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Asked: 2012-02-21 11:32:03 +0800 CST

tune2fs: Bad magic number in super-block while trying to open /dev/sdb1

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I am experiencing the above problem and I have no idea what caused this. Can someone help me figure this out?

1) I have already had my first disk /dev/sda working properly, now I am trying to create another FS on the 2nd disk:

$fdisk /dev/sdb [I pressed n, p, w under fdisk]

2) I took a look at the result of fdisk

$fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 1999.0 GB, 1998998994944 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 243031 cylinders, total 3904294912 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x000a6eb5

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *        2048  1953124351   976561152   83  Linux
/dev/sda2      1953126398  2070310911    58592257    5  Extended
/dev/sda5      1953126400  2070310911    58592256   82  Linux swap / Solaris

Disk /dev/sdb: 1999.0 GB, 1998998994944 bytes
31 heads, 7 sectors/track, 17992142 cylinders, total 3904294912 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disk identifier: 0x49802e7d

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdb1            2048  3904294911  1952146432   83  Linux

3) I make the following filesystem

$ mkfs.xfs -i size=1024 /dev/sdb

4) Now I see the problem...

$tune2fs -l /dev/sdb1 |grep -i inode
tune2fs: Bad magic number in super-block while trying to open /dev/sdb1
Couldn't find valid filesystem superblock.
linux filesystems

2 Answers

  1. You need to create the FS on /dev/sdb1, not /dev/sdb. 

    mkfs.xfs -i size=1024 /dev/sdb1

    (Might just be a typo in the question).

    More important: tune2fs is meant for ext2/3/4 file systems, not XFS, so this can't work at all. What do you want to do with tune2fs?

    • 9

  2. Try this:

    mke2fs -n /dev/sdX

    (-n is to not actually write, use --help) you should find superblocks location. Use this info (a number) to restore superblocks:

    e2fsck -b 123456 /dev/sdX

    to restore superblocks.. You might need to try several of the superblocks from the previous step.

    Then try again to mkfs.ext4 /dev/sdX (or whatever filesystem you want)

    Just in case someone find this thread and want the right answer.

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