Debian-Squeeze: corrupted file system after 'reboot'

Discussions about using Linux guests in VirtualBox.
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ingo2
Posts: 192
Joined: 28. Feb 2008, 14:15
Primary OS: Debian other
VBox Version: OSE Debian
Guest OSses: OS/2, WinXP-10, Linux
Location: Germany

Debian-Squeeze: corrupted file system after 'reboot'

Post by ingo2 »

Since a while I have following problem with Debian-Squeeze-amd64 as guest (Ubuntu-Hardy-amd64 host):

If I issue reboot, system shuts down properly, but on boot-up just displays a maintainence shell, because file system errors and root-file system is mounted read-only.
If then I shut down (shutdown -h now) and start the VM ageain, file system check is run and normal boot is fine.

This does not happen, if I shutdown Squeeze and afterwards start the VM again.

Here just the corresponding log enties:

Code: Select all

squeeze:/var/log/fsck# cat checkfs
Log of fsck -C -R -A -a 
Fri Jan 29 14:09:08 2010

fsck from util-linux-ng 2.16.2

Fri Jan 29 14:09:08 2010
----------------

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

squeeze:/var/log/fsck# cat checkroot
Log of fsck -C -a -t ext3 /dev/hda1 
Fri Jan 29 14:09:00 2010

fsck from util-linux-ng 2.16.2
/dev/hda1 contains a file system with errors, check forced.
/dev/hda1: 158507/498736 files (1.3% non-contiguous), 976940/1994060 blocks

Fri Jan 29 14:09:07 2010
----------------
Filesystem is ext3 (not ext4), Ubuntu-Lucid with same kernel does not show this problem. Seems there is some synchronisation missing either in Squeeze or in VBox?

VBox version: 3.1.2

Ingo
uberhomer
Posts: 2
Joined: 1. Feb 2010, 13:34
Primary OS: MS Windows 7
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Debian Squeeze

Re: Debian-Squeeze: corrupted file system after 'reboot'

Post by uberhomer »

I don't know if this is exactly the same issue I had, but I had something similar with Debian squeeze as guest. The problem was that by default squeeze thinks your time from the virtual machine is in UTC so it adds your time difference to calculate the local time. But this will result in a time in the future because Virtualbox takes the time from the host which is already in local time and not UTC (unless you live near GMT). So I had to edit the file /etc/default/rcS and set UTC=no then the issue was resolved.

cheers
ingo2
Posts: 192
Joined: 28. Feb 2008, 14:15
Primary OS: Debian other
VBox Version: OSE Debian
Guest OSses: OS/2, WinXP-10, Linux
Location: Germany

Re: Debian-Squeeze: corrupted file system after 'reboot'

Post by ingo2 »

I followed your hint and set time to local time.

Now I am absolutely unable to boot-up Squeeze any more. Even shutdown and start-up again doesn't work any more.
Maybe it has to do with time setting, but before Squeeze did always display correctly local time (while BIOS-RTC was set to UTC).

I checked as well: Squeeze does sync the time with BIOS on every shutdown.

Image

Let's see what Sun thinks about it. Meanwhile I'll boot from CD and set time back to 'UTC=yes'

Ingo

P.S.: what I observed now again points to a clock issue:
when running e2fsck from the rescue-CD ist claimed:

Code: Select all

last mount time is in future
the actual time displayed is the correct one "now = Mon. ..."

BTW: what time zone are you living? I am 1 hour east of Greenwich.
uberhomer
Posts: 2
Joined: 1. Feb 2010, 13:34
Primary OS: MS Windows 7
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Debian Squeeze

Re: Debian-Squeeze: corrupted file system after 'reboot'

Post by uberhomer »

hm weird because I had the same error as the one in your screenshot: "Superblock last mount time is in the future". I only found my solution by coincidence because before Debian Squeeze I tried other Linux distributions and they asked at their installation "hardware clock is set to UTC?" which I had to disable otherwise the clock in the guest would be wrong (1 hour ahead).

Maybe my solution doesn't work because you are running a Linux host and I am running Windows 7 as a host. My Bios clock is therefore automatically set to local time (I am on GMT+1 like you).
ingo2
Posts: 192
Joined: 28. Feb 2008, 14:15
Primary OS: Debian other
VBox Version: OSE Debian
Guest OSses: OS/2, WinXP-10, Linux
Location: Germany

Re: Debian-Squeeze: corrupted file system after 'reboot'

Post by ingo2 »

Ok, that sounds reasonable:

all systems here, no matter whether virtual or real run BIOS-RTC on UTC. I got an old WinXP too which of course runs "1 hour behind local time". But I do not worry, it is rarely booted up ;-)

Thanks for your hint, it points to the root cause, but the information for sure is not enough to file a bug report in VBox.

Ingo

P.S.: on the other hand I must admit that VBox really performs great:
the VM with Squeeze running survives s2ram of the host (Ubuntu-Hardy) - and afterwards time is still correct and up-to-date!
ingo2
Posts: 192
Joined: 28. Feb 2008, 14:15
Primary OS: Debian other
VBox Version: OSE Debian
Guest OSses: OS/2, WinXP-10, Linux
Location: Germany

Re: Debian-Squeeze: corrupted file system after 'reboot'

Post by ingo2 »

Hi uberhomer,

I now managed to get time zone for the RTC set to 'local time' (in /etc/default/rcS: UTC=off) and after running a complete 'fsck -f' the problem is finally gone!

Thanks for your help,
Ingo

P.S.: would be nice to allow setting RTC in BIOS independently from local time of the host on a per guest basis, because all ..nix systems usually set RTC to UTC!
boxboxglovey
Posts: 4
Joined: 20. Apr 2011, 18:57
Primary OS: Ubuntu 8.04
VBox Version: OSE Fedora
Guest OSses: Win7

Re: Debian-Squeeze: corrupted file system after 'reboot'

Post by boxboxglovey »

Hey Guys,

I have had this issue as well while running Squeeze as a guest. I have followed some of the ideas here regarding Linux and still have the error from the screen shot. Are you guys running Ubuntu or another system? I am trying to run a cloud via smtp server which makes me think I may need to come up with some sort of workaround, but based on other applications and their functionality I would also assume this shouldn't really be an issue. If any of you have any ideas what may be going on I would love to hear from you.
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