Christian Zimmermann writes
reboot # into 2.4 or 2.6?
into 2.6, SECOND entry,
#at reboot in grub: single user mode (select kernel, press "e", select kernel line, press "e", append "single" at the end of the line, "enter", press "b", root password)
use the second entry, no editing required, I think.
mount -o ro,remount /dev/sda1
Mount root disk read-only. Important.
e2fsck -c -y /dev/sda1
#according to the man page: # Note that in general it is not safe to run e2fsck on mounted filesys- # tems. The only exception is if the -n option is specified, and -c, -l, # or -L options are not specified. However, even if it is safe to do # so, the results printed by e2fsck are not valid if the filesystem is # mounted. If e2fsck asks whether or not you should check a filesystem # which is mounted, the only correct answer is "no". Only experts who # really know what they are doing should consider answering this question # in any other way. #I am no expert, in fact, I hardly understand what I am supposed to do here, #are you sure you want to do this?
A read only mounted disk can be savely checked. Otherwise how would you check the file system
# this takes a few hours. # what if something is wrong?
The -y option will automatically take corrective action required
reboot
#single user again
rsync -va --exclude /vol --exclude /proc --exclude /sys / /vol
grub-install --directory /vol/boot/grub /dev/sdb1
# do you mean #grub-install --root-directory=/vol/boot/grub /dev/sdb1
Yes, sorry!
# this is how I would understand it from the man page on nebka. # and why not use update-grub?
That does a different thing, it updates the list of kernels that are available.
#sdb1, not sdb, right?
I think, but if it gripes try /dev/sdb instead.
#edit /vol/etc/fstab putting the right device for the swap, but how?
I am not sure. Actually, there is a step missing, you need to format the disk. I will do this right now. Inspect and change partition table: nebka:~# cfdisk /dev/sdb nebka:~# nebka:~# nebka:~# nebka:~# mke2fs -j /dev/sdb1 mke2fs 1.40-WIP (14-Nov-2006) /dev/sdb1 is mounted; will not make a filesystem here! nebka:~# mount /dev/sdb1 mount: /dev/sdb1 already mounted or /vol busy mount: according to mtab, /dev/sdb1 is already mounted on /vol nebka:~# cd /vol nebka:/vol# ls lost+found opt nebka:/vol# cd I should have done this to start with: nebka:~# umount /vol but it works like this too... nebka:~# mke2fs -j /dev/sdb1 mke2fs 1.40-WIP (14-Nov-2006) Filesystem label= OS type: Linux Block size=4096 (log=2) Fragment size=4096 (log=2) 17924096 inodes, 35838999 blocks 1791949 blocks (5.00%) reserved for the super user First data block=0 Maximum filesystem blocks=0 1094 block groups 32768 blocks per group, 32768 fragments per group 16384 inodes per group Superblock backups stored on blocks: 32768, 98304, 163840, 229376, 294912, 819200, 884736, 1605632, 2654208, 4096000, 7962624, 11239424, 20480000, 23887872 Writing inode tables: done Creating journal (32768 blocks): done Writing superblocks and filesystem accounting information: done This filesystem will be automatically checked every 29 mounts or 180 days, whichever comes first. Use tune2fs -c or -i to override. nebka:~# mkswap /dev/sdb2 /dev/sdb2: No such device or address It does not like to do the swap, but the /dev/sdb2 is now earmarked for swap. It should be ok for you to let the partition table be as is, just comment out the part that mounts /dev/sdb Actually I did it for you. nebka:~# cat /etc/fstab # /etc/fstab: static file system information. # # <file system> <mount point> <type> <options> <dump> <pass> proc /proc proc defaults 0 0 /dev/sda5 none swap sw 0 0 /dev/sda1 / ext3 defaults,errors=remount-ro 0 1 /dev/hda /media/cdrom iso9660 ro,user,noauto 0 0 /dev/fd0 /media/floppy auto rw,user,noauto 0 0 /dev/hda /cdrom iso9660 ro,user,noauto 0 0 #/dev/sdb1 /vol ext3 defaults 0 1
And I suppose that file will be rsynched from /etc/fstab, right?
Correct. If you switch the two disks, as you must do before the final boot, it will say that what now is /dev/sdb is what gets called /dev/sda, and the current configuration, which places the swap at the end should be just fine. I will go to town now, later to the opera. I expert to be back by 23:00 local time, your 13:00. If you start doing it then you can call me any time during the night, leave me a number and I'll call you right back to discuss the situation with you. Good luck! Cheers, Thomas Krichel http://openlib.org/home/krichel RePEc:per:1965-06-05:thomas_krichel phone: +7 383 330 6813 skype: thomaskrichel