Error after update- "unable to find root device" [Testing Repo]

felixculpa · 2012-02-13 21:47:59

Aaaargh. Ok well I did Super+U and after the update (which was rather large) I cannot boot Archbang. I get

ERROR: Unable to find root device 'STRING OF #'s AND LETTERS' .
You are being dropped to a recovery shell
Type 'exit' to try continue booting
sh: can't access tty; job control turned off
[rootfs /]#

I am typing this through my PS3 web browser since my netbook is the only computer I have. I searched the forums but I'm not exactly sure what is causing this. Only thing I remember in the update, is I went from kernal 3.2-1 ..something to 3.2-5, hard to recall now.

Edit; I have a pretty good idea now what I did... definitely my fault. I enabled "testing" repositories awhile ago and forgot about it. Obviously I downloaded some unstable packages that effectively broke my system. I don't see any escape from this by anything less than a fresh install.

Last edited by felixculpa (2012-02-14 00:13:26)

archibald · 2012-02-14 05:40:59

As for some reason the udev package gets uninstalled or corrupt during the massive update process, please try re-installing udev and then linux:

sudo pacman -S udev
sudo pacman -S linux

After reboot everything should work as expected.

HTH

ArchVortex · 2012-02-14 06:36:28

Moved

Udev didn't break my testing partition but it's usually one of the culprits during an update. It's always wise when updating to check the packages being updated and if it is a critical package then wait to see if anybody has posted an update problem in the Arch Linux or ArchBang Forums first before updating.

http://wiki.archbang.org/index.php?titl … ang_system

archibald · 2012-02-14 15:26:30

Well, this was not well known and the error message was kinda lost among the pacman output, so here is what I caught:

...
  -> Parsing hook: [base]
==> ERROR: Hook 'udev' can not be found.
  -> Parsing hook: [autodetect]
  -> Parsing hook: [pata]
  -> Parsing hook: [scsi]
  -> Parsing hook: [sata]
  -> Parsing hook: [filesystems]
  -> Parsing hook: [usbinput]
  -> Parsing hook: [resume]
==> Generating module dependencies
==> Creating gzip initcpio image: /boot/initramfs-linux.img
==> WARNING: errors were encountered during the build. The image may not be complete.
==> Image generation successful
==> Building image from preset: 'fallback'
  -> -k /boot/vmlinuz-linux -c /etc/mkinitcpio.conf -g /boot/initramfs-linux-fallback.img -S autodetect
==> Starting build: 3.2.5-1-ARCH
  -> Parsing hook: [base]
==> ERROR: Hook 'udev' can not be found.
  -> Parsing hook: [pata]
  -> Parsing hook: [scsi]
  -> Parsing hook: [sata]
  -> Parsing hook: [filesystems]
  -> Parsing hook: [usbinput]
  -> Parsing hook: [resume]
==> Generating module dependencies
==> Creating gzip initcpio image: /boot/initramfs-linux-fallback.img
==> WARNING: errors were encountered during the build. The image may not be complete.
==> Image generation successful

felixculpa · 2012-02-14 19:15:11

What Archibald posted may be part of it for sure, I remember seeing that during the process. I don't know how to use pacman from the emergency shell, as I tried a few commands but didn't seem to be going anywhere.

archibald · 2012-02-15 02:08:41

For the record: from https://bbs.archlinux.de/viewtopic.php?pid=278233 I learned that this problem arises because the udev hook has been moved from mkinitcpio to udev. Why udev was not appropriately/automatically upgraded remains a mystery.

ArchVortex · 2012-02-15 04:10:43

Udev 181-3 in testing now supposedly will fix the problem. New kernel and Xorg packages coming through testing as well. Just got the same error even after following full update instructions on a fresh install. Wireless packages and Xorg packages corrupted as well. Recommendation is to wait a day or two to do an install. Once again, TU/Devs pushing through packages without a proper testing time. Often now packages are in and out of testing within 24 hours. There's a reason it's called "testing." Life on the bleeding edge.

amiller2571 · 2012-02-15 20:15:44

Well I can't boot now also. I ran the updates with out checking the forums first and I have now paid the price. Is there anything I can do right now to get my system booting again. I have a lot of school work on my computer that I need. As of right now I'm download Ubuntu so that I can back up my school work. Does anyone know if there is a way to recover the system, or know if a clean installation will fix it? I really don't want to reinstall everything, it took a very long time to get my Arch Linux customized to perfection that and I have homework due in the morning and I will have to stay up all night to get it down if I have to take the time to reinstall.

