Parted input output error

 delta67@Pollux  ~  sudo hdparm -I /dev/sdb

/dev/sdb:

ATA device, with non-removable media
Standards:
	Likely used: 5
Configuration:
	Logical		max	current
	cylinders	0	0
	heads		0	0
	sectors/track	0	0
	--
	Logical/Physical Sector size:           512 bytes
	device size with M = 1024*1024:           0 MBytes
	device size with M = 1000*1000:           0 MBytes 
	cache/buffer size  = unknown
Capabilities:
	IORDY(may be)(cannot be disabled)
	Standby timer values: spec'd by Vendor
	R/W multiple sector transfer: Max = 0	Current = ?
	DMA: not supported
	PIO: pio0 
Logical Unit WWN Device Identifier: 50014ee6abe7ac97
	NAA		: 5
	IEEE OUI	: 0014ee
	Unique ID	: 6abe7ac97
Checksum: correct

(parted) mkpart primary btrfs 0 10
Error: /dev/sdb: unrecognised disk label
(parted) mklabel gpt                                                      
Error: Input/output error during read on /dev/sdb
Retry/Ignore/Cancel? ^C                                                   
Error: Input/output error during write on /dev/sdb
Retry/Ignore/Cancel? ^C

 delta67@Pollux  ~  sudo fdisk -l /dev/sdc
fdisk: cannot open /dev/sdc: Input/output error

[189049.345604] sd 20:0:0:0: [sdb] tag#0 UNKNOWN(0x2003) Result: hostbyte=0x00 driverbyte=0x08
[189049.345608] sd 20:0:0:0: [sdb] tag#0 Sense Key : 0x5 [current] 
[189049.345610] sd 20:0:0:0: [sdb] tag#0 ASC=0x20 ASCQ=0x0 
[189049.345613] sd 20:0:0:0: [sdb] tag#0 CDB: opcode=0x88 88 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 08 00 00
[189049.345615] blk_update_request: critical target error, dev sdb, sector 0
[189049.345617] Buffer I/O error on dev sdb, logical block 0, async page read

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• [ubuntu] Input/output error reading sda during installation

1. Input/output error reading sda during installation
   

   Hello everyone,

   Please, I need help with this issue. I think I checked all posts about similar problems and I still couldn�t solve it.

   Background:
   I rescued an unused old CPU tower from 2007 with a core 2 quad, 4 gb ddr2 ram and a more modern (around 2011) discrete graphic card. I recently cancelled the TV subscription and want to use this PC as media center connected to the TV + network storage.
   The CPU was still working with dual boot Windows 7 64bit/Ubuntu 11 installed in a noisy and slowly 320gb hdd.

   Problem:
   To make the PC a bit faster and smoother I bought a SSD drive (Kingston SSDnowv300 120gb) to use as boot device for Ubuntu. However, I am unable to install Ubuntu on it. The Ubuntu 14.04.1 desktop 64bit DVD boots and loads the installer (very slowly, I have to say) but when the real installation starts, it gives me the error: input/output error reading dev/sda. If a press ignore several times I get also fsync error on sda and return me to the the window where you choose where to install Ubuntu.

   Things I tried:

   • Erase disk and install option on Ubuntu installer gives the error.
   • If I choose manual partition it shows me the drive but without any partition table. I create a partition table from that window and manually create the partitions, but when it starts the installation I get the same error.
   • Windows Diskpart clean and convert to MBR also do not work. I assume this old motherboard has no EFI support. In fact the Ubuntu DVD boots in BIOS mode (No EFI screen asking what to do ). Anyway, I also tried covert to GPT and got the same result.
   • Gparted, Disks and other many disk utilities using the live CD session also gives the same error and/or similar ones.
   • Burn another DVD at low speed also didn�t help. MD5sum was verified for the iso. Linux Mint 17 DVD also gives the same error.
   • Windows 7 64 can be installed smoothly and works very nice (so the drive and the SATA cable seem OK)
   • Connect the SSD to my laptop and install Ubuntu worked perfectly (drive is OK and can run linux) (in this case it was installed in EFI mode with GPT partition tables because it is a modern laptop)
   • In one post I saw that changing the SSD to AHCI mode in the BIOS solved a similar issue. But I don�t have that option in the BIOS, so I guess is in IDE mode. Also I don�t see many options to play around in the BIOS.
   • I ordered a new SATA cable just to discard that maybe it produces an error only in linux installation. I don�t have any hope, but I will try as soon as it arrives.

