Unable to Mount an External Drive with NTFS-3G

[webhawg]

I've been able to mount NTFS drives in the past using the ntfs3g sys package. For some reason, I've been unable to mount a new drive on my clean installation. I believe that I've configured my kernel correctly and installed the ntfs3g package correctly, but can't figure it out. I've also tried a few forum suggestions.

Here are the error messages that I'm getting...

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Disk /dev/sdc: 1500.3 GB, 1500301909504 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 182401 cylinders, total 2930277167 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: 0x1b704159

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdc1               1      409639      204819+  ee  GPT
/dev/sdc2          411648  2930276351  1464932352    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT

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~ # mount -t ntfs-3g /dev/sdc1 /mnt/GoFlex1.5TB
NTFS signature is missing.
Failed to mount '/dev/sdc1': Invalid argument
The device '/dev/sdc1' 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?

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~ # mount -t ntfs-3g /dev/sdc2 /mnt/GoFlex1.5TB
ntfs_attr_pread_i: ntfs_pread failed: Input/output error
Failed to read NTFS $Bitmap: Input/output error
NTFS is either inconsistent, or there is a hardware fault, or it's a
SoftRAID/FakeRAID hardware. In the first case run chkdsk /f on Windows
then reboot into Windows twice. The usage of the /f parameter is very
important! If the device is a SoftRAID/FakeRAID then first activate
it and mount a different device under the /dev/mapper/ directory, (e.g.
/dev/mapper/nvidia_eahaabcc1). Please see the 'dmraid' documentation
for more details.

[chithanh]

This looks like a GPT partitioned disk. Don't use fdisk on it, but gptfdisk, cgdisk or parted instead.

Also ensure that your kernel has CONFIG_EFI_PARTITION enabled.

[webhawg]

This looks like a GPT partitioned disk. Don't use fdisk on it, but gptfdisk, cgdisk or parted instead.

Also ensure that your kernel has CONFIG_EFI_PARTITION enabled.

Thanks for the reply. I haven't heard of cgdisk. Are you saying to use gptfdisk or parted to recreate the partitions and then do "mkfs.ntfs" on the new partition?

I have CONFIG_EFI_PARTITION enabled.

[webhawg]

Seeing if anyone else has advice here...

Should I use gptfdisk or parted to recreate the partitions and then do "mkfs.ntfs" on the new partition?

[NeddySeagoon]

webhawg,

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   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdc1               1      409639      204819+  ee  GPT
/dev/sdc2          411648  2930276351  1464932352    7  HPFS/NTFS/exFAT 

It looks like something horrible has happened here.

The disk appears to have a GPT partition table and the 'protective' MSDOS partition table. Thats the /dev/sdc1.
This should have covered the entire disk, or the first 2TiB, anyway.
This is not the real partition table.

It looks as if the 'protective' MSDOS partition has been shrunk and a second partition added.
Editing the MSDOS partition table in the way is harmless - but making a filesystem on /dev/sdc2 will destroy any GPT partitions that occupy the same space on the drive.

Add GPT support to your kernel and use (g)parted to check for a GPT partition table.

[webhawg]

I originally opened this post and need to re-visit the issue again. I've done a clean installation, changed drives, and reformatted. I'm still unable to mount an external NTFS drive. Can someone help me out?

Here is what I see...

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# fdisk /dev/sdc

Disk /dev/sdc: 931.5 GiB, 1000204885504 bytes, 1953525167 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
Disklabel type: gpt
Disk identifier: 06F32F5D-76AA-4718-948E-C2EF18499BA1

Device      Start        End    Sectors   Size Type
/dev/sdc1      40     409639     409600   200M EFI System
/dev/sdc2  411648 1953523711 1953112064 931.3G Microsoft basic data

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# ntfs-3g /dev/sdc1 /mnt/GoFlex1TB

ntfs_pread(): pos 0, count 512
Beginning bootsector check.
Checking OEMid, NTFS signature.
NTFS signature is missing.
Failed to mount '/dev/sdc1': Invalid argument
The device '/dev/sdc1' 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?

