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When I start my Ubuntu Guest OS in the VM, a stream of errors fly by and here's what I see at the end.

mount: mounting /dev on /root/dev failed: No such file or directory
mount: mounting /sys on /root/sys failed: No such file or directory
mount: mounting /proc on /root/proc failed: No such file or directory
Target filesystem doesn't have /sbin/init.
No init found. Try passing init= bootarg.


BusyBox v1.13.3 (Ubuntu 1:1.13.3-1ubuntu11) built-in shell (ash)
Enter 'help' for a list of built-in commands.

(initramfs)

My host system is Windows XP, my guest system is Ubuntu 10.04 with Guest Additions and my VirtualBox version is 4.0.12.

I created a second VM and remounted the existing hard disk "Ubuntu 10.vdi" as the boot drive and got the exact same error. From searching around the internet, it seems I might be able to repair the drive, but I don't know how to do it from Windows XP or another Ubuntu VM.

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I have solved the problem, thanks to my buddy John who told me the approach: Use the ISO as a virtual drive so you have a working system to fix the broken virtual drive. So here's what I did.

  1. Added my Ubuntu 10.04 ISO file as a CD/DVD drive in my existing Machine.
  2. Switched the boot order to boot from CD/DVD drive first (I had to remove the VirtualBox add-ons ISO from machine as a IDE Controller drive, it was getting in the way).
  3. Started the machine and selected the option to try Ubuntu without installing and it showed the desktop.
  4. In a terminal window, ran sudo gparted and the broken partition showed up on the list along with others.
  5. Added a task to check/fix the partition and then ran the task.
  6. Shutdown the machine, switched the order back to boot from HD first, CD/DVD drive.
  7. Booted up the machine and Ubuntu is working again.

TBD if I lost anything at all but doing better than before :)

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    How do you add task to check/fix the partition? Is this done from inside gparted?
    – windyjonas
    Commented Mar 9, 2012 at 10:07
  • This doesnt work for me since it says partition is already busy...
    – darxsys
    Commented Apr 7, 2014 at 8:11

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