When started my computer ubuntu wouldn't start. It gave me this errors:

mount: mounting /dev/disk/by-uuid/***************************** on /root
failed: Invalid argument
mount: mounting /sys on /root/sys failed: No such file or directory
mount: mounting /dev on /root/dev failed: No such file or directory
mount: mounting /sys on /root/sys failed: No such file or directory
mount: mounting /proc on /root/proc failed: No such file or directory
Target file system doesn't have /sbin/init
No init found. Try passing init= bootarg

I found forums describing how to fix this, and I tried to apply this fix: http://pinoy-computing-tips.blogspot...nit-found.html
It helped the first time. But after several boots it crashed again and it keeps crashing.

I have dual boot, Win7 and Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx.
I'm quite new to Ubuntu so please be clear in your explanations.
I would like to know why this has happened and how to fix this...
Thx in advance.

Hello Zeljka Lin, welcome to LQ,

it seems you didn't install the bootloader grub properly or your /etc/fstab is messed up. I'd recommend to boot the installation-CD and try to repair the system.

Using fdisk (like described in your link) is a good idea. You may post the output of fdisk -l.

Markus

Thx for your quick reply. This is output from fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x4bc1f926

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 * 1 13 102400 7 HPFS/NTFS
Partition 1 does not end on cylinder boundary.
/dev/sda2 13 108801 873839622+ 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3 108802 121602 102817793 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 108802 121076 98593792 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 121076 121602 4222976 82 Linux swap / Solaris

So I booted from LiveCD and run the command: sudo fsck /dev/sda5/
The problem is that now I have error (something like this) error. grub rescue>
and I can't load Windows or Ubuntu
So I've booted again from LiveCD and run the fsck again but, now it's running it for two days, and still not finished
I have very important data on my Ubuntu. Should I interrupt it??
I would like to know why this happened because I've never had any problems with Ubuntu, everything was working fine.

Obviously your Linux-rootpartition is /dev/sda5. Does you grub have a /boot/grub/menu.lst file? if yes, you should look at it and check that there is the correct partition for Linux configured.

If you want to make a backup of your important data, boot with the install-CD, mount /dev/sda5 and copy the files to an USB-storage or external HD.

Markus

Ok, this morning fsck still not finished. I have tried to find /boot/grub/menu.lst but there isn't one (or I can't find it), than I've tried: sudo mount /dev/sda5
but I have this error:
mount: can't find /dev/sda5 in /etc/fstab or /etc/mtab
It seems I'll have to try booting the Win7 and reinstall Ubuntu.. without my data.
I would really like to know WHY this happened, because I don't want this to happen again. There are months of my work on my Ubuntu.
Since I've installed Ubuntu I don't use Win at all, so I don't think windows could delete my grub (I read on the forums It happens? ; I wasn't updating or upgrading my system when it happened so I really don't understand?
Any explanations are welcome...
markush thank you for your time and help...

maybe you'll check your /etc/fstab file.

I don't think that fsck will help you. The problem is not the filesystem but that (probably) your /etc/fstab is damaged. I'd recommend to boot with a Live-CD/install-CD and post the /etc/fstab (of the system, not the one of the CD, i.e. mount /dev/sda5 and open /etc/fstab).

Markus

At first, before trying anything to repair the system backup your data. You can do that easily with a live-CD. Just mount your /-partition with You will now find the partition under the /mnt-directory. Backup your files now to an external medium. A tip for the future: Always have a backup of your important data. It may also help (but can't replace a backup)to separate your data from your OS, using a separate /home-partition.

That you find no menu.lst-file is normal, newer Ubuntu versions use Grub2 that uses a grub.cfg file for configuration.
After making the backup, test your harddisk with the manufacturer's diagnosis tool. In my eyes your symptoms are pointing to a dying harddisk.

One way to get the data off that has worked for me (albeit on a disk with only one partition) is to remove the hard drive and put it in a USB caddy. Attach the caddy to another computer and navigate to your home directory, compress it and copy it to another place (USB stick, hard drive). I have not done this with a Linux system so others might know the pitfalls better. Another possibility (to rescue the data) might be to boot up a Knoppix disk and use 'ddrescue' to transfer either the whole of /dev/sda5 or the home directory to another storage device but be careful or you might send it into oblivion.

