[GLLUG] How to repair an unallocated hard drive?
Chris Bell
chrisbell at chrisbell.org.uk
Fri Jan 1 11:34:52 UTC 2021
On Friday, 1 January 2021 01:01:11 GMT Mark Preston via GLLUG wrote:
> Hi all and I wish you all a happy New Year,
>
> I was trying to create a bootable persistent Linux Mint 20 USB stick
> with EFI support from a linux mint20 .iso downloaded from the internet.
> but something went wrong and...now I get an unallocated hard drive message.
>
> I would like to know how to repair / fix an unallocated hard drive, if
> possible, preferably without losing the data on it.
>
> The computer was was purchased in 2015 from dnuk.com and came as follows:
>
> Deskstar D540 R3
> sda1 100GB ext4 /
> sda2 8 GB swap
> sda3 1700 ext4 /home
> Raw capacity 2000 GB
> Intel core i5-4430
> GFX Controller NVIDIA GT 610
> I might have reduced / to 10 GB, but I can't remember for sure. It was
> running Linux Mint 19.0 and originally Debian 7.7
> I've also had the following:
> Bad magic number in super block error
>
> I'm hoping to make it bootable again and return to using it as before,
> if possible. It seeems to be advisable to copy the dev/sda disk to
> another hard drive using GNU ddrescue. Something like ddrescue
> --no-split /dev/sda /media/usbdrive/image /media/usbdrive/logfile onto a
> 4 TB portable drive maybe. Just in case anything else goes wrong and so
> I'll have a copy of what's on the hard drive.
>
> Then maybe use parted rescue START END to rescue lost partitions one at
> a time near START and END.
>
> Any suggestions as to how to proceed and hopefully restore the existing
> data on the "unallocated space" would be welcome.
>
> I've used a Knoppix 8.6 USB stick to boot the computer and had the
> following:
>
> knoppix at Microknoppix:~$ df
> Filesystem 1K-blocks Used Available Use% Mounted on
> rootfs 1980020 52 1979968 1% /
> /dev/sdb1 4916840 4521048 395792 92% /mnt-system
> tmpfs 3170304 0 3170304 0% /ramdisk
> /dev/cloop 9459128 9459128 0 100% /KNOPPIX
> /dev/cloop1 2262876 2262876 0 100% /KNOPPIX1
> /dev/cloop2 148074 148074 0 100% /KNOPPIX2
> /dev/mapper/KNOPPIX-DATA 25545968 43032 25502936 1% /KNOPPIX-DATA
> unionfs 25545968 43032 25502936 1% /UNIONFS
> tmpfs 20480 3240 17240 16% /run
> tmpfs 10240 4 10236 1% /UNIONFS/var/lock
> tmpfs 102400 76 102324 1% /UNIONFS/var/log
> tmpfs 2097152 4 2097148 1% /tmp
> cgroup 12 0 12 0% /sys/fs/cgroup
> udev 20480 0 20480 0% /dev
> tmpfs 2097152 0 2097152 0% /dev/shm
> knoppix at Microknoppix:~$ fdisk -l
> Disk /dev/ram0: 4 MiB, 4194304 bytes, 8192 sectors
> Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
> Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
> I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
>
>
> Disk /dev/ram1: 4 MiB, 4194304 bytes, 8192 sectors
> Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
> Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
> I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
>
>
> Disk /dev/ram2: 4 MiB, 4194304 bytes, 8192 sectors
> Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
> Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
> I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
>
>
> Disk /dev/ram3: 4 MiB, 4194304 bytes, 8192 sectors
> Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
> Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
> I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
>
>
> Disk /dev/ram4: 4 MiB, 4194304 bytes, 8192 sectors
> Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
> Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
> I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
>
>
> Disk /dev/ram5: 4 MiB, 4194304 bytes, 8192 sectors
> Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
> Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
> I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
>
>
> Disk /dev/ram6: 4 MiB, 4194304 bytes, 8192 sectors
> Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
> Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
> I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
>
>
> Disk /dev/ram7: 4 MiB, 4194304 bytes, 8192 sectors
> Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
> Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
> I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
>
>
> Disk /dev/ram8: 4 MiB, 4194304 bytes, 8192 sectors
> Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
> Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
> I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
>
>
> Disk /dev/ram9: 4 MiB, 4194304 bytes, 8192 sectors
> Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
> Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
> I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
>
>
> Disk /dev/ram10: 4 MiB, 4194304 bytes, 8192 sectors
> Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
> Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
> I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
>
>
> Disk /dev/ram11: 4 MiB, 4194304 bytes, 8192 sectors
> Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
> Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
> I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
>
>
> Disk /dev/ram12: 4 MiB, 4194304 bytes, 8192 sectors
> Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
> Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
> I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
>
>
> Disk /dev/ram13: 4 MiB, 4194304 bytes, 8192 sectors
> Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
> Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
> I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
>
>
> Disk /dev/ram14: 4 MiB, 4194304 bytes, 8192 sectors
> Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
> Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
> I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
>
>
> Disk /dev/ram15: 4 MiB, 4194304 bytes, 8192 sectors
> Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
> Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
> I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
>
>
> Disk /dev/cloop0: 9 GiB, 9686220800 bytes, 18918400 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 /dev/cloop1: 2.2 GiB, 2317352960 bytes, 4526080 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 /dev/cloop2: 144.8 MiB, 151781376 bytes, 296448 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 /dev/zram0: 2.9 GiB, 3046658048 bytes, 743813 sectors
> Units: sectors of 1 * 4096 = 4096 bytes
> Sector size (logical/physical): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
> I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
>
>
> Disk /dev/sda: 1.8 TiB, 2000398934016 bytes, 3907029168 sectors
> Disk model: ST2000DX001-1CM1
> Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
> Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
> I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
> Disklabel type: gpt
> Disk identifier: 855C35AB-DF58-4AD0-A242-58BC6E6BD581
>
>
>
>
> Disk /dev/sdb: 29.1 GiB, 31205621760 bytes, 60948480 sectors
> Disk model: Cruzer Glide 3.0
> 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: 0x1661d69a
>
> Device Boot Start End Sectors Size Id Type
> /dev/sdb1 * 2048 9854975 9852928 4.7G c W95 FAT32 (LBA)
> /dev/sdb2 9854976 60948479 51093504 24.4G 83 Linux
>
>
> Disk /dev/mapper/KNOPPIX-DATA: 24.4 GiB, 26159874048 bytes, 51093504 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
> knoppix at Microknoppix:~$ fsck -y /dev/sda
> fsck from util-linux 2.33.1
> e2fsck 1.44.5 (15-Dec-2018)
> ext2fs_open2: Bad magic number in super-block
> fsck.ext2: Superblock invalid, trying backup blocks...
> fsck.ext2: Bad magic number in super-block while trying to open /dev/sda
>
> The superblock could not be read or does not describe a valid ext2/ext3/ext4
> filesystem. If the device is valid and it really contains an
> ext2/ext3/ext4 filesystem (and not swap or ufs or something else), then the
> superblock is corrupt, and you might try running e2fsck with an alternate
> superblock: e2fsck -b 8193 <device>
> or
> e2fsck -b 32768 <device>
>
> Found a gpt partition table in /dev/sda
> knoppix at Microknoppix:~$ mke2fs -n /dev/sda
> mke2fs 1.44.5 (15-Dec-2018)
> Found a gpt partition table in /dev/sda
> Proceed anyway? (y,N) N
>
> knoppix at Microknoppix:~$ fixparts /dev/sda
> FixParts 1.0.3
>
> Loading MBR data from /dev/sda
>
> This disk appears to be a GPT disk. Use GNU Parted or GPT fdisk on it!
> Exiting!
>
> knoppix at Microknoppix:~$ gdisk /dev/sda
> GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 1.0.3
>
> Partition table scan:
> MBR: protective
> BSD: not present
> APM: not present
> GPT: present
>
> Found valid GPT with protective MBR; using GPT.
