[QCLUG] Save a drive

[Mark Riedesel]

Doesn"t sound like a physical disk problem so much, I would suspect
something like bios disk boot order or something. Does grub start but
fail? Or does the system not attempt to boot from that drive at all?

As for copying the contents of the partitons, tar is fully capable of
such things provided you use the proper options.

On 11/16/08, Jim Hall <volunteer.jim@gmail.com> wrote:
> On 11/15/08, Mark Riedesel <mriedesel@gmail.com> wrote:
>> Boot from knoppix or some live cd and try running gpart (not
>> gparted!), it scans the disk contents and attempts to rebuild the
>> partition table. If that works, then reinstall grub and all shall be
>> well.
>>
>> Although you say you can read the drive's contents by means of
>> mounting the partitons, then your partition table is probably fine so
>> it's likely just a grub issue.
>>
>> If you think the drive is physically failing, smartmontools might
>> provide some info regarding failures, just an idea.
>>
>> On 11/15/08, Jim Hall <volunteer.jim@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> I had so much fun at the meeting I only mentioned this briefly near the
>>> end.
>>>
>>> I have a Debian Etch install with what appears to be a seriously trashed
>>> MBR. No longer boots, even from floppy or CD. It's readable from a live
>>> CD
>>> or as a slave drive. Also have another drive the same size. Methinks I
>>> should be able to copy bad to good, reinstall Grub and have a working
>>> drive
>>> again. This is based on theoretical Q&A from a long time ago.
>>>
>>> Any command or program recommendations?
>>>
>>> Jim
>>>
>> _______________________________________________
>>
>
>
> That was interesting. Ran gpart, scanned and wrote new partition
> table, reinstalled grub. No change <sigh>.
>
> It looks like I'm back to the idea of getting this install onto
> aanother drive. I have another drive the same size. Im leery of a bit
> for bit clone because I don't know what the bad sector tables look
> like. If I can do a "pick up the contents of a partition and drop it
> in a partition on another drive", then it might work.
>
> Anyway, I'm going to keep researching.
>
> Jim
> _______________________________________________
> QCLUG mailing list
> QCLUG@qclug.org
> http://qclug.org/mailman/listinfo/qclug
>