forum.excito.org

Posted: **17 May 2009, 13:11**

I have a bubba-2 which suffered a power loss during copying of a lot of files from a Windows PC. It then reported errors when I tried to update the software via the web menu, and wouldn't start anymore and now it just sits there with a blinking blue LED.

I read about reinstalling it using a USB key, but the thing is, I put about 150 Gb. of data on the bubba. As far as I understand, reinstalling the system will reformat the HD and thus wipe out my data. From an SSL login before I shut it down I'm pretty sure that all of the data I put on was intact and readable before I powered down.

So my question is: is there a way to get my data off that disk before I format it? E.g. by mounting the HDD in a PC running Linux?

Posted: **18 May 2009, 02:55**

Hi Golodh,

Yes, several ways:

1) Mount the HD in a Linux PC, and read out the files

2) Edit the bubba.cfg file in the USB re-installer, this allows you to reinstall the system without formatting the entire HD, keeping the contents in the /home/ partition untouched.

Code: Select all

# Should installer partition disk
# 1 - Yes
# 0 - No
#
# If no there has to be three partitions on disk:
#	sda1 - System partition
#	sda2 - Data partition
#	sda3 - Swap partition

PARTITION=0

# Should installer format data partition
#
# 1 - Yes, do format
# 0 - No, leave intact
#
# If no, there has to be a sda2 data partition on the disk
# (System partition will always be reformatted on an install)
FORMAT=0

I hope this helps!

Posted: **18 May 2009, 16:32**

Downloaded the system image, changed the config file as specified, prepared USB stick, installed system, bubba worked again. Whew.

Transferring files now and preparing for full reformat.

Thanks.

Posted: **18 May 2009, 17:14**

On second thoughts it would make sense to somehow make bubba resistant to power failures. Using a journaling filesystem could help.

Posted: **18 May 2009, 17:19**

The filesystem actually is journalling (ext3).

Posted: **19 May 2009, 02:06**

Hmm ... ok.

Unfortunately it still got to the point where it couldn't update its system packages via the web interface but gave an error message when I tried. The only event I can think of that might have caused that is the power failure.

Anyway, I got my files back and I can now reformat the disk and try again.

Cheers

forum.excito.org

How to recover files from a broken bubba-2

How to recover files from a broken bubba-2

That worked. Thanks

On second thoughts ...

Journaling