Subject: Re: /dev/rsd0a NOT LABELED AS A BSD SYSTEM
To: T. Sean <71410.25@compuserve.com>
From: Bill Studenmund <wrstuden@loki.stanford.edu>
List: port-mac68k
Date: 02/14/1997 14:50:53
> 
> I have recently reinstalled NetBSD off of the InfoMagic BSDisc and also 
> used Installer 1.1c to install zsh-3.0.2.  Now when I boot I get the 
> following message:

I gather you were able to deal with the fact that they seem to have
mis-labeled some of the files (either they are binhex and not labeled,
or they are labeled binhex and aren't). I doubt you would have been
able to do anything if you hadn't.

> /dev/rsd0a: /dev/rsd0a: BAD SUPER BLOCK; MAGIC NUMBER WRONG
> /dev/rsd0a: UNEXPECTED CONSISTANCY; Run fsck_ffs manually
> Automatic file system check failed; help!
> 
> It then asks me for the path name to the shell or asks me to return for 
> sh.  When I hit return it asks me my terminal type and I enter "vt220".  
> Then I type "fsck_ffs" and hit return.  It prints out on the screen:
> 
> ** /dev/rsd0a
> BAD SUPER BLOCK: MAGIC NUMBER WRONG
> /dev/rsd0a: NOT LABELED AS A BSD FILE SYSTEM (unknown)
> 
> Now, my question:  What the hell does this mean?

You have a problem. How did you format this drive? You are actually
booting off of sd0, aren't you? Not say sd1? I think one version of the
installer makes /etc/fstab wrong, so even though you want to use
sd1X or sd2X, fstab says sd0a. :-(

> Also, I have made sure that single user is not checked in Booter 1.9.5 (I 
> don't know which 1.9.5), but it still tells me I am in a read-only file 
> system.  "mount -u" has no effect.

The system certainly SHOULD drop you into single user if it can't deal with
the root fs! Though I don't understand why you can even get a shell in
this situation.

> What am I doing wrong?  I guess since I don't have anything "important" 
> on the system, I can wipe it clean and start over.  But still, I'd rather 
> not if it is salvageable from here.  Besides, I might just learn 
> something.

I don't really know. Other than the drive # bit.

> Oh, while I am at it, on my preivous install, I tried to mount my cdrom 
> drive.  I followed the procedure in the FAQ  I looked to see if /dev/cd0 
> existed.  It didn't so I entered:
> 
> cd /dev
> MAKEDEV cd0
> 
> All I got back was "MAKEDEV not found" or some such.  Do I need to 
> compile MAKEDEV or do something extra to make sure it is there?

Try "./MAKEDEV".

Take care,

Bill