Re: [Bug-ddrescue] Error writing logfile - Invalid Argument

[Robert Backhaus]

Get a disk with more free space than the capacity of your disk. (this
should have been done before you started....) You really need twice
the disk's capacity as free space, because you will want to work on a
copy of your recovered image file when you have it.

Read the documentation about the -m option. It uses a log file as a
restriction, only copying blocks that are already read, marked good.

Then use it like this:

ddrescue -m existing_logfile partial_recoverd_file
/newdisk/new_datafile /newdisk/new_logfile

(I think, using your info, this would be

ddrescue -v -m /Volumes/RecoveryDisk/MHD.log
/Volumes/RecoveryDisk/MHD.dmg /newlocation/new.dmg
/newlocation/new_dmg.log

Note that the original disk isn't needed during this, so it should be
disconnected, to reduce wear on it. (only power on a dying drive when
actually recovering data from it). You could simply copy the files,
but that can increase the time taken, because it will also copy empty
space from the errors and untried areas. A temporary error when
copying such a large file is also fairly common.

Then you can continue on, either using the new log file or your
original one. The new logfile will make the disk retry all the errors
detected.

If you do keep going with the old log file, then keep a copy of it.
This will allow you to continue working with your original datafile.

On 7 May 2015 at 04:37, John <address@hidden> wrote:
> After starting over last night with an apparent incomplete log I returned
> this morning to find ddrescue had actually started working. (I left it as
> it was hoping to receive a reply to my previous email). It actually did
> startup again. However it stopped after the media I was recovering to was
> full.
> <snip>
> Current status
> rescued:   998679 MB,  errsize:    917 kB,  current rate:        0 B/s
>    ipos:   998681 MB,   errors:      14,    average rate:   14108 kB/s
>    opos:   998681 MB, run time:    9.29 h,  successful read:       1 s ago
> Copying non-tried blocks... Pass 1 (forwards)
> ddrescue: Write error: No space left on device
> </snip>
> ... checking the log shows no updates during the remaining recovery.
>
> So I am at a loss as to how I should proceed at this point?
>
> Should I try some additional options, start over with a new log, or copy
> what I have to a new disk and see what's there?
>
> Thanks to Robert and "Koll" for their replies and suggestions.
>
> On Wed, May 6, 2015 at 1:52 AM, John Parr <address@hidden> wrote:
>
>> Ok looks like more bad news for me unless someone can figure out how to
>> edit the log to get things going again.
>>
>> Here's what happened:
>> I checked the console and saw device wasn't ready. I figured the log was
>> hosed but then I tried to unmount the drive and it wouldn't. I figured the
>> log was toast so it didn't matter. I checked the drive and the .DMG file
>> and log were now missing. I was using a new drive dock and thought maybe it
>> was problematic. So I forced it to unmount. I put the drive on another USB
>> dock that I have used many times before with success and the log and DMG
>> file were there! So I started it up again and it looked like it was going
>> to work but then it stopped and is just sitting there.
>>
>> I have a hunch that it's because the log couldn't write and stopped. Is
>> there any way to edit the log to get it to pickup again or is my best
>> option to start over? The log doesn't really seem to contain much anyway.
>> It also appears to be missing the previous 7 hours plus of entries.