Ferd.

I cant mount
I've tried:sudo mount /dev/sda5 /mnt
but I have this error:
mount: Stale NFS file handle
I don't know what that means..

I'm not sure if this informations helps:

Boot Info Script 0.55 dated February 15th, 2010

============================= Boot Info Summary: ==============================

=> Grub 2 is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks on the same drive in
partition #5 for /boot/grub.

sda1: _________________________________________________________________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System:
Boot files/dirs: /bootmgr /Boot/BCD /boot/grub/core.img

sda2: _________________________________________________________________________

File system: ntfs
Boot sector type: Windows Vista/7
Boot sector info: No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
Operating System: Windows 7
Boot files/dirs: /Windows/System32/winload.exe

sda3: _________________________________________________________________________

File system: Extended Partition
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:

sda5: _________________________________________________________________________

File system: ext4
Boot sector type: Unknown
Boot sector info:
Mounting failed:
mount: Stale NFS file handle

sda6: _________________________________________________________________________

File system: swap
Boot sector type: -
Boot sector info:

=========================== Drive/Partition Info: =============================

Drive: sda ___________________ _____________________________________________________

Disk /dev/sda: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylinders, total 1953525168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Partition Boot Start End Size Id System

/dev/sda1 * 2,048 206,847 204,800 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2 206,848 1,747,886,092 1,747,679,245 7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3 1,747,888,126 1,953,523,711 205,635,586 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 1,747,888,128 1,945,075,711 197,187,584 83 Linux
/dev/sda6 1,945,077,760 1,953,523,711 8,445,952 82 Linux swap / Solaris


blkid -c /dev/null: ____________________________________________________________

Device UUID TYPE LABEL

/dev/loop0 squashfs
/dev/sda1 AC0E23480E230B42 ntfs System Reserved
/dev/sda2 508229B58229A088 ntfs
/dev/sda3: PTTYPE="dos"
/dev/sda5 3ddd7b95-cf53-4166-a76d-c3b4e5d82e6a ext4
/dev/sda6 e40e57cd-e8ad-49db-a5d4-bf108e741f6b swap
/dev/sda: PTTYPE="dos"

============================ "mount | grep ^/dev output: ===========================

Device Mount_Point Type Options

aufs / aufs (rw)
/dev/sr0 /cdrom iso9660 (ro,noatime)
/dev/loop0 /rofs squashfs (ro,noatime)


=================== sda1: Location of files loaded by Grub: ===================


??GB: boot/grub/core.img
=========================== Unknown MBRs/Boot Sectors/etc =======================

Unknown BootLoader on sda5

00000000 a4 81 00 00 1d 01 00 00 db 73 b9 4d dc 73 b9 4d |.........s.M.s.M|
00000010 56 fc a6 4d 00 00 00 00 00 00 01 00 08 00 00 00 |V..M............|
00000020 00 00 08 00 01 00 00 00 0a f3 01 00 04 00 00 00 |................|
00000030 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 bf 84 40 01 |..............@.|
00000040 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
*
00000060 00 00 00 00 c1 1e 63 e7 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |......c.........|
00000070 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
00000080 1c 00 00 00 ac d1 c9 cb 00 00 00 00 a0 4b 09 9f |.............K..|
00000090 db 73 b9 4d 9c 77 e5 9e 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |.s.M.w..........|
000000a0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
*
00000100 a4 81 00 00 5b 05 00 00 e5 f6 b6 4d e1 f6 b6 4d |....[......M...M|
00000110 84 81 c2 48 00 00 00 00 00 00 01 00 08 00 00 00 |...H............|
00000120 00 00 08 00 01 00 00 00 0a f3 01 00 04 00 00 00 |................|
00000130 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 b4 84 40 01 |..............@.|
00000140 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
*
00000160 00 00 00 00 87 9b bd 37 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |.......7........|
00000170 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
00000180 1c 00 00 00 90 b7 04 3f 00 00 00 00 18 f8 02 cf |.......?........|
00000190 e0 f6 b6 4d 88 70 2e 79 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |...M.p.y........|
000001a0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
*
00000200

I found some script on the net, and the results doesn't look good? Right? Even to me.....