LinuxQuestions.org - [SOLVED] Unable to Format brand new HPFS/NTFS drive

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Unable to Format brand new HPFS/NTFS drive

Hello all

I'm unable to format a new drive. I've tried commands, which complete without error, yet the drive is still listed as NTFS.

===========Ive tried the following

[root@server ~]# mke2fs -j -m1 /dev/sdb1
mke2fs 1.39 (29-May-2006)
Filesystem label=
OS type: Linux
Block size=4096 (log=2)
Fragment size=4096 (log=2)
244203520 inodes, 488375992 blocks
4883759 blocks (1.00%) reserved for the super user
First data block=0
Maximum filesystem blocks=0
14905 block groups
32768 blocks per group, 32768 fragments per group
16384 inodes per group
Superblock backups stored on blocks:
32768, 98304, 163840, 229376, 294912, 819200, 884736, 1605632, 2654208,
4096000, 7962624, 11239424, 20480000, 23887872, 71663616, 78675968,
102400000, 214990848

Writing inode tables: done
Creating journal (32768 blocks): done
Writing superblocks and filesystem accounting information: done

This filesystem will be automatically checked every 20 mounts or
180 days, whichever comes first. Use tune2fs -c or -i to override.

=========also tried

[root@server ~]# mkfs.ext3 /dev/sdb1
mke2fs 1.39 (29-May-2006)
Filesystem label=
OS type: Linux
Block size=4096 (log=2)
Fragment size=4096 (log=2)
244203520 inodes, 488375992 blocks
24418799 blocks (5.00%) reserved for the super user
First data block=0
Maximum filesystem blocks=0
14905 block groups
32768 blocks per group, 32768 fragments per group
16384 inodes per group
Superblock backups stored on blocks:
32768, 98304, 163840, 229376, 294912, 819200, 884736, 1605632, 2654208,
4096000, 7962624, 11239424, 20480000, 23887872, 71663616, 78675968,
102400000, 214990848

Writing inode tables: done
Creating journal (32768 blocks): done
Writing superblocks and filesystem accounting information: done

This filesystem will be automatically checked every 27 mounts or
180 days, whichever comes first. Use tune2fs -c or -i to override.

==============fdisk p output

The number of cylinders for this disk is set to 243199.
There is nothing wrong with that, but this is larger than 1024,
and could in certain setups cause problems with:
1) software that runs at boot time (e.g., old versions of LILO)
2) booting and partitioning software from other OSs
(e.g., DOS FDISK, OS/2 FDISK)
Warning: invalid flag 0x0000 of partition table 4 will be corrected by w(rite)

Command (m for help): p

Disk /dev/sdb1: 2000.3 GB, 2000388063744 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 243199 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System

help?

Are you getting any errors or warnings about the drive itself? And have you tried using gparted?

I dont have access to GUI on this system. I have not tried any other tools.
So far i haven't seen any warnings or errors. Where can I check them?

Post your /var/log/messages and the output of dmesg, hopefully we can resolve your issue. One more question though, is the drive accessible at all, and can you mount it?

Quote:

==============fdisk p output

The number of cylinders for this disk is set to 243199.
There is nothing wrong with that, but this is larger than 1024,
and could in certain setups cause problems with:
1) software that runs at boot time (e.g., old versions of LILO)
2) booting and partitioning software from other OSs
(e.g., DOS FDISK, OS/2 FDISK)
Warning: invalid flag 0x0000 of partition table 4 will be corrected by w(rite)

Command (m for help): p

Disk /dev/sdb1: 2000.3 GB, 2000388063744 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 243199 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System

It would appear that you have not created the partition, judging from your fdisk output. So I have to ask the question:

Did you create a partition first?

Example:

Code:

$ fdisk /dev/sdb

Device contains neither a valid DOS partition table, nor Sun, SGI or OSF disklabel

Building a new DOS disklabel with disk identifier 0xa4838b04.

Changes will remain in memory only, until you decide to write them.

After that, of course, the previous content won't be recoverable.



Command (m for help): n

Command action

  e  extended

  p  primary partition (1-4)

p

Partition number (1-4): 1

First cylinder (1-19457, default 1): 

Using default value 1

Last cylinder, +cylinders or +size{K,M,G} (1-19457, default 19457): 

Using default value 19457



Command (m for help): p



Disk /dev/sdb: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes

255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders

Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes

Disk identifier: 0xa4838b04



  Device Boot      Start        End      Blocks  Id  System

/dev/sdb1              1      19457  156288321  83  Linux



Command (m for help): w

The partition table has been altered!



Calling ioctl() to re-read partition table.

Syncing disks.

The above example would show the required steps to create a partition using fdisk. If you've already done this then disregard the example. It just was not clear from your post whether or not you had created the partition first.

Regards,

Fordeck

I didnt do that step! Thanks trying now

It's always the simple things....

Calling ioctl() to re-read partition table.

WARNING: Re-reading the partition table failed with error 22: Invalid argument.
The kernel still uses the old table.
The new table will be used at the next reboot.
Syncing disks.

---------- Post added 02-14-11 at 05:47 PM ----------

The change didnt save.

Could you post the output from:

Code:

fdisk -l

Regards,

Fordeck

Disk /dev/sdb: 2000.3 GB, 2000396746752 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 243201 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 1 243200 1953503968+ 7 HPFS/NTFS

Is this disk mounted by any chance?

Also are you going to make the whole disk a single partition?

Regards,

Fordeck

The disk may be mounted, yes.. I will double check.
It will also be a single partition.

The disk isnt mounted

You should probably delete the existing HPFS/NTFS partition, and then create the new linux partition. This can all be done with fdisk, just use the 'd' command prior to creating the new partition.

Regards,

Fordeck

fdisk /dev/sdb1

Disk /dev/sdb1: 2000.3 GB, 2000388063744 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 243199 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1p1 1 243199 1953495936 83 Linux

mount -l
Disk /dev/sdb: 2000.3 GB, 2000396746752 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 243201 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sdb1 1 243200 1953503968+ 7 HPFS/NTFS

I'm getting conflicting results with a fdisk-l and fdisk