Target filesystem doesn't have /sbin/init

[chaozuper]

Hi there. For some reason, I can't get Ubuntu to boot. The computer isn't actually mine so I don't know exactly what happened, but I think an update went badly wrong...

Anyway, whenever I try and boot Ubuntu, i get this

Killed
mount: mounting /dev on /root/dev failed: No such file or directory
mount: mounting /sys on /root/sys failed: No such file or directory
mount: mounting /proc on /root/proc failed: No such file or directory
Target filesystem doesn't have /sbin/init
No init found. Try passing init= bootarg

(and then something about initramfs)

I've been trying to find out what the error is on the forums, and I think it could be to do with grub not being able to find something, but I really don't know because I don't understand exactly what's going on.

I can load the grub menu, but I can't boot Ubuntu from there. Also, I can't run or install Ubuntu on a live usb because it just hangs at the Ubuntu loading screen.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

chaozuper.

[Rubi1200]

Try using Slax to boot the computer:
http://distrowatch.com/table.php?distribution=slax

You should be able to put it on a USB stick and run it:
http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/

If you do manage to get it booted, please do the following so we can get a better idea of what is going on:

Once the desktop loads come back here and do the following:

1. Download the boot info script which is in a zipped file. There is a link in my signature.
2. Once downloaded, move the boot info script by either copying or dragging and dropping the zipped folder onto the desktop and unzip the contents by using right-click Extract here.
3. Open the folder and copy the script to the desktop (you can also drag and drop if you like)
4. Open a terminal and run the following command

bash ~/Desktop/boot_info_script.sh

This will create a RESULTS.txt file on the desktop. Paste the entire contents of that file back here in a new post. Once pasted highlight all text and click the # sign on the toolbar to place code tags around the text.

[chaozuper]

Ok, i got the results.txt file

                  Boot Info Script 0.60    from 17 May 2011


============================= Boot Info Summary: ===============================

 => Grub2 (v1.97-1.98) is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks at sector 
    1 of the same hard drive for core.img. core.img is at this location and 
    looks in partition 1 for /boot/grub.
 => Syslinux MBR (3.61-4.03) is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdb.

sda1: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ext4
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:  
    Mounting failed:   mount: unknown filesystem type 'ext4'

sda2: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       Extended Partition
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:  

sda5: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       swap
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:  

sdb1: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       vfat
    Boot sector type:  SYSLINUX 3.71 2008-07-31
    Boot sector info:   Syslinux looks at sector 540800 of /dev/sdb1 for its 
                       second stage. No errors found in the Boot Parameter 
                       Block.
    Operating System:  
    Boot files:        /boot/syslinux/syslinux.cfg /boot/syslinux/ldlinux.sys

sdb2: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       Extended Partition
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:  

sdb5: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       swap
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:  

sdh: ___________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       vfat
    Boot sector type:  FAT16
    Boot sector info:   According to the info in the boot sector, sdh has 
                       1415168 sectors.. But according to the info from the 
                       partition table, it has 31506432 sectors.
    Operating System:  
    Boot files:        

============================ Drive/Partition Info: =============================

Drive: sda _____________________________________________________________________

Disk /dev/sda: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders, total 976773168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00084d8b

Partition  Boot  Start Sector    End Sector  # of Sectors  Id System

/dev/sda1    *          2,048   973,848,575   973,846,528  83 Linux
/dev/sda2         973,850,622   976,773,119     2,922,498   5 Extended
/dev/sda5         973,850,624   976,773,119     2,922,496  82 Linux swap / Solaris


Drive: sdb _____________________________________________________________________

Disk /dev/sdb: 4063 MB, 4063232000 bytes
125 heads, 62 sectors/track, 1024 cylinders, total 7936000 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x000e29e1

Partition  Boot  Start Sector    End Sector  # of Sectors  Id System

/dev/sdb1    *          2,048     7,473,151     7,471,104   b W95 FAT32
/dev/sdb2           7,475,198     7,933,951       458,754   5 Extended
/dev/sdb5           7,475,200     7,933,951       458,752  82 Linux swap / Solaris


