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Can't mount external drive---interpret this error message?

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    Can't mount external drive---interpret this error message?

    Okay, looks like my external hard drive is pretty screwed. Can someone who understands what's going on tell me how bad it is and what I should do about it?

    [115867.131621] sd 21:0:0:0: [sdi] No Caching mode page present
    [115867.131631] sd 21:0:0:0: [sdi] Assuming drive cache: write through
    [115867.131639] sd 21:0:0:0: [sdi] Attached SCSI removable disk
    [115867.543463] usb 1-2: USB disconnect, device number 14
    [117094.280185] EXT3-fs error (device sdd4): ext3_check_descriptors: Block bitmap for group 640 not in group (block 7)!
    [117094.284404] EXT3-fs (sdd4): error: group descriptors corrupted
    Kubuntu #19517 (but of course I am not a number, I am a free man!)

    #2
    Open a terminal and try this.
    Code:
    sudo e2fsck -p /dev/sdd4
    and see if that repairs the problem.
    Never too old to learn
    Ault, CO, USA

    Comment


      #3
      When I do that I get the following:

      redExt3: Note: if several inode or block bitmap blocks or part
      of the inode table require relocation, you may wish to try
      running e2fsck with the '-b 32768' option first. The problem
      may lie only with the primary block group descriptors, and
      the backup block group descriptors may be OK.

      redExt3: Block bitmap for group 640 is not in group. (block 7)


      redExt3: UNEXPECTED INCONSISTENCY; RUN fsck MANUALLY.
      (i.e., without -a or -p options)
      Kubuntu #19517 (but of course I am not a number, I am a free man!)

      Comment


        #4
        Did you try running with the -b 32768 option?
        Also try running e3fsck without any options.
        Last edited by Detonate; May 26, 2013, 11:27 AM.
        Never too old to learn
        Ault, CO, USA

        Comment


          #5
          Is the drive unmounted?
          Using Kubuntu Linux since March 23, 2007
          "It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data." - Sherlock Holmes

          Comment


            #6
            The drive will not mount. I should have said more clearly in my initial statement that what I showed as results came from trying to mount the drive and getting an error message telling me to look at "dmesg | tail". The results I showed were that output.

            When I run e2fsck with the -b 32768 option I get

            e2fsck 1.42 (29-Nov-2011) [followed by a stream of entries like this:]
            Block bitmap for group 1920 is not in group. (block 0)
            Relocate<y>?

            And I get something similar when I run with no options.
            Kubuntu #19517 (but of course I am not a number, I am a free man!)

            Comment


              #7
              e2fsck 1.42 (29-Nov-2011) [followed by a stream of entries like this:]
              Block bitmap for group 1920 is not in group. (block 0)
              Relocate<y>?
              Did you answer yes? I think that will fix the problem.
              Never too old to learn
              Ault, CO, USA

              Comment


                #8
                I think the most common causes of errors such as the one you are experiencing is that the drive was removed or improperly unmounted while file operations were being processed. If you had to do a hard shutdown with the drive mounted or if you had a power failure that is probably what happened. If we can't fix it with e2fsck we may be looking at reformatting that partition.
                Never too old to learn
                Ault, CO, USA

                Comment


                  #9
                  When e2fsck asked me questions I answered yes, but there was a seemingly unending stream of those questions. So I'll probably have to reformat and lose the data, huh?
                  Kubuntu #19517 (but of course I am not a number, I am a free man!)

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Run e2fsck again with the -y option. This will cause e2fsck to automatically assume assume the yes answer to every question. If that does not fix it, yes you may have to reformat.
                    Never too old to learn
                    Ault, CO, USA

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Well, that didn't fix it, so I guess I have to reformat.

                      Is there a recommended or favorite tool for that? I've got "Partition Manager" and "KDE Partition Manager" in my K menu. I've generally used GPartEd in the past. Any suggestions? And thanks for the attempts to help with the disk!
                      Kubuntu #19517 (but of course I am not a number, I am a free man!)

                      Comment


                        #12
                        They all work equally well.
                        Never too old to learn
                        Ault, CO, USA

                        Comment

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