a backup prior to f16 install

[phpete48]

This may be a resend because I could not find the original.

I was trying to install fedora 16 except I #!@#% forgot to make
a backup of my home directory. So, I started following the instructions: Chapter*18.*Basic System Recovery
However, they did not work for me.

This is what I did:
1. create a usb fedora 16 iso using liveusb-creator
2. power up
3. select f12
4. select usb
5. select fedora 16
6. from activites, select applications then select terminal
7. from the terminal, type linux rescue
- command not found
8. from the terminal, type rescue
- command not found

I can program but I'm not too familiar with the boot process.
Did I make a mistake somewhere?

thank you,
pete

[phpete48]

I'm attempting to get to rescue mode from fc16 live on a USB device. But, I'm unable to find this option.
Could someone please send the required steps.
I did read parts of the manual.

thank you,
pete.

[atreyu]

Re-read the section entitled 18.1.2. Booting into Rescue Mode of the article in the link you referenced. You need to enter rescue at the boot: prompt, right after the PC does the POST check and before it starts to boot Linux.

[phpete48]

As per your instruction and the manual, I typed "linux rescue" at "boot: " prompt. The response was: "Could not find kernel image: linux". So, I'm not sure where to go from here.

[atreyu]

Can you hit the [Tab] key to get it to display a list of bootable options for you?

[phpete48]

Can you hit the [Tab] key to get it to display a list of bootable options for you?

linux0 basic0 check0 memtest local returntomain

I guessed "boot: linux0 rescue", and then from the GUI's activities bar, "install to hard drive". But this eventually
brought me to the partition the hard drive section. Then I thought something must be wrong.

Pete

[atreyu]

You are correct - something is wrong. That kernel is not honoring the "rescue" flag at all. Or more specifically, the initrd image is not, but whatever, that particular USB boot image will not rescue. Where did you get it?

Can you not download the regular Fedora 16 install DVD? That definitely will allow you to run in rescue mode. Also, there is UNetbootin, which is a project that allows you to build a Linux install USB drive from various Linux install ISOs, but I see that they only go up to Fedora 15.

Btw, I am wondering now, are you trying to boot w/Fedora in rescue mode to try and recover your files? If so, then I don't think you want the Fedora rescue method at all. You'd be better off with something like the System Rescue CD. It boots into a Linux rescue environment and contains many tools and utilities that may avail you. For file recovery, you'd be interested in TestDisk and ddrescue. Google file recovery and those two key words and you'll see what I mean.

If however, you merely want to get your system booting again (by reinstalling grub, etc.) then using the Fedora 16 install rescue image is the best way to go (although technically I think you could use the SysRescCD for that as well).