Mount error special device /dev/sda1 does not exist

[Suparno]

Hi everyone,

I am trying to recover some data from a ext4 file system. Just to give a bit of a background i was using Ubuntu 12.04 since last 6 months. Recently i had done a R update and after the next restart i am not being able to boot the machine at all.
For more details please refer to my original thread http://askubuntu.com/questions/492095/kernel-panic-not-syncing-vfs-unable-to-mount-root-ubuntu-12-04lts?lq=1.

Right now i am trying to recover my data using a live usb of 13.04. I have got some of my data back but i still can't access the /dev/sda1 which had most of my data. The partition is showing in gparted as well as sudo fdisk -l.
Sudo fdisk -l output:


Disk /dev/sda: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders, total 976773168 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: 0x00052866

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 2048 909690879 454844416 83 Linux
/dev/sda2 909692926 976766975 33537025 5 Extended
/dev/sda5 909692928 976766975 33537024 82 Linux swap / Solaris


But when i try to mount it using "sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/" it throws me an error

mount: special device /dev/sda1 does not exist

and when i try this "sudo mount /dev/sda /mnt/" it throws me another error

mount: unknown filesystem type 'isw_raid_member'

This is a ext4 file system and i dont see anyreason why the hard disk would have been corrupted. Anyone has anyclue on how to solve this.

Thanks,

Suparno

[yancek]

mount: unknown filesystem type 'isw_raid_member'

That indicates you have RAID, so the mount command will be different. You can verify the partition types with the command below. I've never used RAID so can't help.


sudo parted /dev/sda print all

[Suparno]

I seriously have no clue what to make the output:


Model: ATA WDC WD5003ABYX-0 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sda: 500GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number Start End Size Type File system Flags
1 1049kB 466GB 466GB primary ext4
2 466GB 500GB 34.3GB extended
5 466GB 500GB 34.3GB logical linux-swap(v1)


Model: ATA WDC WD5003ABYX-0 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdb: 500GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number Start End Size Type File system Flags
1 1049kB 466GB 466GB primary ext4
2 466GB 500GB 34.3GB extended
5 466GB 500GB 34.3GB logical linux-swap(v1)


Model: ATA INTEL SSDSA2M080 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdc: 80.0GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number Start End Size Type File system Flags
1 1049kB 80.0GB 80.0GB primary ntfs


Model: General USB Flash Disk (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdd: 4009MB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number Start End Size Type File system Flags
1 16.4kB 4009MB 4009MB primary fat32 boot


Model: LSILOGIC Logical Volume (scsi)
Disk /dev/sde: 2250GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: gpt

Number Start End Size File system Name Flags
1 17.4kB 134MB 134MB Microsoft reserved partition msftres
2 135MB 2250GB 2250GB ntfs Basic data partition


Model: Linux device-mapper (linear) (dm)
Disk /dev/mapper/isw_becbdadhci_Volume1p5: 34.3GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: loop

Number Start End Size File system Flags
1 0.00B 34.3GB 34.3GB linux-swap(v1)


Error: Can't have a partition outside the disk!

Model: Linux device-mapper (linear) (dm)
Disk /dev/mapper/isw_becbdadhci_Volume1p1: 466GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: loop

Number Start End Size File system Flags
1 0.00B 466GB 466GB ext4


Model: Linux device-mapper (mirror) (dm)
Disk /dev/mapper/isw_becbdadhci_Volume1: 500GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos

Number Start End Size Type File system Flags
1 1049kB 466GB 466GB primary ext4
2 466GB 500GB 34.3GB extended
5 466GB 500GB 34.3GB logical linux-swap(v1)


Warning: Unable to open /dev/sr0 read-write (Read-only file system). /dev/sr0
has been opened read-only.
Error: /dev/sr0: unrecognised disk label

[Suparno]

But the interesting thing is there is no UUID for /dev/sda ( i guess thats expected as it's a part of RAID)

sudo blkid:


/dev/loop0: TYPE="squashfs"
/dev/loop1: UUID="b90a06d7-4c25-6648-8661-84973bbabd82" TYPE="ext2"
/dev/sr0: LABEL="ISSDA CER" TYPE="udf"
/dev/sda: TYPE="isw_raid_member"
/dev/sdb: TYPE="isw_raid_member"
/dev/sdc1: LABEL="SSD" UUID="B844627A44623B70" TYPE="ntfs"
/dev/mapper/isw_becbdadhci_Volume1p1: UUID="f602aca3-cfe6-4460-8374-ba3f77eb6d47" TYPE="ext4"
/dev/sdd1: LABEL="MYLINUXLIVE" UUID="5642-BD55" TYPE="vfat"
/dev/sde2: LABEL="RAID5" UUID="9CCC6D2FCC6D04BC" TYPE="ntfs"
/dev/mapper/isw_becbdadhci_Volume1p5: UUID="2b61748a-f9c5-4f34-be1c-c6d24f1647a7" TYPE="swap"

[yancek]

In your initial post, you indicate you did an "R update" which to me means you upgraded to 14.04 (release update). I'm not sure if that is correct, what you intended or what you did but if it is, that would be a reason for your problems. Obviously, anytime you are doing an upgrade, you need a backup of all important data.


