shutting down/unplugging arch usb drive (hdd)/restarting

[reyemtm]

This is the basic arch install with a E02 pogo.

So twice it seems I have possible corrupted my arch pogo install.

The first was with the pacman -Syu

However the second time I installed to a usb hdd, did no use the update command above, and used the halt command to shutdown then unplugged the arch usb drive. Upon restarting with only the arch usb drive attached it does not boot into arch or the pogo software. I have checked the filesystem in linux and it comes out with no errors. I have limited knowledge of linux/command line, but feel it has to do with how I shut it down. - The orange light was not off when I unplugged the drive - will that light go out when the halt or shutdown command is issued?

It used to do fine with restarting, so it cannot be in the actuall booting of it.

Basically what I am looking for is simple, to unplug and plug it back in and have everything work.

I can still boot into pogoplug and access it via ssh, no all is not lost, though I may have to install yet again.

Ideas.

Thanks

[pepedog]

Always sync before poweroff or reboot.
Yes, poweroff is the command, and the plug light won't ever go off, listen to drive spinning

[reyemtm]

thanks man, what does the sync do? also how long should it take to poweroff..and then boot up from after being unplugged

[pepedog]

Sync flushes cached writes in memory.
poweroff is variable, a spinning USB drive will stop spinning.
Boot up time variable, 15 seconds to a minute

[reyemtm]

so by not using 'sync' the filesystem gets corrupted and will not boot? and do I have to umount the storage drives before poweroff or will that command un mount them correctly?

[pepedog]

Not using sync will not cause corruption. It depends what's happening at the time.
You can't unmount a file system that's in use, poweroff does that

[reyemtm]

thanks for the quick replies...will try and do a fresh install then poweroff and see if this will work

[reyemtm]

initial test of using 'sync' then 'poweroff' seem to work, though when to exactly remove the hdd isnt too clear in terms of its spinning...

the only remaining question is if the power goes out it seems I am out of luck...maybe a new thread

[reyemtm]

ugh...linux...is the only real solution to the losing power/crash device to get a ups?...power prob goes out once/mo...

when its running its great...just have to find a way to keep it that way