Re: [PLUG] restoring a corrupted USB iPod

On 2/14/07, Art Alexion <art.alexion@verizon.net > wrote:

I couldn't let this go.  The cassette player on the kitchen boom box was
playing double time.  Today it is reference speed.  The mid-1970s Yamaha
cassette deck on the stereo had been auto shutting off thinking every 5
seconds was the end of the tape.  Today, the whole tape plays.

Monday I order a vinyl LP from vinyl.com.  I opted for the cheapest "media
mail" delivery (6-8 days)  It came today. I haven't held shrink-wrapped vinyl
in a while.  Nice.

I have to play with more broken things before this wears off.

On Wednesday 14 February 2007 16:32, Greg Lopp wrote:
> can you come touch my mythtv box?  It intermittently skips during playback
>
> On 2/14/07, Art Alexion <art.alexion@verizon.net> wrote:
> > I'm having a frickin' magical day today.  It started out with the
> > replacement
> > iPod to the one in question dying during a system freeze during a yamipod
> > update.  I was using yamipod because it doesn't use hald -- I never could
> > get
> > hal to daemonize after a dist-upgrade gone bad and was too lazy to start
> > from
> > scratch and reinstall everything.
> >
> > Magical event #1.  The ubuntu dapper system froze -- no mouse,
> > nothing.  This
> > has only happened to me with Linux 3 or 4 times in 7 years.  After a hard
> > reset hal daemonized without complaint, samba drives mounted without
> > complaint, devices appeared on my desktop, and amarok got along well with
> > my
> > iPod.  I haven't a clue about the cause of this miraculous cure.
> >
> > Magical event #2 I had a pay as you go cell phone that I decided to
> > activate
> > as an emergency backup.  I never really used it.  A couple of months ago,
> > I
> > tried to use it and got a message that I had nothing left on my account.
> > This was not supposed to be the case, but I didn't need it and threw it
> > on my
> > dresser.  Today I charged it in order to play with the camera.  While
> > charging, I got a call! It was the wrong number, but after I hung up the
> > call
> > indicator showed all of the money I was supposed to have on the account.
> > Phone works fine all day.  Amazing.
> >
> > Magical event #3.  After getting nowhere with google, and sending this
> > initial
> > email to the list, I decided to turn the broken iPod on while checking
> > for responses.  The iPod turned on without complaint, and even had music
> > loaded
> > on it!  What's going on here?
> >
> > Well sorry for boring the list with this silliness, but I am having a day
> > when
> > things I gave up on fixing are suddenly and mysteriously fixing
> > themselves,
> > and in my delighted amazement, couldn't help myself.
> >
> > I am trying to think of other things that were broken so that I can try
> > them
> > too.
> >
> > On Wednesday 14 February 2007 15:17, Greg Lopp wrote:
> > > On 2/14/07, Art Alexion <art.alexion@verizon.net> wrote:
> > > > The kernel correctly identifies it, but reports I/O errors.
> > > >
> > > > Suggestions for accessing it to repartition and reformat?
> > >
> > > Putting my USB developer hat on to read the log (hmmm, hat's a little
> > > dusty)
> > >
> > > relevant dmesg below:
> > > > [17184814.516000] hub 1-1:1.0: USB hub found
> > > > [17184814.516000] hub 1-1:1.0: 4 ports detected
> > > > [ 17184814.832000] usb 1-1.4: new full speed USB device using uhci_hcd
> > > > and address 3
> > > > [17184814.940000] usb 1-1.4: configuration #1 chosen from 2 choices
> > >
> > > So, the USB enumeration is OK.  This is the generic part that any and
> >
> > all
> >
> > > USB devices perform. The nano told the host that it could behave in two
> > > different ways. The host chose way #1.
> > >
> > > [ 17184815.764000] SCSI subsystem initialized
> > >
> > > > [17184815.868000] Initializing USB Mass Storage driver...
> > >
> > > Configuration #1 is a mass storage device.  Init-ing the MSD includes
> >
> > which
> >
> > > command set is going to be used.  FD, SCSI, others?
> > >
> > > [17184815.872000] scsi0 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
