User:Slashme/TIFU

My screwup: root@davelaptop:/home/david# fdisk -l Disk /dev/sda: 298.1 GiB, 320072933376 bytes, 625142448 sectors Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes Disklabel type: dos Disk identifier: 0xae09ff0b Device    Boot Start       End   Sectors   Size Id Type /dev/sda1 *     2048 625139711 625137664 298.1G  7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT Disk /dev/sdb: 7.5 GiB, 8019509248 bytes, 15663104 sectors Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes Disklabel type: dos Disk identifier: 0x0006f36d Device    Boot   Start      End  Sectors  Size Id Type /dev/sdb1 *       2048  2287615  2285568  1.1G 83 Linux /dev/sdb2      2287616 15663103 13375488  6.4G 83 Linux Disk /dev/sdc: 931.5 GiB, 1000204886016 bytes, 1953525168 sectors Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes Disklabel type: dos Disk identifier: 0x7c46eeab Device    Boot      Start        End    Sectors   Size Id Type /dev/sdc1       208982016 1933043711 1724061696 822.1G  7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT /dev/sdc2 *          2048    3905535    3903488   1.9G 83 Linux /dev/sdc3      1933043712 1953523711   20480000   9.8G 82 Linux swap / Solaris /dev/sdc4         3907582  208982015  205074434  97.8G  5 Extended /dev/sdc5         3907584  208982015  205074432  97.8G 83 Linux Partition table entries are not in disk order. root@davelaptop:/home/david# dd if=/mnt/big/debian-live-8.2.0-amd64-cinnamon-desktop.iso of=/dev/sdc bs=4M; sync ^C54+0 records in   53+0 records out 222298112 bytes (222 MB) copied, 2.93226 s, 75.8 MB/s The fix:

