not already running you can remove /tmp/pacman.lck"
when i do rm /tmp/pacman.lck it says that it can't be done cause the file doesn't exist.. and Im sure that my dhcp and dns is working fine... (just in case of any wonder)

Well if someone could help me i really would appreciate it
thanks

iBertus · 2006-08-29 16:36:27

Obviously, something is wrong with the system if / is being mounted read-only. For a start you can double check /etc/fstab to ensure that filesystems are not being mounted read-only on purpose.

You can also remount the filesystems so that they are not read-only. Look at mount's manpage for info about that. Check all the system logs to see if something is happening during bootup that is causing filesystems to be mounted read-only.

chrismortimore · 2006-08-29 18:28:25

Before anything, I'd boot the installer CD (or any other live CD you may have) and run fsck.

noriko · 2006-08-29 19:10:22

i know this isn't a fix, however it is a way to re-enable write capabilities until you are able to fix this..

in your boot loader line.. /boot/grub/menu.lst you most likely have the statement, "ro", simply change it to "rw" ...

i don't know the syntax of lilo, but it should be clearly visible in lilo.conf(?) as well...

chrismortimore · 2006-08-29 19:41:53

noriko wrote:

i know this isn't a fix, however it is a way to re-enable write capabilities until you are able to fix this..
in your boot loader line.. /boot/grub/menu.lst you most likely have the statement, "ro", simply change it to "rw" ...
i don't know the syntax of lilo, but it should be clearly visible in lilo.conf(?) as well...

If initrd or initcpio images are being used, then this parameter doesn't matter.

noriko · 2006-08-29 20:23:40

well, it worked for me....

chrismortimore · 2006-08-30 08:59:59

noriko wrote:

well, it worked for me....

Fair enough. I have "ro" in my kernel parameters (purely because the Arch installer put it there, and if it ain't broke...), and if I'm using initrd/initcpio it doesn't make a difference, but when I skip initrd/initcpio the root is mounted read only.

headlong · 2006-08-30 23:27:56

Hi many thanks for your help but i did change from ro to rw in /boot/grub/menu.lst and nothing changed

I also have checked my small fstab file and I didn't see anything related with the filesystem in the few lines that composes that file..

and i am still having the same problem of the "unable to lock pacaman database if you're sure pacman is already running you can remove /tmp/pacman.lck"

please help

i cant run anything related with pacman -s

chrismortimore · 2006-08-30 23:30:27

Have you tried an fsck on your partitions?
Can you also post your /etc/fstab?

headlong · 2006-08-30 23:32:53

how do i try fsck on my partitions
can you give an exmaple
swap is hda6 and root is hda5

I will try cause im using windows right now
i will try to copy my fstab here

chrismortimore · 2006-08-30 23:48:21

Because your root is mounting read only, boot up your Arch installer CD (as you did when you were gonna install it), and when the prompt is displayed, instead of running the installer, run "fsck -fC /dev/hda5". If there are any errors on the filesystem, it'll ask you if you want to fix them, and generally yes is a good answer If you get errors, run it again just to make sure. Then reboot, and see if it helps.

headlong · 2006-08-30 23:51:32

thanks i'll do it right away

headlong · 2006-08-31 00:29:31

# <file> <dir> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>
none /dev/pts devpts defaults 0 0
none /dev/shm tmpfs defaults 0 0

/dev/cdrom /mnt/cd iso9660 ro,user,noauto,unhide 0 0
/dev/dvd /mnt/dvd udf ro,user,noauto,unhide 0 0
/dev/fd0 /mnt/fl vflat user,noauto 0 0

/dev/hda6 swap swap default 0 0
/dev/hda5/ ext3 defaults 0 0
/dev/hda7/mnt/windows vfat rw,usev,auto,umask = 000 0 0

fsck -fC /dev/hda5 didnt work it said... "Error while executing fsck.ext3 for /dev/hda5

chrismortimore · 2006-08-31 00:45:58

headlong wrote:

/dev/hda5/ ext3 defaults 0 0

Is there a gap between "/dev/hda5" and "/"? If there isn't there is meant to be, so that line should read

/dev/hda5     /     ext3      defaults    0 0

headlong wrote:

fsck -fC /dev/hda5 didnt work it said... "Error while executing fsck.ext3 for /dev/hda5

Try using "e2fsck -f /dev/hda5" instead.

headlong · 2006-08-31 03:06:20

thanks for the help i have tryed "e2fsck -f /dev/hda5"
it worked but no misstakes were found

headlong · 2006-08-31 03:26:06

Ok thanks to everyone who had posted here
the final solution

was /dev/hda5 / ext3 defaults 0 0
it solved both of problems im very thankful
see ya!

Arch Linux

#1 2006-08-29 16:25:53

Read only file system and Problems witth pacman -S

#2 2006-08-29 16:36:27

Re: Read only file system and Problems witth pacman -S

#3 2006-08-29 18:28:25

Re: Read only file system and Problems witth pacman -S

#4 2006-08-29 19:10:22

Re: Read only file system and Problems witth pacman -S

#5 2006-08-29 19:41:53

Re: Read only file system and Problems witth pacman -S

#6 2006-08-29 20:23:40

Re: Read only file system and Problems witth pacman -S

#7 2006-08-30 08:59:59

Re: Read only file system and Problems witth pacman -S

#8 2006-08-30 23:27:56

Re: Read only file system and Problems witth pacman -S

#9 2006-08-30 23:30:27

Re: Read only file system and Problems witth pacman -S

#10 2006-08-30 23:32:53

Re: Read only file system and Problems witth pacman -S

#11 2006-08-30 23:48:21

Re: Read only file system and Problems witth pacman -S

#12 2006-08-30 23:51:32

Re: Read only file system and Problems witth pacman -S

#13 2006-08-31 00:29:31

Re: Read only file system and Problems witth pacman -S

#14 2006-08-31 00:45:58

Re: Read only file system and Problems witth pacman -S

#15 2006-08-31 03:06:20

Re: Read only file system and Problems witth pacman -S

#16 2006-08-31 03:26:06

Re: Read only file system and Problems witth pacman -S

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