(SOLVED- sort of) Interruptedupdate - computer no longer booting

[PJJ]

I updated my computer with the most recent upgrade. All packages were downloaded and the actual update of the file system started.

However, before the process completed either the power went off or something else happened. The machine shut down.

Upon restart it could no longer find the necessary files system.

Recovery option give me only a maintenance shell without a command I would recognize as able to initialize completion of the installation process.

In the past I have used some 'dpkg ?' to complete the botched installation.

What exactly is the correct command?

I just reinstalled the system after a very similar crash.

Thanks for any assistance.

[Snowhog]

Re: Interruptedupdate - computer no longer booting

Try:

apt-get install -f

[PJJ]

Re: Interruptedupdate - computer no longer booting

It does work within the maintenance box. Correct?

[Snowhog]

Re: Interruptedupdate - computer no longer booting

It either will, or it won't. As suggested, try it.

[PJJ]

Re: Interruptedupdate - computer no longer booting

I did.

Error message:

'Not using locking for read only lock file /var/lib/dpkg/lock
dpkg interrupted - use dpkg -- configure -a'

New error message:
"unable to access dpkg status on read only file"-.


Older versions of the kernel still on my computer also do no longer work.
Looks like I need yet another install of the entire OS?

[Snowhog]

Re: Interruptedupdate - computer no longer booting

Not yet.

In your situation, you are in single user mode, and in the console you find yourself at, you are 'root.'

The specified lock file just needs to be removed:

rm /var/lib/dpkg/lock

Then run the suggested command:

dpkg --configure -a

And assuming that this goes without errors, then run:

apt-get install -f

just to be sure.

If the above returns no errors, then reboot:

shutdown -r now

[PJJ]

Re: Interruptedupdate - computer no longer booting

Did as you suggested.

Result:

General error mounting file system.
Read only file system.

I was unable to erase the lock file because of error - see above.

After shutting down and on reboot I can see the entire file system in Konsole. Unfortunately, I cannot save or transfer the files to another disk. If I could I would just reinstall the entire system.


Thank you for your assistance and patience.

[vinnywright]

Re: Interruptedupdate - computer no longer booting

you can remove the lock file from a livecd or usb (as root with sudo or kdesudo if a GUI app)or transfer any files you need to some place else.

VINNY

[PJJ]

Re: (SOLVED- sort of) Interruptedupdate - computer no longer booting

Thank you all for your guidance. I have resolved the problem - sort of - for the time being. The remaining problem is that my boot menu does no longer show 'Kubuntu 10.10' but Ubuntu 10.10 instead.
Something went crazy during the repair process.

This is how I did it (if I remember all steps correctly).

First tried all of snowhogs suggestions. Did not work until I started the system in recover mode.
use 'e' key to edit. Which gave me the grub boot instructions showing the main file systen as "ro". Changed it to "rw". Reboot still gave me a maintenance ox.

From there I tried snowhog commands again.
'dpkg --configure -a ' did something, but still left something for the computer to complain about.

I did 'sudo aptitude -u' which gave me a more graphic interface. It also showed some missing packets and other info. Used it to reinstall several parts including grub. Grub found a dependency conflict with grub-pc, removed it (which could be the cause of the still remaining issue).

Thereafter if did a 'grub-mkconfig' followed by 'grub-install'.

Leaving the maintenance box, the machine gave me to my great surprise not only the boot menu but actually booted into 'Ubuntu 10.10' which now is called "Ubuntu 10.10" in the menu.

Kernels are shown with the correct numbers. However, when I boot into the latest kernel, which is the one that had the problem, the computer freezes up after a while. Booting into one of the older kernels does not create the same effects.

No data was lost. The remaining issues are certainly not unsurmountable.

That goes to prove that even a blind chicken occasionally finds a bit of food.