How to mount NTFS partition from Fedora 10 Rescue Mode/Disk?

varaaha · #1 9th March 2009, 04:04 AM

Background for the problem:
A. I have partitioned my WinXP LTop into:
--- WinXP NTFS partition
--- a vfat partition (mounted onto /fat32)
--- Installed F10 on ext3 virtual partition
B. I do not want install grub-loader in the Master Boot Record (that would loose my WinXP boot-loader for ever)
C. I have installed grub boot loader in the First Boot Sector
D. Now I have to boot using Rescue Mode, do:
1. dd if=/dev/sda2 of=/fat32/linux.bin bs=512 count=1
2. mount -t ntfs /dev/sda1 /ntfs
3. cp /fat32/linux.bin /ntfs
4. modify /ntfs/c/boot.ini and introduce the statement 'c:\linux.bin="Linux"'

Problem:
Im not able to do step D.2 above.

Symptom:
** after booting linux using the Rescue Mode:
sh-3.2# chroot /mnt/sysimage
sh-3.2# uname -r
2.6.27.5-117.fc10.i586
sh-3.2# mount -f ntfs /dev/sda1 /ntfs
FATAL: Could not load /lib/modules/2.6.27.5-117.fc10.i586/modules.dep: No such file or directory
ntfs-3g-mount: fuse device is missing, try 'modprobe fuse' as root
sh-3.2#

Observations:
* The rescue mode boots into i586 based kernel (I dont know what is the actual difference between i586 and i686 - will really appreciate if anyone can educate me about it).
* The installation is only a i686 image and consequently there is *only* '/lib/modules/2.6.27.5-117.fc10.i686' dir and *no* other dir. There is no dir as xxxx.fc10.i586.

Humble Request:
* I PLEASE NEED IMMEDIATE HELP. I HAVE TO GET AROUND THIS LAST WEEK NOT EVEN YESTERDAY!!! So please... help me out quick.

notageek · #2 9th March 2009, 05:20 AM

From what I could gather this is your problem:

Code:

FATAL: Could not load /lib/modules/2.6.27.5-117.fc10.i586/modules.dep: No such file or directory
ntfs-3g-mount: fuse device is missing, try 'modprobe fuse' as root

Which means that ntfs-3g module is not available in rescue mode, therefore you're unable to mount. You may have to do that in Linux normal boot. Try "modprobe fuse" as the error says.

The second issue I see is that (although I'm not very good at Windows) I don't think editing boot.ini will work. So you're trying something different and probably on your own.

Installing grub as your main MBR is not such a bad idea.

savage · #3 9th March 2009, 05:57 AM

You're trying to add grub to the XP boot loader?

You have your linux.bin file, and that needs placing in the root of your Windows XP drive, you have it on the fat32 partition? Why not just boot to Windows to complete steps D.2 onwards?

Move the linux.bin file from the fat32 partition (probably D:\ depending on CD-ROM drive letter) to the NTFS WinXP:\ (presumably C:\), then edit boot.ini. You'll need to remove the read-only attribute on boot.ini before you can save it.

I've never managed to get what your trying to work, however I prefer to load grub and then the XP loader.

notageek · #4 9th March 2009, 05:58 AM

I think he's trying to boot Linux through windows loader and skip GRUB completely.

savage · #5 9th March 2009, 06:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by notageek

I think he's trying to boot Linux through windows loader and skip GRUB completely.

Oh...! I didn't know that was possible, I thought you could get the XP loader to load Grub, like the reverse of the Grub chainloader thingy, but I'm pretty sure the XP loader can't boot Linux without going through Grub first.

AFAIK that linux.bin is basically what would have been his MBR if he'd installed grub there, which the XP loader will call, loading grub (stage 1?), which will then load Linux.

notageek · #6 9th March 2009, 06:25 AM

You're probably right. Maybe I misunderstood.

In that case isn't the solution simply to boot into Windows and copy linux.bin from the fat32 partition and edit boot.ini .

savage · #7 9th March 2009, 06:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by notageek

In that case isn't the solution simply to boot into Windows and copy linux.bin from the fat32 partition and edit boot.ini .

