Failed to start File System Check on Root Device

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1 
[FAILED] Failed to start File System Check on Root Device.
You're in emergency mode. After logging in, type "journalctl -xb" to view system logs.

I’m getting this error message during boot. But I don’t understand what’s going on. Here is the output from “journalctl -xb” command.

Feb 18 11:00:14 society systemd-journald[209]: Journal started
░░ Subject: The journal has been started
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://forum.manjaro.org/c/support
░░ 
░░ The system journal process has started up, opened the journal
░░ files for writing and is now ready to process requests.
Feb 18 11:00:14 society systemd-journald[209]: Runtime Journal (/run/log/journal/573a672ffb824ec086eb0bdbbb33a767) is 8.0M, max 393.5M, 385.5M free.
░░ Subject: Disk space used by the journal
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://forum.manjaro.org/c/support
░░ 
░░ Runtime Journal (/run/log/journal/573a672ffb824ec086eb0bdbbb33a767) is currently using 8.0M.
░░ Maximum allowed usage is set to 393.5M.
░░ Leaving at least 196.7M free (of currently available 3.8G of disk space).
░░ Enforced usage limit is thus 393.5M, of which 385.5M are still available.
░░ 
░░ The limits controlling how much disk space is used by the journal may
░░ be configured with SystemMaxUse=, SystemKeepFree=, SystemMaxFileSize=,
░░ RuntimeMaxUse=, RuntimeKeepFree=, RuntimeMaxFileSize= settings in
░░ /etc/systemd/journald.conf. See journald.conf(5) for details.
Feb 18 11:00:14 society audit[1]: SERVICE_START pid=1 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 msg='unit=systemd-modules-load comm="systemd" exe="/usr/li>
Feb 18 11:00:14 society audit[1]: SERVICE_START pid=1 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 msg='unit=systemd-sysctl comm="systemd" exe="/usr/lib/syst>
Feb 18 11:00:14 society audit[1]: SERVICE_START pid=1 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 msg='unit=ufw comm="systemd" exe="/usr/lib/systemd/systemd>
Feb 18 11:00:14 society audit[1]: SERVICE_START pid=1 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 msg='unit=modprobe@drm comm="systemd" exe="/usr/lib/system>
Feb 18 11:00:14 society audit[1]: SERVICE_STOP pid=1 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 msg='unit=modprobe@drm comm="systemd" exe="/usr/lib/systemd>
Feb 18 11:00:14 society audit[1]: SERVICE_START pid=1 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 msg='unit=systemd-journald comm="systemd" exe="/usr/lib/sy>
Feb 18 11:00:14 society systemd-modules-load[210]: Inserted module 'crypto_user'
Feb 18 11:00:14 society systemd-modules-load[210]: Inserted module 'sg'
Feb 18 11:00:14 society systemd-modules-load[210]: Inserted module 'msr'
Feb 18 11:00:14 society systemd[1]: Started Journal Service.
Feb 18 11:00:14 society kernel: audit: type=1130 audit(1613624414.985:7): pid=1 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 msg='unit=systemd-journald comm=>
Feb 18 11:00:14 society systemd-sysctl[217]: Not setting net/ipv4/conf/all/rp_filter (explicit setting exists).
Feb 18 11:00:14 society systemd-sysctl[217]: Not setting net/ipv4/conf/default/rp_filter (explicit setting exists).
Feb 18 11:00:14 society systemd-sysctl[217]: Not setting net/ipv4/conf/all/accept_source_route (explicit setting exists).
Feb 18 11:00:14 society systemd-sysctl[217]: Not setting net/ipv4/conf/default/accept_source_route (explicit setting exists).
Feb 18 11:00:14 society systemd-sysctl[217]: Not setting net/ipv4/conf/all/promote_secondaries (explicit setting exists).
Feb 18 11:00:14 society systemd-sysctl[217]: Not setting net/ipv4/conf/default/promote_secondaries (explicit setting exists).
Feb 18 11:00:14 society systemd-fsck[214]: /dev/sda2 contains a file system with errors, check forced.
Feb 18 11:00:14 society ufw-init[222]: Skip starting firewall: ufw (not enabled)
Feb 18 11:00:14 society systemd[1]: Finished Coldplug All udev Devices.
░░ Subject: A start job for unit systemd-udev-trigger.service has finished successfully
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://forum.manjaro.org/c/support
░░ 
░░ A start job for unit systemd-udev-trigger.service has finished successfully.
