[ SOLVED ] hdd format issue

[bitsnpcs]

Hello,

I have portable hard drive Western Digital My Passport red 1TB.
It mounted, but it could not copy small mp4 video files, (tutorials I am saving), giving an error "unable to splice file".
I had searched about this and it says at Ubuntu it is because it is Fat32 file system, but it is NTFS according to Gparted.
I decided to format it, Gparted cannot format it. Disks cannot format it.
I then used Disks, erase function, this "worked", it began Saturday at 14:00 hours, at 23:00 hours tonight (Tuesday) it had completed 86GB, and wanted a extra 1 Months+ to complete.
It is very slowly, but another 6 weeks it is not acceptable, I stopped the process.

Now the Disks software can format the hard drive, as NTFS, it produced the below as results.



It made incorrectly and also both of the partitions produce this result




This shows in Gparted as 1 partition and this error



Format option is available in Gparted, it gives these detail/result



Mounting that gives the same split/ 2 mount devices and same file sizes, and same error of unable to mount.

[Scott]

Hello Bitsnpcs,
I had a similiar problem a few years ago on WD Passport drive. I don't know if your issue is the same but here's the article that helped me.


How to remove hidden Virtual CD (VCD) partitions on your Western Digital external disks

http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/passport-vcd.html

[gold_finger]

Two other things you could try:


1)  In GParted, try creating a new partition table first.  Device -> Create Partition Table -> "msdos" -> Apply.  Then create whatever partitions you want on it and format them as you wish -- FAT32, NTFS, Ext4, etc.


Or


2)  If above doesn't work, use this command in a terminal to wipe out the file system on the drive first; then you should be able to create a new partition table and partitions afterwards with GParted:

Code: [Select]

sudo wipefs --all /dev/sdxNote:  change "x" in "sdx" to correct device letter for the external drive.

[bitsnpcs]

Hello Bitsnpcs,
I had a similiar problem a few years ago on WD Passport drive. I don't know if your issue is the same but here's the article that helped me.


How to remove hidden Virtual CD (VCD) partitions on your Western Digital external disks

http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/passport-vcd.html

Hello Scott,

it now shows up as a 1TB hard drive I used the command line to format it as FAT32, but I am unable to do anything with it as for saving files.

I have read the article now, and d/l the HP tool, it is unable to see the MyPassport hdd in windows tree, or in the HP program, so I am not able to select it .
Windows can see it in some way, as under the usb icon it reads "Eject MyPassport"

[bitsnpcs]

Two other things you could try:


1)  In GParted, try creating a new partition table first.  Device -> Create Partition Table -> "msdos" -> Apply.  Then create whatever partitions you want on it and format them as you wish -- FAT32, NTFS, Ext4, etc.


Or


2)  If above doesn't work, use this command in a terminal to wipe out the file system on the drive first; then you should be able to create a new partition table and partitions afterwards with GParted:

Code: [Select]

sudo wipefs --all /dev/sdxNote:  change "x" in "sdx" to correct device letter for the external drive.

Hello gold_finger,

I have followed number 1 and it says 1TB and it also to copy files, it copied the first 3.2GB in about 34 seconds, but wants 46 hours for the remaining 3.4GB , it seems a long time to take ?

Thank You both for your help 

[gold_finger]

Sounds like it didn't work -- 46hrs is waaaay too long.


Try option #2 -- wipe file system with that command, then use GParted to make new partition table and new partition.  I believe that will fix problem.

[bitsnpcs]

Okay I will start option 2 now.

Update -

wipefs has fixed it 
It has copied all the files in under 1 minute.
It works, unmount, eject, remounts correctly.

[gold_finger]

If all else fails you could use the dd command to completely zero out the drive, then set partition table and partitions with GParted.  This would likely take a while on a 1TB drive, but it will definitely wipe out whatever is pre-installed causing the problem.  (Not sure how long, but possibly 1-3 hours.)  Substitute your proper device letter in place of "X" in "sdX" below.

Code: [Select]

sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sdX iflag=nocache oflag=direct bs=4096 status=progress

Note:  not sure which version of dd is on your LL install.  If you get message that "status=progress" is not found, just run command without that.  Only newer versions of dd have option to display progress of the command.  Without that option you'll see nothing and will not know that the command has completed until you eventually see the normal command prompt again.  Because it could take a while, probably best to wait until you know you won't need to use computer for a few hours.

Code: [Select]

sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sdX iflag=nocache oflag=direct bs=4096

[bitsnpcs]

Thank You, I have marked as solved, and also bookmarked the thread for future reference.

I have a leafpad file I call it formatting, it's a very important area, I saved the first commands for make fat32 I used for fixing the sd card. I have saved all of the commands used to fix the portable hard drive, and the dd commands and will back it up fresh now.

I seen the files on it and just deleted them, I hadn't realized until I read the info Scott gave me, just how devious the manufacturers are with the hidden files.

The dd version is 8.25, that i have on LL3.2

I used

Code: [Select]

man dd
and found in the manual that --version displays it, then done

Code: [Select]

dd --version

[gold_finger]

You're welcome -- glad everything worked out.


dd version 8.25 will show progress if you use "status=progress" in command.


At first, I only read your last reply and thought you had to resort to using dd on the drive.  Was a bit surprised because I had thought wipefs command would have fixed it.  Then saw your edit to prior post where you stated wipefs did fix problem and you didn't need to try dd.  So, just to emphasize for any future readers of this thread, use the wipefs command if you run into same problem.  Use dd only as a last resort.  And make sure you correctly specify the device name for whatever external drive or USB stick you're trying to format by substituting the correct drive letter in place of "X" in "sdX" with either command, or you may end up wiping out the wrong drive.

[bitsnpcs]

Thank you for letting me know that dd version 8.25 will show progress if I use "status=progress" in command 

I see what you mean now looking at my edit.
I have re-edited the post, and changed where it previously read, "it has fixed it", to  "wipefs has fixed it".

[gold_finger]

I hadn't realized until I read the info Scott gave me, just how devious the manufacturers are with the hidden files.

I didn't realize that either until I read what he posted.  Very annoying isn't it?  A couple of years ago I also bought one of those WD Passport Drives for my dad and used it to make a clone of his Windows system.  I do remember it had some kind of extra junk software on it, but don't think I had to resort to measures you did.  Pretty sure I just deleted it before using the drive, just like you assumed would work on your drive.

[bitsnpcs]

Yes the junk software is very annoying. It reminds me of those windows software that want to do everything that I would avoid installing.