unable to create file/directory: Read-only file system

[luv]

Hi,

I wanted to install "gcc" because "./configure" isnt working and was looking for a compiler. I got this error and I dont know what to do with it. I Googled it but I cant find a direct solution. I inherited this server and admin isnt here anymore. I hope you can help. Thank you.

Below is the error:

apt-get install gcc
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
The following extra packages will be installed:
binutils cpp cpp-4.1 gcc-4.1 libssp0
Suggested packages:
binutils-doc cpp-doc gcc-4.1-locales make manpages-dev autoconf automake1.9
libtool flex bison gdb gcc-doc gcc-4.1-doc libc6-dev-amd64 lib64gcc1
lib64ssp0
Recommended packages:
libc6-dev libc-dev libmudflap0-dev
The following NEW packages will be installed:
binutils cpp cpp-4.1 gcc gcc-4.1 libssp0
0 upgraded, 6 newly installed, 0 to remove and 78 not upgraded.
Need to get 0B/5419kB of archives.
After unpacking 14.0MB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? y
(Reading database ... 23229 files and directories currently installed.)
Unpacking binutils (from .../binutils_2.17-3_i386.deb) ...
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/binutils_2.17-3_i386.deb (--unpack):
unable to create `./usr/share/locale/fr/LC_MESSAGES/bfd.mo': Read-only file system
dpkg-deb: subprocess paste killed by signal (Broken pipe)
Unpacking cpp-4.1 (from .../cpp-4.1_4.1.1-21_i386.deb) ...
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/cpp-4.1_4.1.1-21_i386.deb (--unpack):
unable to create `./usr/bin/cpp-4.1': Read-only file system
dpkg-deb: subprocess paste killed by signal (Broken pipe)
Unpacking cpp (from .../cpp_4%3a4.1.1-15_i386.deb) ...
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/cpp_4%3a4.1.1-15_i386.deb (--unpack):
error creating directory `./usr/share/doc/cpp': Read-only file system
Unpacking libssp0 (from .../libssp0_4.1.1-21_i386.deb) ...
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/libssp0_4.1.1-21_i386.deb (--unpack):
unable to create `./usr/lib/libssp.so.0.0.0': Read-only file system
Unpacking gcc-4.1 (from .../gcc-4.1_4.1.1-21_i386.deb) ...
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/gcc-4.1_4.1.1-21_i386.deb (--unpack):
error creating directory `./usr/share/doc/gcc-4.1-base/gcc': Read-only file system
dpkg-deb: subprocess paste killed by signal (Broken pipe)
Unpacking gcc (from .../gcc_4%3a4.1.1-15_i386.deb) ...
dpkg: error processing /var/cache/apt/archives/gcc_4%3a4.1.1-15_i386.deb (--unpack):
unable to create `./usr/bin/c89-gcc': Read-only file system
Errors were encountered while processing:
/var/cache/apt/archives/binutils_2.17-3_i386.deb
/var/cache/apt/archives/cpp-4.1_4.1.1-21_i386.deb
/var/cache/apt/archives/cpp_4%3a4.1.1-15_i386.deb
/var/cache/apt/archives/libssp0_4.1.1-21_i386.deb
/var/cache/apt/archives/gcc-4.1_4.1.1-21_i386.deb
/var/cache/apt/archives/gcc_4%3a4.1.1-15_i386.deb
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

Sorry for the long message.

[Dapper Dan]

It could be that you are out of space. Post the results of:

df

please.

[garry_3peace]

aah.... I got the same problem with you yesterday

This happened when I installing X window system by typing this :

yum groupinstall "X Window System"

It appear segmentation fault and cause the drive to automatically lock up, thus became read-only. This is normal ( I thought) to prevent the harddisk been written. So I restart the computer and re-install the packages. And this time, success.

[luv]

I already restarted my machine.

Here's my fstab:

# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# <file system> <mount point> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>
proc /proc proc defaults 0 0
/dev/sda6 / ext3 defaults,errors=remount-ro 0 1
/dev/sda1 /boot ext3 ro 0 2
/dev/mapper/data-lv00 /home ext3 nodev,nosuid,noexec,usrquota,grpquota 0 2
/dev/mapper/data-lv01 /srv/svn ext3 nodev,nosuid,noexec 0 2
/dev/sda7 /tmp ext3 defaults 0 2
/dev/sda5 /usr ext3 ro 0 2
/dev/sda8 /var ext3 defaults 0 2
/dev/sda9 none swap sw 0 0
/dev/sdb1 none swap sw 0 0
/dev/hda /media/cdrom0 udf,iso9660 user,noauto 0 0
/dev/fd0 /media/floppy0 auto rw,user,noauto 0 0

And here's "df"

df -h
Filesystem Size Used Avail Use% Mounted on
/dev/sda6 2.8G 225M 2.4G 9% /
tmpfs 503M 0 503M 0% /lib/init/rw
udev 10M 72K 10M 1% /dev
tmpfs 503M 0 503M 0% /dev/shm
/dev/sda1 464M 18M 423M 4% /boot
/dev/mapper/data-lv00
381G 341G 25G 94% /home
/dev/mapper/data-lv01
50G 674M 47G 2% /srv/svn
/dev/sda7 4.6G 138M 4.3G 4% /tmp
/dev/sda5 2.4G 444M 1.9G 20% /usr
/dev/sda8 14G 1.3G 12G 10% /var

It could be that you are out of space. Post the results of:

df

please.

[luv]

I switched to single user mode (init 1), unmounted everything /w "-al" option and ran fsck. The results were clean. Is it safe to say that my disk is ok?

I tried "mount -o remount,rw /mnt/sda" but it's not working. "/boot" and "/usr" are read-only. I cant install or update because of this problem. Really needing your help here.

Thanks.

[coopstah13]

you have

/dev/sda5 /usr ext3 ro 0 2

the ro means read only, change that to defaults

/dev/sda5 /usr ext3 defaults 0 2
/dev/sda1 /boot ext3 defaults 0 2

then reboot machine

[luv]

oh that fixed! thank you. how come everybody, mostly, on the internet kept saying about fsck and remount and not even mentioned this solution by coopstah13.

it could have been easier like. hey give me your fstab. try fsck, try remounting or try changing to the values to defaults.

I'll check on the other server. Thanks again