I believe the UUID is for partitions only, there are other commands to get device ids, see the link below:

http://serverfault.com/questions/5031/how-can-i-find-out-what-hard-disks-are-attached-to-a-linux-box

I think you need to use a modification of the lines you posted above from the blkid output, the one beginning with /dev/mapper showing ext4 filesystem but, having never used RAID, have no idea what that would be.

[steeldriver]

Let's take a few steps back here

/dev/sda and /dev/sdb appear to be Intel (ISW) BIOS RAID - is that what you expect? You said "the /dev/sda1 which had most of my data" - but remember that the /dev/sdX designations can change at boot time. Was your data on the RAID volume?

@yancek I believe the "R update" in this case refers to a package update of the r-cran statistical package(s) rather than a release update

[Suparno]

@yancek , steeldriver is right. "R" basically refers to statistical programming language. I didn't update my OS. But in anycase it was extremely stupid of me to not backup my thesiswork :(

@steeldriver yes i do expect them to be on the RAID drive. The thing is i didn't setup this machine but and i was not too aware of the RAID configurations up until now because it never really bothered me. But from the disk utility image i can see that the hard drive which contained my data is indeed a part of the RAID.

http://i58.tinypic.com/nlzbeo.png

[Suparno]

The output for sudo lshw -class disk:


*-disk:0 UNCLAIMED
description: ATA Disk
product: ST31500341AS
vendor: Seagate
physical id: 0.0.0
bus info: scsi@7:0.0.0
version: HP23
serial: 9VS3H5HQ
capacity: 1397GiB (1500GB)
capabilities: 15000rpm
configuration: ansiversion=5
*-disk:1 UNCLAIMED
description: ATA Disk
product: ST31500341AS
vendor: Seagate
physical id: 0.1.0
bus info: scsi@7:0.1.0
version: HP23
serial: 9VS3H5EL
capacity: 1397GiB (1500GB)
capabilities: 15000rpm
configuration: ansiversion=5
*-disk:2 UNCLAIMED
description: ATA Disk
product: ST31500341AS
vendor: Seagate
physical id: 0.2.0
bus info: scsi@7:0.2.0
version: HP23
serial: 9VS3H5V3
capacity: 1397GiB (1500GB)
capabilities: 15000rpm
configuration: ansiversion=5
*-disk:3 UNCLAIMED
description: ATA Disk
product: ST31500341AS
vendor: Seagate
physical id: 0.3.0
bus info: scsi@7:0.3.0
version: HP23
serial: 9VS3H2PM
capacity: 1397GiB (1500GB)
capabilities: 15000rpm
configuration: ansiversion=5
*-disk:4
description: SCSI Disk
product: Logical Volume
vendor: LSILOGIC
physical id: 1.1.0
bus info: scsi@7:1.1.0
logical name: /dev/sde
version: 3000
size: 2095GiB (2249GB)
capabilities: 15000rpm gpt-1.00 partitioned partitioned:gpt
configuration: ansiversion=2 guid=fe6246e3-703d-4f73-a7a8-97cd55ac6373
*-cdrom
description: DVD-RAM writer
product: CDDVDW TS-H653R
vendor: hp
physical id: 0.0.0
bus info: scsi@0:0.0.0
logical name: /dev/cdrom
logical name: /dev/cdrw
logical name: /dev/dvd
logical name: /dev/dvdrw
logical name: /dev/sr0
logical name: /media/ISSDA CER
version: 0E00
capabilities: removable audio cd-r cd-rw dvd dvd-r dvd-ram
configuration: ansiversion=5 mount.fstype=udf mount.options=ro,nosuid,nodev,relatime,uid=999,gid =999,umask=77,dmode=500,iocharset=utf8 state=mounted status=ready
*-medium
physical id: 0
logical name: /dev/cdrom
logical name: /media/ISSDA CER
configuration: mount.fstype=udf mount.options=ro,nosuid,nodev,relatime,uid=999,gid =999,umask=77,dmode=500,iocharset=utf8 state=mounted
*-disk
description: ATA Disk
product: WDC WD5003ABYX-0
vendor: Western Digital
physical id: 0.0.0
bus info: scsi@3:0.0.0
logical name: /dev/sda
version: 01.0
serial: WD-WMAYP4167580
size: 465GiB (500GB)
capabilities: partitioned partitioned:dos
configuration: ansiversion=5 signature=00052866
*-disk
description: ATA Disk
product: WDC WD5003ABYX-0
vendor: Western Digital
physical id: 0.0.0
bus info: scsi@4:0.0.0
logical name: /dev/sdb
version: 01.0
serial: WD-WMAYP4081550
size: 465GiB (500GB)
capabilities: partitioned partitioned:dos
configuration: ansiversion=5 signature=00052866
*-disk
description: ATA Disk
product: INTEL SSDSA2M080
physical id: 0.0.0
bus info: scsi@5:0.0.0
logical name: /dev/sdc
version: 2CV1
serial: CVPO00400053080BGN
size: 74GiB (80GB)
capabilities: partitioned partitioned:dos
configuration: ansiversion=5 signature=ce7722b3
*-disk
description: SCSI Disk
physical id: 0.0.0
bus info: scsi@6:0.0.0
logical name: /dev/sdd
size: 3823MiB (4008MB)
capabilities: partitioned partitioned:dos

