boot permissions failing. cannot boot, even recovery menu

**kirkface8** · November 6th, 2010

A few days ago i posted this same question. No answers led to a moderator suggesting to post a new thread specifying the problem whilst notifying that there is a duplicate thread out there.

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1613777

but basscially there is something wrong that will not let me boot into anything. It happened as i was watching an avi file. As the avi ended vlc closed as i noticed that i would not re execute. i got the error vlc not found. i then tried a reboot. Clicking on the shutdown button led to the shutdown form with the labels.

Code:

Shutdown
Logout
Switch User

But all these labels had the inccorect font defualt squares showing. so i could not read the text.
Reboot failed and results are below.

As i boot (normal) i get

Code:

init: plymouth main process (339) terminated with status 1

as i boot recovery mode it specifys multiple errors suggesting that access is denied..etc

more specifically

Code:

init: mountall main process (422) terminated with status 1

init: failed to spawn mountain post-stop process: unable to exectue: Permission denied

other processes such as
spawn plymouth
spawn mountall
spawn mountall-shell
spawn udev

have the same error.

im led to believe that its a similar issue as stated and solved in http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1335937
Anybody have any help or suggestions to get a bootable system?

My output of bootinfoscript

Code:

                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 #1 for (,msdos1)/boot/grub.
 => No boot loader is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdc
sda1: _________________________________________________________________________
    File system:       ext4
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:  
    Operating System:  Ubuntu 10.10
    Boot files/dirs:   /boot/grub/grub.cfg /etc/fstab /boot/grub/core.img
sda2: _________________________________________________________________________
    File system:       Extended Partition
    Boot sector type:  Unknown
    Boot sector info:  
sda5: _________________________________________________________________________
    File system:       vfat
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:  No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
    Operating System:  
    Boot files/dirs:   
sda6: _________________________________________________________________________
    File system:       swap
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:  
sda3: _________________________________________________________________________
    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:   /bootmgr /Boot/BCD /Windows/System32/winload.exe
sda4: _________________________________________________________________________
    File system:       ext4
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:  
    Operating System:  
    Boot files/dirs:   
sdc1: _________________________________________________________________________
    File system:       vfat
    Boot sector type:  Fat32
    Boot sector info:  According to the info in the boot sector, sdc1 starts 
                       at sector 0. But according to the info from fdisk, 
                       sdc1 starts at sector 1.
    Operating System:  
    Boot files/dirs:   
hda: _________________________________________________________________________
    File system:       iso9660
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:  
    Operating System:  
    Boot files/dirs:   /boot/grub/menu.lst
=========================== Drive/Partition Info: =============================
Drive: sda ___________________ _____________________________________________________
Disk /dev/sda: 320.0 GB, 320072933376 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 38913 cylinders, total 625142448 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xd58e9730
Partition  Boot         Start           End          Size  Id System
/dev/sda1                  63    78,124,094    78,124,032  83 Linux
/dev/sda2          78,127,102   234,375,167   156,248,066   5 Extended
/dev/sda5          78,127,104   205,078,527   126,951,424   b W95 FAT32
/dev/sda6         205,080,576   234,375,167    29,294,592  82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda3         234,579,968   532,977,663   298,397,696   7 HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda4         532,977,664   625,141,759    92,164,096  83 Linux
 
Drive: sdc ___________________ _____________________________________________________
Disk /dev/sdc: 8036 MB, 8036286464 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 977 cylinders, total 15695872 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00000000
Partition  Boot         Start           End          Size  Id System
/dev/sdc1                   1    15,695,871    15,695,871   b W95 FAT32
 
