How to Recover Corrupted Root Partition from Rescue Mode

APPLIES TO:

Linux OS – Version Oracle Linux 5.6 and later
Linux x86-64
Linux x86

GOAL

This note provides step-by-step instruction on how to recover the corrupted root filesystem.

SOLUTION

Booting up Oracle Linux server fails with corrupted the root filesystem:

Checking all file systems.
[/sbin/fsck.ext3 (1) — /] fsck.ext3 -a /dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00
/dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00 contains a file system with errors, check forced.
/dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00: Inodes that were part of a corrupted orphan linked list found.

/dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00: UNEXPECTED INCONSISTENCY; RUN fsck MANUALLY.
(i.e., without -a or -p options)
[FAILED]

*** An error occurred during the file system check.
*** Dropping you to a shell; the system will reboot
*** when you leave the shell.
Give root password for maintenance

The error indicates the root filesystem is corrupted. And to recover the corrupted root filesystem, please follow the steps below:

1) Boot the system from the DVD or boot disc1 of the same major release as the system. Once the system has successfully booted from the ISO image and Oracle Linux boot screen will appear.

Type: “linux rescue” without the quotes, and hit enter at the prompt.

boot: linux rescue

2)When prompted for language, and keyboard, provide the pertinent information for the system.

3)When prompted to enable the network devices on the system, select: No

4)Select: Skip when prompted to allow the rescue environment to mount Oracle Linux installation under /mnt/sysimage directory.

5)If not using LVM, execute fsck on the device which contains the filesystem:

  sh-3.1# e2fsck -f /dev/sda1
e2fsck 1.41.12.14 (17-May-2014)
[…]

 

6)If using LVM, activate the volumes before running fsck.

sh-3.1# lvm pvscan
PV /dev/sda1 VG VolGroup00 lvm2 [96.00 MB / 0 free]
Total: 1 [3.34 GB] / in use: 1 [3.34 GB] / in no VG: 0 [0 ]

sh-3.1# lvm vgscan
Reading all physical volumes. This may take a while…
Found volume group “VolGroup00” using metadata type lvm2

sh-3.1# lvm lvscan
INACTIVE ‘/dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00’ [3.34 GB] inherit

sh-3.1# lvm lvdisplay

— Logical volume —
LV Name /dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00
VG Name VolGroup00
LV UUID 335qTi-Ossg-32O5-yQC7-xNON-egdI-frj4et
LV Write Access read/write
LV Status NOT available
LV Size 3.34 GB
Current LE 107
Allocation inherit
Read ahead sectors 0

sh-3.1# lvm vgchange -ay
1 logical volume(s) in volume group “VolGroup00” now active

sh-3.1# sh-3.1# e2fsck -f -y /dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00
e2fsck 1.41.12.14 (17-May-2014)
[…]

7) Exit the rescue mode, remove the DVD or boot disc media, then boot the system normally.


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