[Feisty] uninformative error when resizing ntfs partitions

[Andrzej Wieczorek]

Install media: xubuntu, feisty-dekstop-i386.iso, 20070226

Start live session.
Start installer.
Errror when trying to resize a ntfs partition in either auto-resize or manual resize process.

[Brian Murray (brian-murray)]

Thanks for your bug report. Could you please give us more specific information about the error your received when you were trying to resize an NTFS partition? Thanks in advance.

[Andrzej Wieczorek (dipres)]

I was using a Xubuntu Feisty snapshot (20070226) live CD.
I tried to install on a 40GB hard disk with one ntfs partition (using
the whole space). When it came to the partitioner in the installation
process there was an error.
When I tried the automatic resize mode, I set the new partition size
(to ca. 50%) and then the error message said:
"Resize operation failure.
An error occured while writing the changes to the storage devices.
The resize operation is aborted."
Afterwards the partitioner gets started (just like in manual mode)
showing the partition scheme on the disk.
Trying the manual mode yielded the same error after I set the new
partition size and hit "Continue" (on the "it could last long"
message).

--
Best regards
Andrzej Wieczorek

[Colin Watson (cjwatson)]

Could you please attach /var/log/syslog and /var/log/partman to this bug, following the directions in http://wiki.ubuntu.com/DebuggingUbiquity/AttachingLogs? Thanks in advance.

[Andrzej Wieczorek (dipres)]

Here are the logs you requested (sorry for delay, I wasn't home).
I tried resizing to installer given size (54%, 19GB).

/var/log/syslog:
Mar 1 20:37:19 ubuntu ubiquity[7497]: switched to page stepPartAuto
Mar 1 20:37:19 ubuntu ubiquity[7497]: Step_after = stepPartAuto
Mar 1 20:37:21 ubuntu kernel: [ 167.031788] NTFS driver 2.1.28
[Flags: R/O MODULE].
Mar 1 20:37:21 ubuntu kernel: [ 167.203490] JFS: nTxBlock = 2000,
nTxLock = 16004
Mar 1 20:37:21 ubuntu kernel: [ 167.393270] SGI XFS with ACLs,
security attributes, realtime, large block numbers, no debug enabled
Mar 1 20:37:21 ubuntu kernel: [ 167.394302] SGI XFS Quota Management subsystem
Mar 1 20:37:22 ubuntu kernel: [ 167.833657] end_request: I/O error,
dev fd0, sector 0
Mar 1 20:37:22 ubuntu kernel: [ 167.857612] end_request: I/O error,
dev fd0, sector 0
Mar 1 20:37:24 ubuntu ntfsresize: ntfsresize v1.13.1 (libntfs 9:0:0)
Mar 1 20:37:24 ubuntu ntfsresize: Device name : /dev/hda1
Mar 1 20:37:24 ubuntu ntfsresize: NTFS volume version: 3.1
Mar 1 20:37:24 ubuntu ntfsresize: Cluster size : 4096 bytes
Mar 1 20:37:24 ubuntu ntfsresize: Current volume size: 40007729664
bytes (40008 MB)
Mar 1 20:37:24 ubuntu ntfsresize: Current device size: 40007729664
bytes (40008 MB)
Mar 1 20:37:24 ubuntu ntfsresize: Checking filesystem consistency ...
Mar 1 20:37:24 ubuntu ntfsresize: Accounting clusters ...
Mar 1 20:37:24 ubuntu ntfsresize: Space in use : 69 MB (0.2%)
Mar 1 20:37:24 ubuntu ntfsresize: Collecting resizing constraints ...
Mar 1 20:37:24 ubuntu ntfsresize: You might resize at 3221262336
bytes or 3222 MB (freeing 36786 MB).
Mar 1 20:37:24 ubuntu ntfsresize: Please make a test run using both
the -n and -s options before real resizing!
Mar 1 20:37:57 ubuntu kernel: [ 203.211364] NTFS volume version 3.1.
Mar 1 20:37:58 ubuntu partman: Partition /dev/hda1 does not contain
Windows Vista
Mar 1 20:38:00 ubuntu ntfsresize: ntfsresize v1.13.1 (libntfs 9:0:0)
Mar 1 20:38:00 ubuntu ntfsresize: Device name : /dev/hda1
Mar 1 20:38:00 ubuntu ntfsresize: NTFS volume version: 3.1
Mar 1 20:38:00 ubuntu ntfsresize: Cluster size : 4096 bytes
Mar 1 20:38:00 ubuntu ntfsresize: Current volume size: 40007729664
bytes (40008 MB)
Mar 1 20:38:00 ubuntu ntfsresize: Current device size: 40007729664
bytes (40008 MB)
Mar 1 20:38:00 ubuntu ntfsresize: Checking filesystem consistency ...
Mar 1 20:38:00 ubuntu ntfsresize: Accounting clusters ...
Mar 1 20:38:00 ubuntu ntfsresize: Space in use : 69 MB (0.2%)
Mar 1 20:38:00 ubuntu ntfsresize: Collecting resizing constraints ...
Mar 1 20:38:00 ubuntu ntfsresize: You might resize at 3221262336
bytes or 3222 MB (freeing 36786 MB).
Mar 1 20:38:00 ubuntu ntfsresize: Please make a test run using both
the -n and -s options before real resizing!
Mar 1 20:38:01 ubuntu kernel: [ 206.779897] NTFS volume version 3.1.
Mar 1 20:38:01 ubuntu partman: Partition /dev/hda1 does not contain
Windows Vista
Mar 1 20:38:01 ubuntu ntfsresize: ntfsresize v1.13.1 (libntfs 9:0:0)
Mar 1 20:38:01 ubuntu ntfsresize: Device name : /dev/hda1
Mar 1 20:38:01 ubuntu ntfsresize: NTFS volume version: 3.1
Mar 1 20:38:01 ubuntu nt...