blkid -c /dev/null: ____________________________________________________________
Device           UUID                                   TYPE       LABEL                         
/dev/hda                                                iso9660    BT4                           
/dev/loop0                                              squashfs                                 
/dev/sda1        660effbe-3e30-4e80-b011-f3e7e49f053d   ext4                                     
/dev/sda3        EA0E44B10E447899                       ntfs                                     
/dev/sda4        ca382a1d-34db-48ed-b45b-7fc2b3589c80   ext4       Data                          
/dev/sda5        4807-71C0                              vfat                                     
/dev/sda6        ec9bf680-bb94-41fb-b538-926cd693322e   swap                                     
/dev/sdc1        124D-4CA5                              vfat       New Volume                    
============================ "mount | grep ^/dev  output: ===========================
Device           Mount_Point              Type       Options
rootfs           /                        rootfs     (rw)
/dev/hda         /media/cdrom0            iso9660    (ro,noatime)
/dev/loop0       /rofs                    squashfs   (ro,noatime)
/dev/sdc1        /media/New Volume        vfat       (rw,nosuid,nodev,noatime,uhelper=hal,flush,uid=0,utf8,shortname=lower)
 
=========================== sda1/boot/grub/grub.cfg: ===========================
#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then
  set have_grubenv=true
  load_env
fi
set default="0"
if [ "${prev_saved_entry}" ]; then
  set saved_entry="${prev_saved_entry}"
  save_env saved_entry
  set prev_saved_entry=
  save_env prev_saved_entry
  set boot_once=true
fi
function savedefault {
  if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then
    saved_entry="${chosen}"
    save_env saved_entry
  fi
}
function recordfail {
  set recordfail=1
  if [ -n "${have_grubenv}" ]; then if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then save_env recordfail; fi; fi
}
function load_video {
  insmod vbe
  insmod vga
}
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 660effbe-3e30-4e80-b011-f3e7e49f053d
if loadfont /usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2 ; then
set gfxmode=800x600
  load_video
  insmod gfxterm
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
insmod part_msdos
insmod ext2
set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 660effbe-3e30-4e80-b011-f3e7e49f053d
set locale_dir=($root)/boot/grub/locale
set lang=en
insmod gettext
if [ "${recordfail}" = 1 ]; then
  set timeout=-1
else
  set timeout=10
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=black/light-gray
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.35-22-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
 recordfail
 insmod part_msdos
 insmod ext2
 set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
 search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 660effbe-3e30-4e80-b011-f3e7e49f053d
 linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-22-generic root=UUID=660effbe-3e30-4e80-b011-f3e7e49f053d ro  vga=771  quiet splash
 initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-22-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.35-22-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
 recordfail
 insmod part_msdos
 insmod ext2
 set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
 search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 660effbe-3e30-4e80-b011-f3e7e49f053d
 echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.35-22-generic ...'
 linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-22-generic root=UUID=660effbe-3e30-4e80-b011-f3e7e49f053d ro single  vga=771
 echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
 initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-22-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.34-020634-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
 recordfail
 insmod part_msdos
 insmod ext2
 set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
 search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 660effbe-3e30-4e80-b011-f3e7e49f053d
 linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.34-020634-generic root=UUID=660effbe-3e30-4e80-b011-f3e7e49f053d ro  vga=771  quiet splash
 initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.34-020634-generic
}
menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 2.6.34-020634-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
 recordfail
 insmod part_msdos
 insmod ext2
 set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
 search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 660effbe-3e30-4e80-b011-f3e7e49f053d
 echo 'Loading Linux 2.6.34-020634-generic ...'
 linux /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.34-020634-generic root=UUID=660effbe-3e30-4e80-b011-f3e7e49f053d ro single  vga=771
 echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
 initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.34-020634-generic
}
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###
### END /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+)" {
 insmod part_msdos
 insmod ext2
 set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
 search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 660effbe-3e30-4e80-b011-f3e7e49f053d
 linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin
}
menuentry "Memory test (memtest86+, serial console 115200)" {
 insmod part_msdos
 insmod ext2
 set root='(hd0,msdos1)'
 search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set 660effbe-3e30-4e80-b011-f3e7e49f053d
 linux16 /boot/memtest86+.bin console=ttyS0,115200n8
}
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
menuentry "Windows 7 (loader) (on /dev/sdb3)" {
 insmod part_msdos
 insmod ntfs
 set root='(hd0,msdos3)'
 search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set ea0e44b10e447899
 chainloader +1
}
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries.  Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment.  Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
if [ -f  $prefix/custom.cfg ]; then
  source $prefix/custom.cfg;
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
=============================== sda1/etc/fstab: ===============================
 
