possible fs crash in "hibernated" windows

Bug #506545 reported by Vladimir
22
This bug affects 4 people
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
ntfs-3g (Ubuntu)
Confirmed
Undecided
Unassigned

Bug Description

Binary package hint: ntfs-3g

Ubuntu 9.10, dual-boot with Windows 7.
ntfs-3g 1:2009.4.4-1ubuntu4

When Windows 7 is in hibernate mode, the partition is mounted in rw from Ubuntu, instead of ro, while 'man ntfs-3g' says:
"Unlike in case of read-only mount, the read-write mount is
denied if the NTFS volume is hibernated. One needs either to
resume Windows and shutdown it properly, or use this option
which will remove the Windows hibernation file. Please note,
this means that the saved Windows session will be completely
lost. Use this option for your own responsibility."

So, after the writing to ntfs in that state and waking-up the Windows back, its filesystem became corrupted.

It seems that ntfs-3g could not determine "hibernate" status in Windows 7.

Revision history for this message
lang-it (lang-it) wrote :

also affect ubuntu 10.4 LTS
dangerous bug

Revision history for this message
Jean-Pierre (jean-pierre-andre) wrote :

> It seems that ntfs-3g could not determine "hibernate" status in Windows 7.

Detection of a hibernated Windows session is based on a file named "hiberfil.sys" on the Windows system partition in which Windows saves its state.
1) Was the damaged partition the Windows system one, or was it another one ?
2) Can you check whether the said file is present when Win7 is hibernated and its exact name (character case matters, "Hiberfil.sys" is not the same as "hiberfil.sys"). To check this, you should mount the partition with the "ro" option).

Revision history for this message
Launchpad Janitor (janitor) wrote :

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

Changed in ntfs-3g (Ubuntu):
status: New → Confirmed
Revision history for this message
Duncan Clough (duncan-clough) wrote :

I *think* it is this bug that has affected me twice recently. Both times Windows 7 had put itself into hibernate without me realising (happened when I left the computer on overnight in Windows). I then continued to use Linux (and the NTFS partitions without problems). When I next booted into Windows I noticed strange errors, and some portions of my hard drive were inaccessible when I was back in Ubuntu. The Windows disk-checking utility however managed to fix everything and reported no bad sectors on the hard drive.

The volume that was affected was a separate NTFS volume (i.e. not the one Windows was installed one), but one that I use regularly from within Ubuntu (and whenever I'm in Windows).

This forum post might offer a possible root cause: http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=200&t=76051

I don't really have the means to test this because my hard drives have data on them that would be inconvenient to lose, but not critical enough to back up.

Revision history for this message
doorsfan (doorsfan) wrote :

Known problem not related to linux.
To repeat:
0. Make backup! Mandatory!
1. Hibernate windows
2. Boot to another windows OS (USB stick, connect HDD to another windows OS)
3. Run defrag system partition hibernated system.
4. Try to wake up system.
You have broken FS. The only way - to restore from backup.

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