# big problem in boot



## HansSchier (Jan 23, 2011)

hi
I did something really stupid... T_T
yesterday I modified the fstab file, because i wanted to try automatically mount a usb pen drive

done this, I turned off the pc and tried to boot
result:
now the bootstrap try to mount the usb, seeing like a partition of the hard disk

I tried to turn on the pc with the installation disk inside, but this way when it comes to the partition fails to load, he opens sysinstall (like I want to install FreeBSD on the empty pen)

now thousand of errors are coming out, and i only want to reinstall the OS
but i can't do this T_T T_T T_T

if I say to my pc, with boot menu, that he must boot from cd, he starts, trying to boot FreeBSD (as if I had not said anything)
how can i do?


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## Beastie (Jan 23, 2011)

Try single user mode from the loader menu. Otherwise use a *livefs* disc (very useful ~250 MB disc) from the same location you got *disc0*, mount your internal disk and modify the file.

Next time, don't put removable media in /etc/fstab. What's the point of doing that anyway? Or at least give it a noauto option (not tested).
Enable "user mounting" instead and add the complete mount command as a root menu item in your window manager or something. Here, this will help.


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## HansSchier (Jan 23, 2011)

Beastie said:
			
		

> Next time, don't put removable media in /etc/fstab. What's the point of doing that anyway? Or at least give it a noauto option (not tested).



In fact, I wanted to put noauto, only then for another thing I had to turn off the computer and I have not put ...

i just tried the single mode but is the same...

and

hm

...

what is a livefs disk? XD


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## Beastie (Jan 23, 2011)

HansSchier said:
			
		

> what is a livefs disk? XD


It's the name of the disc ISO (e.g. FreeBSD-8.1-RELEASE-i386-livefs.iso) and it's a FreeBSD live system. In other words, it allows you to fix your system when it's somehow broken and you can't access it. In this case you can mount your internal disk and modify /etc/fstab.

You can get it from here. When you boot it, just choose *Fixit* (I don't remember exactly) and then *CD/DVD*.


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## HansSchier (Jan 23, 2011)

ah ok, you mean the installation cd?
 I already tried it:



> I tried to turn on the pc with the installation disk inside, but this way when it comes to the partition fails to load, he opens sysinstall (like I want to install FreeBSD on the empty pen)



since there was no kind of important data on the OS, I want to reinstall freeBSD... but i can't!

what should i do? I put cd into pc and I say him to boot from cd... but it doesn't work


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## pkubaj (Jan 23, 2011)

No, it's not installation disk. You can call it LiveCD.


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## wblock@ (Jan 23, 2011)

From the boot menu, select single user mode (#4, usually).

Press Enter when it asks for a shell.  Mount the filesystems:
`# mount -u /`
`# mount /var; mount /tmp; mount /usr`

Use ee(1) or vi(1) to edit /etc/fstab.  Comment out the problem line by putting a # at the start of it.  Save the file and leave the editor.

Back at the shell prompt, type *exit* and press Enter.  The system will boot normally.

(Don't know why you can't boot off the install CD, that should still work fine.)


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## Beastie (Jan 23, 2011)

HansSchier said:
			
		

> ah ok, you mean the installation cd?
> I already tried it


Links in my last reply (and more generally, elsewhere) are meant to be clicked (  ) so go check it.

This is an installation disc: *FreeBSD-8.1-RELEASE-i386-disc1.iso*.

This is a livefs/Fixit disc: *FreeBSD-8.1-RELEASE-i386-livefs.iso*.


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