UUID=660effbe-3e30-4e80-b011-f3e7e49f053d / ext4 users 0 0
UUID=EA0E44B10E447899 /media/EA0E44B10E447899 ntfs-3g users 0 0
UUID=ec9bf680-bb94-41fb-b538-926cd693322e swap swap sw 0 0
UUID=ca382a1d-34db-48ed-b45b-7fc2b3589c80 /media/Data ext4 users 0 0
 
=================== sda1: Location of files loaded by Grub: ===================
 
  17.3GB: boot/grub/core.img
  11.2GB: boot/grub/grub.cfg
  17.6GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.34-020634-generic
  11.8GB: boot/initrd.img-2.6.35-22-generic
  17.4GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.34-020634-generic
  17.5GB: boot/vmlinuz-2.6.35-22-generic
  11.8GB: initrd.img
  17.6GB: initrd.img.old
  17.5GB: vmlinuz
  17.4GB: vmlinuz.old
=========================== hda/boot/grub/menu.lst: ===========================
# By default, boot the first entry.
default 0
# Boot automatically after 30 secs.
timeout 30
splashimage=/boot/grub/bt4.xpm.gz
foreground e3e3e3
background 303030
title                Start BackTrack FrameBuffer (1024x768)
kernel                /boot/vmlinuz BOOT=casper boot=casper nopersistent rw quiet vga=0x317
initrd                /boot/initrd.gz
title                Start BackTrack FrameBuffer (800x600)
kernel                /boot/vmlinuz BOOT=casper boot=casper nopersistent rw quiet vga=0x314
initrd                /boot/initrd800.gz
title                Start BackTrack Forensics (no swap)
kernel                /boot/vmlinuz BOOT=casper boot=casper nopersistent rw vga=0x317
initrd                /boot/initrdfr.gz
title                Start BackTrack in Safe Graphical Mode
kernel                /boot/vmlinuz BOOT=casper boot=casper xforcevesa rw quiet 
initrd                /boot/initrd.gz
title                Start Persistent Live CD
kernel                /boot/vmlinuz BOOT=casper boot=casper persistent rw quiet 
initrd                /boot/initrd.gz
title                Start BackTrack in Text Mode
kernel                /boot/vmlinuz BOOT=casper boot=casper nopersistent textonly rw quiet
initrd                /boot/initrd.gz
title                Start BackTrack Graphical Mode from RAM
kernel                /boot/vmlinuz BOOT=casper boot=casper toram nopersistent rw quiet 
initrd                /boot/initrd.gz
title                Memory Test
kernel                /boot/memtest86+.bin
title                Boot the First Hard Disk
root                (hd0)
chainloader +1
==================== hda: Location of files loaded by Grub: ====================
 