░░ 
░░ The job identifier is 26.
Feb 18 11:00:14 society audit[1]: SERVICE_START pid=1 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 msg='unit=systemd-udev-trigger comm="systemd" exe="/usr/li>
Feb 18 11:00:14 society kernel: audit: type=1130 audit(1613624414.992:8): pid=1 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 msg='unit=systemd-udev-trigger c>
Feb 18 11:00:15 society kernel: usb 2-6: new full-speed USB device number 4 using xhci_hcd
Feb 18 11:00:14 society systemd-sysctl[217]: Not setting net/ipv4/conf/default/promote_secondaries (explicit setting exists).
Feb 18 11:00:14 society systemd-fsck[214]: /dev/sda2 contains a file system with errors, check forced.
Feb 18 11:00:14 society ufw-init[222]: Skip starting firewall: ufw (not enabled)
Feb 18 11:00:14 society systemd[1]: Finished Coldplug All udev Devices.
░░ Subject: A start job for unit systemd-udev-trigger.service has finished successfully
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://forum.manjaro.org/c/support
░░ 
░░ A start job for unit systemd-udev-trigger.service has finished successfully.
░░ 
░░ The job identifier is 26.
Feb 18 11:00:14 society audit[1]: SERVICE_START pid=1 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 msg='unit=systemd-udev-trigger comm="systemd" exe="/usr/li>
Feb 18 11:00:14 society kernel: audit: type=1130 audit(1613624414.992:8): pid=1 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 msg='unit=systemd-udev-trigger c>
Feb 18 11:00:15 society kernel: usb 2-6: new full-speed USB device number 4 using xhci_hcd
Feb 18 11:00:15 society systemd-fsck[214]: /dev/sda2: Inodes that were part of a corrupted orphan linked list found.
Feb 18 11:00:15 society systemd-fsck[214]: /dev/sda2: UNEXPECTED INCONSISTENCY; RUN fsck MANUALLY.
Feb 18 11:00:15 society systemd-fsck[214]:         (i.e., without -a or -p options)
Feb 18 11:00:15 society systemd-fsck[208]: fsck failed with exit status 4.
Feb 18 11:00:15 society systemd-fsck[208]: Running request emergency.target/start/replace
Feb 18 11:00:15 society systemd-fsck[208]: Running request emergency.target/start/replace
Feb 18 11:00:15 society systemd[1]: systemd-fsck-root.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
░░ Subject: Unit process exited
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://forum.manjaro.org/c/support
░░ 
░░ An ExecStart= process belonging to unit systemd-fsck-root.service has exited.
░░ 
░░ The process' exit code is 'exited' and its exit status is 1.
Feb 18 11:00:15 society systemd[1]: systemd-fsck-root.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
░░ Subject: Unit failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://forum.manjaro.org/c/support
░░ 
Feb 18 11:00:14 society systemd-sysctl[217]: Not setting net/ipv4/conf/default/accept_source_route (explicit setting exists).
Feb 18 11:00:14 society systemd-sysctl[217]: Not setting net/ipv4/conf/all/promote_secondaries (explicit setting exists).
Feb 18 11:00:14 society systemd-sysctl[217]: Not setting net/ipv4/conf/default/promote_secondaries (explicit setting exists).
Feb 18 11:00:14 society systemd-fsck[214]: /dev/sda2 contains a file system with errors, check forced.
Feb 18 11:00:14 society ufw-init[222]: Skip starting firewall: ufw (not enabled)
Feb 18 11:00:14 society systemd[1]: Finished Coldplug All udev Devices.
░░ Subject: A start job for unit systemd-udev-trigger.service has finished successfully
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://forum.manjaro.org/c/support
░░ 
░░ A start job for unit systemd-udev-trigger.service has finished successfully.
░░ 
░░ The job identifier is 26.
Feb 18 11:00:14 society audit[1]: SERVICE_START pid=1 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 msg='unit=systemd-udev-trigger comm="systemd" exe="/usr/li>
Feb 18 11:00:14 society kernel: audit: type=1130 audit(1613624414.992:8): pid=1 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 msg='unit=systemd-udev-trigger c>
Feb 18 11:00:15 society kernel: usb 2-6: new full-speed USB device number 4 using xhci_hcd
Feb 18 11:00:15 society systemd-fsck[214]: /dev/sda2: Inodes that were part of a corrupted orphan linked list found.