   Request:
   What else can I try? Right now I don�t know what else to do. There must be a way to install Ubuntu in this CPU if Windows can make it.

   I hope I am not forgetting any important detail. Thanks for your time and sorry for the long post.

   Last edited by jander2; January 10th, 2015 at 08:02 PM.

   Reason: Solved

   ---

2. Re: Input/output error reading sda during installation
   

   jander2; Hi ! Welcome to the forum .

   I will start this ball rolling, We will all want to know that the SSD is seen by the operating system.
   Boot up the liveDVD in «try ubuntu» mode to a terminal:
   post back the outputs of terminal commands:

   Code:

   sudo fdisk -lu
   sudo parted -l

   code tag tutorial:
   http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p…8#post12776168

   Which will show what you are working with and give us an indication of where to go from there to get ya to a point of installing ubuntu.
   Is it your goal to install ubuntu alone on that SSD drive — or dual boot on that drive with Windows 7 ?
   Will Windows continue to be a factor, such that we arrange the system to dual boot ?

   ---

3. Re: Input/output error reading sda during installation
   

   Thanks for replying Bashing-om,

   This is what I got:

   Code:

   ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo fdisk -lu
   ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo parted -l
   Error: /dev/sda: unrecognised disk label                                  
   
   Warning: Unable to open /dev/sr0 read-write (Read-only file system).  /dev/sr0
   has been opened read-only.
   Error: Can't have a partition outside the disk!

   Hope it is useful

   ---

4. Re: Input/output error reading sda during installation
   

   jander2; Nope;

   Not too helpful … humm …
   Is there but the single SSD drive connected at this time ?
   Is that last the complete output of the commands ?

   Presently all we have is an idication that the partition table is messed up ..

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

   Confirm please that you are booting a DVD and not from a USB drive in this live-environment . Yes, I do see » Unable to open /dev/sr0 » which certainly indicates the liveDVD .

   Let’s get some additional confirmation of what is. What return is there from terminal command:

   Then perhaps we can ‘sic’ fdisk on the SSD , IF you want to partition in legacy mode
   OR
   ‘sic’ gdisk on it IF you want to partition in GPT .

   get that SSD recognized and identified .. then we can do something

   ---

5. Re: Input/output error reading sda during installation
   

   Yes, it was the whole output from those commands.

   Connected to the motherboard are only: SSD, cdrom, the PCI discrete graphics card and a multi-card reader .

   I don’t have any usb drive plugged in, so it can only boot from the cdrom. By the way, I tried to boot from a usb drive and never made it work after trying three different programs to make bootable USB drives (also tried several different pendrives). But the usb is detected when the PC boot and listed after pressing F8.

   Didn’t know this command. Very useful. Output bellow:

   Code:

   ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo lshw -C disk
     *-cdrom                 
          description: DVD-RAM writer
          product: DVD-RAM GSA-H55N
          vendor: HL-DT-ST
          physical id: 0.0.0
          bus info: scsi@4:0.0.0
          logical name: /dev/cdrom
          logical name: /dev/sr0
          logical name: /cdrom
          version: 1.02
          serial: [
          capabilities: removable audio cd-r cd-rw dvd dvd-r dvd-ram
          configuration: ansiversion=5 mount.fstype=iso9660 mount.options=ro,noatime state=mounted status=ready
        *-medium
             physical id: 0
             logical name: /dev/cdrom
             logical name: /cdrom
             capabilities: partitioned partitioned:dos
             configuration: mount.fstype=iso9660 mount.options=ro,noatime signature=1b45097d state=mounted
     *-disk
          description: SCSI Disk
          physical id: 0.0.0
          bus info: scsi@5:0.0.0
          logical name: /dev/sda
          size: 111GiB (120GB)
          configuration: sectorsize=512
     *-disk:0
          description: SCSI Disk
          product: Flash HS-CF
          vendor: Generic
          physical id: 0.0.0
          bus info: scsi@6:0.0.0
          logical name: /dev/sdb
          version: 5.14
          capabilities: removable
          configuration: sectorsize=512
        *-medium
             physical id: 0
             logical name: /dev/sdb
     *-disk:1
          description: SCSI Disk
          product: Flash HS-MS/SD
          vendor: Generic
          physical id: 0.0.1
          bus info: scsi@6:0.0.1
          logical name: /dev/sdc
          version: 5.14
          capabilities: removable
          configuration: sectorsize=512
        *-medium
             physical id: 0
             logical name: /dev/sdc
     *-disk:2
          description: SCSI Disk
          product: Flash HS-SM
          vendor: Generic
          physical id: 0.0.2
          bus info: scsi@6:0.0.2
          logical name: /dev/sdd
          version: 5.14
          capabilities: removable
          configuration: sectorsize=512
        *-medium
             physical id: 0
             logical name: /dev/sdd

   Indeed the SSD is listed there.

   Thanks

   ---

6. Re: Input/output error reading sda during installation
   

   jander2; Well …

   The SSD is recognized, and is identified — for now — as ‘sda’.

   In GParted — from the liveDVD .. make sure that there are no key icons in the display pane (swap may be in use, -> swap off ).

   What results if you (RE-)format the SSD -> file system type ext4 ?

   As it is in my mind a possibility that AHCI may be required for bios to properly recognize the Solid State Device , We can just poke at it and see what results we can obtain.

   ---

7. Re: Input/output error reading sda during installation
   

   I don’t see any key icons or swap option. Where should I see them? In the gparted window?

   When I launch gparted it already gives me error «Libparted bug found: Input/output error during read on /dev/sda».
   I press ignore and it shows me just 111GiB of unallocated space with a warning. Double click in the warning gives:

   Code:

   /dev/sda: unrecognised disk label
   
   Input/output error during read on /dev/sda
   
   Input/output error during read on /dev/sda
   
   Input/output error during write on /dev/sda
   
   Error fsyncing/closing /dev/sda: Input/output error
   
   Input/output error during read on /dev/sda
   
   Input/output error during read on /dev/sda
   
   /dev/sda: unrecognised disk label

   I cannot create partitions or format becuase it says that there is no partition table.
   So I go device/create partition table, choose msdos, and get same error again (gpt table either)

   Bed time in Europe. Let’s see tomorrow

   Many thanks

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8. Re: Input/output error reading sda during installation
   

   jander2; OK,

   We continue tomorrow.
   Maybe with both GPT and MBR tables in place it is confusing the issue ..
   Maybe, we should just zero out that SSD with ‘dd’ and see then if it will take a new partitioning ?

   What say others ?

   Last edited by Bashing-om; January 10th, 2015 at 12:38 AM.

   Reason: typo

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9. Re: Input/output error reading sda during installation
   

   I tried dd to erase MBR and partition table, but if fails:

   Code:

   ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sda bs=512 count=1
   dd: error writing ‘/dev/sda’: Input/output error
   1+0 records in
   0+0 records out
   0 bytes (0 B) copied, 0.000602042 s, 0.0 kB/s

   Any suggestions?

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10. Re: Input/output error reading sda during installation
    

    Great news! It is working now!!!

    It turns out that the motherboard has 3 sata ports, one supported by Marvell 88SE6111 and two supported by ICH9R/ICH9DO/ICH9DH.

    I was using the Marvel one, so I decided to check one of the other kind. This time gparted recognized the Windows 7 existing partitions and the installer allowed me to erase and install ubuntu.
    First attempt didn’t boot, but I had the old HDD connected during the installation and maybe the boot was created there. So I repeated the installation, this time with Linux Mint, and it boots and work nicely and fast.

    So I will tag this as solved and update the keywords with more relevant ones.

    Thanks for you help, Bashing-om

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