External HDD read-only when using Slacko

[Kicalaf]

Hi gang ,

I have had windows laptop in my own house, and I've used puppy slacko occasionally. I've had internal HDD and external, and both of them have worked on windows. But, from the beginning, external HDD worked only in the read mode on puppy. Here is what I am getting like an answer while trying to mount it on slacko:

The ntfs-3g driver was unable to mount the NTFS
partition and returned this error message:
Failed to read last sector (2930275119): Invalid argument
HINTS: Either the volume is a RAID/LDM but it wasn't setup yet,
or it was not setup correctly (e.g. by not using mdadm --build ...),
or a wrong device is tried to be mounted,
or the partition table is corrupt (partition is smaller than NTFS),
or the NTFS boot sector is corrupt (NTFS size is not valid).
Failed to mount '/dev/sdb1': Invalid argument
The device '/dev/sdb1' doesn't seem to have a valid NTFS.
Maybe the wrong device is used? Or the whole disk instead of a
partition (e.g. /dev/sda, not /dev/sda1)? Or the other way around?

So, the inbuilt kernel NTFS driver has been used
to mount the partition read-only.

I know that external have some bad sector or something like that, because when I wanted to fix it while using windows, I always got the error at the end. But no matter that, I could use it to write and read the files on it.

External HDD is Western Digital Elements desktop 1,5 TB:

http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.aspx?id=260

Now when the internal HDD is broken, I do not have any interest in reparing the laptop, and using it only with puppy slacko. But on slacko, I can't write anything on it, just reading the files are possible.

Could you help me ( because in the few months I won't be able to buy any new computer ), to try some solution now, when only slacko is working on such computer?

I have many many files on the external HDD, and don't have the option for saving files anywhere else, if you mean that I would need to format the whole external.

Is there any other possibility on slacko, just not to format with all those files?

Thanks in advance, Kicalaf

[Karl Godt]

Have no other idea to fix the ntfs filesystem than using Windows chkdsk , but as a work around I would try to resize the only partition to let's say 750MB and create a second NTFS partition . Then copy the sdb1 to sdb2 and reformat sdb1.

But gparted my choke too .

diagnostics output for the hdd by

Code: Select all

fdisk -l
disktype /dev/sdb1
dmesg | grep sdb

[mikeb]

Perhaps you need to a fix bad sectors run on windows then....it will take a long time but should clear the problem (unless you have tried that)

ntfs-3g plays safe .... any percieved problem and its read only time as it says.

Resize and copy over...perhaps might work...would recommend the resize be done in windows too... its their filesystem so have the advantage of first hand knowledge of it. Perhaps you might get away with making the partition a little smaller if the error appears to be at the end of the disk.

Mike

[bigpup]

Are you using Slacko 5.6?
Earlier versions of Slacko had problems with external HDD.
Just to tell you about this, however it sounds like you have a messed up ntfs windows file system and as stated before, ntfs-3g plays safe .... any percieved problem and its read only.

[Kicalaf]

Thanks guys for your answers.

Just to clarify, I've tried to fix bas sector when I was on windows, but the fixing ended with the error always. I could almost finish the fixing, and at 99% it stopped. But no matter that, I could use normally external HDD.

I am using slacko 5.5.

If I understood correctly your suggestions, I would need to make another partition on external HDD, which would be healthy partition, and to copy my files into that partition, and than to format the second partition while using slacko?

I've had this problem even on puppy wary before. But I've decided to start using slacko, because it looks more better and with more preinstalled programs.

Because I am the beginner in using linux, is Karl's suggestion with using gparted means that I would need these codes to enter in gparted or in console?

Thanks in advance guys again

p.s. what does it means "ntfs-3g plays safe" ?

[mikeb]

force Force the mounting even if the NTFS logfile is unclean. The
logfile will be unconditionally cleared. Use this option with
caution and for your own responsibility.

ntfs-3g has this option.....

ntfs-3g -o force /dev/sdx(n) /mnt/sdx(n)
this might give you read write access at your own risk.