First, zero the start of the disk, or nothing will work right: dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sdc ibs=1MiB count=1 1+0 records in   2048+0 records out 1048576 bytes (1.0 MB) copied, 0.0544217 s, 19.3 MB/s Next, recreate the partition table: root@davelaptop:/media/david/7d9d33d0-3269-49ae-8bca-a67701d8f019/backup# parted /dev/sdc GNU Parted 3.2 Using /dev/sdc Welcome to GNU Parted! Type 'help' to view a list of commands. (parted) print Error: /dev/sdc: unrecognised disk label Model: TOSHIBA External USB 3.0 (scsi) Disk /dev/sdc: 1000GB Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B Partition Table: unknown Disk Flags: (parted) mklabel msdos Error: Partition(s) 1, 3, 5 on /dev/sdc have been written, but we have been unable to inform the kernel of the change, probably because it/they are in use. As a result, the old partition(s) will remain in use. You should reboot now before making further changes. Ignore/Cancel? ignore (parted) mkpart primary 208982016s 1933043711s Error: Partition(s) 3, 5 on /dev/sdc have been written, but we have been unable to inform the kernel of the change, probably because it/they are in use. As a result, the old partition(s) will remain in use. You should reboot now before making further changes. Ignore/Cancel? ignore (parted) mkpart primary 2048s 3905535s Error: Partition(s) 3, 5 on /dev/sdc have been written, but we have been unable to inform the kernel of the change, probably because it/they are in use. As a result, the old partition(s) will remain in use. You should reboot now before making further changes. Ignore/Cancel? ignore (parted) mkpart primary 1933043712s 1953523711s Error: Partition(s) 5 on /dev/sdc have been written, but we have been unable to inform the kernel of the change, probably because it/they are in use. As a result, the old partition(s) will remain in use. You should reboot now before making further changes. Ignore/Cancel? ignore (parted) print Model: TOSHIBA External USB 3.0 (scsi) Disk /dev/sdc: 1000GB Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B Partition Table: msdos Disk Flags: Number Start   End     Size    Type     File system  Flags 2     1049kB  2000MB  1999MB  primary               lba 1     107GB   990GB   883GB   primary               lba 3     990GB   1000GB  10.5GB  primary               lba (parted) quit Information: You may need to update /etc/fstab. root@davelaptop:/media/david/7d9d33d0-3269-49ae-8bca-a67701d8f019/backup# fdisk /dev/sdc Welcome to fdisk (util-linux 2.25.2). Changes will remain in memory only, until you decide to write them. Be careful before using the write command. Command (m for help): p   Disk /dev/sdc: 931.5 GiB, 1000204886016 bytes, 1953525168 sectors Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes Disklabel type: dos Disk identifier: 0xb657c75b Device    Boot      Start        End    Sectors   Size Id Type /dev/sdc1       208982016 1933043711 1724061696 822.1G 83 Linux /dev/sdc2            2048    3905535    3903488   1.9G 83 Linux /dev/sdc3      1933043712 1953523711   20480000   9.8G 83 Linux Partition table entries are not in disk order. Command (m for help): d   Partition number (1-3, default 3): 1 Partition 1 has been deleted. Command (m for help): d   Partition number (2,3, default 3): Partition 3 has been deleted. Command (m for help): d   Selected partition 2 Partition 2 has been deleted. Command (m for help): p   Disk /dev/sdc: 931.5 GiB, 1000204886016 bytes, 1953525168 sectors Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes Disklabel type: dos Disk identifier: 0xb657c75b Command (m for help): n   Partition type p  primary (0 primary, 0 extended, 4 free) e  extended (container for logical partitions) Select (default p): Using default response p.   Partition number (1-4, default 1): First sector (2048-1953525167, default 2048): Last sector, +sectors or +size{K,M,G,T,P} (2048-1953525167, default 1953525167): Created a new partition 1 of type 'Linux' and of size 931.5 GiB. Command (m for help): q   root@davelaptop:/media/david/7d9d33d0-3269-49ae-8bca-a67701d8f019/backup# parted /dev/sdc GNU Parted 3.2 Using /dev/sdc Welcome to GNU Parted! Type 'help' to view a list of commands. (parted) print Model: TOSHIBA External USB 3.0 (scsi) Disk /dev/sdc: 1000GB Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B Partition Table: msdos Disk Flags: Number Start   End     Size    Type     File system     Flags 2     1049kB  2000MB  1999MB  primary  ext4 1     107GB   990GB   883GB   primary  ntfs 3     990GB   1000GB  10.5GB  primary  linux-swap(v1) (parted) mkpart extended 3907582s 208982015s Warning: The resulting partition is not properly aligned for best performance. Ignore/Cancel? ignore Error: Partition(s) 5 on /dev/sdc have been written, but we have been unable to inform the kernel of the change, probably because it/they are in use. As a result, the old partition(s) will remain in use. You should reboot now before making further changes. Ignore/Cancel? ignore (parted) print Model: TOSHIBA External USB 3.0 (scsi) Disk /dev/sdc: 1000GB Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B Partition Table: msdos Disk Flags: Number Start   End     Size    Type      File system     Flags 2     1049kB  2000MB  1999MB  primary   ext4 4     2001MB  107GB   105GB   extended                  lba 1     107GB   990GB   883GB   primary   ntfs 3     990GB   1000GB  10.5GB  primary   linux-swap(v1) (parted) mkpart logical 3907584s 208982015s (parted) print Model: TOSHIBA External USB 3.0 (scsi) Disk /dev/sdc: 1000GB Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B Partition Table: msdos Disk Flags: Number Start   End     Size    Type      File system     Flags 2     1049kB  2000MB  1999MB  primary   ext4 4     2001MB  107GB   105GB   extended                  lba 5     2001MB  107GB   105GB   logical                   lba 1     107GB   990GB   883GB   primary   ntfs 3     990GB   1000GB  10.5GB  primary   linux-swap(v1) (parted) quit Information: You may need to update /etc/fstab. root@davelaptop:/media/david/7d9d33d0-3269-49ae-8bca-a67701d8f019/backup# fdisk /dev/sdc Welcome to fdisk (util-linux 2.25.2). Changes will remain in memory only, until you decide to write them. Be careful before using the write command. Command (m for help): p   Disk /dev/sdc: 931.5 GiB, 1000204886016 bytes, 1953525168 sectors Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes Disklabel type: dos Disk identifier: 0xb657c75b Device    Boot      Start        End    Sectors   Size Id Type /dev/sdc1       208982016 1933043711 1724061696 822.1G 83 Linux /dev/sdc2            