How can I read files on LaCie Drive using Linux

I have a LaCie 2Big drive that had an enclosure failure. It was operating in "SAFE" RAID 1 mode, so I believe the data is secure and still on each of the internal drives. I was sent an advanced replacement unit and had hoped to simply plug my old drives into the new enclosure and be back up and running, but no such luck since the firmware on the new enclosure was different.

As a MAC user, I am not completely familiar with PC operating systems, but do have an Intel MacBook Pro, so I thought I would take a crack at running Linux (Ubuntu) to read one of the drives.

After MUCH pain, I was finally able to see through the system Checkbox Report the "file path" to the drive and the USB controller I am using to attach it.

When I go to its location (ctrl-L) by typing the path, i can see all sorts of Linux folders and file names, but can not find my data.

Can someone PLEASE tell me where to look? Is the data somehow hidden, or encrypted? This is too complicated for a Mac user. I don't like to think this hard...LOL

I can not find the Partition Editor in my version of Ubuntu.

I ran the terminal "fdisk -l /dev/sdX" but must have done something wrong. See below:

jason@jason-ubuntu:~$ fdisk -1 /dev/sdb
fdisk: invalid option -- '1'

Usage: fdisk [-b SSZ] [-u] DISK Change partition table
fdisk -l [-b SSZ] [-u] DISK List partition table(s)
fdisk -s PARTITION Give partition size(s) in blocks
fdisk -v Give fdisk version
Here DISK is something like /dev/hdb or /dev/sda
and PARTITION is something like /dev/hda7
-u: give Start and End in sector (instead of cylinder) units
-b 2048: (for certain MO disks) use 2048-byte sectors
jason@jason-ubuntu:~$


I also ran a Checkbox Report, but it is quite long, what is the best way to share it with you?

Tom's has a linux section under software, they should be able to help you

Try sudo:

sudo fdisk -l /dev/sdb

maybe this thread can be moved to the linux/bsd forum by a mod?

You posted alot of data, but not the partition table layout as far as i can see. Could you post this as well? It should be text as its output in the terminal, so you don't have to paste it in here.

Also, you can install partition editor by selecting Application -> Add/Remove software, and then launch it in System->Administration-> Partition Editor. This is a graphical app like Partition Magic and can display your partitions as well.

Once i know what your disk looks like, you can try mounting it and see if you can access the data. But please give me a partition list output first.

Take a look at pic #1 of the images I posted.

http://www.thebeighs.com/ubuntu/ub [...] n=download

I am connected via a USB to SATA controller made by JMicron Technology Corp. Since the enclosure has failed, i can not use it to connect.

I tried to use the new enclosure they sent me with the new drive, but LaCie has made it so that newer enclosures with updated firmware can not be used to read older drives, even though they are from the exact same unit. I think that is pretty poor development. One would think they would make their firmware backward compatible.

Yes, I have taken them out of the enclosure and connected one of them via the above mentioned controller. They were in mirrored "SAFE" mode (RAID1), so I should be able to just copy the data off of one of the drives.

Also, below is a link to the Partition List as you requested:

http://www.thebeighs.com/ubuntu/ub [...] ition.html

Indeed.

You need to install additional software to use that XFS partition.

Go to System->Administration->Synaptic Package Manager. Click Search and type "xfs" then double click the "xfsprogs" package and click the Apply button. After installation, you should be able to mount the XFS partition.

After having installed xfsprogs, try if you can access the partition the easy way:
click Places->Home folder. On the left side you should see something like "930GB media". Click on it and it should mount automatically, and you should see your files.

Open a terminal (Applications->Accessoires->Terminal)
enter exactly:

sudo mkdir /mnt/xfs
sudo mount -t xfs -r /dev/sdb2 /mnt/xfs

Now click the Places->Home Folder again and navigate to the root, then to the "mnt" folder, then to the "xfs" folder. Now you should see your files.

It will be mounted read-only, to avoid it changing the files. Just check if you can read it and if so you should be able to move that data via the network to other places.

Sorry about my late response, i had some issues with these forums.

I didn't expect that message; could you give me some further text output of the following commands?