"blkid" output: ________________________________________________________________

Device           UUID                                   TYPE       LABEL

/dev/sda1        249cd791-45d0-45f8-9d8b-65bac7e8d70f   ext4       
/dev/sda5        c3f67a6e-3291-496d-a4a3-1b8a45e29062   swap       
/dev/sdb1        1CEC-1AD6                              vfat       
/dev/sdb5        f49dfc99-2007-4c7a-a0f4-6561b2b662e2   swap       
/dev/sdh         8C84-649B                              vfat       

================================ Mount points: =================================

Device           Mount_Point              Type       Options

/dev/sdb1        /mnt/sdb1                vfat       (rw,noatime,quiet,umask=0,check=s,shortname=mixed)
/dev/sdg         /mnt/sdg                 vfat       (rw)
/dev/sdh         /mnt/sdh                 vfat       (rw)


======================= sdb1/boot/syslinux/syslinux.cfg: =======================

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
INCLUDE /boot/slax.cfg
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

=================== sdb1: Location of files loaded by Grub: ====================

           GiB - GB             File                                 Fragment(s)

            ?? = ??             boot/initrd.gz
            ?? = ??             boot/vmlinuz

================= sdb1: Location of files loaded by Syslinux: ==================

           GiB - GB             File                                 Fragment(s)

            ?? = ??             boot/syslinux/ldlinux.sys
            ?? = ??             boot/syslinux/menu.c32
            ?? = ??             boot/syslinux/syslinux.cfg

============== sdb1: Version of COM32(R) files used by Syslinux: ===============

 boot/syslinux/menu.c32             :  COM32R module (v4.xx)

========= Devices which don't seem to have a corresponding hard drive: =========

hda sdc sdd sde sdf 

=============================== StdErr Messages: ===============================

File descriptor 11 (socket:[12153]) leaked on lvscan invocation. Parent PID 8993: /bin/bash
mdadm: No arrays found in config file

[Rubi1200]

It appears there is possible damage to the file-system which is most likely why those errors appeared.

You can use the Slax CD to try and fix this by running the following command:

e2fsck -f -y -v /dev/sda1

Once the command completes, and assuming there are no errors, reboot the computer taking out the LiveCD.

Let me know if this allows you to boot normally.

[chaozuper]

Ok, i tried e2fsck -f -y -v /dev/sdal , but i got this error:

e2fsck 1.41.3 (12-Oct-2008)
e2fsck: No such file or directory while trying to open /dev/sdal

The superblock could not be read or does not describe a correct ext2
filesystem. If the device is valid and it really contains an ext2
filesystem (and not swap or ufs or something else), then the superblock
is corrupt, and you might try running e2fsck with an alternate superblock:
e2fsck -b 8193 <device>

i wonder if maybe i was doing something wrong, but i'm not sure because i don't really have a clue what any of this means

I was running slax in text mode if that makes any difference. Thanks for the help, though!

[Rubi1200]

It looks as if you might have typed an l (L) not a 1 in the command?

If it still doesn't work then we can try something else.

[chaozuper]

Brilliant! It worked first time, after you pointed out that typo. Thankyou very much, Rubi1200, you've saved my bacon.

[Ferralll]

OH MY GOD!!!
This post saved my life!

I let my brother in law use my computer for 10 min. And I have no idea how, but I got the same error.
I got a ubuntu live CD and did the command above, and now it works.


(I tried to use the USB for teh live, but I get the "Unable to enumerate device" error, so it did not work.)

THANKYOU SOOO MUCH!!!!

[ThomWilhelm]

Wow this thread saved me also, thank you. I disconnected the hard drive of a laptop before a flight so I could carry the drive in my hand luggage, but pack the laptop itself in my checked-in baggage.