As ArchVortex said "Life on the bleeding edge" it's awesome till you fall off

doug piston · 2012-02-15 22:57:48

One thing I can say about this system, if you have something important back it up to another place then just the PC. You just never know.

pablokal · 2012-02-16 02:30:41

This post 9 seems to me a reason to issue a warning on the first wiki page, don't use this as your main working system, with schoolwork and other indispensable stuff unless you have a good backup system. You can always grab documents etc with the liveCD from your hard disk and work temporarily from the liveCD.

Done from terminal

Step 11. You may need to re-install udev and linux.If you get a udev error when generating the kernel image during the update then:
# pacman -S udev
and then
# pacman -S linux

done from the terminal will be able to recover your system:
http://bbs.archbang.org/viewtopic.php?id=2268

mrawfull · 2012-02-16 20:33:33

I like archlinux and everything, but every once in a while some f head thinks it would be really funny to break everyone's system.

oliver · 2012-02-17 08:27:44

mrawfull wrote:

I like archlinux and everything, but every once in a while some f head thinks it would be really funny to break everyone's system.

I consider it character building

ArchVortex · 2012-02-17 08:53:45

Warning on Wiki added

ajaykumar · 2012-02-17 12:31:13

I got the same problem after updating .But I am not even able to boot from usb to do a fresh install.

I am getting same error cant access tty and job turned off.............

I can boot other os but not archbang .

Any body have the same issue?
Please help

pablokal · 2012-02-17 14:05:11

See post 11 for the solution:
ctrl+aLt +_f1 or f2 to get to terminal, make yourself root and reinstall udev first and then linux.

ArchVortex · 2012-02-18 01:22:35

Just reproduced the problem on a fresh install and solutions recommended in previous posts do not work. TTY1 is not accessible once dropped into recovery shell.

Mr Green · 2012-02-18 02:07:54

Fire up Archbang and chroot in and fix the problem..

Could it be mkinitcpio problem?

BigF · 2012-02-18 05:04:49

I had exactely the same problem :-((
And, for wath its worth, i did NOT enable testing in my pacman.conf

#[testing]
## Add your preferred servers here, they will be used first
#Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

[core]
# Add your preferred servers here, they will be used first
Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

[extra]
# Add your preferred servers here, they will be used first
Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

[multilib]
Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

#[community-testing]
## Add your preferred servers here, they will be used first
#Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

[community]
# Add your preferred servers here, they will be used first
Include = /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

I Fixed it using the advise above , reinstalling udev and linux.
thx ArchiBald !!
I did this using the rescue linux cd and make it boot the installed hdd, using the cd's provided 64 bits kernel.
This is an option at boot of this cd.
I ALWAYS have a copy of this one near me and i NEVER leave home withouit it 2 :-))))
For those interested :

http://www.sysresccd.org/SystemRescueCd_Homepage

But i agree, using the archbang install image, it should be possible to.

You guys, and the developers of bang are just great !
I just LOVE this distro !
I used some distro's but this one beats them all in speed , looks and the facility to install.
Keep on doing the great work folks !
THANX !

PS : sorry for mi bad english :-(

ArchVortex · 2012-02-18 05:31:23

Chrooting was the first thing I did and it should have worked but it didn't. Following this didn't work either https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=135288. A combining of the two didn't work either. Really strange

Mr Green · 2012-02-18 05:49:07

Will give testing a go next week under virtualbox, see if I can break it

pablokal · 2012-02-18 07:59:53

I read on the thread mentioned on the link:

If you want to avoid the problem you should hold back on the kernel upgrade. That seems to be the root of the problem.

ArchVortex · 2012-02-18 09:17:39

The upgrade to 3.2.6.2 was supposed to fix the udev problem so there was no need to upgrade to udev 181-3. Hahaha!! Yeah right. I played around for an hour trying to get out of this problem because I wanted to make a how-to for the Wiki. It was like /dev was even there and mysteriously disappeared. In the end I re-installed, followed the new instructions, ran mkinitcpio -p linux just to be double sure even though the udev hook was there.

pablokal · 2012-02-18 14:13:16

And it still didn't work??

jdarnold · 2012-02-20 09:05:33

So no magic bullets to solve this problem, eh? I'm running into it now. I have my Arch Bang boot CD. The solution posted on the Arch forums seems wildly convoluted and sans any explanation as to why it (might) work. I like solutions that tell me what the problem is and then why these steps fix it. Otherwise, it is just firing blanks into the dark. Before I started searching for the problem, I figured I would just change my fstab to use dev names instead of UUIDs. Does this not work?

