How to write to files on OS (F8) that won't boot

[Antonio Olivares]

--- On Fri, 6/13/08, Nigel Henry <cave.dnb2m97pp at aliceadsl.fr> wrote:

> From: Nigel Henry <cave.dnb2m97pp at aliceadsl.fr>
> Subject: How to write to files on OS (F8) that won't boot
> To: fedora-list at redhat.com
> Date: Friday, June 13, 2008, 1:54 PM
> I've tried every incantion I can think of to write to
> F8's filesystem using 
> Knoppix. I can read the files, can make changes to the
> files, but can't save 
> the changes. Always permission denied.
> 
> I have been able to do this before, but time has past, and
> along with getting 
> a bit old, the truth is I'm really stuck.
> 
> Would someone be kind enough to tell me how to get write
> access to an 
> unbootable distro's filesystem, using Knoppix for
> example.
> 
> Many thanks in advance for any help with this problem.
> 
> Nigel.
> 
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Nigel,

I will take a shot at it, but however using Slax Linux Live CD

http://www.slax.org/

Using the following thread helped me do it. 

http://www.fedoraforum.org/forum/archive/index.php/t-64964.html

root at slax:~# lvm pvscan
root at slax:~# mkdir -p /mnt/VolGroup00/LogVol00
root at slax:~# vgchange -ay
root at slax:~# mount /dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00 /mnt/VolGroup00/LogVol00
Then I cd /mnt/VolGroup00/LogVol00 and I could see all of my files and the system files from Fedora.  

Worked for me, you may try it out as well.  Here's what I saw so you can relate to it, if needed.  

root at slax:~# lvm pvscan
  /dev/cdr2: open failed: Read-only file system
  Attempt to close device '/dev/cdr2' which is not
open.
  PV /dev/hda2   VG VolGroup00   lvm2 [37.16 GB /
32.00 MB free]
  Total: 1 [37.16 GB] / in use: 1 [37.16 GB] / in no
VG: 0 [0   ]
root at slax:~# mkdir -p /mnt/VolGroup00/LogVol00
root at slax:~# lvm pvscan
  /dev/cdr2: open failed: Read-only file system
  Attempt to close device '/dev/cdr2' which is not
open.
  PV /dev/hda2   VG VolGroup00   lvm2 [37.16 GB /
32.00 MB free]
  Total: 1 [37.16 GB] / in use: 1 [37.16 GB] / in no
VG: 0 [0   ]
root at slax:~# vgchange -ay
  2 logical volume(s) in volume group "VolGroup00" now
active
root at slax:~# mount /dev/VolGroup00/LogVol00
/mnt/VolGroup00/LogVol00
root at slax:~#   

Hope this helps you recover the files/modify the system.  You may also use Fedora CD/DVD and chroot /mnt/sysimage and see if that can get you going.  

Regards,

Antonio