From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Thu Aug 20 07:35:36 2009 Return-Path: Delivered-To: questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id BBAD11065690 for ; Thu, 20 Aug 2009 07:35:36 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from norgaard@locolomo.org) Received: from mail.locolomo.org (97.pool85-48-194.static.orange.es [85.48.194.97]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 710248FC45 for ; Thu, 20 Aug 2009 07:35:36 +0000 (UTC) Received: from beta.1-16-172-dyn.locolomo.org (beta.1-16-172-dyn.locolomo.org [172.16.1.127]) by mail.locolomo.org (Postfix) with ESMTPSA id 67F761C1A67; Thu, 20 Aug 2009 09:35:34 +0200 (CEST) Message-ID: <4A8CFCC5.4070303@locolomo.org> Date: Thu, 20 Aug 2009 09:35:33 +0200 From: Erik Norgaard User-Agent: Thunderbird 2.0.0.22 (Macintosh/20090605) MIME-Version: 1.0 To: Roland Smith References: <4A8A5887.1080304@locolomo.org> <20090818171528.GA35403@slackbox.xs4all.nl> <4A8BB0E4.2020806@locolomo.org> <20090819160956.GA71105@slackbox.xs4all.nl> In-Reply-To: <20090819160956.GA71105@slackbox.xs4all.nl> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Cc: questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Recovering files after a crash X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Thu, 20 Aug 2009 07:35:36 -0000 Roland Smith wrote: > On Wed, Aug 19, 2009 at 09:59:32AM +0200, Erik Norgaard wrote: >> Thanks, I couldn't decipher these GEOM_LABEL messages, nice to know that >> I can stop worrying. But for future incidents, the second question remains: >> >> 1. How do I best protect my system from disk errors in case of a crash? > > One word: _backups_! > >> I have a headless system with no spare head to attach and doing >> single-user blind-folded is further complicated by the fact that I'm not >> native to the US keyboard layout, so my top priority is that it boots. > > If you can connect it to another system (that has a monitor) via a serial > null-modem cable and you enable the serial console (see the Handbook), you can > watch the boot process from the other system. > > If you don't have anothe machine closeby, you should get a network-accessible > KVM switch with serial connectors. [maybe something like this: > http://www.knuerr.com/web/en/products/kvm/kvm-switch-dominion-ksx.html] > With such a switch and the serial console you should be able to watch the boot > of the machine remotely. Ok, maybe I didn't make myself clear: I wish to protect my filesystem against corruption in case of a crash such that it will boot. - How can I configure my system to reduce the probability that a crash will cause file system inconsistencies that require single user mode intervention? backups does not answer that question, they are great for recovering lost data but don't prevent the crash. KVM and serial console don't answer the question either. Certainly, it makes it easier to work headless. But neither prevent disk corruption. UPS reduces the likelyhood of a crash in case of a power failure, but that doesn't answer the question either. Asume that a crash will happen, how do I prevent or reduce the risk of a crash causing disk corruption such that the system will boot up nicely again? BR, Erik -- Erik Nørgaard Ph: +34.666334818/+34.915211157 http://www.locolomo.org