I/O errors when trying to mount an iPod

**jeickal** · 07-31-2005

I'm trying to mount the iPod special edition U2 on a Mandrake 10.1.
I do it this way:

Code:

mount -t vfat /dev/sde1 /mnt/ipod

and the only thing I keep getting is:

Code:

mount&#58; /dev/sde1&#58; can't read superblock

I had a look at /var/log/messages and I first see that my system detected properly the ipod:

Code:

Jul 31 12&#58;42&#58;47 linux kernel&#58; usb 3-3&#58; new high speed USB device using address 5
Jul 31 12&#58;42&#58;47 linux kernel&#58; scsi4 &#58; SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
Jul 31 12&#58;42&#58;48 linux kernel&#58;   Vendor&#58; Apple     Model&#58; iPod              Rev&#58; 1.63
Jul 31 12&#58;42&#58;48 linux kernel&#58;   Type&#58;   Direct-Access                      ANSI SCSI revision&#58; 02
Jul 31 12&#58;42&#58;51 linux kernel&#58; sde&#58; Spinning up disk......ready
Jul 31 12&#58;42&#58;51 linux kernel&#58; SCSI device sde&#58; 39063024 512-byte hdwr sectors &#40;20000 MB&#41;
Jul 31 12&#58;42&#58;51 linux kernel&#58; sde&#58; Write Protect is off
Jul 31 12&#58;42&#58;51 linux kernel&#58; sde&#58; assuming drive cache&#58; write through

Then I get those I/O errrors:

Code:

Jul 31 12&#58;42&#58;51 linux kernel&#58;  /dev/scsi/host4/bus0/target0/lun0&#58;end_request&#58; I/O error, dev sde, sector 39063016
Jul 31 12&#58;42&#58;51 linux kernel&#58; Buffer I/O error on device sde, logical block 4882877
Jul 31 12&#58;42&#58;51 linux kernel&#58; end_request&#58; I/O error, dev sde, sector 39063016
Jul 31 12&#58;42&#58;51 linux kernel&#58; Buffer I/O error on device sde, logical block 4882877
Jul 31 12&#58;43&#58;19 linux kernel&#58; end_request&#58; I/O error, dev sde, sector 63
Jul 31 12&#58;43&#58;19 linux kernel&#58; FAT&#58; unable to read boot sector

Any suggestions about what I could try?

Thanks

**lakerdonald** · 07-31-2005

First off, you should most likely be mountind /dev/sde2 instead of sde1, as the first partition is generally just a special data area used by the ipod.

**jeickal** · 07-31-2005

Right, Actually, since I wasn't sure, I already tried both sde1 & sde2 with the same result.
But it's already good to know that it's the 2nd partition that has to be mounted..
Any other suggestions?

**lakerdonald** · 07-31-2005

fsck it?

**jeickal** · 07-31-2005

Code:

fsck -r /dev/sda
fsck 1.35 &#40;28-Feb-2004&#41;
e2fsck 1.35 &#40;28-Feb-2004&#41;
fsck.ext2&#58; Attempt to read block from filesystem resulted in short read while trying to open /dev/sda
Could this be a zero-length partition?

Hum... it's like if it doesn't see it??? But in /var/log/messages, it looks good

**lakerdonald** · 07-31-2005

try fsck.vfat or fsck.msdos, or etc.

**jeickal** · 07-31-2005

I don't have fsck.vat of .msdos in my system:

Code:

# fsck -t vfat /dev/sda
fsck 1.35 &#40;28-Feb-2004&#41;
fsck&#58; fsck.vfat&#58; not found
fsck&#58; Error 2 while executing fsck.vfat for /dev/sda
# fsck -t msdos /dev/sda
fsck 1.35 &#40;28-Feb-2004&#41;
fsck&#58; fsck.msdos&#58; not found
fsck&#58; Error 2 while executing fsck.msdos for /dev/sda

Do you think it would be worth it getting'em from the net?

**lakerdonald** · 07-31-2005

I believe the package is msdosutils or something like that.

**a thing** · 08-01-2005

fsck /dev/sda1
fsck /dev/sda2

**anomie** · 08-01-2005

jeickal,

I had the same problem with my ipod mini, and the only fix I came up with that worked was a kernel tweak.

This info is from the gtkpod page (whether you're using gtkpod or not, as it applies to the mount only):

http://www.gtkpod.org/TROUBLESHOOTING

When connecting an iPod via USB to a 2.6 kernel machine the iPod will
be recognized but not work correctly. In /var/log/messages you'll see
the a bunch of "Buffer I/O error on device sd?" when connecting the
iPod (Jonas Bergler, Kevin Venkiteswaran)

Solution (by "jeffmock"):

Disable CONFIG_EFI_PARTITION (File Systems -> Partition Types ->
Advanced Partition Selection -> EFI GUID Partition support) in your
kernel configuration, recompile.

Details can be found at
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...15#post1197015

It's a bit of work, but it got mine mounted properly.

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