> > >
> > >
> > > SCSI it is then.
> > >
> > > [17184815.872000] usb-storage: device found at 3
> > >
> > > > [17184815.872000] usb-storage: waiting for device to settle before
> > > > sca nning
> > >
> > > Polling the device to give it a chance to powerup, spin up, etc. It
> > > will TEST_UNIT_READY until the answer is affirmative.
> > >
> > > [17184815.872000] usbcore: registered new driver usb-storage
> > >
> > > > [17184815.872000] USB Mass Storage support registered.
> > > > [17184820.876000]   Vendor: Apple     Model: iPod              Rev:
> > > > 2. 70
> > > > [17184820.876000]   Type:   Direct-Access                      ANSI
> > > > SC SI revision: 04
> > >
> > > More data from the enumeration.
> > >
> > > [17184820.900000] usb-storage: device scan complete
> > >
> > > [17184821.008000] Driver 'sd' needs updating - please use bus_type met
> > >
> > > > hods
> > >
> > > [17184821.036000] sda: Unit Not Ready, sense:
> > >
> > >
> > > Assuming a timeout with the polling. (Possibly a bad packet)  Send a
> > > REQUEST_SENSE to the device....
> > >
> > > > [17184821.036000] : Current: sense key: Unit Attention
> > > > [17184821.036000]     Additional sense: Medium format corrupted
> > >
> > > ....reports something wrong with the disk.
> > >
> > > [17184821.056000] sda : READ CAPACITY failed.
> > >
> > >
> > > tried std SCSI command. failed. Device will not report the number and
> >
> > size
> >
> > > of its sectors.
> > > As you can see, it keeps trying.....
> > >
> > > [17184821.056000] sda : status=1, message=00, host=0, driver=08
> > >
> > > > [17184821.056000] sd: Current: sense key: Unit Attention
> > > > [17184821.056000]     Additional sense: Medium format corrupted
> > > > [17184821.064000 ] sda: test WP failed, assume Write Enabled
> > > > [17184821.064000] sda: assuming drive cache: write through
> > > > [17184821.140000] sda: Unit Not Ready, sense:
> > > > [17184821.140000 ] : Current: sense key: Unit Attention
> > > > [17184821.140000]     Additional sense: Medium format corrupted
> > > > [17184821.164000] sda : READ CAPACITY failed.
> > > > [17184821.164000 ] sda : status=1, message=00, host=0, driver=08
> > > > [17184821.168000] sd: Current: sense key: Unit Attention
> > > > [17184821.168000]     Additional sense: Medium format corrupted
> > > > [ 17184821.172000] sda: test WP failed, assume Write Enabled
> > > > [17184821.176000] sda: assuming drive cache: write through
> > > > [17184821.192000] sda: Unit Not Ready, sense:
> > > > [ 17184821.196000] : Current: sense key: Unit Attention
> > > > [17184821.196000]     Additional sense: Medium format corrupted
> > > > [17184821.216000] sda : READ CAPACITY failed.
> > > > [ 17184821.216000] sda : status=1, message=00, host=0, driver=08
> > > > [17184821.220000] sd: Current: sense key: Unit Attention
> > > > [17184821.220000]     Additional sense: Medium format corrupted
> > > > [17184821.228000] sda: test WP failed, assume Write Enabled
> > > > [17184821.228000] sda: assuming drive cache: write through
> > > > [17184821.228000]  sda:<3>Buffer I/O error on device sda, logical
> > > > bloc k 0
> > > > [17184821.228000] Buffer I/O error on device sda, logical block 0
> > > > [17184821.228000]  unable to read partition table
> > > > [17184821.232000 ] sd 0:0:0:0: Attached scsi removable disk sda
> > > > [17184821.280000] sd 0:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg0 type 0
> > > > [17184821.528000] sda: Unit Not Ready, sense:
> > > > [ 17184821.528000] : Current: sense key: Unit Attention
> > > > [17184821.532000]     Additional sense: Medium format corrupted
> > > > [17184821.552000] sda : READ CAPACITY failed.
> > > > [ 17184821.552000] sda : status=1, message=00, host=0, driver=08
> > > > [17184821.552000] sd: Current: sense key: Unit Attention
> > > > [17184821.556000]     Additional sense: Medium format corrupted
> > > > [17184821.560000] sda: test WP failed, assume Write Enabled
> > > > [17184821.564000] sda: assuming drive cache: write through
> > > > [17184821.580000] sda: Unit Not Ready, sense:
> > > > [17184821.580000] : Current: sense key: Unit Attention
> > > > [17184821.580000]     Additional sense: Medium format corrupted
> > > > [17184821.604000] sda : READ CAPACITY failed.
> > > > [17184821.604000] sda : status=1, message=00, host=0, driver=08
> > > > [17184821.604000] sd: Current: sense key: Unit Attention
> > > > [17184821.604000]     Additional sense: Medium format corrupted
> > > > [17184821.612000] sda: test WP failed, assume Write Enabled
> > > > [17184821.612000] sda: assuming drive cache: write through
> > > > [17184821.616000]  sda:<3>Buffer I/O error on device sda, logical
> > > > bloc k 0
> > > > [17184821.616000] Buffer I/O error on device sda, logical block 0
> > > > [17184821.616000]  unable to read partition table
> > > > [17184821.620000 ] Buffer I/O error on device sda, logical block 1
> > > > [17184821.620000] Buffer I/O error on device sda, logical block 2
> > > > [17184821.620000] Buffer I/O error on device sda, logical block 3
> > > > [17184821.620000] Buffer I/O error on device sda, logical block 4
> > > > [17184821.620000] Buffer I/O error on device sda, logical block 5
> > > > [17184821.620000] Buffer I/O error on device sda, logical block 6
> > >
> > > Your host cheated. Although it was unable to get READ_CAPACITY to work,
> >
> > it
> >
> > > went ahead and tried to read the partition table of the drive.  The
> >
> > READ_10
> >
> > > command (to read the first 7(!?!) logical blocks on the drive) also
> >
> > failed.
> >
> > > [17184821.812000] sda: Unit Not Ready, sense:
> > > > [17184821.812000] : Current: sense key: Unit Attention
> > > > [17184821.812000]     Additional sense: Medium format corrupted
> > > > [17184821.836000] sda : READ CAPACITY failed.
> > > > [17184821.836000] sda : status=1, message=00, host=0, driver=08
> > > > [17184821.836000] sd: Current: sense key: Unit Attention
> > > > and then it continues to repeat itself.
> > > > --
> > >
> > > I would expect READ_CAPACITY to be answered from firmware - no need for
> >
> > the
> >
> > > flash device to be "powered up" for read.
> > > This looks beyond simple format or fs corruption to me.  It isn't that
> >
> > the
> >
> > > data is bad on the drive, but that the device is not successfully
> > > communicating as a mass storage device......correction: it is
> >
> > communicating
> >
> > > as a mass storage device, but is reporting a serious error.  The
> >
> > requests
> >
> > > are successful but the status fields indicate errors.
> > >
> > > Restating:
> > > USB communication : looks good
> > > Mass Storage device comm. : looks appropriate
> > > Storage media status : failure
> > > File system status : moot
> >
> > --
> >
> > _____________________________________________________________
> > Art Alexion
> >
> > PGP fingerprint: 52A4 B10C AA73 096F A661  92D2 3B65 8EAC ACC5 BA7A
> > Keyserver: hkp://subkeys.pgp.net
> > The attachment - signature.asc - is my electronic signature; no need for
> > alarm.  Info @
> > http://mysite.verizon.net/art.alexion/encryption/signature.asc.what.html
> > _____________________________________________________________
> >
> >
> > _________________________________________________________________________
> >__ Philadelphia Linux Users Group         --
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> > Announcements -
> > http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-announce
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--

_____________________________________________________________
Art Alexion

PGP fingerprint: 52A4 B10C AA73 096F A661  92D2 3B65 8EAC ACC5 BA7A
Keyserver: hkp://subkeys.pgp.net
The attachment - signature.asc - is my electronic signature; no need for
alarm.  Info @
http://mysite.verizon.net/art.alexion/encryption/signature.asc.what.html
_____________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________
Philadelphia Linux Users Group         --        http://www.phillylinux.org
Announcements - http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-announce
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