My money would be on resizing the partition to be smaller to exclude the bad sectors.... a trick I have used in the past... but use windows to resize it as the safest approach.

mike

[Kicalaf]

Ok, thanks Mike.

I understand your suggestion. I'll try first than at home this ntfs-3g , where I have currently only "half-computer" with only slacko installed, and than if this don't work, I would need to bring my external to friend who has windows.

Is this risk, when using ntfs-3g code means that I would maybe lose my files, or means that external will be dead?

[mikeb]

Well in this case you would be running a disk with known bad sectors..I suspect the risk is no different to on windows.... its when you are dealing with problems with the ntfs index structure that its definately a bad idea.

mike

[Karl Godt]

About the code lines : They have to be entered in the terminal console .

About problems at 99% at the end of the disk : Resizing to

echo $((1500/100*99))
1485

1,45 GB would be then also an option .

About chkdsk : It has several options as mike mentions, like automatic repair and such .

Windows also has a terminal console, launched by the Run Program :

Code: Select all

cmd.exe

Therein I would enter

Code: Select all

chkdsk /?

for info about the options .

Resizing on windows can be done by

Code: Select all

diskpart /?

commandline utility
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/300415

Linux apps mostly have also a help option like /? : -h, -help or --help .

[Kicalaf]

Hi guys,

again me

I've tried with ntfs-3g option and got this result:

http://www.dodaj.rs/f/3x/GT/3zvemU7m/nt ... ror-re.png

Than I've tried with gparted to create another partition, where I was planing to move my files, and after trying to create partition table, I've got this:

http://www.dodaj.rs/f/3M/He/2g8E6CVu/gp ... enshot.png

I am not prepared now to erase my files, so please, is there any other option maybe? I don't have the windows computer now, only at my work, but don't have much time there to work something for my self.

Thanks in advance

[Karl Godt]

I'll suggest to by some external memory to run gparted on it to become firm with gparted .

We spoke of "RESIZING" first, not about to create a "Partition Table" first .

[mikeb]

Indeed... and the safest way to resize NTFS is with windows.
The sector mentioned seems like its at the end of the disk so perhaps a resize of 5% less would be more than enough.

the ntfs-3g mount suggested it was already mounted (read only) if so that would need unmounting first.
But it also mentions the disk damage and why its reluctant so may not work this way anyway.

mike

[Kicalaf]

Sorry Karl for being so dummy, but I don't understand how to resize. What code do I need to type in console to do it?

[Kicalaf]

Hi Mike,so you mean that I would need to do it on windows at the end?

[mikeb]

Yes on windows.... my/our point is NTFS is a windows file system so using windows native tools is the best aproach if you can.

Disk management is the one I believe.

If thats is a problem then gparted would be the next one to try though when I have resized using it in the past it appears to copy and then recopy the contents which is slow so another reason to try windows first.

mike

[amigo]

If you can still access that disk from windows, then you should immediately copy all the files you want to keep onto another device -before it becomes completely unreachable.
Once you have safely copied the data elsewhere we can better help you to fix the problem, if possible.

[Kicalaf]

Ok thanks.

Than I would need to try on my company computer to resize hdd.

Just again to ask, what is the procedure for resizing on slacko?

amigo, I am not able to have so large space anywhere now to copy my files, because hdd is 1,5 TB and I have 250 GB files. My internal hdd is just 40 GB and that's why I bought external before.

[mikeb]

yes company computer would be a good idea...I believe only professional windows has the option to resize. You may even be able to make a copy if they love you as a backup before starting....reading being faster than writing in this case.

To resize on slacko....open gparted...select partition and right click on it...you will see 'resize'

mike

[Karl Godt]

Man, it looks like it's already too late ..

Select sdb1 and Partiton , not Device :

[Kicalaf]

Thanks guys and sorry again for the troubles. I guess I'll need to do it on the windows computer definitely because my entire external hdd is unlocated in gparted and that's why I am getting only grey option for resizing. Can't use this.