When I connected them back together again I got this error, was convinced something had been damaged during the journey. Luckily doing this process has restored it all again nicely, would love to know why this happened in the first place but at least it's solved

[JackTheKnife]

I have similar issue but can't get it to fix. Here is my boot info dump file:

                  Boot Info Script 0.60    from 17 May 2011


============================= Boot Info Summary: ===============================

 => Grub2 (v1.97-1.98) is installed in the MBR of /dev/sda and looks at sector 
    1 of the same hard drive for core.img. core.img is at this location and 
    looks in partition 2 for /grub.
 => MS-DOS 3.30 through Windows 95 (A) is installed in the MBR of /dev/sdb.

sda1: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       swap
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:  

sda2: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ext4
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:  
    Mounting failed:   mount: unknown filesystem type 'ext4'

sda3: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ext4
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:  
    Mounting failed:   mount: unknown filesystem type 'ext4'
mount: unknown filesystem type 'ext4'

sda4: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       Extended Partition
    Boot sector type:  Unknown
    Boot sector info:  

sda5: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ext4
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:  
    Mounting failed:   mount: unknown filesystem type 'ext4'
mount: unknown filesystem type 'ext4'
mount: unknown filesystem type 'ext4'

sda6: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ext4
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:  
    Mounting failed:   mount: unknown filesystem type 'ext4'
mount: unknown filesystem type 'ext4'
mount: unknown filesystem type 'ext4'
mount: unknown filesystem type 'ext4'

sda7: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       ext4
    Boot sector type:  -
    Boot sector info:  
    Mounting failed:   mount: unknown filesystem type 'ext4'
mount: unknown filesystem type 'ext4'
mount: unknown filesystem type 'ext4'
mount: unknown filesystem type 'ext4'
mount: unknown filesystem type 'ext4'

sdb1: __________________________________________________________________________

    File system:       vfat
    Boot sector type:  FAT16
    Boot sector info:   No errors found in the Boot Parameter Block.
    Operating System:  
    Boot files:        

============================ Drive/Partition Info: =============================

Drive: sda _____________________________________________________________________

Disk /dev/sda: 250.0 GB, 250000000000 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30394 cylinders, total 488281250 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x41ab2316

Partition  Boot  Start Sector    End Sector  # of Sectors  Id System

/dev/sda1               2,048    31,999,999    31,997,952  82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda2    *     32,000,000    33,001,471     1,001,472  83 Linux
/dev/sda3          33,001,472   130,705,407    97,703,936  83 Linux
/dev/sda4         130,707,454   488,280,063   357,572,610   5 Extended
/dev/sda5         130,707,456   155,142,143    24,434,688  83 Linux
/dev/sda6         155,144,192   174,721,023    19,576,832  83 Linux
/dev/sda7         174,723,072   488,280,063   313,556,992  83 Linux


Drive: sdb _____________________________________________________________________

Disk /dev/sdb: 2040 MB, 2040528896 bytes
2 heads, 63 sectors/track, 31630 cylinders, total 3985408 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x00055b37

Partition  Boot  Start Sector    End Sector  # of Sectors  Id System

/dev/sdb1    *             32     3,985,407     3,985,376   6 FAT16


"blkid" output: ________________________________________________________________

Device           UUID                                   TYPE       LABEL

/dev/sda1        c3fffc34-b45f-4997-8c70-b383fd5721ad   swap       
/dev/sda2        aeb81e2a-6ef3-41eb-973e-25e86aeb8a15   ext4       
/dev/sda3        c7d9b090-574f-42dd-ac2a-4f3072dee22a   ext4       
/dev/sda5        4d973622-0147-4859-89cf-44d65013d850   ext4       
/dev/sda6        7bfcb745-b079-4e73-bedf-b6433a244e35   ext4       
/dev/sda7        ca2fb76e-0e44-4a0c-a7e7-b55f46ceb010   ext4       
/dev/sdb1        2C50-0615                              vfat       

================================ Mount points: =================================

Device           Mount_Point              Type       Options

/dev/sdb1        /mnt/sdb1                vfat       (rw,noatime,quiet,umask=0,check=s,shortname=mixed)
/dev/sr0         /mnt/sr0                 iso9660    (ro,noatime)


