recover ext3 partition: data recovery, linux, file system, ext3

by: prince_banPosted on 2009-10-07 at 01:49:45ID: 25513237

Well , you moved in a situation that you shouldn't be , i have some old grandma stuff with me , if you are really courageous then you can have a lok at them and give a neat try:

1. First of all, there is no conversion like ext3 to ext2, this is impossible, i donno how you are sayin this but there is no wat you can identify the type of file system once its corrupted except that its a ext file system supported under linux , 2 and 3 is something i never heard, so if its ext3 and the corruption is limited then its still ext3 and there is no conversion, remve this superstition.

2. boot you system, while booting,as your grub is corrupted, you will move in grub prompt, and fix it from there, if you donno,i will give you detailed commands on it.

3. type blkid, chk your home partition label and lemme know if it got changed, we will continue the mission from there.

best of luck ...

by: mstrelanPosted on 2009-10-07 at 01:58:07ID: 25513281

i think by now the stuff that i've done has taken it beyond repair.

during fsck it said that it was erasing the journal and then when i start up using a live cd gparted tells me the partition is ext2.

i reinstalled linux on my root partition (leaving the home partition in tact) and if i mount the home partition somewhere this is where i see my home directory as a block device

im thinking something like photorec is gonna be my only way out

by: legolasthehansyPosted on 2009-10-07 at 05:55:04ID: 25514795

Any luck on running this,

mount -t ext2 /dev/hd(?) /mnt
ls /mnt

also check dmesg before and after running the mount

by: Rabbit67890Posted on 2009-10-08 at 19:40:28ID: 25532011

Any luck on this only if you want to convert back to ext3 vy remaking the journal and doing a test mount


tune2fs -j /dev/hd(?)
mount -t ext3/dev/hd(?) /mnt 
ls /mnt

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by: mstrelanPosted on 2009-10-09 at 00:42:03ID: 25532969

@legolasthehansy

ls /mnt was empty
dmesg | tail gave this:

[ 716.663601] EXT2-fs warning (device sda4): ext2_fill_super: mounting ext3 filesystem as ext2
[ 716.663613] EXT2-fs warning: mounting fs with errors, running e2fsck is recommended

(and now when I look at it in GParted it shows up as ext3)

by: mstrelanPosted on 2009-10-09 at 00:43:44ID: 25532973

however if I try
mount -t ext3 /dev/sda4 /mnt i get the following

mount: wrong fs type, bad option, bad superblock on /dev/sda4,
missing codepage or helper program, or other error
In some cases useful info is found in syslog - try
dmesg | tail or so

[ 864.233067] JBD: no valid journal superblock found
[ 864.233076] EXT3-fs: error loading journal

trying Rabbits solution now

by: mstrelanPosted on 2009-10-09 at 00:44:54ID: 25532977

@Rabbit67890:

tune2fs -j /dev/sda4
tune2fs 1.41.4 (27-Jan-2009)
The filesystem already has a journal.

by: Rabbit67890Posted on 2009-10-09 at 16:57:13ID: 25539757

try doing tune2fs -j /dev/sda4 again and fsck.ext3 /dev/sda4 then mount -t ext3 /dev/sda4 /mnt

by: Rabbit67890Posted on 2009-10-09 at 17:02:40ID: 25539788

If all fails do the code to convert back to ext2 and see the blockdevice in /home is the home floders

tune2fs -O ^has_journal /dev/sda4
e2fsck /dev/sda4
mount /dev/sda4 /home

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by: legolasthehansyPosted on 2009-10-09 at 21:07:52ID: 25540800

Hi,

If the above solution fails you.. try mounting as ext2.. dump the contents to a tmp folder and recreate the FS on the disk.

by: Rabbit67890Posted on 2009-10-10 at 00:22:03ID: 25541155

THis part worries me, "recreate the FS on the disk. " because you probarly need the FS still to recover it.

by: mstrelanPosted on 2009-10-12 at 03:40:05ID: 25549953

I did fsck -t ext3 -y /dev/sda4 > output.txt

This is the first 200 lines... the file is 950MB and it is now doing something that constantly spits out stuff like

Illegal block number passed to ext2fs_test_block_bitmap #3203156776 for multiply claimed block map

... does this sound right? I haven't got to the mounting bit yet because it is still running after about 1 hour

fsck 1.41.4 (27-Jan-2009)
DATA contains a file system with errors, check forced.
Pass 1: Checking inodes, blocks, and sizes
Special (device/socket/fifo) inode 1449018 has non-zero size.  Fix? yes
 