>>
>> I am also wondering if there are any issues with version 1.19? Anyone have
>> any ideas?
>>
>> Here's what's in the log:
>>
>> # Rescue Logfile. Created by GNU ddrescue version 1.19
>> # Command line: ./ddrescue -v /dev/rdisk3s2 /Volumes/RecoveryDisk/MHD.dmg
>> /Volumes/RecoveryDisk/MHD.log
>> # Start time:   2015-05-06 01:01:38
>> # Current time: 2015-05-06 01:06:18
>> # Copying non-tried blocks... Pass 1 (forwards)
>> # current_pos  current_status
>> 0x7C68E90000     ?
>> #      pos        size  status
>> 0x00000000  0x00120000  +
>> 0x00120000  0x00010000  *
>> 0x00130000  0x00010000  ?
>> 0x00140000  0x14E90000  +
>> 0x14FD0000  0x00010000  *
>> 0x14FE0000  0x00010000  ?
>> 0x14FF0000  0x00010000  *
>> 0x15000000  0x00020000  ?
>> 0x15020000  0x000E0000  +
>> 0x15100000  0x00010000  *
>> 0x15110000  0x00010000  ?
>> 0x15120000  0x000E0000  +
>> 0x15200000  0x00010000  *
>> 0x15210000  0x00010000  ?
>> 0x15220000  0x000D0000  +
>> 0x152F0000  0x00010000  *
>> 0x15300000  0x00010000  ?
>> 0x15310000  0x000D0000  +
>> 0x153E0000  0x00010000  *
>> 0x153F0000  0x00010000  ?
>> 0x15400000  0x00010000  *
>> 0x15410000  0x00020000  ?
>> 0x15430000  0x000C0000  +
>> 0x154F0000  0x00010000  *
>> 0x15500000  0x00010000  ?
>> 0x15510000  0x005C0000  +
>> 0x15AD0000  0x00010000  *
>> 0x15AE0000  0x00010000  ?
>> 0x15AF0000  0x00010000  +
>> 0x15B00000  0x00010000  *
>> 0x15B10000  0x00010000  ?
>> 0x15B20000  0x000B0000  +
>> 0x15BD0000  0x00010000  *
>> 0x15BE0000  0x00010000  ?
>> 0x15BF0000  0x1ADC0000  +
>> 0x309B0000  0x00010000  *
>> 0x309C0000  0x00010000  ?
>> 0x309D0000  0x00DD0000  +
>> 0x317A0000  0x00010000  *
>> 0x317B0000  0x00010000  ?
>> 0x317C0000  0x7C376E0000  +
>> 0x7C68EA0000  0x7FFFFF839715FFFF  ?
>>
>> ---------- Previous message ----------
>>
>> Date: Wed, May 6, 2015 at 12:01 AM
>> Subject: Re: [Bug-ddrescue] Error writing logfile - Invalid Argument
>> address@hidden
>>
>>
>> I was seeing "Device not ready" for the disk I am writing my log and image
>> to.
>> Looks like TimeMachine fired off. I also disabled spotlight for the volume
>> I an writing to.
>>
>> It does seem to have cleared but when I press "Enter" it doesn't start up
>> again. I did Q+Enter and then tried to startup again and got:
>>
>>
>> ddrescue: Write error: Invalid argument
>>
>> mac:ddrescue-1.19 jn$ sudo ./ddrescue -v /dev/rdisk3s2
>> /Volumes/RecoveryDisk/MHD.dmg /Volumes/RecoveryDisk/MHD.log
>>
>> Password:xxxxxxxxxxxx
>>
>> ddrescue: error in logfile /Volumes/RecoveryDisk/MHD.log, line 0.
>>
>> mac:ddrescue-1.19 jn$
>>
>> Looks like my log is hosed.
>>
>> The disk I am writing to is a 1 TB with plenty of space and it's showing
>> up fine.
>>
>>
>> On Tue, May 5, 2015 at 11:36 PM, Robert Backhaus  wrote:
>>
>>> That is an error passed up from your OS. Possibilities include a full
>>> partition or a disconnected USB device.
>>>
>>> Any clues in the OS's log files?
>>>
>>> On 6 May 2015 at 16:33, John Parr <address@hidden> wrote:
>>> > Yikes!
>>> > Never seen this before. I am halfway through a 1 TB drive and this
>>> shows up.
>>> > Anyone got an idea how I can "fix the problem"?
>>> >
>>> > ddrescue: Error writing logfile '/Volumes/RecoveryDisk/MHD.log': Invalid
>>> > argument
>>> >
>>> > Fix the problem and press ENTER to retry, or Q+ENTER to abort.
>>> >
>>> > -John
>>> > _______________________________________________
>>> > Bug-ddrescue mailing list
>>> > address@hidden
>>> > https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/bug-ddrescue
>>>
>>
>>
>>
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