Linux Debian support - Upgrade to etch failed, cannot boot

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Author Upgrade to etch failed, cannot boot
Olivier

2007-04-12, 7:15 am

Hi all,

Yesterday I started upgrading my home server from Debian Sarge to
Etch. I'm now left with a system that does not boot anymore. Here's
what I did.

I followed http://www.nl.debian.org/releases/e...rading.en.html.

# aptitude upgrade
# aptitude install initrd-tools
# aptitude install linux-image-2.6-686

I purged hotplug, as recommended.

# aptitude dist-upgrade

Here's where things didn't go very smooth. Halfway upgrading packages,
the process stopped with a message I cannot recall, something about
not running the right kernel. So I rebooted. That failed.

Grub gives me error 15: Cannot find file.

I noticed that in fstab there seemed to be something wrong:

/dev/sda1 boot/ ext2 bladieblaicannotaxactlyremember 0 1

Notice the boot/ instead of /boot. I corrected that, but still the
same problem.

Now what do I need to do? Who can give me some useful tips?

Neil Ellwood

2007-04-12, 7:15 am

On Thu, 12 Apr 2007 02:36:16 -0700, Olivier wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> Yesterday I started upgrading my home server from Debian Sarge to
> Etch. I'm now left with a system that does not boot anymore. Here's
> what I did.
>
> I followed http://www.nl.debian.org/releases/e...rading.en.html.
>
> # aptitude upgrade
> # aptitude install initrd-tools
> # aptitude install linux-image-2.6-686
>
> I purged hotplug, as recommended.
>
> # aptitude dist-upgrade
>
> Here's where things didn't go very smooth. Halfway upgrading packages,
> the process stopped with a message I cannot recall, something about
> not running the right kernel. So I rebooted. That failed.
>
> Grub gives me error 15: Cannot find file.
>
> I noticed that in fstab there seemed to be something wrong:
>
> /dev/sda1 boot/ ext2 bladieblaicannotaxactlyremember 0 1
>
> Notice the boot/ instead of /boot. I corrected that, but still the
> same problem.
>
> Now what do I need to do? Who can give me some useful tips?


I don't like upgrading from one version to another with ANY linux distro.

My preferred way is to install the new release.
I have several partitions that I allow the new distro (in my case as well
as yours deb. 4.0) to format - now easy with the new installer.
/ /usr /var /opt and to mount these.

/home just mount DO NOT FORMAT.

This all went well for me. If you decide on this type of route I hope it
all goes well for you also.

--
Neil
reverse 'r' and'a' - delete 'l' for email
Sanjay

2007-04-12, 1:28 pm

Olivier wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> Yesterday I started upgrading my home server from Debian Sarge to
> Etch. I'm now left with a system that does not boot anymore. Here's
> what I did.
>
> I followed http://www.nl.debian.org/releases/e...rading.en.html.
>
> # aptitude upgrade
> # aptitude install initrd-tools
> # aptitude install linux-image-2.6-686
>
> I purged hotplug, as recommended.
>
> # aptitude dist-upgrade
>
> Here's where things didn't go very smooth. Halfway upgrading packages,
> the process stopped with a message I cannot recall, something about
> not running the right kernel. So I rebooted. That failed.
>
> Grub gives me error 15: Cannot find file.
>
> I noticed that in fstab there seemed to be something wrong:
>
> /dev/sda1 boot/ ext2 bladieblaicannotaxactlyremember 0 1
>
> Notice the boot/ instead of /boot. I corrected that, but still the
> same problem.
>
> Now what do I need to do? Who can give me some useful tips?
>



Well, if grub has errors then it won't boot. Seems like when you
upgraded your kernel version, your probably missed to update any
symbolic links etc.

First of all get hold of a live CD, [I used Knoppix on couple of
occasions] and start your computer with it. Once you log in mount your
partitions and check contents of /boot partition and grub files.
Especially goto grub folder inside /boot partition and take a look at
menu.lst. Make sure, you are loading the right kernel and initrd image
from the correct root partition.

HTH

Sanjay
Michael Fierro

2007-04-13, 7:14 pm

On 2007-04-12, Neil Ellwood <cral.elllwood2@btopenworld.com> rambled on thusly:

> I don't like upgrading from one version to another with ANY linux distro.


> My preferred way is to install the new release.