Special (device/socket/fifo) inode 1648906 has non-zero size.  Fix? yes
 
Special (device/socket/fifo) inode 1737534 has non-zero size.  Fix? yes
 
Special (device/socket/fifo) inode 1778545 has non-zero size.  Fix? yes
 
Inode 1897346 has EXTENTS_FL flag set on filesystem without extents support.
Clear? yes
 
Inode 1897347 has EXTENTS_FL flag set on filesystem without extents support.
Clear? yes
 
Inode 1897348 is in use, but has dtime set.  Fix? yes
 
Inode 1897348 has imagic flag set.  Clear? yes
 
Inode 1897349 is in use, but has dtime set.  Fix? yes
 
Special (device/socket/fifo) inode 1897349 has non-zero size.  Fix? yes
 
Inode 1897350 has EXTENTS_FL flag set on filesystem without extents support.
Clear? yes
 
Inode 1897351 has EXTENTS_FL flag set on filesystem without extents support.
Clear? yes
 
Inode 1897352 has EXTENTS_FL flag set on filesystem without extents support.
Clear? yes
 
Inode 1897353 is in use, but has dtime set.  Fix? yes
 
Inode 1897353 has imagic flag set.  Clear? yes
 
Inode 1897354 has EXTENTS_FL flag set on filesystem without extents support.
Clear? yes
 
Inode 1897355 is in use, but has dtime set.  Fix? yes
 
Inode 1897355 has imagic flag set.  Clear? yes
 
Inode 1897038 has illegal block(s).  Clear? yes
 
Illegal block #11 (191521457) in inode 1897038.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #-1 (1730766364) in inode 1897038.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #-2 (977001886) in inode 1897038.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #-3 (2644810276) in inode 1897038.  CLEARED.
Inode 1897038 has INDEX_FL flag set but is not a directory.
Clear HTree index? yes
 
Inode 1897038, i_blocks is 267788419244585, should be 0.  Fix? yes
 
Inode 1897017 has compression flag set on filesystem without compression support.  Clear? yes
 
Inode 1897017 has INDEX_FL flag set but is not a directory.
Clear HTree index? yes
 
Inode 1897017, i_size is 13834863612315220523, should be 0.  Fix? yes
 
Inode 1897017, i_blocks is 225585710679696, should be 0.  Fix? yes
 
Inode 1897040 has compression flag set on filesystem without compression support.  Clear? yes
 
Inode 1897040 has INDEX_FL flag set but is not a directory.
Clear HTree index? yes
 
Inode 1897040, i_size is 5505237391989283455, should be 0.  Fix? yes
 
Inode 1897040, i_blocks is 42321726373471, should be 0.  Fix? yes
 
Inode 1897033 has compression flag set on filesystem without compression support.  Clear? yes
 
Inode 1897033 has illegal block(s).  Clear? yes
 
Illegal block #0 (2507746636) in inode 1897033.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #1 (158890332) in inode 1897033.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #2 (2185480598) in inode 1897033.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #3 (2076192192) in inode 1897033.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #4 (1244320609) in inode 1897033.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #5 (313962474) in inode 1897033.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #6 (84522739) in inode 1897033.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #7 (3545758345) in inode 1897033.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #8 (510959028) in inode 1897033.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #9 (817903851) in inode 1897033.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #10 (2442749321) in inode 1897033.  CLEARED.
Too many illegal blocks in inode 1897033.
Clear inode? yes
 
Inode 1896911 has INDEX_FL flag set but is not a directory.
Clear HTree index? yes
 
Inode 1896911, i_size is 5782868630166091345, should be 0.  Fix? yes
 
Inode 1896911, i_blocks is 27831555850334, should be 0.  Fix? yes
 
Inode 1896938, i_size is 283830784868437005, should be 0.  Fix? yes
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ head -n 200 fsck.y.ext3
fsck 1.41.4 (27-Jan-2009)
DATA contains a file system with errors, check forced.
Pass 1: Checking inodes, blocks, and sizes
Special (device/socket/fifo) inode 1449018 has non-zero size.  Fix? yes
 
Special (device/socket/fifo) inode 1648906 has non-zero size.  Fix? yes
 
Special (device/socket/fifo) inode 1737534 has non-zero size.  Fix? yes
 
Special (device/socket/fifo) inode 1778545 has non-zero size.  Fix? yes
 
Inode 1897346 has EXTENTS_FL flag set on filesystem without extents support.
Clear? yes
 
Inode 1897347 has EXTENTS_FL flag set on filesystem without extents support.
Clear? yes
 
Inode 1897348 is in use, but has dtime set.  Fix? yes
 
Inode 1897348 has imagic flag set.  Clear? yes
 
Inode 1897349 is in use, but has dtime set.  Fix? yes
 
Special (device/socket/fifo) inode 1897349 has non-zero size.  Fix? yes
 
Inode 1897350 has EXTENTS_FL flag set on filesystem without extents support.
Clear? yes
 