[Mantas Kriaučiūnas (mantas)]

dipres at 2007-03-01 wrote:
[..]
> Mar 1 20:38:38 ubuntu ntfsresize: The NTFS journal file is unclean. Please shutdown Windows properly before
> Mar 1 20:38:38 ubuntu ntfsresize: using this software! Note, if you have run chkdsk previously then boot
> Mar 1 20:38:38 ubuntu ntfsresize: Windows again which will
automatically initialize the journal correctly.
> Mar 1 20:38:38 ubuntu partman: Error resizing the NTFS file system [..]

Yea, I also get same problem, when tried to install with ubiquity from latest Ubuntu Feisty (Herd5), backported to Edgy on HP Pavilion dv6103eu with preinstalled OEM Windows XP
This is very often problem with preinstalled Windows, as when you turn on the computer, then Windows OEM configurator starts automatically and there are no way to quit it (or shutdown the computer), except of pressing power button...

So, ubiquity should display an simple and exact error message, where is explained why Windows disk can't be resized and how to solve this problem, for example:

Your NTFS partition journal is unclean, probably because of improper shutdown of Windows OS. Please shutdown Windows OS properly before trying to resize NTFS partitions!
Also you can run 'chkdsk DRIVE_LETTER' command from installed Windows OS or from Windows installation CD to fix NTFS partition.
Note, if you have run chkdsk previously then boot Windows again (or start chkdsk from Windows installation CD) which will automatically initialize the journal correctly.

I'm attaching gzipped /var/log/syslog and /var/log/partman, but they have the same error like in previously pasted by dipres:

NTFS journal file is unclean. Please shutdown Windows properly before using this software! Note, if you have run chkdsk previously then boot Windows again which will automatically initialize the journal correctly.

[Mantas Kriaučiūnas (mantas)]

Problem is, that NTFS journal file is unclean, but ubiquity doesn't display an simple and exact error message, where is explained why Windows disk can't be resized and how to solve this problem...
/var/log/syslog and /var/log/partman files are attached to this bug

[Mantas Kriaučiūnas (mantas)]

Also attaching gparted output log, which shows the same error when trying to resize same unclean NTFS partition

[Brian Murray (brian-murray)]

I too noticed this issue today when trying to resize an NTFS partition on a new laptop. When running the Live CD of Feisty Fawn Herd 5 I also tried to use gparted and got a more helpful error message. It follows:

"Checking filesystem consistency ...<BR>Accounting clusters ...<BR>Cluster accounting failed at 3147732 (0x3007d4): extra cluster in $Bitmap<BR>Filesystem check failed! Totally 1 cluster accounting mismatches.<BR>ERROR: NTFS is inconsistent. Run chkdsk /f on Windows then reboot it TWICE!<BR>The usage of the /f parameter is very IMPORTANT! No modification was<BR>and will be made to NTFS by this software until it gets repaired."

[Gavin McCullagh (gmccullagh)]

I've also experienced this. If windows wasn't shut down properly and the NTFS journal is incomplete, gparted will (understandably) refuse to resize it. This therefore affects both the live cd installer and the alternative installer.

I had to run gparted by hand to find the error buried in a sub-sub-subs-sub-menu. After that I just needed to boot windows and shut it down cleanly to get everything to work. But finding the error was not trivial.

[TTL (supernova-2149)]

Agree. I had the same error message with a Kubuntu 8.04 live-cd. Starting windows and do a shut-down solved the problem.
A more informative error message would be helpful.
To the current text
"Resize operation failure.
An error occured while writing the changes to the storage devices.
The resize operation is aborted."

Add something like:
"This might be the result of an inconsistent ntfs filesystem. Starting the windows system and do a proper shutdown might help."
would really help users.

[Colin Watson (cjwatson)]

(Rejecting the upstream task and creating a task on the appropriate Debian package instead. This is just housekeeping; please ignore.)