I allowed my box to get into a situation where the root directory (/),
and all the subdirectories on it -- except /boot, /home, /tmp, /usr,
/var, /media and swap -- are locked read-only. Since I cannot write to
the root directory -- or to /bin, /dev, /etc, /initrd, /lib, /opt, /sbin
and /srv -- I have very effectively rendered the box unuseable.
I will now explain how this situation came about in the hope that some
one can suggest how I can remedy this situation without having to
install the entire OS, which is Sarge with the 2.6.8-2-386 kernel, all
over again.
When I installed the OS earlier this week, I divided the 80 gb hda into
three partitions. The /dev/hda1 has 100 mb for /boot. The /dev/hda2
has 1 gb for swap. The rest of the drive, /dev/hda3, I made into a LVM
physical volume.
I divided this LVM physical volume into five logical volumes: root (/),
/home, /tmp, /usr and /var. When as part of the initial installation I
was setting these up, the installer asked me for the options to add to
the /etc/fstab file. I all five cases I dutifully added "noatime", but
forgot to add "defaults".
When I discovered my error, I opened the fstab file to add "defaults".
However, in adding it to the root (/) directory I mistyped it, entering
"drfaults" instead. The next time I booted the machine, I was told that
there was an error in mounting the root directory because "drfaults"
was not recognized.
At this point it would have been possible to edit the fstab file to
correct the error but for one thing. On installation the installer
gratuitously added another option to the root (/) mount line, but not to
the mount lines of the other four logical partitions: "errors=remount-ro".
I did not think anything of this option then, but now I wished I had,
because the effect of it was to lock the root directories and all the
subdirectories not mounted elsewhere as read only.
I tried to find a way to amend the fstab file, but could not, because it
was now read-only. I tried to dismount it, but mount would not let me
do so, because the mtab file told me that it was already mounted or the
directory was busy. I rebooted in recovery mode but got the same result.
So, I now have the following questions:
1. Is there any way I can override the read-only for the root directory
and so amend the fstab file accordingly, or do I have to reinstall the
whole OS?
2. Why the hell did the installer put the "errors=remount-ro in the
options for mounting the root directory in the first place? What
purpose is it supposed to serve? Would any damage be done if -- once I
am able to amend the fstab file -- if I removed it entirely?
Regards,
--
Ken Heard
Research Associate
Museum Studies Program
University of Toronto, Canada
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