Update Fails: Partitions Cannot Be Mounted
Support knowledgebase (fhassel_update_not_possible)
Applies to
SuSE Linux: Versions since 8.0
Symptom
The update process fails with the following error message:
Partitions cannot be mounted.
Check the log file /var/log/y2log
The error message and cause should not be mistaken with those mentioned in the article
"Update Fails: No Root Partition Found" (http://sdb.suse.de/en/sdb/html/fhassel_no_root_partition.html).
Cause
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.
Solution
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:
# /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.
See also:
Update Fails: No Root Partition Found
Keywords: UPDATE, PARTITION, MOUNT, MOUNTED, FSTAB
Categories:
Installation
SDB-fhassel_update_not_possible, Copyright SuSE Linux AG, Nürnberg, Germany
- Version: 03. Mar 2003
SuSE Linux AG - Last generated: 25. Jun 2003 by afaber (sdb_gen 1.40.0)