======================== Unknown MBRs/Boot Sectors/etc: ========================

Unknown BootLoader on sda4

00000000  21 19 12 0b 0a 07 0a 22  3f 66 8c a6 c3 d5 e1 ef  |!......"?f......|
00000010  f5 fb fd fa ff 1c fe f9  d8 b0 85 69 4e 34 27 1f  |...........iN4'.|
00000020  21 29 30 34 38 38 37 35  34 34 36 38 37 35 34 36  |!)04887544687546|
00000030  38 39 38 01 38 39 f7 3a  f8 3b fe 3c ff 3a 15 3b  |898.89.:.;.<.:.;|
00000040  3c 3c 3b 39 38 35 35 36  38 38 39 39 3a 3b 3f 43  |<<;985568899:;?C|
00000050  44 41 3d 3c 3d fe 3e 04  3f 40 41 42 44 fe 45 30  |DA=<=.>.?@ABD.E0|
00000060  43 40 3f 3f 42 48 4d 51  52 50 4f 4e 4c 4b 4a 4a  |C@??BHMQRPONLKJJ|
00000070  49 47 44 42 3f 3d 3d 3e  3e 3a 36 30 2c 2b 2b 2e  |IGDB?==>>:60,++.|
00000080  36 40 4d 60 6d 7f 92 a0  b1 ba c3 cb ce d3 d7 d9  |6@M`m...........|
00000090  da fe d9 09 db de e1 e5  e6 e9 ee f4 f9 fd fd ff  |................|
000000a0  ff fe 00 fa 33 f4 eb e3  dd d9 d9 db da da dc de  |....3...........|
000000b0  e1 e4 e6 e8 e7 e8 e7 e8  eb f2 f7 fa f8 f1 e9 de  |................|
000000c0  ce c2 b0 a1 96 8b 86 88  8d 96 a2 ab b7 c2 ca d2  |................|
000000d0  d5 d9 de e0 e4 e9 ef f7  fd fe ff 11 f9 f2 e7 dd  |................|
000000e0  d8 de e9 f5 fb fe ff fe  fa f3 ee f0 f7 fe fd ff  |................|
000000f0  0e fe f0 e0 d1 c8 c5 cb  d5 e0 e7 ed f4 f7 fb fd  |................|
00000100  fd ff 0f fd fc fd ff ff  fc f8 f3 ee e9 e7 e5 e1  |................|
00000110  dd d9 d6 12 d4 d3 d4 d2  cd c6 bd b7 b1 a8 a1 9b  |................|
00000120  9a 9a 9c 9e 9e 9d 9b fd  9a 05 9b 9c 9c 9d 9e 9f  |................|
00000130  fe a0 01 9f 9d f8 9c 39  9d a0 a3 a8 ae b2 b8 bb  |.......9........|
00000140  c0 c7 cd d3 d5 d9 e1 e8  ee f0 ef e8 de d5 d0 cf  |................|
00000150  d2 d9 dc db d8 d4 d0 d2  db e5 eb ee e5 d2 ba 9b  |................|
00000160  87 6c 4e 38 1f 12 0e 10  1a 22 25 26 25 23 21 21  |.lN8....."%&%#!!|
00000170  20 20 fe 21 03 20 1e 1c  1a fe 18 ff 19 01 17 16  |  .!. ..........|
00000180  fd 14 ff 15 06 14 12 11  11 12 15 17 ff 18 33 16  |..............3.|
00000190  13 11 12 14 16 18 18 17  14 11 0f 10 11 14 17 18  |................|
000001a0  1c 24 2d 3f 53 66 75 79  75 6a 5a 47 38 27 1a 11  |.$-?SfuyujZG8'..|
000001b0  08 05 06 09 0e 11 12 13  15 16 17 17 16 16 00 fe  |................|
000001c0  ff ff 83 fe ff ff 02 00  00 00 00 d8 74 01 00 fe  |............t...|
000001d0  ff ff 05 fe ff ff 02 d8  74 01 00 c0 2a 01 00 00  |........t...*...|
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: =========

sdc 

=============================== StdErr Messages: ===============================

mdadm: No arrays found in config file

Any thoughts?

Thanks