Thread: How to recover Ubuntu boot drive

i have home file server slapped out of spare parts , boot drive has failed. if possible recover drive os in tact. of important data on drive it's not huge deal. thing gain recovering drive experience , not having install , reconfigure again. i'm novice ubuntu/linux user i've done fair amount of reading far have. feel i'm taking stabs in dark.

symptoms: no clanking disk utility reports: disk failure imminent - id 5 reallocated sector count assesment "failing" 117-117-140-663 sectors.

drive setup this:

40gig /dev/sdf
partitions: 255mb ext2
40gb extended
40gb lvm2 physical volume

multi disks devices:
38gb lvm2 ext4(v1.0) extent size 4.0 mib (4,194,304 bytes) capacity 40gb (39,757,807,616 bytes) /dev/dm-0
1.7gb swap

here's i've done far. using ubuntu computer (11.04 natty narwhal) created image of failing drive (we'll call "sdf" on) using older ddrescue. none of partitions mounted or active in disk utility. loaded image new drive ("sdn") , attempted boot , or read. wouldn't boot , partition mount , read filesystem partition - 255mb ext2. other partitions there although lvm2 partition didn't show under multi disks devices.

after more reading found gnu-ddrescue. performed same steps , created second image. created third image using successive passes. tried on new drive same results. connected sdf again details post , found can start lvm partition (dm-0) , browse files.

sounds if there, i'm missing something. appreciated.

i see no 1 has answered you, here answer.

think you'll find reinstalling have been quicker

takes little time install program , updates (unless not have broadband).

when configure desktop, all settings stored in /home/username folder (unlike in windows, uses registry), using actual user name instead of username. therefore, future note, if entire /home/username folder including hidden files , folders, settings restoring folder.

however, many people, me included, don't bother because it's easy reinstall , reconfigure ubuntu.

if wish entire disk able restore intact, @ ghosting program such clonezilla.

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