First retype the command:
sudo mount -t xfs -r /dev/sdb2 /mnt/xfs
(it will fail with the same message thats ok)

dmesg | tail
dmesg | grep sdb
cat /var/run/dmesg.boot | grep sdb
mount

(so 4 separate commands; they all do nothing but give text output; information only they don't affect anything else)

Also, did you close all other windows/apps? Just to be safe, exit the partition manager and close all nautilus windows (nautilus = the file manager which you use to browse folders). Though that shouldn't be the problem.

You may indeed be close. It may also be the /dev/sdb disk is used by software RAID; linux can read RAID configuration of other brands and apply its own software RAID. With the output of the commands i gave you i should be able to figure that out.

I'll be back here tomorrow, to check on your progress.

Ah yes, the "md" driver or Multiple Device driver is using your /dev/sdb disk as it detects that disk as being a RAID-member. To be able to mount it normally, we have to disable "md" first. md is just Linux software RAID, that is compatible with many other RAID formats so it detects your disk as being part of a RAID.

Maybe the simplest is to disable the detection of RAID errors, by adding this text to the kernel boot line:

raid=noautodetect

To do this, reboot until you see the ubuntu boot menu where its counting from 5 to 0. Press "e" to edit the boot line, you should be able to add the "raid=noautodetect" to the existing boot line.

So when you get the boot menu:
- press 'e'
- press a space
- enter "raid=noautodetect"
- press enter to boot
- open a terminal and repeat the "sudo mount -t xfs -r /dev/sdb2 /mnt/xfs" command
- check /mnt/xfs to see if you can access your files

Hope this works.

Hehe yeah i don't sleep, i feed my body through enzymes once a month so i can stay up 24/7.

Just kidding, in fact i have to do alot of work at night, but have spare time in between so like to be occupied, and browsing forums is one occupation i do.

Let me know if the raid=noautodetect option worked, allowing you to successfully mount your drive.

Sorry my mistake! You're using GRUB while i use a different loader, which behaves a little different.

These instructions should help you:
http://grumpymole.blogspot.com/200 [...] eters.html

copy-paste:
* Press 'e' to start editing.
* Scroll down to the "kernel..." line. The is the line that tells Grub which kernel to boot with and the parameters to be passed to the kernel when it boots are placed at the end of this line.
* Press 'e' again to edit this line.
* Move to the end of the line. You will see any existing parameters and can add other new parameters to the end.
* Parameters are separated by spaces and are mostly either a single word (e.g. nolapic), or an equation (e.g. acpi=off).
* Once you have added the parameter to the end of the line, press Enter to accept the editing.
* Then press 'b' to boot using that kernel and those parameters.


So when you scroll to the end, make sure to insert a space, and add the "raid=noautodetect" without the quotes, hit enter and hit 'b' to continue booting.

Hope it finally works now!

You shouldn't feel stupid its certainly not your fault!

In fact, its the md driver that is attaching your drive without your permission, that's a violation of a user's authority in my opinion, and thus a bug. But.. that's rather philosophical.

Try this:
1) first go to synaptic again (System->Administration->Synaptic) and install the "mdadm" package if not already installed. This is to administer md-arrays or software RAID arrays. md is the kernel raid driver while mdadm is the utility to configure/control it.

2) gather some information just in case, can't hurt, and paste it in this thread:
mount
dmesg | grep -i md
sudo fdisk -l
ls -l /dev/md*
sudo mdadm --detail /dev/md0

3) this is the actual trick, and should stop your RAID array, may not work if the /dev/md0 device not exist, in that case the above information should help me find the right command, but it 'should' work:
sudo mdadm --stop /dev/md0

4) mount your volume:
sudo mount -t xfs -r /dev/sdb2 /mnt/xfs

If it still doesn't work -- don't give up! At least i won't since it should work this is just a minor annoyance -- it should work! The md-driver being so intrusive is annoying though.

If it did work: hurray! I don't need the information in step 2) only if its still not working. In that case i'll bring my shotgun and emasculate(*) the md driver myself.

Hear from you
-sub

I am also having the same issue. jbeigh, were you able to resolve the issue?