Inode 1897351 has EXTENTS_FL flag set on filesystem without extents support.
Clear? yes
 
Inode 1897352 has EXTENTS_FL flag set on filesystem without extents support.
Clear? yes
 
Inode 1897353 is in use, but has dtime set.  Fix? yes
 
Inode 1897353 has imagic flag set.  Clear? yes
 
Inode 1897354 has EXTENTS_FL flag set on filesystem without extents support.
Clear? yes
 
Inode 1897355 is in use, but has dtime set.  Fix? yes
 
Inode 1897355 has imagic flag set.  Clear? yes
 
Inode 1897038 has illegal block(s).  Clear? yes
 
Illegal block #11 (191521457) in inode 1897038.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #-1 (1730766364) in inode 1897038.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #-2 (977001886) in inode 1897038.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #-3 (2644810276) in inode 1897038.  CLEARED.
Inode 1897038 has INDEX_FL flag set but is not a directory.
Clear HTree index? yes
 
Inode 1897038, i_blocks is 267788419244585, should be 0.  Fix? yes
 
Inode 1897017 has compression flag set on filesystem without compression support.  Clear? yes
 
Inode 1897017 has INDEX_FL flag set but is not a directory.
Clear HTree index? yes
 
Inode 1897017, i_size is 13834863612315220523, should be 0.  Fix? yes
 
Inode 1897017, i_blocks is 225585710679696, should be 0.  Fix? yes
 
Inode 1897040 has compression flag set on filesystem without compression support.  Clear? yes
 
Inode 1897040 has INDEX_FL flag set but is not a directory.
Clear HTree index? yes
 
Inode 1897040, i_size is 5505237391989283455, should be 0.  Fix? yes
 
Inode 1897040, i_blocks is 42321726373471, should be 0.  Fix? yes
 
Inode 1897033 has compression flag set on filesystem without compression support.  Clear? yes
 
Inode 1897033 has illegal block(s).  Clear? yes
 
Illegal block #0 (2507746636) in inode 1897033.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #1 (158890332) in inode 1897033.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #2 (2185480598) in inode 1897033.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #3 (2076192192) in inode 1897033.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #4 (1244320609) in inode 1897033.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #5 (313962474) in inode 1897033.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #6 (84522739) in inode 1897033.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #7 (3545758345) in inode 1897033.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #8 (510959028) in inode 1897033.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #9 (817903851) in inode 1897033.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #10 (2442749321) in inode 1897033.  CLEARED.
Too many illegal blocks in inode 1897033.
Clear inode? yes
 
Inode 1896911 has INDEX_FL flag set but is not a directory.
Clear HTree index? yes
 
Inode 1896911, i_size is 5782868630166091345, should be 0.  Fix? yes
 
Inode 1896911, i_blocks is 27831555850334, should be 0.  Fix? yes
 
Inode 1896938, i_size is 283830784868437005, should be 0.  Fix? yes
 
Inode 1896938, i_blocks is 256891700125697, should be 0.  Fix? yes
 
Inode 1896910 has INDEX_FL flag set but is not a directory.
Clear HTree index? yes
 
Inode 1896910, i_size is 8173535759314215723, should be 0.  Fix? yes
 
Inode 1896910, i_blocks is 202846325002687, should be 0.  Fix? yes
 
Inode 1897260 has compression flag set on filesystem without compression support.  Clear? yes
 
Inode 1897260 has illegal block(s).  Clear? yes
 
Illegal block #0 (1490966804) in inode 1897260.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #1 (802142180) in inode 1897260.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #2 (4157565293) in inode 1897260.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #3 (1357314744) in inode 1897260.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #4 (3558995614) in inode 1897260.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #5 (100683984) in inode 1897260.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #6 (1224810541) in inode 1897260.  CLEARED.
Inode 1897260 is too big.  Truncate? yes
 
Block #7 (9156793) causes symlink to be too big.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #8 (840328390) in inode 1897260.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #9 (554431145) in inode 1897260.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #10 (3008649577) in inode 1897260.  CLEARED.
Too many illegal blocks in inode 1897260.
Clear inode? yes
 
Inode 1896900 has INDEX_FL flag set but is not a directory.
Clear HTree index? yes
 
