On 5/20/25 15:20, Steve Matzura wrote:
After a year in storage, I'm trying to get a version 11 system back
online. I connected it to power and network, then booted it.
Interestingly, it appeared on my network not at the address it had when
it went into storage, but one given it by my local DHCP server. The
console scrolled, but not to completion, Speakup didn't start, and I
cannot log in from the console. I have a couple applications on that
system, including Asterisk version 20 with its configuration files, but
the system is unusable as it stands. The questions are, repair Debian 11
or or replace with Debian 12, and how do i reclaim those all-important
configuration files from Asterisk and other applications? Can I try
mounting the boot drive in WSL on another machine, or possibly inspect
it with a running Debian system booted from the installation medium?
Thanks in advance.
I suggest:
1, Remove the drive from the computer. Install drive into a working
Debian computer. Take an image (e.g. dd(1) or Clonezilla). Mount
filesystems read-only and backup. Shutdown. Remove old drive.
2. Disconnect the power supply (PSU) from everything in the computer.
Test the PSU with a hardware tester. If the PSU fails, replace it and
repeat. Shutdown.
3. Run the motherboard firmware Setup utility hardware diagnostic, if
your motherboard has such. If your motherboard does not, boot and run
memtest86+. If anything fails, fix or replace and repeat. Shutdown.
4. Install a security erased SSD into the computer and connect it to
the first HBA port. Do a fresh install of Debian *11* to minimize risk
of configuration file version changes for OS and for software. Take an
image. Backup all filesystems. Shutdown.
5. Install the old drive into the computer. Mount the old drive
filesystems read-only. Install desired software. Configure software by
referring to contents of old filesystems. Shutdown. Remove old drive.
Take an image. Backup all filesystems.
David
