fsck.ext3:unable to resolve 'LABEL=ydl1'

I have partitioned and formatted a 500gb external drive under ydl and created a mount point /ydl1. upon booting I get the following message.


fsck.ext3: unable to resolve "LABEL=ydl1'

*** an error occurred during the file system check.
*** dropping to a shell; the system will reboot
*** when you leave the shell.

give root password for maintenance
( or type control-d to continue)

when I enter root password it replies

(repair filesystem) 1 #

I have no idea what to reply
I can't bypass and thus the system is unbootable.

Hi and Welcome !

Try using actual device name ( /dev/sdxy) instead of /ydl1. You have to edit /etc/fstab and /boot/grub/menu.lst files for that.

Thanks for the reply.

The problem is that I don't know how to use the emergency repair function and thus can't get on the system to do anything to the fstab to correct the problem.

Do you have LiveCD of any Linux distro? You can you installation disk to boot up in Rescue mode. Mount partition using mount command and edit files.
Boot up from Installation disk. Does it show Rescue/Recovery mode in menu?

I have an ISO dvd that I installed from. The system doesn't get to the point of reading the dvd before it goes in the emergency shell prompt.
I'm able to vi the /etc/fstab
I know exactly what i have to change however when in insert mode or replace mode in vi I get this message

w10: changing a readonly file

when I enter the change required the system responds

E303: unable to open swap file for "/etc/fstab", recovery impossible
press enter or type command to continue

I press enter

then ZZ

system responds

E45: "readonly" option set (add ! to override)

I've tried chown command on both dir and file it says it is changing the readonly dir or file but nothing occurs.

As root I should be able to do whatever I want but can"t.

I ran into the same problem, I was trying to mount an iSCSI volume at boot and added the wrong fsck switches in /etc/fstab. So @ # (repair filesystem) type mount / -o rw,remount
then edit away.
Steve