Brandon Mitchell wrote:
> On Tue, 19 Jan 1999, Bob Nielsen wrote: > > > On Tue, 19 Jan 1999, KTB wrote: > > > > > I need to change an X config file I screwed up so I can get into Linux. > > > I'm using my boot disk to get to root, so I can bypass X, so I can edit > > > the file. This is the message and prompt I get when booting from the > > > floppy: > > > > > > VFS: Mounted root (ext2 filesystem) read only. > > > sh: /usr/bin/check -sendfile: No such file or directory > > > /# > > > > > > I then use the command umount like so: > > > /# umount / > > > > > > I then tried mounting like so: > > > /# mount /dev/hdb2 / -rw > > > > > > and got this: > > > mount: you must specify the filesystem type > > I don't understand how you are doing things after unmounting the root > partition. Do you actually boot off the rescue disk and get to the > color/mono screen? Anyway, in answer to your current question, try: > mount -o remount,rw / I don't know that I can explain it very well but I'm booting to begin with from the rescue disk. When "boot:" comes up I type "linux init=/bin/sh" There is no color screen I'm not sure what a mono screen is. I just get the regular non-X screen. I tried "mount -o remount, rw /" and got the following error: EXT2 warning: maximal mount count reached, running e2fsck is recommended mount: warning: cannot change mounted device with a remount ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ OK, I hope I can put this down in a legible way. Here is some other info I have found out: First, just above the prompt is this message: VFS: Mounted root (ext2 filesystem) read only sh: /usr/bin/check -sendfile: No such file or directory Before doing anything on this last boot is use "mount" at the prompt, this is what I got: /# mount dev/hdb1 on / type ext2 (rw) proc on /proc type proc (rw) The message "above the prompt" tells me "read only" using the 'mount' command seems to be telling me read and write, but it is read only. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- One thing I think I have been doing wrong is I have been trying to mount my swap partion. I have three partions: hdb1 (root), hdb2 (swap) and hdb3 (whatever you call it, user portion) I went back and tried all the suggested mount lines such as, "mount -t ext2 /dev/hdb2 /" and replaced "/devhdb2" with "/dev/hdb1" This obtained no different results than using "/dev/hdb2" Another thing that might be going wrong is I'm not unmounting properly. This is what I put in to unmount: /# umount / Then I tried the mount command and got the following: /# mount dev/hdb1 on / type ext2 (rw) proc on /proc type proc (rw) Which is the same thing I got when I first logged on before trying to unmount. So I tried "umount -t ext2 /dev/hdb1 /" I got a prompt and tried "mount" and got the same thing as before: /# mount dev/hdb1 on / type ext2 (rw) proc on /proc type proc (rw) I tried to mount with "mount -t ext2 /dev/hdb1 /" and got the following: mount: /dev/hdb1 already mounted or / busy mount: according to mtab, /dev/hdb1 is already mounted on / --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I found that if I use "mount -a" I can use the editor 'joe' I can look at a file but can't change anything it tells me "read only." When I used the command "mount" with "-a" I got the following message: EXT2-fs warning: mounting unchecked fs, running e2fsck is recommended When I tried "mount -a -rw" I got the same message: EXT2-fs warning: mounting unchecked fs, running e2fsck is recommended ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I hope someone can help. I can't access my system until I change the file to turn off xdm, then I should be able to start up my system without the boot disk and correct what I did in the various XF86Config files. I have looked at man pages and howto's on the internet and can't find anything about what I'm experiencing here. There has to be a way for me to read AND write to files through using the boot floppy. If not I guess I'll have to just reinstall. Thanks, Kent