cannot find my data partition :-(

[PoPi]

Hi. My first post on the Pi and need some help plz!

I've now had this happen for a 3rd time "cannot find my data partition "
I might have run before I can walk but I just went all out and got my Pi a week ago and got the XBMC media centre install up and running pretty quick. I then started again but used the Berryboot to format the SD card and installed XBMC as default and Puppy etc as one of the 3 options on the boot menu.
Each crash has happened while in XBMC, last time this happened I was adjusting the video resolution when it crashed. The crash point seems random!
Had no option after waiting 30 mins it was still hung up so done Ctrl Alt Del and it booted. Then it came up with the above "cannot find my data partition "
Had everything working well before this. Wifi keyboard, wireless secure Network connection, various add-ons iPlayer all working well and liveTV, iTunes etc.
Last install lasted for a few days and was 100% stable until it crashed!
I used an add-on to do a backup which I was doing before I made any changes.
Will I be able to access this off the SD card to rebuild XBMC without Berryboot?

I did find a post about this but not much help; http://www.raspberrypi.org/phpBB3/viewt ... &start=175
I will add a photo I took of screen at the crash point and or any info off the SD card if that helps!
Any info or help on this problem is appreciated.

[totoharibo]

possible to have access to second partition on Linux.

plug in SD card in PC running a linux distro.

go to root (sudo ou open new console session)
blkid to see ref of SD card (sdx x usually with x not a)
change your files as required.
don't forget to unmount (umount ..)

[PoPi]

Have windows background but not Linux so that went over my head a bit!
So I assume I can gain access to my backup(s) on the 2nd larger partition but I need to run a Linux distro!
How do I go about that?
Do you mean run a new distro on another SD card to access the broken/crashed SD card?

[pluggy]

Fairly easy to run a Linux Distro on a PC

http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop

I'd recommend the 12.04 LTS as it fits on a standard CD. Download & burn it to a CD, Access boot options on your PC at start up and tell it to boot from CD. When asked click 'Try Ubuntu without changes to your PC' and it will run. It can access all the SD card from the Pi, although you'll need sudo (sound familiar ?) to write to the main partition.

Shut it down, remove the CD and Windo$e comes back like nothing happened. The default install will make it dual boot with Windo$e which is a lot quicker than booting from CD. Linux will access the Windo$e side of the PC but not the other way round for exactly the same reason it can't see the Pi's second partition.

[lewmur]

Have windows background but not Linux so that went over my head a bit!
So I assume I can gain access to my backup(s) on the 2nd larger partition but I need to run a Linux distro!
How do I go about that?
Do you mean run a new distro on another SD card to access the broken/crashed SD card?

Download and burn a LiveCD distro, such as Gparted to gain full access to your SD card. You don't have to install it. Just boot the CD. But I doubt it will help. Sounds to me like the crash corrupted the SD and you'll have to re-image it.

[Max]

After a "cannot find my data partition " message Berryboot will drop to an "emergency recovery shell"
You can enter "fsck.ext4 -yf /dev/mmcblk0p2" there to perform a file system check.

But it is very likely corrupted beyond any recognition, otherwise you are unlikely to get that message in the first place.
Have seen that before with overclocking.

[PoPi]

Thanx Max
That command line seems to have restored the SD card Linux partition to working condition!
Took about 5 mins and looked more like a scene from the Matrix with all the numbers flying by on screen.
Not gone through everything yet but I think the video settings under XBMC might have changed. I do remember setting to a higher res on my bigger TV unless it auto adjusts now it´s back on my PC screen!

I'm a total noob to Linux so just been reading a following the install instructions like a sheep.
BTW; I have not over-clocked!
I've rebooted ok and all seems well, running a live TV add-on right now etc.

How do I turn on detailed logging so I can try and track down the cause of these crashes?
Or should I direct questions about xbmc to the respective forum(s) for that OS perhaps!
Many thanx as its running and you saved me reinstalling or trying to stick the OS back together with the files I recovered.
Cheers

[PoPi]

Have windows background but not Linux so that went over my head a bit!
So I assume I can gain access to my backup(s) on the 2nd larger partition but I need to run a Linux distro!
How do I go about that?
Do you mean run a new distro on another SD card to access the broken/crashed SD card?

Download and burn a LiveCD distro, such as Gparted to gain full access to your SD card. You don't have to install it. Just boot the CD. But I doubt it will help. Sounds to me like the crash corrupted the SD and you'll have to re-image it.

Thanx lewmur
I did find a tool to run under windows that let me as far as I can tell gain full access to the Linux partition. Thanx to Max command line suggestion I now seem to have a fully working SD card with my 4 installs using the Berryboot method!

[PoPi]

Fairly easy to run a Linux Distro on a PC

http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop

I'd recommend the 12.04 LTS as it fits on a standard CD. Download & burn it to a CD, Access boot options on your PC at start up and tell it to boot from CD. When asked click 'Try Ubuntu without changes to your PC' and it will run. It can access all the SD card from the Pi, although you'll need sudo (sound familiar ?) to write to the main partition.

Shut it down, remove the CD and Windo$e comes back like nothing happened. The default install will make it dual boot with Windo$e which is a lot quicker than booting from CD. Linux will access the Windo$e side of the PC but not the other way round for exactly the same reason it can't see the Pi's second partition.

Thanx pluggy
I've got a big learning curve with Linux lol
That sounds like an interesting approach so will have a play with at least one of these options over the w-end. I need to be sure the windows app I found can actually see and recover everything in the same way as this method for interest, convenience and of course of my curiosity
Cheers..
PS. I've already asked this but if anyone can give me a quick heads up to enabling detailed logging perhaps outside of apps and not relying on their own settings and feature!?
I really need to trace this problem as 3 crashes in 7 days isn't much fun.