Need to boot from CD and delete a file on the hard drive

Charles Howse chowse at charter.net
Tue Oct 25 11:56:25 PDT 2005


>> 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.

Apologies for replying to my own msg, but I just 'had' to try what I told
you, and there are no tools such as 'mount', or 'rm' available when booting
to a command prompt as I said.
I tried the Emergency Shell from the CD, same thing.
Sorry I sent you on a wild goose chase, but I'm sure you'll get the correct
answer soon.




More information about the freebsd-questions mailing list