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I have a dual boot Windows 10/Ubuntu 18.04 computer. Windows boots perfectly, but right now Ubuntu won't boot. I get the error

systemd-fstab-generator [993]: Failed to create unit file /run/systemd/generator/media-Datas.mount, as it already exists. Duplicate entry in /etc/fstab?

and it only allows me to boot into the terminal.

I typed in journalctl -xb and found these four errors buried in the log:

  • Couldn't get size: 0x800000000000000e (this also shows up when Ubuntu first starts booting)
  • The fstab error above, followed by /lib/systemd/system-generator/system-fstab-generator failed with exit status 1
  • Timed out waiting for device dev-sdb1.device (I assume this is a USB device not loading?)
  • Failed to start AppArmor initialization

How do I fix this? Ideally without touching my Windows installation? I really can't afford to break my Windows installation.

JemJem
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    Not sure if this will show anything or not. May be best to see details, use ppa version with your live installer (2nd option) or any working install, not older Boot-Repair ISO: Please copy & paste link to the Boot-info summary report ( do not post report), the auto fix sometimes can create more issues. https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Boot-Repair You may need fsck on sdb1 or sda1 whichever it is when you boot flash drive Ubuntu live installer in live mode. https://askubuntu.com/questions/642504/ubuntu-14-04-is-not-booting-normaly-after-a-manual-hard-boot/642789#642789 – oldfred Jun 11 '19 at 22:37
  • You have checked for duplicate (dynamic) entries in fstab? You haven't also defined one there (dynamically) that you have defined in systemd (statically) – guiverc Jun 11 '19 at 22:41
  • Here is my Boot-info file!.

    How would I check for duplicate fstab entries? And how would I know which to delete?

     – JemJem Jun 11 '19 at 23:45
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    Do you get a grub screen? In your fstab file you have 3 entries for your external drive sdb1. There shouldn't be any entries for it as it's unnecessary as well as a bad idea. – Paul Benson Jun 12 '19 at 02:51
  • When you say a grub screen, do you mean the screen where I get to choose whether to start Ubuntu or start Windows? That screen does come up. The errors happen when I choose Ubuntu. Like I said, Windows boots OK.

    I don't remember ever editing my fstab file. Would I need to remove lines from it? How would I know what lines to remove? Can I edit it from a live USB?

     – JemJem Jun 12 '19 at 13:32
  • OK, I commented out all of the sdb1 entries and it boots now! Is there anything else I should be fixing? The Boot-Repair recommendation said: 
    Additional repair would be performed: unhide-bootmenu-10s    use-standard-efi-file```
    – JemJem Jun 12 '19 at 15:19
  • @PaulBenson, sorry for the delay in the reply! sda3 is Windows, sda5 is root (I think) and sda8 is /home. – JemJem Jun 17 '19 at 15:20
  • @JenJen I'll move my earlier comment as part of my answer. – Paul Benson Jun 17 '19 at 18:20

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