jdarnold · 2012-02-20 09:49:01

Well, it looks like for me the key was to install the update udev. As sometimes regrettably happens with Arch, the udev got out of sync with the linux version and broke it. But by following the steps outlined in the Change Root wiki page after booting the Arch Bang CD, updating the package database, updating udev, then running mkinitcpio (after mounting my /boot partition - sigh), all is well.

doug piston · 2012-02-20 10:50:22

@jdarnold

Looked at your Arch blog, nice to see another android guy move to arch

jdarnold · 2012-02-20 15:25:02

Thanks! Actually, Arch predated my Android move. But I need to update the blog more too.

Sreaper · 2012-03-07 16:57:12

Hello

before i start a new thread i ask here :-)

my problem is similar to this from the top, but i can't type anything. That mean i can't CTRL+ALT+f1 to open a terminal. anyone a suggestion how can i solve it?

i hope i dont have to make an fresh install of AB :S

Thanks for your help :-)

Greetings
Sreaper

WASD · 2012-03-08 09:23:18

We do need a new iso, now. Everyone are having these problems after a fresh install and it is driving away new users. If I need to reformat my system I will go with regular arch because of this.

Mr Green · 2012-03-08 10:02:40

A guide for making your own up to date Archbang iso is here

http://bbs.archbang.org/viewtopic.php?id=2416

falconindy · 2012-03-10 22:42:40

It's no wonder this thread exists when key bindings like 'urxvt -e packer -Syyuf' are being provided by default in your openbox config.

pablokal · 2012-03-11 16:16:18

Yes, you're quite right; I mean, I totally agree. Will is sometimes quite "extreme" or should I say impulsive in his decisions.
And as he is not often around, he is not confronted, doesn't see the consequences of his choices.

But on the other end, maybe it is a rotten Easter egg or a trap to check if people are really paying attention to what they are doing??

AB is real weak on the dev front. But still it manages to help a lot of people to take some steps further...

falconindy · 2012-03-11 18:03:07

pablokal wrote:

But on the other end, maybe it is a rotten Easter egg or a trap to check if people are really paying attention to what they are doing??

That's a completely bogus excuse, even if you're remotely trying to make a joke. This kind of garbage wastes users' time, and it eventually wastes our time, since, to quote your wiki:

Please remember NOT to mention ArchBang when posting on the Arch Linux forum.

What kind of bullshit is this? Or wait, lemme guess, the person who maintains your wiki isn't around much either.

oliver · 2012-03-11 18:25:26

falconindy wrote:

pablokal wrote:
But on the other end, maybe it is a rotten Easter egg or a trap to check if people are really paying attention to what they are doing??
That's a completely bogus excuse, even if you're remotely trying to make a joke. This kind of garbage wastes users' time, and it eventually wastes our time, since, to quote your wiki:
Please remember NOT to mention ArchBang when posting on the Arch Linux forum.
What kind of bullshit is this? Or wait, lemme guess, the person who maintains your wiki isn't around much either.

Calm down, falconindy. Remember that pablokal was essentially *agreeing* with you and that AB isn't a democracy. If Will wants to include the 'f' flag to pacman/packer then thats his prerogative and you're free to change it. If you're expecting a hand-holding O/S then you're out of luck

And the wiki maintainer has done a *fantastic* job in making the wiki even usable. The caveat about not asking about non-Arch distros on the Arch forum is an understandable directive from the Arch team.

falconindy · 2012-03-11 20:25:07

oliver wrote:

The caveat about not asking about non-Arch distros on the Arch forum is an understandable directive from the Arch team.

Then surely you wouldn't mind rewording it more clearly to say something along the lines of: "Do not post support questions on the Arch Linux forum." The way it reads right now is almost enticement for AB users to hide under the guise of an AL user via concealment.

ArchVortex · 2012-03-11 21:03:28

falconindy wrote:

Then surely you wouldn't mind rewording it more clearly to say something along the lines of: "Do not post support questions on the Arch Linux forum." The way it reads right now is almost enticement for AB users to hide under the guise of an AL user via concealment.

Agreed. Dave, that was bad wording on my part and not the intention. Wiki changed to "Please remember NOT to post ArchBang support questions on the Arch Linux forum.

pablokal · 2012-03-12 03:45:19

What kind of bullshit is this? Or wait, lemme guess, the person who maintains your wiki isn't around much either.

