ntfs HD with io errors

[Ernie Luzar]

Have a 3TB ntfs HD with i/o errors.

ntfs-3g does read it, but a ls command of 2 different directories get
error msg about i/o errors and nothing is listed.

Is there a way to fsck this HD to fix it?

There is only 600GB of data on the 3TB HD. Looking for way to copy the
data to a 1TB ufs HD.

What will dump command do with i/o errors?

Can dd command skip over unused space?

Any other ideas?

[Polytropon]

Post by Ernie Luzar
Have a 3TB ntfs HD with i/o errors.
ntfs-3g does read it, but a ls command of 2 different directories get
error msg about i/o errors and nothing is listed.
Is there a way to fsck this HD to fix it?

This depends on the actual reason for the error message.
As it has been suggested, Spinrite can do a great job
to "re-activate" broken disks, at least for copying
their content once. Also check the tools in "ntfsprogs",
one might be able to repair the file system... but I/O
errors often indicate hardware failure. Have you tried
to get a smartctl report for the disk yet?

Post by Ernie Luzar
There is only 600GB of data on the 3TB HD. Looking for way to copy the
data to a 1TB ufs HD.
What will dump command do with i/o errors?

With dump, you can only process UFS file systems (as
input); NTFS does not support it.

Post by Ernie Luzar
Can dd command skip over unused space?

I think it can. You can also try dd_rescue or ddrescue
which can handle I/O errors much better than stock dd,
for example by using a dynamically adjusted block size
for reading, or performing several attempts on a failed
block.

Post by Ernie Luzar
Any other ideas?

Find out if you have a hardware error or a filesystem
inconsistency.

Oh, and give Spinrite a try, it's really a great tool.
Why isn't it on my list?! ;-)

In worst case, use magicrescue to get at least the data,
in case you might not be able to get the sorting information
(directory hierarchy and file systems lost).

[Ultima]

This is a 3 TB disk and spinrite can only scan the first 2 TB's. Usually
that would be enough if the product can fix it, but it is worth noting.

Post by Polytropon

Post by Ernie Luzar
Have a 3TB ntfs HD with i/o errors.
ntfs-3g does read it, but a ls command of 2 different directories get
error msg about i/o errors and nothing is listed.
Is there a way to fsck this HD to fix it?

This depends on the actual reason for the error message.
As it has been suggested, Spinrite can do a great job
to "re-activate" broken disks, at least for copying
their content once. Also check the tools in "ntfsprogs",
one might be able to repair the file system... but I/O
errors often indicate hardware failure. Have you tried
to get a smartctl report for the disk yet?

Post by Ernie Luzar
There is only 600GB of data on the 3TB HD. Looking for way to copy the
data to a 1TB ufs HD.
What will dump command do with i/o errors?

With dump, you can only process UFS file systems (as
input); NTFS does not support it.

Post by Ernie Luzar
Can dd command skip over unused space?

I think it can. You can also try dd_rescue or ddrescue
which can handle I/O errors much better than stock dd,
for example by using a dynamically adjusted block size
for reading, or performing several attempts on a failed
block.

Post by Ernie Luzar
Any other ideas?

Find out if you have a hardware error or a filesystem
inconsistency.
Oh, and give Spinrite a try, it's really a great tool.
Why isn't it on my list?! ;-)
In worst case, use magicrescue to get at least the data,
in case you might not be able to get the sorting information
(directory hierarchy and file systems lost).
--
Polytropon
Magdeburg, Germany
Happy FreeBSD user since 4.0
Andra moi ennepe, Mousa, ...
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[Ernie Luzar]

Post by Polytropon

Post by Ernie Luzar
Have a 3TB ntfs HD with i/o errors.
ntfs-3g does read it, but a ls command of 2 different directories get
error msg about i/o errors and nothing is listed.
Is there a way to fsck this HD to fix it?

This depends on the actual reason for the error message.
As it has been suggested, Spinrite can do a great job
to "re-activate" broken disks, at least for copying
their content once. Also check the tools in "ntfsprogs",
one might be able to repair the file system... but I/O
errors often indicate hardware failure. Have you tried
to get a smartctl report for the disk yet?

Post by Ernie Luzar
There is only 600GB of data on the 3TB HD. Looking for way to copy the
data to a 1TB ufs HD.
What will dump command do with i/o errors?

With dump, you can only process UFS file systems (as
input); NTFS does not support it.

Post by Ernie Luzar
Can dd command skip over unused space?

I think it can. You can also try dd_rescue or ddrescue
which can handle I/O errors much better than stock dd,
for example by using a dynamically adjusted block size
for reading, or performing several attempts on a failed
block.

Post by Ernie Luzar
Any other ideas?

Find out if you have a hardware error or a filesystem
inconsistency.
Oh, and give Spinrite a try, it's really a great tool.
Why isn't it on my list?! ;-)
In worst case, use magicrescue to get at least the data,
in case you might not be able to get the sorting information
(directory hierarchy and file systems lost).

Spinrite is a $90 utility. All the documentation is for xp fat32 HD and
uses an a:floppy drive to boot msdos from. Sent them a email about
outdated documentation. Got reply saying no purchasers in many years so
not going to update their documentation. Sure sounds like a dead product
to me.

Since the mbr was deleted looks like win10 got a malicious virus that
made the external usb HD un-mountable and screwed with the last file I
had open. Nothing physically wrong with the HD.

All ready used dd_rescues and recovered 50% of user data which had no
i/o errors. dd_rescue could not fix any of the i/o errors.

Read the man on dd and found no mention of skipping "free space" IE;
unused space in the allocated partition.

Only 600gb of data on the 3tb HD.

Looking for method to copy this data to 1tb HD bypassing i/o errors.

[Polytropon]

Post by Ernie Luzar
Since the mbr was deleted looks like win10 got a malicious virus that
made the external usb HD un-mountable and screwed with the last file I
had open. Nothing physically wrong with the HD.

Your further comments suggest something different (unless
I'm misunderstanding something, of course).

Post by Ernie Luzar
All ready used dd_rescues and recovered 50% of user data which had no
i/o errors. dd_rescue could not fix any of the i/o errors.

But dd_rescue does not operate on files, it processes the
input device as blocks. Block I/O errors often indicate
a hardware defect. However, it _could_ also be a problem
with your SATA->USB configuration. Do you have a chance
to try a differnt adapter? Or can you attach the disk
to an SATA connector natively?

Post by Ernie Luzar
Read the man on dd and found no mention of skipping "free space" IE;
unused space in the allocated partition.
Only 600gb of data on the 3tb HD.
Looking for method to copy this data to 1tb HD bypassing i/o errors.

The problem is: The I/O errors are probably _within_ the
data you want to copy, and the data itself maybe is not
contiguous (i. e., fragmented), so having a bigger disk
at hand is _never_ wrong. You cannot "read around the holes"
and expect to get a mountable NTFS volume from it... :-(