Re: Help - I can't create device files.

From: Beardy (beardy_at_beardy.net)
Date: 10/27/03


Date: Mon, 27 Oct 2003 01:39:53 +0000

Dr. David Kirkby wrote:
> I had a relatively small problem today on my Ultra 80 running Solaris
> 9 that I managed to make into a **big** problem. If you have any
> suggestions how I can get out of this mess, please let me know. Sorry
> if the message is a bit long-winded, but hopefully someone can see
> what I need to do.
>
> The basic problem is I can't seem to create device files for some
> external disks, so I can't read them, although the disks are seen by
> format and mount okay if I boot from cd-rom. That's the problem - this
> is the background.
>
> The original (small) problem was the external disks would not mount.
> For reasons I can't work out, following a boot -r, the /dev/dsk/c3*
> device files had been removed and in their place were files which
> appeared to be on controller #5 (/dev/dsk/c5*) - which is a bit odd
> given I only have 4 SCSI controllers - two on the motherboard, plus a
> dual SCSI card.
>
> I edited /etc/vfstab and replaced the all the c3's with c5's and the
> machine booted and mounted all systems okay. However, like a stupid
> fool, not content with that, I thought I'd remove the appropriate
> files in /devices, with a hope of getting the disks back to their
> correct place - on controller #3. The problem was I obviously removed
> the wrong file(s) in /devices, as then the system was completely
> unbootable. I could do nothing with it. boot -b, boot -r, all failed
> miserably.
>
> My backups of the root file system were not as recent as they should
> be, so I booted from CD, mounted and backed up every single partition
> to tape, although the backup of the root file system was clearly
> missing some important device files.
>
> I then reinstalled the system from the Solaris installation CD, doing
> the smallest installation. I then did a 'boot cdrom' restored the /
> and /usr file systems from tape, but without any files in /devices,
> /dsk or /rdsk.
>
> The system now boots and mounts all the file systems I created during
> the install (/, /var, /usr), plus one other (/export/home) which is on
> an internal disk. The data on /export/home has not been changed, so I
> all the user directories remain.
>
> The problem is I can't create device files. Following a boot -r, there
> are entries in /dev/dsk for controllers 0 and 1, but not and 3. The
> disks and partitions on the disks on c3 are visible to format. Booting
> from CD I can mount them. But I can't mount them if I boot from disk,
> as I don't have any device files, and seem unable to create them with
> a boot -r.
>
> Any suggestions - other than to keep better backups!
>
> Dave Kirkby

Apols, or /kernel/drv/sd.conf



Relevant Pages

  • Re: Help - I cant create device files.
    ... >> The basic problem is I can't seem to create device files for some ... >> external disks, so I can't read them, although the disks are seen by ... by doing a minimal install and restoring the rest from tape. ... Edited /etc/vfstab so not attempt to mount the external disks until ...
    (comp.sys.sun.admin)
  • Re: Help - I cant create device files.
    ... > I had a relatively small problem today on my Ultra 80 running Solaris ... > The basic problem is I can't seem to create device files for some ... > external disks, so I can't read them, although the disks are seen by ... Not to rub salt in the wound but see the manpage 'devfsadm' for doing ...
    (comp.sys.sun.admin)
  • Re: Help - I cant create device files.
    ... > The basic problem is I can't seem to create device files for some ... > external disks, so I can't read them, although the disks are seen by ... > The original problem was the external disks would not mount. ... But I can't mount them if I boot from disk, ...
    (comp.sys.sun.admin)
  • Help - I cant create device files.
    ... external disks, so I can't read them, although the disks are seen by ... The original problem was the external disks would not mount. ... For reasons I can't work out, following a boot -r, the /dev/dsk/c3* ... My backups of the root file system were not as recent as they should ...
    (comp.sys.sun.admin)
  • Problems upgrading from V120 to V240
    ... Both systems have 36G hard disks. ... ok boot cdrom -s ... to mount filesystems. ... ifconfig: plumb: eri0: no such interface ...
    (SunManagers)