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I modified /etc/fstab to change permissions over a mounted disk in Ubuntu 16.04, and now I can't start Ubuntu. First, it shows some messages, and then it starts showing this error until I shut it down (I've tried to press Ctrl+C, Crtl+Alt+F2, Ctrl+Alt+all other Fs, and many other combinations, but it won't stop showing that error).

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I think this problem would be solved if only I could modify back fstab, but I can't find a way to do it. I have found a solution to login in text-only console mode by pressing "e" in GRUB and adding pcie_aspm=off at the end of the Linux line. This allows me to start Ubuntu in a non-graphic mode without showing the error, and login with my user and password, but when I try to modify fstab it says that the system is in an read-only mode and that I can't modify the file.

Do you have any idea of how can I login some way that allows me to modify that file?

If it helps here is an image of the modification I made to the fstab file. The only thing I added is what is underlined in red.

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You have to boot your system on a Live USB, mount your root-filesystem (/) on /mnt and revert your changes to /mnt/etc/fstab. Then reboot.

Never try to change ownership or access-rights on files in / ... not with mount-options nor by chmodor chown !!!

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  • Thanks a lot! I'll try that and comment back if the problem is solved that way :D Jul 21, 2017 at 12:54
  • IT WORKED!! My Ubuntu is back to normal. Jul 21, 2017 at 13:30

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