2048    3905535    3903488   1.9G 83 Linux /dev/sdc3      1933043712 1953523711   20480000   9.8G 83 Linux /dev/sdc4         3907582  208982015  205074434  97.8G  f W95 Ext'd (LBA) /dev/sdc5         3907584  208982015  205074432  97.8G 83 Linux Partition table entries are not in disk order. Command (m for help): a   Partition number (1-5, default 5): 2 The bootable flag on partition 2 is enabled now. Command (m for help): t   Partition number (1-5, default 5): 1 Hex code (type L to list all codes): 7 Changed type of partition 'Linux' to 'HPFS/NTFS/exFAT'. Command (m for help): p   Disk /dev/sdc: 931.5 GiB, 1000204886016 bytes, 1953525168 sectors Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes Disklabel type: dos Disk identifier: 0xb657c75b Device    Boot      Start        End    Sectors   Size Id Type /dev/sdc1       208982016 1933043711 1724061696 822.1G  7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT /dev/sdc2 *          2048    3905535    3903488   1.9G 83 Linux /dev/sdc3      1933043712 1953523711   20480000   9.8G 83 Linux /dev/sdc4         3907582  208982015  205074434  97.8G  f W95 Ext'd (LBA) /dev/sdc5         3907584  208982015  205074432  97.8G 83 Linux Partition table entries are not in disk order. Command (m for help): t   Partition number (1-5, default 5): 3 Hex code (type L to list all codes): 82 Changed type of partition 'Linux' to 'Linux swap / Solaris'. Command (m for help): t   Partition number (1-5, default 5): 4 Hex code (type L to list all codes): 5 You cannot change a partition into an extended one or vice versa. Delete it first. Type of partition 4 is unchanged: W95 Ext'd (LBA). Command (m for help): d   Partition number (1-5, default 5): 4 Partition 4 has been deleted. Command (m for help): p   Disk /dev/sdc: 931.5 GiB, 1000204886016 bytes, 1953525168 sectors Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes Disklabel type: dos Disk identifier: 0xb657c75b Device    Boot      Start        End    Sectors   Size Id Type /dev/sdc1       208982016 1933043711 1724061696 822.1G  7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT /dev/sdc2 *          2048    3905535    3903488   1.9G 83 Linux /dev/sdc3      1933043712 1953523711   20480000   9.8G 82 Linux swap / Solaris Partition table entries are not in disk order. Command (m for help): n   Partition type p  primary (3 primary, 0 extended, 1 free) e  extended (container for logical partitions) Select (default e): e   Selected partition 4 First sector (3905536-1953525167, default 3905536): 3907582 Last sector, +sectors or +size{K,M,G,T,P} (3907582-208982015, default 208982015): Created a new partition 4 of type 'Extended' and of size 97.8 GiB. Command (m for help): p   Disk /dev/sdc: 931.5 GiB, 1000204886016 bytes, 1953525168 sectors Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes Disklabel type: dos Disk identifier: 0xb657c75b Device    Boot      Start        End    Sectors   Size Id Type /dev/sdc1       208982016 1933043711 1724061696 822.1G  7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT /dev/sdc2 *          2048    3905535    3903488   1.9G 83 Linux /dev/sdc3      1933043712 1953523711   20480000   9.8G 82 Linux swap / Solaris /dev/sdc4         3907582  208982015  205074434  97.8G  5 Extended Partition table entries are not in disk order. Command (m for help): w   The partition table has been altered. root@davelaptop:/media/david/7d9d33d0-3269-49ae-8bca-a67701d8f019/backup# root@davelaptop:/media/david/7d9d33d0-3269-49ae-8bca-a67701d8f019/backup# fdisk -l /dev/sdc Disk /dev/sdc: 931.5 GiB, 1000204886016 bytes, 1953525168 sectors Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes Disklabel type: dos Disk identifier: 0xb657c75b Device    Boot      Start        End    Sectors   Size Id Type /dev/sdc1       208982016 1933043711 1724061696 822.1G  7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT /dev/sdc2 *          2048    3905535    3903488   1.9G 83 Linux /dev/sdc3      1933043712 1953523711   20480000   9.8G 82 Linux swap / Solaris /dev/sdc4         3907582  208982015  205074434  97.8G  5 Extended Partition table entries are not in disk order. root@davelaptop:/media/david/7d9d33d0-3269-49ae-8bca-a67701d8f019/backup# parted /dev/sdc GNU Parted 3.2 Using /dev/sdc Welcome to GNU Parted! Type 'help' to view a list of commands. (parted) print Model: TOSHIBA External USB 3.0 (scsi) Disk /dev/sdc: 1000GB Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B Partition Table: msdos Disk Flags: Number Start   End     Size    Type      File system     Flags 2     1049kB  2000MB  1999MB  primary   ext4            boot 4     2001MB  107GB   105GB   extended 1     107GB   990GB   883GB   primary   ntfs 3     990GB   1000GB  10.5GB  primary   linux-swap(v1) (parted) mkpart logical 3907584s 208982015s (parted) print Model: TOSHIBA External USB 3.0 (scsi) Disk /dev/sdc: 1000GB Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B Partition Table: msdos Disk Flags: Number Start   End     Size    Type      File system     Flags 2     1049kB  2000MB  1999MB  primary   ext4            boot 4     2001MB  107GB   105GB   extended 5     2001MB  107GB   105GB   logical                   lba 1     107GB   990GB   883GB   primary   ntfs 3     990GB   1000GB  10.5GB  primary   linux-swap(v1) (parted) quit Information: You may need to update /etc/fstab. root@davelaptop:/media/david/7d9d33d0-3269-49ae-8bca-a67701d8f019/backup# fdisk -l /dev/sdc Disk /dev/sdc: 931.5 GiB, 1000204886016 bytes, 1953525168 sectors Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes Disklabel type: dos Disk identifier: 0xb657c75b Device    Boot      Start        End    Sectors   Size Id Type /dev/sdc1       208982016 1933043711 1724061696 822.1G  7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT /dev/sdc2 *          2048    3905535    3903488   1.9G 83 Linux /dev/sdc3      1933043712 1953523711   20480000   9.8G 82 Linux swap / Solaris /dev/sdc4         3907582  208982015  205074434  97.8G  5 Extended /dev/sdc5         3907584  208982015  205074432  97.8G 83 Linux Partition table entries are not in disk order. Now re-install GRUB: root@davelaptop:/media/david/7d9d33d0-3269-49ae-8bca-a67701d8f019/backup# mount /boot root@davelaptop:/media/david/7d9d33d0-3269-49ae-8bca-a67701d8f019/backup# ls /boot/ grub lost+found root@davelaptop:/media/david/7d9d33d0-3269-49ae-8bca-a67701d8f019/backup# grub-install ^C root@davelaptop:/media/david/7d9d33d0-3269-49ae-8bca-a67701d8f019/backup# grub-install --boot-directory=/boot /dev/sdc Installing for i386-pc platform. Installation finished. No error reported.