[steeldriver]

OK so in that case your data is not directly "on" /dev/sda1 - it's on the assembled array /dev/mapper/isw_becbdadhci_Volume1p1 so that's what you should be trying to mount, I think

If you're trying to do that from a live CD, you may need to install the dmraid package first

[Suparno]

okay that worked .But that drive didnt have the data. I guess i will try the other /dev/mapper/X.

[Suparno]

I tried mounting /dev/mapper/isw_becbdadhci_Volume1 as well but this didnt work. said it was already mounted or mount point busy.If /dev/sda was indeed /dev/mapper/isw_becbdadhci_Volume1p1 Seems all my data has just vanished in thin air :(

[Bashing-om]

Suparno; Hey;

As I redirect myself from that original thread of yours -

You are in the best of hands here with steeldriver's guidance, There is nothing I can add to what steeldriver will advise.

I will make this comment to try and comfort you in this time of trial. No data is lost, perhaps the "pointers" to that data, but those bits on the hard drive remain until overwritten. So the thing is until the raid array can be reassembled, do not write anything to those disks !

It will take someone who is intimate with raid to fix this situation,





and it ain't me, no no !

[steeldriver]

and it ain't me, no no !






... and it ain't me neither unfortunately - especially not for dmraid. It's possible that the raid set just needs to be activated, however my first thought is it wouldn't have mounted at all if that were the case. Was there anything at all (such as a lost+found directory) on the /dev/mapper/isw_becbdadhci_Volume1p1 volume when you did manage to mount it?

[Suparno]

@ Bashing-om Thanks for your comforting words and all the help you have provided till now :). I also believe that data should be there somewhere and the drives can't really be harmed by something as simple as a programming language version upgrade. I am definitely not giving up yet.

@Steeldriver As far as i remember there was. I guess it said that the contents of the folder couldn't be displayed when i tried to access it. As far as the RAID configuration is concerned i will have a chat with the guy who had setup the RAID and ubuntu tomorrow. I hope he can throw some light how this whole thing works.

[steeldriver]

best case, that sounds like it might be nothing more serious than a permissions problem - let us know how it works out tomorrow

[Suparno]

Hi, Sorry for the late reply. I still didnt manage to recover my data but seems finally i have managed to see where it might be. This is a screeshot of the properties of /dev/mapper/isw_becbdadhci_Volume1p1

http://i61.tinypic.com/2h3ufqp.png

As you can see the contents are 2.2 gb, whereas it says 25 GB used !!. I think this is where all my data is. The screenshot is taken while accessing the drive by "sudo nautilus". So donT think its a permission problem. Anyclue how to get the rest of the data?

[Suparno]

Okaz now it got crazier. I tried to image the disk using ddrescue it failed read even a single byte in last 1.5 hours. Though i can't see why it couldnt get at least the 2.2 gb of data that was showing up in nautilus(maybe cause its still mounted and i used the mountpoint istead of the drive?)
Anyways heres the output


sudo ddrescue -r 3 /media/f602aca3-cfe6-4460-8374-ba3f77eb6d47 /media/RAID5/recovery /media/RAID5/logfile

Press Ctrl-C to interrupt
Initial status (read from logfile)
rescued: 0 B, errsize: 0 B, errors: 0
Current status
rescued: 0 B, errsize: 9223 PB, current rate: 0 B/s
ipos: 11957 GB, errors: 1, average rate: 0 B/s
opos: 11957 GB, time from last successful read: 1.6 h
Splitting failed blocks...
Interrupted by user

[steeldriver]

I'm thinking you should probably unmount the array and fsck it - however you should wait for someone more knowledgeable to confirm that

[oldfred]

I do not use RAID and there are many types. But you seem to show something about LSIlogic which is a hardware RAID?

Is the partition labeled RAID5 really NTFS?
If so you need to mount it and use Windows repair tools to run chkdsk not Linux tools as they cannot fix NTFS formatted errors. Not sure how to mount a proprietary RAID with a Windows repair CD or Flash drive.