Yeah I think (hope) so

It's easy to miss the simple things when exploring something new. Booting to Windows definitely sounds easier than trying to get NTFS support on the rescue disk.

varaaha · #8 9th March 2009, 06:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by notageek

From what I could gather this is your problem:

Code:

FATAL: Could not load /lib/modules/2.6.27.5-117.fc10.i586/modules.dep: No such file or directory
ntfs-3g-mount: fuse device is missing, try 'modprobe fuse' as root

Which means that ntfs-3g module is not available in rescue mode, therefore you're unable to mount. You may have to do that in Linux normal boot. Try "modprobe fuse" as the error says.

The second issue I see is that (although I'm not very good at Windows) I don't think editing boot.ini will work. So you're trying something different and probably on your own.

Installing grub as your main MBR is not such a bad idea.

You got my problem almost correct, but Im unable to normal boot into F10 because my first goal is to *not* get rid of my Windows boot-loader from MBR. So I *have* to be able to mount NTFS, edit c:\boot.init, introduce the 'c:\linux.bin' line and then only can I boot to F10. My secondary problem is that Im not able to log into windows to edit boot.ini. So there I have it - A double whammy

Pls guys come up with something. I just wonder why in the world does the Rescue Mode use the i586 kernel while F10 installs and i686 kernel. Thats whats primarily messing things up for me.

notageek · #9 9th March 2009, 06:50 AM

Can you boot to Windows rescue mode? Does windows rescue mode allow use of an editor?

Your linux.bin exists in a fat32 partition, so windows can see it there and besides you're trying to restore Windows MBR you'll eventually have to boot into Windows rescue and run the usual Windows commands.

Edit: We did come up with something

The trouble is none of us have ESP.

savage · #10 9th March 2009, 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by varaaha

So I *have* to be able to mount NTFS, edit c:\boot.init, introduce the 'c:\linux.bin' line and then only can I boot to F10. My secondary problem is that Im not able to log into windows to edit boot.ini. So there I have it - A double whammy

What I was trying to say, you've already created your linux.bin file? You've saved it to your fat32 partition (/fat32)? You can still boot to XP?

So, boot into XP, in My Computer, you should find the fat32 partition (XP can read fat32), copy the linux.bin file to your C:\ and edit boot.ini in Notepad in Windows XP.

Edit: I'm getting a little confused, if the Windows boot loader has been damaged/replaced, you can fix it by booting the XP CD, pressing R, and typing 'fixboot' and 'fixmbr' to restore the XP boot loader.

varaaha · #11 9th March 2009, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by savage

What I was trying to say, you've already created your linux.bin file? You've saved it to your fat32 partition (/fat32)? You can still boot to XP?

So, boot into XP, in My Computer, you should find the fat32 partition (XP can read fat32), copy the linux.bin file to your C:\ and edit boot.ini in Notepad in Windows XP.

Edit: I'm getting a little confused, if the Windows boot loader has been damaged/replaced, you can fix it by booting the XP CD, pressing R, and typing 'fixboot' and 'fixmbr' to restore the XP boot loader.

Im unable to log on to my winxp m/c. The Win MBR is fine, it comes up till logon prompt. Then its the 'cant log you on since domain <> no available' error. Ive already tried and ruled out the Win approaches. I just need to retrieve my file from the ntfs so that I can continue editing my document.

savage · #12 9th March 2009, 04:44 PM

What about a LiveCD? They let you boot into Fedora "normally" from the CD without installing it, I'm not sure if they have NTFS support, but I'm pretty sure they will have, and you should be able to add it to a LiveCD easier than the rescue mode.

Edit: Can you not log into the machine's admin account, that won't require the domain controller to be available but will still let you at the hard disk contents.

varaaha · #13 13th April 2009, 11:25 PM

This live CD idea worked perfectly fine. I was able to mount the NTFS using it, then modify the file and boot into F10.

antus · #14 4th June 2009, 07:03 AM

Late to the party here I know, but I stumbled past from a google search and see trouble fixing the windows MBR by the sounds of it. To do this, boot of a windows boot disk / cd - one can probably be found with google on the net, and in dos do "fdisk /mbr". That'll put a windows MBR back on the disk. Hope this helps someone!