>
> Command (? for help): ?
> b back up GPT data to a file
> c change a partition's name
> d delete a partition
> i show detailed information on a partition
> l list known partition types
> n add a new partition
> o create a new empty GUID partition table (GPT)
> p print the partition table
> q quit without saving changes
> r recovery and transformation options (experts only)
> s sort partitions
> t change a partition's type code
> v verify disk
> w write table to disk and exit
> x extra functionality (experts only)
> ? print this menu
>
> Command (? for help): p
> Disk /dev/sda: 3907029168 sectors, 1.8 TiB
> Model: ST2000DX001-1CM1
> Sector size (logical/physical): 512/4096 bytes
> Disk identifier (GUID): 855C35AB-DF58-4AD0-A242-58BC6E6BD581
> Partition table holds up to 128 entries
> Main partition table begins at sector 2 and ends at sector 33
> First usable sector is 34, last usable sector is 3907029134
> Partitions will be aligned on 2048-sector boundaries
> Total free space is 3907029101 sectors (1.8 TiB)
>
> Number Start (sector) End (sector) Size Code Name
>
> Command (? for help): i
> No partitions
>
> Command (? for help): b
> Enter backup filename to save: /home/knoppix/Desktop/KNOPPIX/gptData
> The operation has completed successfully.
>
> Command (? for help): ^C
> knoppix at Microknoppix:~$ swapoff -a
> swapoff: Not superuser.
> knoppix at Microknoppix:~$ sudo swapoff -a
> knoppix at Microknoppix:~$ sudo parted /dev/sda
> GNU Parted 3.2
> Using /dev/sda
> Welcome to GNU Parted! Type 'help' to view a list of commands.
> (parted) help
> align-check TYPE N check partition N for
> TYPE(min|opt)
> alignment
> help [COMMAND] print general help, or help on
> COMMAND
> mklabel,mktable LABEL-TYPE create a new disklabel
> (partition
> table)
> mkpart PART-TYPE [FS-TYPE] START END make a partition
> name NUMBER NAME name partition NUMBER as NAME
> print [devices|free|list,all|NUMBER] display the partition table,
> available devices, free space, all found partitions, or a
> particular
> partition
> quit exit program
> rescue START END rescue a lost partition near
> START
> and END
> resizepart NUMBER END resize partition NUMBER
> rm NUMBER delete partition NUMBER
> select DEVICE choose the device to edit
> disk_set FLAG STATE change the FLAG on selected
> device
> disk_toggle [FLAG] toggle the state of FLAG on
> selected
> device
> set NUMBER FLAG STATE change the FLAG on partition
> NUMBER
> toggle [NUMBER [FLAG]] toggle the state of FLAG on
> partition
> NUMBER
> unit UNIT set the default unit to UNIT
> version display the version number and
> copyright information of GNU Parted
> (parted) ^C
>
> knoppix at Microknoppix:~$ ddrescue --version
> GNU ddrescue 1.23
> Copyright (C) 2018 Antonio Diaz Diaz.
> License GPLv2+: GNU GPL version 2 or later
> <http://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>
> This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.
> There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.
> knoppix at Microknoppix:~$
>
> Thank you,
> --
> Regards,
> Mark Preston
Hello Mark Preston,
Would it help to use "lsblk" to list all block devices and "blkid" to list all
UUID's then edit /etc/fstab to include the drive? (man fstab)
I use Debian and prefer to allocate partition space on a HDD for installation
of a later distribution, giving it any name such as "/next", plus a shared
"/srv", then when I use the "/next" partition I will include both "/srv" and
the previous (as "/old") to be used without reformatting.
Both the original "/next" and the "swap" will be re-formatted and given new
UUID's but I am able to edit /old/etc/fstab to the new values as read from the
new /etc/fstab. I am able to create folders/directories on /srv symlinked from
/home/user as /2ndhome, and grub should show both installations as bootable.
--
Chris BellX
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