Inode 1896900, i_size is 10498009380024500193, should be 0.  Fix? yes
 
Inode 1896900, i_blocks is 160622205746055, should be 0.  Fix? yes
 
Inode 1896982 has illegal block(s).  Clear? yes
 
Illegal block #0 (3690333054) in inode 1896982.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #1 (1431311433) in inode 1896982.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #2 (3261179490) in inode 1896982.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #3 (1727186554) in inode 1896982.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #4 (3868738053) in inode 1896982.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #5 (2513742414) in inode 1896982.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #6 (3328049533) in inode 1896982.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #7 (2591392412) in inode 1896982.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #8 (1220565254) in inode 1896982.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #9 (789524942) in inode 1896982.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #10 (974275175) in inode 1896982.  CLEARED.
Too many illegal blocks in inode 1896982.
Clear inode? yes
 
Inode 1897007 has compression flag set on filesystem without compression support.  Clear? yes
 
Inode 1897007, i_size is 6921782275995044772, should be 0.  Fix? yes
 
Inode 1897007, i_blocks is 163010958079031, should be 0.  Fix? yes
 
Inode 1897029 has compression flag set on filesystem without compression support.  Clear? yes
 
Inode 1897029 has INDEX_FL flag set but is not a directory.
Clear HTree index? yes
 
Inode 1897029, i_size is 8898038919658167730, should be 0.  Fix? yes
 
Inode 1897029, i_blocks is 1959687514, should be 0.  Fix? yes
 
Inode 1897049 has illegal block(s).  Clear? yes
 
Illegal block #0 (69895048) in inode 1897049.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #1 (3341634004) in inode 1897049.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #2 (2248576942) in inode 1897049.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #3 (2780112990) in inode 1897049.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #4 (4012089225) in inode 1897049.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #5 (1787136365) in inode 1897049.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #6 (3136507917) in inode 1897049.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #7 (1380431810) in inode 1897049.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #8 (2447538062) in inode 1897049.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #9 (2041662792) in inode 1897049.  CLEARED.
Illegal block #10 (3490471375) in inode 1897049.  CLEARED.
Too many illegal blocks in inode 1897049.
Clear inode? yes
 
Inode 1897005 has compression flag set on filesystem without compression support.  Clear? yes
 
Inode 1897005 has INDEX_FL flag set but is not a directory.
Clear HTree index? yes
 
Inode 1897005, i_size is 9255180379258944555, should be 0.  Fix? yes
 
Inode 1897005, i_blocks is 106337339626850, should be 0.  Fix? yes
 
Inode 1896901 has compression flag set on filesystem without compression support.  Clear? yes
 
Inode 1896901, i_size is 17626222722685131278, should be 0.  Fix? yes
 
Inode 1896901, i_blocks is 158489971637851, should be 0.  Fix? yes
 
Inode 1897143 has INDEX_FL flag set but is not a directory.

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by: mstrelanPosted on 2009-10-13 at 00:51:27ID: 25557749

every time i try to fsck the computer turns off half way through it.

trying to mount as ext2 gives this output

sudo mount -t ext2 /dev/sda4 /mnt
mount: wrong fs type, bad option, bad superblock on /dev/sda4,
       missing codepage or helper program, or other error
       In some cases useful info is found in syslog - try
       dmesg | tail  or so
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ dmesg | tail
[ 3324.612483] EXT2-fs: sda4: couldn't mount because of unsupported optional features (40).

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by: mstrelanPosted on 2009-10-13 at 00:52:42ID: 25557753

currently attempting this but chances are it wont make it to the end

tune2fs -O ^has_journal /dev/sda4
e2fsck /dev/sda4
mount /dev/sda4 /home

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by: mstrelanPosted on 2009-10-13 at 05:45:45ID: 25559264

the e2fsck finished!
but trying to mount as ext2 or 3 gives this result ... i guess it's time to give up

[20962.318818] EXT2-fs: sda4: couldn't mount because of unsupported optional features (40).
[20968.999312] EXT3-fs: sda4: couldn't mount because of unsupported optional features (40).

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by: legolasthehansyPosted on 2009-10-13 at 05:53:22ID: 25559309

Sorry but I don't think you can recover the data from the said partition. Your best bet was when it was mounted so that you couldv'e copied accessible data out of it.

by: Rabbit67890Posted on 2009-10-24 at 21:38:54ID: 25655539

try fscking the partation again I think??

by: mstrelanPosted on 2009-10-28 at 15:04:32ID: 25688815

Solution: Give up

by: Rabbit67890Posted on 2009-10-28 at 15:09:37ID: 25688845

Solution for future: dont do upgrage-manager -d without backing up or dont ever upgrade to beta.

by: mstrelanPosted on 2009-10-28 at 15:39:41ID: 25689035

Good point. I like to live on the edge.
Also will make use of Ubuntu One for any important files.

Question

recover ext3 partition

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