openSUSE destroys partitions on external hard drive on Fujitsu Lifebook A512

English Hardware
#1

Hi,

I have a Fujitsu Lifebook A512 and the problem is the following:

When I plug in my USB hard drive, there is no notification in KDE to mount and open it with an application. When I try to mount with mount command in terminal, it says mount: Unknown filesystem type ‘(null)’. (I did make sure that I try to mount the right filesystem, which was sdb1.)

I have tried with ext4, then ntfs filesystem, but the same thing happened. On my desktop computer, this hard drive works well, until I do not plug it in to my laptop. The filesystem becomes unreadable after plugging it in to my Fujitsu laptop.

#2

Your title says that openSUSE destroys partitioning.

You last line above says that openSUSE can not read it.

There is a big difference between those two. :slight_smile:

Then please, when you say yo mount it, the show what you do and what you get by copy/paste from the terminal in between CODE tags in a post here. You get the CODE tags by clicking on the # button in the toolbar of the post editor.

Apart from that, show us some more about that mass storage device and it’s prtitioning by running

su -l -c 'fdisk -l'
#3

Ok. I issued the mount command with root privileges on my desktop computer, this is the result:

dani-opensuse:/home/dani # mount /dev/sdh1 mnt/
mount: unknown filesystem type '(null)'

And this is the output of fdisk. The important part is the very last one (sdh1):

Disk /dev/sda: 120.0 GB, 120034123776 bytes255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 14593 cylinders, total 234441648 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x000e4ea6


   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1            2048      206847      102400    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda2   *      206848   126040063    62916608   83  Linux


Disk /dev/sdb: 250.1 GB, 250058268160 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 30401 cylinders, total 488395055 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x000cc908


   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdb1            2048   251660287   125829120    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sdb2       251660288   488394751   118367232    f  W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sdb5       251662336   260061183     4199424   82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sdb6       260063232   427827199    83881984   83  Linux


Disk /dev/sdc: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders, total 976773168 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0xe402313c


   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdc1            2048   976773119   488385536   83  Linux


Disk /dev/sdh: 320.1 GB, 320072932352 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 38913 cylinders, total 625142446 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x000ea517


   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdh1            2048   625141759   312569856    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
#4

Please, from where do you believe that is the appropriate mount command ? I have not tried a manual NTFS mount for some time, but last I recall such a command as you note is not correct. I do not believe the ‘mount’ command will successfully guess/configure for an NTFS with no arguments. … or am I out of date ?

According to the above, the drive is NTFS ?

Hence to mount it, you need to specify that it needs an NTFS driver.

Last I recall, the mount command for NTFS would be something like:


mount -t ntfs-3g -o rw,uid=1000,gid=100,umask=0022 /dev/sdh1 /home/yourusername/externaldrive

where ‘yourusername’ is your user name, and where you 1st must create an empty directory /home/yourusername/externaldrive as a mountpoint (or other suitable name).

#5

On 2013-05-26 00:06, oldcpu wrote:
> Please, from where do you believe that is the appropriate mount command
> ? I have not tried a manual NTFS mount for some time, but last I recall
> such a command as you note is not correct. I do not believe the ‘mount’
> command will successfully guess/configure for an NTFS with no arguments.
> … or am I out of date ?

:slight_smile:

It does work, I’m trying right now. See, 3 methods:



Verification of the filesystem type:

> Telcontar:~ # file -s /dev/sde
> /dev/sde: x86 boot sector, Microsoft Windows XP MBR, Serial 0xc3072e18; partition 1: ID=0x7, active, starthead 1, startsector 2416, 31127184 sectors, code offset 0xc0