Feb 18 11:00:15 society systemd-fsck[214]: /dev/sda2: UNEXPECTED INCONSISTENCY; RUN fsck MANUALLY.
Feb 18 11:00:15 society systemd-fsck[214]:         (i.e., without -a or -p options)
Feb 18 11:00:15 society systemd-fsck[208]: fsck failed with exit status 4.
Feb 18 11:00:15 society systemd-fsck[208]: Running request emergency.target/start/replace
Feb 18 11:00:15 society systemd[1]: systemd-fsck-root.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
░░ Subject: Unit process exited
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://forum.manjaro.org/c/support
░░ 
░░ An ExecStart= process belonging to unit systemd-fsck-root.service has exited.
░░ 
░░ The process' exit code is 'exited' and its exit status is 1.
Feb 18 11:00:15 society systemd[1]: systemd-fsck-root.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
░░ Subject: Unit failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://forum.manjaro.org/c/support
░░ 
░░ The unit systemd-fsck-root.service has entered the 'failed' state with result 'exit-code'.
Feb 18 11:00:15 society systemd[1]: Failed to start File System Check on Root Device.
░░ Subject: A start job for unit systemd-fsck-root.service has failed
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://forum.manjaro.org/c/support
░░ 
░░ A start job for unit systemd-fsck-root.service has finished with a failure.
░░ 
░░ The job identifier is 36 and the job result is failed.
Feb 18 11:00:15 society kernel: fbcon: Taking over console
Feb 18 11:00:15 society kernel: Console: switching to colour frame buffer device 170x48
Feb 18 11:00:15 society audit[1]: SERVICE_START pid=1 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 msg='unit=systemd-fsck-root comm="systemd" exe="/usr/lib/s>
Feb 18 11:00:15 society systemd[1]: systemd-ask-password-console.path: Succeeded.
░░ Subject: Unit succeeded
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://forum.manjaro.org/c/support
░░ 
░░ The unit systemd-ask-password-console.path has successfully entered the 'dead' state.
Feb 18 11:00:15 society systemd[1]: Stopped Dispatch Password Requests to Console Directory Watch.
░░ Subject: A stop job for unit systemd-ask-password-console.path has finished
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://forum.manjaro.org/c/support
░░ 
░░ A stop job for unit systemd-ask-password-console.path has finished.
░░ 
░░ The job identifier is 152 and the job result is done.
Feb 18 11:00:15 society systemd[1]: systemd-ask-password-wall.path: Succeeded.
░░ Subject: Unit succeeded
░░ Defined-By: systemd
░░ Support: https://forum.manjaro.org/c/support
░░ 
░░ The unit systemd-ask-password-wall.path has successfully entered the 'dead' state.
Feb 18 11:00:15 society kernel: audit: type=1130 audit(1613624415.195:9): pid=1 uid=0 auid=4294967295 ses=4294967295 msg='unit=systemd-fsck-root comm>
Feb 18 11:00:15 society systemd[1]: Stopped Forward Password Requests to Wall Directory Watch.
2

next time
journalctl -xr
is probably more helpful
(it lists in reverse, most recent first)
or you need to scroll to the end of that output
(what is here is just the beginning - no error visible in that part)

You could also do what it suggests: … a file system check
lsblk -f
should tell you your devices
e2fsck -v /dev/sdXx
runs that check
if it is many errors and you say “yes” to fix any error anyway … run it like this:
e2fsck -y /dev/sdXx
it assumes “yes” for every error to correct …

3

I am also facing this issue. While going through “journalctl -xr” command, first error (line in red) I see is “fsck check failed with exit status 4”.

e2fsck -v /dev/sda1 gives me output saying /dev/sda1 is mounted and then aborts.

When I try to umount the device, I get the output that target is busy.

4

/dev/sda1 is (probably) your root device
… it contains your system …
You can’t check it because it is mounted, you can’t unmount it because it is your running system.
You need to do the check from outside - while the system isn’t running.
Boot the installation medium and run the check from there.
While you are at it - but you can do that from your running system as well - run:
tune2fs -c 10 /dev/sda1
This will cause your filesystem to be checked after every 10 times it has been mounted.

5

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