@falconindy: what a nice person you must be to live with!!
Even sour, when you are admitted to be right.

And if you care to comment on our forum policies, maybe you could take the trouble to read our forums,
as you so vehemently order the Arch forum users to do: http://bbs.archbang.org/viewtopic.php?pid=2169#p2169

Warning due to lack of respect of the forums/wiki mods! And trolling...

Ha, ha, joking, we don't have such vulnerable egos and are open and welcome to criticism.
Although we hate people who behave like they are superior to others and like to boss others around.
Proving to be an alpha male by being rude is not the way we are doing things here.

Arch Linux

Announcement

#1 2012-02-13 21:47:59

Error after update- "unable to find root device" [Testing Repo]

#2 2012-02-14 05:40:59

Re: Error after update- "unable to find root device" [Testing Repo]

#3 2012-02-14 06:36:28

Re: Error after update- "unable to find root device" [Testing Repo]

#4 2012-02-14 15:26:30

Re: Error after update- "unable to find root device" [Testing Repo]

#5 2012-02-14 19:15:11

Re: Error after update- "unable to find root device" [Testing Repo]

#6 2012-02-15 02:08:41

Re: Error after update- "unable to find root device" [Testing Repo]

#7 2012-02-15 04:10:43

Re: Error after update- "unable to find root device" [Testing Repo]

#8 2012-02-15 20:15:44

Re: Error after update- "unable to find root device" [Testing Repo]

#9 2012-02-15 22:57:48

Re: Error after update- "unable to find root device" [Testing Repo]

#10 2012-02-16 02:30:41

Re: Error after update- "unable to find root device" [Testing Repo]

#11 2012-02-16 20:33:33

Re: Error after update- "unable to find root device" [Testing Repo]

#12 2012-02-17 08:27:44

Re: Error after update- "unable to find root device" [Testing Repo]

#13 2012-02-17 08:53:45

Re: Error after update- "unable to find root device" [Testing Repo]

#14 2012-02-17 12:31:13

Re: Error after update- "unable to find root device" [Testing Repo]

#15 2012-02-17 14:05:11

Re: Error after update- "unable to find root device" [Testing Repo]

#16 2012-02-18 01:22:35

Re: Error after update- "unable to find root device" [Testing Repo]

#17 2012-02-18 02:07:54

Re: Error after update- "unable to find root device" [Testing Repo]

#18 2012-02-18 05:04:49

Re: Error after update- "unable to find root device" [Testing Repo]

#19 2012-02-18 05:31:23

Re: Error after update- "unable to find root device" [Testing Repo]

#20 2012-02-18 05:49:07

Re: Error after update- "unable to find root device" [Testing Repo]

#21 2012-02-18 07:59:53

Re: Error after update- "unable to find root device" [Testing Repo]

#22 2012-02-18 09:17:39

Re: Error after update- "unable to find root device" [Testing Repo]

#23 2012-02-18 14:13:16

Re: Error after update- "unable to find root device" [Testing Repo]

#24 2012-02-20 09:05:33

Re: Error after update- "unable to find root device" [Testing Repo]

#25 2012-02-20 09:49:01

Re: Error after update- "unable to find root device" [Testing Repo]

#26 2012-02-20 10:50:22

Re: Error after update- "unable to find root device" [Testing Repo]

#27 2012-02-20 15:25:02

Re: Error after update- "unable to find root device" [Testing Repo]

#28 2012-03-07 16:57:12

Re: Error after update- "unable to find root device" [Testing Repo]

#29 2012-03-08 09:23:18

Re: Error after update- "unable to find root device" [Testing Repo]

#30 2012-03-08 10:02:40

Re: Error after update- "unable to find root device" [Testing Repo]

#31 2012-03-10 22:42:40

Re: Error after update- "unable to find root device" [Testing Repo]

#32 2012-03-11 16:16:18

Re: Error after update- "unable to find root device" [Testing Repo]

#33 2012-03-11 18:03:07

Re: Error after update- "unable to find root device" [Testing Repo]

#34 2012-03-11 18:25:26

Re: Error after update- "unable to find root device" [Testing Repo]

#35 2012-03-11 20:25:07

Re: Error after update- "unable to find root device" [Testing Repo]

#36 2012-03-11 21:03:28

Re: Error after update- "unable to find root device" [Testing Repo]

#37 2012-03-12 03:45:19

Re: Error after update- "unable to find root device" [Testing Repo]

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