Score:0

Ubuntu

Gave up waiting for root file system device...HELP

emranismail

7/29/24, 4:09 AM

This is what it's showing me. I'm not very familiar with Ubuntu, and this is a pain in the ass. I can't do anything only, type commands at the initramfs prompt. I have been trying to figure it out, but I'm getting nothing.

I'm stuck in a Try Ubuntu live session trying to figure out what to do next. This is what it gives me when I type lsblk in the terminal.

What should I do/check next? When I type blkid, /dev/nvme0n1p6 gives the same uuid that is given in the error.

Gave up waiting for root file system device. Common problems:

Boot args (cat /proc/cmdline)
Check rootdelay= (did the system wait long enough?)
Missing modules (cat /proc/modules; ls/dev)
Alert! UUID=........ does not exist. Dropping to a shell!

1 + 4

boot

uuid

guiverc

7/29/24, 4:36 AM

You've provided no OS/product/release details; are you hoping we guess? Does the UUID exist on your system? In your situation, I'd take notice of the message (*the detail especially & not just the snippets you provided us, esp. the UUID*) & boot a *live* system and explore what you have on your hardware (drive/partitions), does that UUID exist? is it *clean* or needs a file-system check (ie. `fsck` etc. as if any errors are detected & fixed, your machine will boot normally next time). Either way we've been given too few details so could only guess.

guiverc

7/29/24, 4:38 AM

Was this a clean install? (*someone was just asking about this sort of issue on IRC for example; was that you?*) or did you make any recent changes before this occurred, as I usually only see these issues after an *event*, be it changes made by someone on that machine, or power-outage (*including someone forcing the power off & uncleanly shutting down the system*), ie. those details are what provide the easiest fix for this problem.

guiverc

7/29/24, 5:58 AM

In reply to a comment on an *answer*, Ubuntu 1.35 makes no sense given the *year.month* format of Ubuntu releases (eg. *22.04 refers to the 2022-April release; 2000 being subtracted from the year*). No year has 35 months! & 2001 sure didn't. 1.35 likely refers to a `busybox` version number, alas that could mean you're using 23.04 (2023-April release) or 22.10 (an EOL release) as they use the same `busybox` version (just minor package differences & you didn't provide sufficient detail to distinguish).

emranismail

7/29/24, 3:18 PM

yes it is a busybox version sorry for not clarifying, I am on 23.04 i believe, so far i have created a bootable os on a usb and went into try ubuntu mode and typed in a terminal lsblk and got this, ibb.co/rHr4g99 , nvme0n1p6 gives the same uuid that is shown in the error. From here i just dont know what to do next

Score:0

Ubuntu

Hannu

7/29/24, 4:38 AM

Do you have your Ubuntu install media ready?

In general terms:

Boot the install media in "Try ubuntu" mode
$ lsblk in a terminal tells which disks the OS know about.
Mount your installed Ubuntu's / disk ($ sudo mount /dev/sd.. /mnt)
Find and edit /mnt/etc/fstab ( $ sudo nano ... )
and make sure that all entries, and most importantly / in it
corresponds to what $ blkid prints.
Save, Unmount, Reboot.

NOTE: In the end the remedy (to the described problem) was to chroot into the installed Ubuntu and fix "apt-get update" problems. Leaving this answer as possible lead to others, with UUID-related problems.

+ 21

emranismail

7/29/24, 4:51 AM

I have already been using this os on this laptop for 2 or so months, I cant get into anything in ubuntu, only my windows os as i have this as a dual boot windows 11 and Ubuntu 1.35.0

Hannu

7/29/24, 4:52 AM

`I cant get into anything in ubuntu,` - yes you can, find or create an USB to boot with the Ubuntu install media, just as if you would install it again. Boot that USB in "Try Ubuntu"-mode, research how to do the above. `Ubuntu 1.35.0` does not exist, is this a "WSL"-thing? if so; Disregard all above. the answer is for a true Ubuntu.

