missing operating system ((FOUND))

Some time ago I posted about a missing operating system error on an
Ubuntu Desktop system that I use as a sound studio. This was due to a
failed hard-drive. The computer was booting off the the first disk and
working with partitions on the second. Fortunately, all that was lost on
the failed disk was the boot loader, GRUB. This is how I recovered my data.

Recovering from failed boot disk using Ubuntu 6.06 LTS

1) removed screwed 120gig ide boot disk
2) attached 160 gig sata hd (sda)
3) diconnected existing sata (sdb) (with priceless data)
(thanks Dennis@Portable Office Computers for suggesting a complete
disconnect to ensure no mistakes with the priceless data)
4) installed Ubuntu LAMP server v 6.06 formatting new hd
5) made a 100 gig partition
6) installed Ubuntu 6.06 LTS onto 160 gig (sda) in 100 gig partition
5) reconnected (sdb) (with priceless data)
6) Booted into Ubuntu Desktop (on sda)
7) did a complete system update
8) installed gparted
sudo apt-get install gparted
9) read up on how to mount linux with Ubuntu
http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/mountlinux
10) ran gparted

happily both hd's show up
( /dev/sda and /dev/sdb )

// map of my hard drives

/dev/sda is the new 100gig Ubuntu Install
/dev/sda3 is the 47 gig Ubuntu LAMP server
/dev/sdb is the studio data
/dev/sdb3 is a 49 gig studio partition *$$*
/dev/sdb6 is a 93 gig studio backup / workspace

// Following the directions found at
http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/mountlinux
I was able to create mount points to my studio data on my new Ubuntu Desktop

$ sudo mkdir /home/hack/Desktop/STUDIO
$ sudo mkdir /home/hack/Desktop/BACKUP
$ sudo mkdir /home/hack/Desktop/LAMP
// backup /etc/fstab
$ sudo cp /etc/fstab fstab.backup1
// edit fstab
$ sudo vi /etc/fstab
adding the lines
/dev/sdb3 /home/hack/Desktop/STUDIO ext3 defaults 0 0
/dev/sdb6 /home/hack/Desktop/BACKUP ext3 defaults 0 0
/dev/sda3 /home/hack/Desktop/LAMP ext3 defaults 0 0

// updata mount points
$ sudo mount -a
// gain ownership of the new mount points
$ sudo chown -R hack:hack /home/hack/Desktop/STUDIO
$ sudo chown -R hack:hack /home/hack/Desktop/BACKUP
$ sudo chown -R hack:hack /home/hack/Desktop/LAMP
// make the mount points read / write
$ sudo chmod -R 755 /home/hack/Desktop/STUDIO
$ sudo chmod -R 755 /home/hack/Desktop/BACKUP
$ sudo chmod -R 755 /home/hack/Desktop/LAMP

// Now I am able to use the mouse and point and click to navigate in and
out of my STUDIO data from the newly created Desktop. In this scenario I
am using ext3 Linux filesystems. I have recovered my recording data and
as a bonus have a 47 gig Ubuntu LAMP server partition that I can disect
at my leisure. GRUB .97 sees the LAMP server and the Ubuntu Desktop
kernel at boot so either can be loaded. I hope this helps someone else
learn how powerful Linux is at mounting Linux filesytems and saves
somebody time on a recovery.
Received on Sun Feb 25 23:49:38 2007