> Telcontar:~ # file -s /dev/sde1
> /dev/sde1: x86 boot sector, code offset 0x52, OEM-ID "NTFS    ", sectors/cluster 8, reserved sectors 0, Media descriptor 0xf8, heads 255, hidden sectors 2416, dos < 4.0 BootSector (0x0)
> Telcontar:~ # fdisk -l /dev/sde
>
> Disk /dev/sde: 15.9 GB, 15938355200 bytes
> 256 heads, 40 sectors/track, 3040 cylinders, total 31129600 sectors
> Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
> Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
> I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
> Disk identifier: 0xc3072e18
>
>    Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
> /dev/sde1   *        2416    31129599    15563592    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT



Testing mount directly:


> Telcontar:~ # md mnt
>
> TelTelcontar:~ # mount -v /dev/sde1 mnt
> mount: you didn't specify a filesystem type for /dev/sde1
>        I will try type ntfs
> Telcontar:~ # ls mnt
> Curso de redes  Documents
> Telcontar:~ #
> Telcontar:~ # mount | grep sde
> /dev/sde1 on /root/mnt type fuseblk (rw,relatime,user_id=0,group_id=0,allow_other,blksize=4096)
> Telcontar:~ #


Despite the message, it mounted. Another method:

>
> Telcontar:~ # mount.ntfs -v /dev/sde1 mnt
> Telcontar:~ # mount | grep sde
> /dev/sde1 on /root/mnt type fuseblk (rw,relatime,user_id=0,group_id=0,allow_other,blksize=4096)
> Telcontar:~ #


It mounted, actually using the same options (it even via fuse on all
methods)

> Telcontar:~ # umount mnt
> Telcontar:~ # mount.ntfs-3g -v /dev/sde1 mnt
> Telcontar:~ # mount | grep sde
> /dev/sde1 on /root/mnt type fuseblk (rw,relatime,user_id=0,group_id=0,allow_other,blksize=4096)
> Telcontar:~ # umount mnt
> Telcontar:~ #

The second mount method would, time ago, have used the old ntfs, r/o,
driver, whereas the 3rd method would use ntfs-3g. The reason is this:



> Telcontar:~ # l /sbin/mount.ntfs*
> lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 28 Sep 21  2010 /sbin/mount.ntfs -> /etc/alternatives/mount.ntfs*
> lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 16 Feb 13 00:42 /sbin/mount.ntfs-3g -> /usr/bin/ntfs-3g*
> Telcontar:~ #
> Telcontar:~ # l /etc/alternatives/mount.ntfs
> lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 19 Aug 12  2012 /etc/alternatives/mount.ntfs -> /sbin/mount.ntfs-3g*
> Telcontar:~ #

Why does it fail for the OP? Dunno.

However… it is known that if an NTFS filesystem is marked dirty, or
worse, if it is actually corrupted, it will not mount in Linux unless
you use an option to force it. In that case, it has to be mounted in
Windows and repaired there.

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 12.1 x86_64 “Asparagus” at Telcontar)

#6

I tried to repair on Windows:

C:\Users\Dani>chkdsk I: /r
The type of the file system is NTFS.
Unable to determine volume version and state. CHKDSK Aborted.

So it looks like, I have to deal with some partition rescueing as well. But the question is, how am I supposed to use removable drives on that laptop?

#7

If there is data on that external hard drive you need to recover, before trying any reformatting, you could install the GNU/Linux program (and also MS-Windows/Mac) Testdisk. I recovered data off of a broken application with that utility, as noted in post#11 on this thread: https://forums.opensuse.org/english/get-technical-help-here/applications/481750-testdisk-there-order-chaos.html#post2532276 .

You can search for Testdisk here: software.opensuse.org:

You will, of course, need sufficient storage somewhere to store the recovered data.

#8

Out of date. :frowning: < sigh > … If one blinks, then the world passes one by :frowning: … Its a typical symptom of aging, I guess.

#9

On 2013-05-26 10:46, oldcpu wrote:
>
> robin_listas;2560199 Wrote:

>
> Out of date. :frowning: < sigh > … If one blinks, then the world passes one
> by :frowning: … Its a typical symptom of aging, I guess.