emranismail

7/29/24, 6:36 AM

Im in the Try ubuntu mode and im stuck trying to figure out what to do now, this is what it gives me when i type in lsblk in the terminal https://ibb.co/rHr4g99 what should i do/check next

Hannu

7/29/24, 2:58 PM

You're better off adding that kind of info to your original post. Just `Edit` and the type away below the earlier text. A `<hr>` with a linefeed after will add a "horizontal ruler". Now you have to guess which partition is holding your `/` partition, I'd say `/dev/nvme0n1p6` (last one) possibly - assuming you have a windows partition also, installed before Ubuntu... Step 3 above. `ls /mnt` to see the content after mount, see if there is an `etc` folder, if not `sudo umount /mnt` and try another partition.

emranismail

7/29/24, 3:23 PM

/dev/nvme0n1p6 gives the same uuid thats in the error sudo mount. when i type in sudo mount /dev/nvme0n1p6/mnt i get cant find in /etc/fstab. Am i typing it in wrong?

Hannu

7/29/24, 3:30 PM

`sudo mount /dev/nvme0n1p6 /mnt` note that spaces are important, they separate portions. `/mnt` is a dir/folder in the `/` -dir (see it with `ls -l /`), before you use mount, and back after unmount.

emranismail

7/29/24, 3:34 PM

Okay when i added the space it didnt give me an error but it didnt give me any info just a new ubuntu:~$. When I type in /mnt/etc/fstab it says permission denied

Hannu

7/29/24, 3:34 PM

`sudo nano ...` step 4 above

Hannu

7/29/24, 3:36 PM

Check all UUID's and related stuff in fstab, then `umount` delay a few sec, then try a reboot. > https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man5/fstab.5.html

emranismail

7/29/24, 3:43 PM

when i type in /etc/fstab i get permission denied

Hannu

7/29/24, 3:45 PM

`sudo nano /mnt/etc/fstab` assuming you have found the partition which has that file.

emranismail

7/29/24, 3:50 PM

okay so this is what its shows https://ibb.co/YbY3zYk , the dev/disk uuid is the same(9d27f....) that pops up in the error

Hannu

7/29/24, 4:07 PM

Check very thoroughly, even COPY in the UUID that `blkid` displays even though it seems to be the same already, make sure there is a SPACE not a TAB between the fields, and LF-only linefeeds, (Windows uses CR+LF). `sudo apt install dos2unix & sudo dos2unix /mnt/etc/fstab` - to ensure there is only LF's. - if that doesn't help, then I'm out of ideas.

Hannu

7/29/24, 4:09 PM

`od -t x1z /etc/fstab` prints out the file in synchronized HEX and TEXT tables, check that there is "0A" for LF's, and "20" for spaces.

emranismail

7/29/24, 4:10 PM

when you say copy in the uuid, am i copying from blkid into sudo nano...? and I am confused on the mount/unmount, i see <mount point> but i dont understand how to unmount

Hannu

7/29/24, 4:12 PM

`sudo umount /mnt` - releases the access, and WRITES all data to the disk, same as "eject" for an e.g. USB-flash.

Hannu

7/29/24, 4:13 PM

and from the display of blkid, into nano *(SHIFT-CTRL+C, and SHIFT+CTRL+V in the Terminal)*

emranismail

7/31/24, 12:31 AM

unfortunately it hasnt worked. Not sure what i am going to do but I appreciate the help

Hannu

7/31/24, 6:29 PM

One more thing to try; as you have the busybox prompt active after a boot attempt; try `blkid` and see if it prints the same UUID's at that time - maybe something changes them?

emranismail

8/6/24, 8:18 PM

some good news, i am responding to you from inside my linux os. What worked was mounting my boot and the nvmep6, going into chroot and continuing whatever update was broken then was good to go. I simplified drasticially of what my friend did but that was the base of it

Hannu

8/7/24, 8:03 AM

=) glad for your success. What is above and in your posting has no clue to that, so impossible to incorporate in the answer.

Elon Musk

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EN: Gave up waiting for root file system device...HELP

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