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Update Fails: Partitions Cannot Be Mounted

Knowledgebase

Symptom

The update process fails with the following error message:

Partitions cannot be mounted.
Check the log file /var/log/y2log

Warning: The error message and cause should not be mistaken with those mentioned in the article Update Fails: No Root Partition Found (http://portal.suse.com//sdb/en/2003/04/fhassel_no_root_partition.html ).

Cause

There are two possible causes:

  1. Mounting one or more partitions might not be possible because the file systems entered in the file /etc/fstab (by the kernel included on the installation CD) at the time of the update are not supported. Another possible cause might be faulty entries in the file /etc/fstab.

  2. A second cause might be your hard disk being attached to a controller where the device names for hard disks have been changed (e.g from "/dev/ h da" to "/dev/ s da"). That could be the case in connection with SATA hard disks.

Solution

Cause 1

Before starting the update, correct any faulty entries in the file /etc/fstab with an editor of your choice. Alternatively (and more advisable), disable all the partition entries not directly required for the system start in the file /etc/fstab. To do this, insert a comment ("#") sign at the beginning of the respective lines. These are, for example, entries mounting other data partitions or partitions belonging to another operating system. Particularly LVM partitions should be disabled during the update, if they are exclusively data partitions without system files.

Proceed as follows:

  • Press the key combination ALT+F2 in KDE.

  • Enter "xterm" in the input field.

  • Click "Run".

  • Enter the command "su -" in the window that opens.

  • Enter the root password when prompted to do so.

Open the file /etc/fstab with an editor with the command:

pico -w /etc/fstab

The file content will be similar to:

/dev/hda7       /               reiserfs        defaults 1 1
/dev/hda5       /boot           ext2            defaults 1 2
/dev/hda1       /windows/C      ntfs     ro,users,gid=users,umask=0002,iocharset=iso8859-15,code=437 0 0
/dev/hda6       swap            swap     pri=42 0 0
devpts          /dev/pts        devpts  mode=0620,gid=5 0 0
proc            /proc   proc    defaults 0 0
usbdevfs        /proc/bus/usb   usbdevfs        noauto 0 0
/dev/cdrom      /media/cdrom    auto    ro,noauto,user,exec 0 0
/dev/fd0        /media/floppy   auto    noauto,user,sync 0 0
/dev/foobar     /data           auto    defaults        0 0

In this example, the last entry is faulty. Disable the affected line with a comment sign:

<strong>#</strong> /dev/foobar     /data           auto    defaults        0 0

Save the file (with CTRL-O in the editor pico) and close the editor (CTRL-X).

Now restart the installation. The update should be successful. After the installation, the comment signs in /etc/fstab can be removed.

Cause 2

Change the device name (e.g. from "/dev/ h da" to "/dev/ s da") in the file /etc/fstab before updating.

Update Fails: No Root Partition Found

Disclaimer

The origin of this information may be internal or external to Novell. While Novell makes all reasonable efforts to verify this information, Novell does not make explicit or implied claims to its validity.

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