Announcement

**sithlord48** · Mar 03, 2011, 05:51 PM

Re: DISASTER.... PLEASE HELP!!

Originally posted by kubobbu

Linux loads, I get the Kubuntu sign in panel, but when I enter my username and password, the screen distorts for a moment, and I am returned to the sign-in. I can sign in successfully using the safe mode, but have no idea where to go from there. Or how to end a session, for that matter.

i don't think that your problem is with the kernel . boot to safe mode and tell me what the output of "df -h" is (this will show your drive space) im thinking you have a full home directory. gnu/linux systems need file space to login. so if your home folder is full you will have to remove some files. try using "sudo apt-get autoremove" to remove teh old kernels and unused packages (if any) this sould free up some disk space.

**kubobbu** · Mar 03, 2011, 06:56 PM

Re: DISASTER.... PLEASE HELP!!

Thanks for your response.

I tried the autoremove... although it did remove some items, it was not the answer.

Here is the output of df -h:

Filesystem Size Used Avail Use% Mount
/dev/sda2 9.8G 8.5G 773M 92% /
750M 408K 750M 1% /dev
754M 0K 754M 0% /dev/shm
754M 188K 754M 1% /var/run
754M 0K 754M 0% /var/lock
754M 0K 754M 0% /lib/init/rw

My original mistake was not allocating enough disk space to Linux when I first installed, although as I look at the table above, there seems to be 10GB missing: I have an 80GB drive, and when I access various partitions, the Windows partition is listed as 66GB.. 10GB shown above... where's the other 10?

I hope you have another idea... I really miss my Linux.
Bob

**Snowhog** · Mar 03, 2011, 09:30 PM

Re: DISASTER.... PLEASE HELP!!

Yup, your root partition is to full (92% used). The fastest way to regain space is to clean-up your package cache (downloaded .deb files).

Reboot into recovery (single user mode) and from the prompt type:

Code:

apt-get autoremove && apt-get clean

Check how much space you regained by running again:

Code:

df -h

You should be able to reboot and login normally. The next thing to check on is how many kernels have been installed. You really only need the most recent and the one prior to that. Any older than that can be removed and all the associated files go with them, and that will also regain you a fair amount of disk space on the root partition.

**sithlord48** · Mar 03, 2011, 09:52 PM

Re: DISASTER.... PLEASE HELP!!

Originally posted by kubobbu

there seems to be 10GB missing:... where's the other 10?

and your losing some space as you see it from the conversion of gigabit to gigabyte. 76GB sounds about right to me for a 80Gb hard drive. Also some of your partition by default (5%) is reserved for root just incase you fill this disk. in this event you can log in as root and free up some disk space.

**GreyGeek** · Mar 04, 2011, 10:56 AM

Re: DISASTER.... PLEASE HELP!!

You may wonder why Snowhog said that 92% was "full". It is because the binary tree hashing alogrithms used to store and locate files slows down considerably when disk usage goes over 90%. So slow that some programs can time out and/or crash, especially if they use polling of the HD and not interrupts. I use 85% as a signal that I should offload some files to a DVD or USB stick, or add an external HD.

**kubobbu** · Mar 04, 2011, 12:42 PM

Re: DISASTER.... PLEASE HELP!!

My thanks to all for helpful suggestions.

Snowhog: tried as you last suggested, and got the following result:

E: Could not open lock file /var/cache/apt/archives/lock -open (13:Permission denied)
E: unable to lock the download directory

Now what??

Bob

**MoonRise** · Mar 04, 2011, 01:01 PM

Re: DISASTER.... PLEASE HELP!!

I think that the first command Snowhog gave should be:

Code:

sudo apt-get autoremove && apt-get clean

**kubobbu** · Mar 04, 2011, 02:21 PM

Re: DISASTER.... PLEASE HELP!!

Thank you, Moonrise.

I did use Sudo before the command as you suggest, and the result is as I stated above...

Bob

**dibl** · Mar 04, 2011, 02:26 PM

Re: DISASTER.... PLEASE HELP!!

Originally posted by kubobbu

E: Could not open lock file /var/cache/apt/archives/lock -open (13:Permission denied)
E: unable to lock the download directory

Did you perhaps also have a GUI package manager (synaptic or muon) running, while you attempted the terminal command? You cannot have a package manager running while using apt in the terminal.

**kubobbu** · Mar 04, 2011, 03:35 PM

Re: DISASTER.... PLEASE HELP!!

No Dibl... no package manager.
I had logged in using the Recovery mode, so I was using the command line from there.

Bob

**dibl** · Mar 04, 2011, 03:46 PM

Re: DISASTER.... PLEASE HELP!!

When you boot Recovery Mode, and from the recovery menu choose "Drop to root prompt", you should be at a "#" root prompt. Was that what you saw?

There is a file named "lock" in /var/cache/apt/archives. Given the state of your system at this point, I don't imagine it would be harmed by renaming that file:

Code:

# cd /var/cache/apt/archives

Code:

# mv lock oldlock

and then

Code:

# dpkg --configure -a

Code:

# apt-get update

Code:

# apt-get dist-upgrade

Code:

# apt-get clean

Code:

# shutdown now -r

and see what you get.

**kubobbu** · Mar 04, 2011, 09:26 PM

Re: DISASTER.... PLEASE HELP!!

Dibl... followed your instructions, and I'm sorry to report no improvement. I get to the Kubuntu sign-in screen, I enter user and password, the screen scrambles, and the sign-in reappears.

In spite of all above, it would appear that a previous kernel is still with me, unless Grub did not update itself as it should.

And the result of the Clean command was 0 dowloaded, 0 installed, 0 updated and 0 removed. So no progress.

Let me ask: If I boot from a Live CD, will I be able to access files on the Hard Drive, and if I can, what should I be looking to delete, and where will I find it.

Sorry to be a nuisance, but this forum is my only hope to recover from this mess.

Bob

**Snowhog** · Mar 04, 2011, 09:37 PM

Re: DISASTER.... PLEASE HELP!!

"I get to the Kubuntu sign-in screen"

That would be the KDE Login screen. That means that you did not follow my advise to log in "from the Grub menu" to recovery (single user mode). But no big deal.

From the KDE Login screen, press Ctrl+Alt+F1. This will drop you to a console login. Type in your user name and password. At this point you are still running as your regular user. Let's take care of the pesky 'lock' file.

Type:

Code:

sudo rm /var/cache/apt/archives/lock

Type in your password when prompted and the lock file will be gone.

Then perform the clean-up I previously advised.
Type:

Code:

sudo apt-get autoremove && sudo apt-get clean

Type your password if prompted. This will clean out the package cache of downloaded .deb files.

Now check your available space.
Type:

Code:

df -h

You should see that a fair amount of space has been recovered on the root partition. Now just reboot.
Type:

Code:

sudo shutdown -r now

and press Enter.

Try logging in normally and report back the results (should be successful).

**kubobbu** · Mar 04, 2011, 10:15 PM

Re: DISASTER.... PLEASE HELP!!

Snowhog... you misunderstand. I got to the KDE sign-in after following all of Dibl's instructions, ending with "shutdown now -r" (although you suggest "shutdown -r now") which brings up the KDE sign-in.

I did perform all the suggested instructions from the Root prompt.

Take another look at what Dibl last suggested... there are some small differences between his commands and yours, but I've actually done them both with no gain.

Thanks for your help.

Bob

Announcement

DISASTER.... PLEASE HELP!!

DISASTER.... PLEASE HELP!!

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment

Comment