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# ntfs-3g /dev/sdc2 /mnt/GoFlex1TB

Failed to read NTFS $Bitmap: Input/output error
NTFS is either inconsistent, or there is a hardware fault, or it's a
SoftRAID/FakeRAID hardware. In the first case run chkdsk /f on Windows
then reboot into Windows twice. The usage of the /f parameter is very
important! If the device is a SoftRAID/FakeRAID then first activate
it and mount a different device under the /dev/mapper/ directory, (e.g.
/dev/mapper/nvidia_eahaabcc1). Please see the 'dmraid' documentation
for more details.

[webhawg]

I've fiddled further with this drive. I opened my Windows 7 VM and formatted to FAT32 and formatted again to NTFS which created one partition. I still can't mount it. I do have different error messages.

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# fdisk /dev/sdc

Command (m for help): p
Disk /dev/sdc: 931.5 GiB, 1000204885504 bytes, 1953525167 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
Disklabel type: dos
Disk identifier: 0x1bbb82d6

Device     Boot Start        End    Sectors   Size Id Type
/dev/sdc1           2 1953525166 1953525165 931.5G  7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT

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# ntfs-3g /dev/sdc1 /mnt/GoFlex1TB
OR
# mount -t ntfs-3g /dev/sdc1 /mnt/GoFlex1TB

Failed to read NTFS $Bitmap: Input/output error
NTFS is either inconsistent, or there is a hardware fault, or it's a
SoftRAID/FakeRAID hardware. In the first case run chkdsk /f on Windows
then reboot into Windows twice. The usage of the /f parameter is very
important! If the device is a SoftRAID/FakeRAID then first activate
it and mount a different device under the /dev/mapper/ directory, (e.g.
/dev/mapper/nvidia_eahaabcc1). Please see the 'dmraid' documentation
for more details.

[Jaglover]

I have absolutely no experience with NTFS under Linux, but are you sure you have FUSE enabled in kernel? Methinks you need it. Just my 2¢.

[webhawg]

I have absolutely no experience with NTFS under Linux, but are you sure you have FUSE enabled in kernel? Methinks you need it. Just my 2¢.

Fair question, I have it enabled in the kernel and also have sys-fs/fuse installed. Do I need one and not the other? Is there a conflict?

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CONFIG_FUSE_FS=y

[sebB]

Did you unmount your disk correctly under windows?
You can try:
Under windows:

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chkdsk D: /f

Under linux

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ntfsfix /dev/sdc1

[webhawg]

Did you unmount your disk correctly under windows?
You can try:
Under windows:

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chkdsk D: /f

Under linux

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ntfsfix /dev/sdc1

This worked as far as I can tell...

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# ntfsfix /dev/sdc1
NTFS volume version is 3.1.
NTFS partition /dev/sdc1 was processed successfully.

But I still can't mount it. Weird.

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# mount -t ntfs-3g /dev/sdc1 /mnt/GoFlex1TB
Failed to read NTFS $Bitmap: Input/output error
NTFS is either inconsistent, or there is a hardware fault, or it's a
SoftRAID/FakeRAID hardware. In the first case run chkdsk /f on Windows
then reboot into Windows twice. The usage of the /f parameter is very
important! If the device is a SoftRAID/FakeRAID then first activate
it and mount a different device under the /dev/mapper/ directory, (e.g.
/dev/mapper/nvidia_eahaabcc1). Please see the 'dmraid' documentation
for more details.

[sebB]

Can you try deleting the partition and recreate it under linux (gfdisk, fdisk...)
Then run mkfs.ntfs -f /dev/sdX1

[webhawg]

Can you try deleting the partition and recreate it under linux (gfdisk, fdisk...)
Then run mkfs.ntfs -f /dev/sdX1

I've tried this before with no luck.

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# mkfs.ntfs -f /dev/sdc1

Creating NTFS volume structures.
ntfs_resident_attr_value_resize(): Entering for new size 56.
ntfs_attr_record_resize(): Sizes: old=424 alloc=1024 attr=80 new=88
ntfs_mst_pre_write_fixup(): Entering
ntfs_mst_post_write_fixup(): Entering
Error writing to /dev/sdc1: Input/output error
Error writing non-resident attribute value.
Couldn't create $Bitmap: Input/output error
Failed to fsync device /dev/sdc1: Input/output error
Warning: Could not close /dev/sdc1: Input/output error

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# ntfsfix /dev/sdc1

Failed to sync device /dev/sdc1: Input/output error
ntfs_pread(): pos 0, count 512
Error reading bootsector: Input/output error
Remount failed: Input/output error