# 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...

```

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

```

```

~ # 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?

```

```

~ # 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

 *chithanh wrote:*   

> 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,

```
   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...

```

# 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
```

```

# 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?

```

```

# 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.

```

# 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

```

```

# 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

 *Jaglover wrote:*   

> 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?

```

CONFIG_FUSE_FS=y
```

----------

## sebB

Did you unmount your disk correctly under windows?

You can try:

Under windows:

```
chkdsk D: /f
```

Under linux

```
ntfsfix /dev/sdc1
```

----------

## webhawg

 *sebB wrote:*   

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

 

This worked as far as I can tell...

```

# ntfsfix /dev/sdc1

NTFS volume version is 3.1.

NTFS partition /dev/sdc1 was processed successfully.
```

But I still can't mount it. Weird.

```

# 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

 *sebB wrote:*   

> 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.

```

# 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
```

```

# 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
```

----------