I am the exact opposite. I've been using Ubuntu for a while now, Debian for
years before that. I installed each once, and upgraded inline afterwards.
Everything worked great; that's one of the benefits of any distro using apt
for its packaging system.

--
Michael Fierro (aka Biffster) biffster@NOSPAM-REALLYgmail.com
http://apt-get.biffster.org Y!: miguelito_fierro AIM: mfierro1
--
"nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm"
--Ralph Waldo Emerson
David

2007-04-15, 7:13 am

Olivier wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> Yesterday I started upgrading my home server from Debian Sarge to
> Etch. I'm now left with a system that does not boot anymore. Here's
> what I did.
>
> I followed http://www.nl.debian.org/releases/e...rading.en.html.
>
> # aptitude upgrade
> # aptitude install initrd-tools
> # aptitude install linux-image-2.6-686
>
> I purged hotplug, as recommended.
>
> # aptitude dist-upgrade
>
> Here's where things didn't go very smooth. Halfway upgrading packages,
> the process stopped with a message I cannot recall, something about
> not running the right kernel. So I rebooted. That failed.
>
> Grub gives me error 15: Cannot find file.
>
> I noticed that in fstab there seemed to be something wrong:
>
> /dev/sda1 boot/ ext2 bladieblaicannotaxactlyremember 0 1
>
> Notice the boot/ instead of /boot. I corrected that, but still the
> same problem.
>
> Now what do I need to do? Who can give me some useful tips?


A couple of nights ago a had the same situation. The only thing I didn't
do is to reboot.

What might happened in your situation:

Sarge to Etch

sources where already on stable instead of sarge (not too wise i think)

#apt-get -V update
#apt-get -V upgrade

Upgrade of kernel: you are asked to ditch the previous kernel
(dangerous) and install 2.6.18 instead - warnings are all around
if you do: kernel is there alright but not directly with something
called initramfs (also needed for booting and - finding the kernel on
you disk- ext3 reiserfs drivers )

Then the real problem: hotplug is going to be replaced by udev and udev
hasn't got a nice upgrade history
purging hotplug

#dpkg -P hotplug

Then it could be then udev is also going to complain that it cannot be
upgraded from a to early version
(think NO reboot because you cannot gererate initramfs because udev et
all are blocking this process)

apt-get remove didn't do the trick and you are in a loop: installation
does not work because udev does not want to upgrade (even when hotplug
is vanished), generation of inirtamfs can't begin because the
installation isn't complete.

#dpkg -P udev
solved this issue for me (yes i googled a bit)

#apt-get -V upgrade
or
# apt-get -f install
to put things back in motion

Lessons Learned: on Linux: when you hit the fan, rebooting isn't going
to solve much (it's a windows server thing). It could even be that you
come to a full stop. Leave your machine on during the night and think
about it in your sleep.

Greetings
Dalo


Ángel

2007-04-15, 7:13 pm

Olivier <wijngaar@gmail.com> wrote:
> Yesterday I started upgrading my home server from Debian Sarge to
> Etch. I'm now left with a system that does not boot anymore. Here's
> what I did.


I, as always, have upgraded many boxes (both servers and workstations
w/o any trouble at all. It's extremely simple and fast, just do:

apt-get update
apt-get upgrade
apt-get dist-upgrade
apt-get install kernel-image-2.6-686
or kernel-image-2.6-368
or kernel-image-2.6-686-smp

depending on the microprocessor; reboot and there you are.

I don't like aptitude at all; apt is powerful and easy to use.

--
Saludos,
Ángel
AJackson

2007-04-15, 7:13 pm

On Apr 16, 12:35 am, =C1ngel <a...@hell.es> wrote:
> Olivier <wijng...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> I, as always, have upgraded many boxes (both servers and workstations
> w/o any trouble at all. It's extremely simple and fast, just do:
>
> apt-get update


You should upgrade apt-get and aptitude before you continue.
apt-get install apt-get apitude as newer ones works better, so you
want to have that.

> apt-get upgrade
> apt-get dist-upgrade
> apt-get install kernel-image-2.6-686
> or kernel-image-2.6-368
> or kernel-image-2.6-686-smp


Yes, that should work, unless you install/use some non debian standard
package installed,

> depending on the microprocessor; reboot and there you are.
>
> I don't like aptitude at all; apt is powerful and easy to use.


You don't need to run aptitude in interactive mode. Just change apt-
get with aptitude, and you get same behaivour (and some better user
interface and better choises).

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