Not aging… :slight_smile:

I know very little of systemd, for instance. I grumble, but I have to
adapt. There are many things that change in Linux from version to
version, and many we do not notice till we actually use them.

If you don’t normally have to use ntfs partitions, you don’t notice how
their handling has improved :slight_smile:

And, on some distros you actually have to use a specific and different
command to mount them. In the cdrescue live, for instance (I forget
which, but it is displayed on the welcome screen when you boot).

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 12.1 x86_64 “Asparagus” at Telcontar)

#10

On 2013-05-26 10:46, oldcpu wrote:

> You can search for Testdisk here: ‘software.opensuse.org:’
> (http://software.opensuse.org/package/testdisk?search_term=Testdisk)

Once testdisk/photorec failed for me, and their help pages pointed to a
commercial but relatively cheap product that did the job wonderfully
(for ntfs). The MFT table had been destroyed, this is fatal. Windows
checkdisk can not repair it.

http://www.restorer-ultimate.com/download.shtml

The software (runs in Windows only) allows running in demo mode,
searching for files and directories it can find (takes hours). Then if
you tell it to go ahead, it recovers only those smaller than 125KB!

Well, that is, till you pay them; then they give you a registration key.
You punch it, and the thing continues and restores everything :slight_smile:

(if you aborted, then pay, you have to redo the hours long search)

Unfortunately, photorec is good only at finding files it recognizes,
photos and videos mostly. That’s what it was designed to do. Many files
and directories are renamed to something with a number, the structure is
lost… :frowning:

Why did this disaster happen, I dunno. Perhaps the disk was actually
mounted, then unplugged and damaged. Or perhaps it was already damaged
and the attempt to mount it damaged it further.

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 12.1 x86_64 “Asparagus” at Telcontar)

#11

None of these are probable. I always make sure that the media is unmounted before unplugging.
And the partition couldn’t be damaged, becouse I have just created it with Gparted before I put my files on it. As I wrote in my first post, I had 2 attempts, first with ext4, then with ntfs filesystem.

This is really annoying, in my family, there are 3 computers with openSUSE 12.3 x86-64, but only the Fujitsu laptop makes the disk unreadable right after plugging it in. I cannot even mount it, so the mistery happens between plugging and mounting.

Is it relevant, that the OS on Fujitsu uses GPT partitioning scheme, whereas the USB hard-drive partition was created on an other PC (with non-GPT)?

#12

Does the external hard drive have its own power supply? This problem could be caused by lack of power on the Fujitsu laptop maybe…

#13

On 2013-05-26 13:36, helmet91 wrote:

> This is really annoying, in my family, there are 3 computers with
> openSUSE 12.3 x86-64, but only the Fujitsu laptop makes the disk
> unreadable right after plugging it in. I cannot even mount it, so the
> mistery happens between plugging and mounting.

Perhaps there is something in the syslog at that moment.

> Is it relevant, that the OS on Fujitsu uses GPT partitioning scheme,
> whereas the USB hard-drive partition was created on an other PC (with
> non-GPT)?

Not that I know :-?

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 12.1 x86_64 “Asparagus” at Telcontar)

#14

Well, sh*t. It doesn’t have external power, just a Y-USB cable.

#15

That could be the issue. Did you also have a look at the dmesg output, straight after connecting and trying to mount?

#16

In that case, have you plugged in both USB plugs? It may need both as one USB port can only supply limited current (was it 500 mA?)

#17

On 2013-05-26 14:16, helmet91 wrote:
>
> wolfi323;2560297 Wrote:
>> Does the external hard drive have its own power supply? This problem
>> could be caused by lack of power on the Fujitsu laptop maybe…
>
> Well, sh*t. It doesn’t have external power, just a Y-USB cable.

Oh… :frowning:

You might connect one of those external power supplies to one of the
cables, to feed power into it. They are typically used to charge phones
and such.

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 12.1 x86_64 “Asparagus” at Telcontar)