Also ran blkid and used the output to correct /etc/fstab

reinstall kernel:

root@davelaptop:~# apt-get install --reinstall linux-image-3.16.0-4-amd64 Reading package lists... Done Building dependency tree Reading state information... Done 0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 1 reinstalled, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded. Need to get 0 B/33.8 MB of archives. After this operation, 0 B of additional disk space will be used. Preconfiguring packages ...   (Reading database ... 204683 files and directories currently installed.) Preparing to unpack .../linux-image-3.16.0-4-amd64_3.16.7-ckt20-1+deb8u4_amd64.deb ...   Unpacking linux-image-3.16.0-4-amd64 (3.16.7-ckt20-1+deb8u4) over (3.16.7-ckt20-1+deb8u4) ...    Setting up linux-image-3.16.0-4-amd64 (3.16.7-ckt20-1+deb8u4) ... /etc/kernel/postinst.d/initramfs-tools: update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-3.16.0-4-amd64

But still my system didn't boot: it got me to the grub> prompt. I could still boot by typing

grub> linux (hd0,msdos2)/vmlinuz root=/dev/sdc5"   grub> initrd (hd0,msdos2)/initrd     grub> boot

is where I pressed the tab key: grub2 is clever enough to do tab completion!

Even after trying another grub-install, the system still wouldn't boot, but I then did the following:

#apt-get purge grub-common

to remove all traces of grub2 from my computer, and then

#apt-get install grub-pc

to do a fresh install of grub2.

Woot! System working!