Date: Tue, 25 Oct 2005 13:33:52 -0500 From: Charles Howse <chowse@charter.net> To: "freebsd-questions@freebsd.org" <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org> Subject: Re: Need to boot from CD and delete a file on the hard drive Message-ID: <BF83E4C0.18E2%chowse@charter.net> In-Reply-To: <20051025175957.76667.qmail@web31609.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
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> Hello All -- > > SUMMARY: > I changed a configuration file and now I can no longer boot from my hard drive > (but I can still > boot from the CD). I would like to boot from the CD and undo my change to the > configuration > file -- but when I boot from the CD it automatically launches the install > program. Is there a way > to boot from the boot CD and get a shell and make a change to a file on the > hard drive? (I got > an "emergency shell" after booting from the CD -- but I can't figure out how > to access my hard > drive filesystem from it.) > > DETAILS: > I was trying to set up a serial console using the instructions here: > > http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/serialconsole-setup. > html > > I typed the following at the prompt: > > # echo 'console="comconsole"' >> /boot/loader.conf > > then unplugged my regular keyboard and tried to reboot -- but the machine now > freezes on > bootup. > > I now want to boot from a CD and remove the file /boot/loader.conf from the > hard drive. Then I > should be able to boot normally again from the hard drive. > > I went into the BIOS and booted from the CD and this put me in the install > program. I don't > want to install everything again -- I just want to boot up from the CD and > execute the following > command at the prompt: > > # rm /boot/loader.conf > > After booting from the CD, I found a command in the install program to enter > an "emergency > shell" and accessed this shell by hitting ALT-F4 -- but if I do an "rm" > command in this > emergency shell, it doesn't apply to the filesystem on the hard drive -- it > applies to the CD. I > need to delete the file /boot/loader.conf while booting from the CD. > > Is there any way to fix this without installing FreeBSD all over again? I've never done this...but... Reboot the computer from the CD, Look for the message: Hit [Enter] to boot immediately, or any other key for command prompt. Booting [kernel] in 9 seconds... At that point press "any other key". You should then be able to mount your /boot partition and delete the file, however, you may have to look around on the CD for the appropriate commands.
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