    .0GB: boot/grub/menu.lst
    .0GB: boot/initrd800.gz
    .0GB: boot/initrdfr.gz
    .0GB: boot/initrd.gz
    .0GB: boot/vmlinuz
=========================== Unknown MBRs/Boot Sectors/etc =======================
Unknown BootLoader  on sda2
00000000  a3 0e 7d 0e 26 0e 3b 0f  94 0f 9f 0f 74 0e e9 0a  |..}.&.;.....t...|
00000010  ef 06 e0 04 fc 02 8c 01  6a ff b4 fb a3 f9 3c f8  |........j.....<.|
00000020  53 f6 02 f6 69 f6 35 f6  ea f5 91 f4 f4 f0 71 f0  |S...i.5.......q.|
00000030  5e f1 1f f1 ae f3 7d f4  10 f5 f8 f5 3d f4 27 f1  |^.....}.....=.'.|
00000040  43 ef 43 ee 9f f0 b2 f2  0c f3 12 f5 46 f5 3a f6  |C.C.........F.:.|
00000050  2f f7 fa f5 ae f5 ab f6  8c f5 3f f5 27 f4 0e f6  |/.........?.'...|
00000060  f2 f9 51 fb 65 fb 98 fb  05 fc 2d fb a8 fa c3 f9  |..Q.e.....-.....|
00000070  5c f9 5e fa f9 f8 b2 f7  5b f9 ea fc 3a ff 03 fe  |\.^.....[...:...|
00000080  d2 fb 93 fb 5d fa fc f9  f1 fb ac fc fd fe 8f 00  |....]...........|
00000090  27 01 8a 01 bf 02 8a 02  9e 01 dd 01 56 03 bf 02  |'...........V...|
000000a0  b9 03 7c 08 82 09 a7 08  b4 07 36 06 db 05 95 06  |..|.......6.....|
000000b0  37 06 5e 04 75 03 27 02  c0 02 54 04 a2 07 58 0b  |7.^.u.'...T...X.|
000000c0  04 0e 77 0f e8 0d 53 0c  6c 0d 0b 0c b9 09 69 0b  |..w...S.l.....i.|
000000d0  e0 0c bd 0d f8 0d 0d 0e  74 0e a0 0d 86 0b 81 0b  |........t.......|
000000e0  0e 0d c8 0d 57 0d 14 08  69 04 95 02 87 01 13 02  |....W...i.......|
000000f0  13 00 49 fd 37 fd 2c fc  ce f9 43 fa 44 f9 49 f8  |..I.7.,...C.D.I.|
00000100  6b f8 13 fa 76 fb 6b fc  b6 fd 04 fe 94 fd a2 fd  |k...v.k.........|
00000110  2f fb b8 fc a0 fc 57 f9  88 f8 27 f8 a7 f8 a1 fa  |/.....W...'.....|
00000120  6a fc d1 fb 41 fb 02 fc  ed fa 8d fc 7d fe 97 fe  |j...A.......}...|
00000130  8d fe e1 fd cd fe 4a 01  21 04 ed 05 b7 04 77 02  |......J.!.....w.|
00000140  b9 03 ba 03 4c 02 6f 02  62 02 d0 00 2a ff 05 ff  |....L.o.b...*...|
00000150  3d ff 17 00 8f ff a0 fe  00 00 2e 01 2a 01 8a 00  |=...........*...|
00000160  50 00 b6 ff b3 fe 79 fe  ec ff fa 00 e8 fd aa fc  |P.....y.........|
00000170  d6 fc 9d fb 75 fb a5 f9  51 f7 60 f7 af f8 09 fa  |....u...Q.`.....|
00000180  f2 fa 12 fb e5 fc 02 fe  37 ff 0a ff 81 fd 2b fe  |........7.....+.|
00000190  16 00 dc fe de fc b6 fd  99 fe 45 00 d3 00 2e 00  |..........E.....|
000001a0  92 01 64 03 f0 03 44 02  bb ff 9f fe 0d ff 10 ff  |..d...D.........|
000001b0  e1 fd 0c fe aa ff 1a 00  54 00 97 01 2b 02 00 fe  |........T...+...|
000001c0  ff ff 0b fe ff ff 02 00  00 00 00 20 91 07 00 fe  |........... ....|
000001d0  ff ff 05 fe ff ff 02 20  91 07 00 08 bf 01 00 00  |....... ........|
000001e0  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  |................|
000001f0  00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00  00 00 00 00 00 00 55 aa  |..............U.|
00000200
 
=======Devices which don't seem to have a corresponding hard drive==============
sdb

**m4tic** · November 6th, 2010

i han a similar problem on my sister's laptop, after fighting forever i found the issue to be lack of memory, i had run out. after clearing using a live cd everything worked. i doubt this will help but sometimes we overlook these types of things

**kirkface8** · November 6th, 2010

Originally Posted by m4tic

i han a similar problem on my sister's laptop, after fighting forever i found the issue to be lack of memory, i had run out. after clearing using a live cd everything worked. i doubt this will help but sometimes we overlook these types of things

theres more then 50% free space on that drive but thanks for the suggestion ill double check anyway.