Upgrade problem, dbus daemon cannot activate service "org.freedesktop.ModemManager"

[bigsmall555]

I was trying to update Fedora 14>15 via PreUpgrade. Anaconda was running fine, then after around 2000 upgrade items, it got stuck on the line at the bottom of the photo: "org.freedesktop.ModemManager". This repeats continuously, so I rebooted, but got a kernel panic when I tried to boot back into the old Fedora version (14).

I also tried a rescue boot from DVD, and that failed. When I booted back into the upgrade, it completed a few more items (there were only 600 total this time, instead of around 2500) and then eventually got stuck on the same one again ("org.freedesktop.ModemManager").

Can anyone advise how to fix the problem, or reverse the upgrade so I can boot back into Fedora 14? Otherwise, is there a way I can do a clean install (probably of Fedora 17, since that's where I eventually want to end up) over the top, while keeping the user files in place? Or else, create a new partition, install Fedora 17, then move all my files on to there?

Thanks for any advice you can give.

Photo of the upgrade problem

[DBelton]

Yes, you can easily do a clean install of Fedora 17 and keep your user files. It's actually better if you back them up and then copy them back in once you complete the install, though. (My personal preference is to always do clean installs, but like I said, it's preference.)

Just about all of your user files will be located in your /home/<username> folder. If you have a extra drive, it would be better to copy them there instead of trying to create a extra partition on your system drive. That way, you have a little more freedom to wipe the system drive, create new partitions, etc... and less chance of losing your user data in the process.

About the only issue you might run into doing it in this way is the user numbering change that happened in F16. Where Versions below F16 started the default user numbering at 500, F16 and above now start it at 1000. It's a simple matter to change the user numbering on existing files for just a few users, but if you have many users, it can be a pain.

Usually when I want to do a clean install, I copy my entire /home folder over to another drive. There are also a few system configuration files I copy over if I make changes to any. (/etc/fstab, /etc/exports /etc/X11/xorg.conf (and /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/*), etc...) Most of the time I don't just copy the system files back over, but use them to modify the newly created ones after the fresh install. (Don't ever just copy an old /etc/fstab into a new clean install)

Now, since you really don't have a bootable system at the moment, you could boot from a LiveCD and make your backup copies of your user data.

(Another personal preference for me is when I do a clean install, use the full DVD image instead of the LiveCD image. You get more options as far as setting up your filesystem, etc... Plus more packages on the DVD. You can add any of the packages later if you use the LiveCD, but for me, it's easier to use the DVD.)

I believe you would be much better off (since you wish to get to a F17 install) is to just do a clean install instead of trying to go the upgrade path, upgrading several times until you get where a single clean install would put you. Plus the clean install wouldn't leave some of the mess around like the upgrades would.

[bigsmall555]

Thank you very much for your reply. Please could you elaborate on the following points?

Originally Posted by DBelton

Just about all of your user files will be located in your /home/<username> folder. If you have a extra drive, it would be better to copy them there instead of trying to create a extra partition on your system drive. That way, you have a little more freedom to wipe the system drive, create new partitions, etc... and less chance of losing your user data in the process.

I'm running a dual boot with Windows XP - can I keep that partition and still wipe the Linux partition for a clean install?

About the only issue you might run into doing it in this way is the user numbering change that happened in F16. Where Versions below F16 started the default user numbering at 500, F16 and above now start it at 1000. It's a simple matter to change the user numbering on existing files for just a few users, but if you have many users, it can be a pain.

Would this be using "usermod -u UID username" for all files?

Usually when I want to do a clean install, I copy my entire /home folder over to another drive. There are also a few system configuration files I copy over if I make changes to any. (/etc/fstab, /etc/exports /etc/X11/xorg.conf (and /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/*), etc...)

Which configuration file(s) would I need to copy to keep my network drive mounts?

[DBelton]

Originally Posted by bigsmall555

Thank you very much for your reply. Please could you elaborate on the following points?


I'm running a dual boot with Windows XP - can I keep that partition and still wipe the Linux partition for a clean install?

Yes. It's very easy. Fedora does that for you pretty much automatically. You have to force it to modify partitions it recognizes as another OS. Just choose "Replace existing linux system" or "use all free space" depending upon how you set the drive up before you start the install.

Would this be using "usermod -u UID username" for all files?

Easy way.. To change all files in the current folder (and all folders below it) for old user 500 to new user 1000

chmod -R --fromuser=500:500 1000:1000

Which configuration file(s) would I need to copy to keep my network drive mounts?

Network drive mounts on the client machine? That would be your /etc/fstab

(Note.. Do not copy back the parts of your /etc/fstab that have the system mounts in it, like your / or /home filesystem, etc... Just append to the newly created /etc/fstab the parts needed to do your network mounts, and mounts the system didn't set up for you. Backup the entire file, but just copy back over the portions you need.)

Defining the mounts on the server machine? /etc/exports or /etc/samba/smb.conf (depending upon if you are using NFS or samba.)