Corrupted file system

Questions
1

This screen shot is the message I get when I boot my computer:-

IMG_20260207_212817501
IMG_20260207_2128175011920×1440 174 KB

Running Mint 22.2

How do I run fsck on the partition /dev/sda2?

2

You have a couple of options. You can use the initramfs(that appears in your pic), safemode which likely you cannot access atm, or use a LiveCD.

A quick Brave search produced these results for your issue:

If your Linux Mint 22.2 system shows a message that the root filesystem on /dev/sda2 requires a manual fsck , you can resolve it by following these steps:

At the BusyBox initramfs prompt

When the system boots and displays the initramfs prompt (often seen after a crash, power loss, or forced shutdown), you are in a minimal environment where you can run fsck directly on the root partition.

  1. Run the filesystem check with automatic fixes:
fsck -y /dev/sda2
  • The -y flag automatically answers “yes” to all repair prompts.
  • This command checks and repairs filesystem inconsistencies, such as corrupted inodes or orphaned linked lists.
  1. After the check completes, exit the initramfs shell:
exit
  • The system will continue booting normally.

Alternative: Use Recovery Mode from GRUB

If you can access the GRUB menu:

  1. Reboot and hold Shift (or Esc ) during boot to open the GRUB menu.
  2. Select Advanced options for Linux Mint .
  3. Choose Recovery mode .
  4. Select fsck from the recovery menu to run the check automatically.

Prevent Future Issues

  • Use tune2fs to schedule periodic checks (optional):
sudo tune2fs -c 20 /dev/sda2

This sets the maximum mount count before fsck runs automatically. Adjust as needed.

  • Check drive health using SMART tools:
sudo smartctl -A /dev/sda

If errors are reported, consider backing up data and replacing the drive.

:warning: Note : Running fsck on a mounted filesystem is unsafe. Always perform it from initramfs , a live system, or recovery mode.

3

Thank you MrDeplorableUSA.
After using fsck multiple times and finding the problem getting worse, I decided upgrade to mint 22.3 since my data files seemed ok.
After the upgrade it seemed like Timeshift and Update manager conflicted and froze the system which I then had to close by powering off. This led to systemd-journald errors that I have eventually discovered are related corrupted journal logs. I’ve cleaned these and all seems well.

1 Like