[ solved partly ] Hard drive disappears/reappears

[wedgetail]

as
Earlier today when installing KDE, I happened to take note of the LiveCD LABEL when looking with filemanager. Have just repeated in Win2000 as I was checking this now will Dual Boot(it does) and the "livecd20110640" can be seen, since I often use the universal date,time code I got 'suspicous' and have just checked three others CD's cut from ISO's.

I am convinced there is a good clue here, 201106.. and I have the LiveCD 2011.06, the only question outstanding is what DE and I am looking in the help files next. (Good idea to mark the CD when you make it  , though if you use CD-RW's it is hard to keep up)

Above also agrees with using your suggestion (I think, if you are hinting at the files date,time stamping)  

Edit:
Just discovered that using Dolphin looking at the CD is even better, more characters: "livecd 2011061401:11" that is the LiveCD which installed and it is the KDE as file size 675.3 MiB, remebered that the mini is much less of course.

[AS]

as

I am convinced there is a good clue here, 201106.. and I have the LiveCD 2011.06

md5sum of the disk should remove any doubt 

Above also agrees with using your suggestion (I think, if you are hinting at the files date,time stamping)  

Yes 

[wedgetail]

as
I did do some md5sum checking too, I have the md5sum for most of my ISO but I am not sure how I check a cut CD for md5sum.  I mounted the CD at /here and then in konsole tried md5sum /here  

Well I am happy with being able to figure where LiveCD fit in the order. First time I have had to do that.

Added:
I am starting to feel singled out being amongst the few perhaps only one that can not install KDE-mini from a good old LiveCD. If it was one pc ok but two rather different ones.     so I will try a 3rd one.

[AS]

as
I did do some md5sum checking too, I have the md5sum for most of my ISO but I am not sure how I check a cut CD for md5sum.  I mounted the CD at /here and then in konsole tried md5sum /here 

Well I am happy with being able to figure where LiveCD fit in the order. First time I have had to do that.

no, don't mount the media, only type:
md5sum /dev/sr0

[wedgetail]

as
Yes of course   well it really is too late.  Attempting to use the KDE-mini LiveCD on another pc failed but draklive-install got further and found the partitions available. Then decided none could be used.

I don't understand at all what I am up against here.  

[Old-Polack]

wedgetail:

The md5sum for the pclinuxos-kde-minime-2011.09.iso, direct from the pclinuxos-kde-minime-2011.09.md5sum file you should have downloaded along with the pclinuxos-kde-minime-2011.09.iso file.

0bd0bd48276ec9b4d4db84bdf1fa46a5  pclinuxos-kde-minime-2011.09.iso

[AS]

as
Yes of course   well it really is too late.  Attempting to use the KDE-mini LiveCD on another pc failed but draklive-install got further and found the partitions available. Then decided none could be used.

 

What action you choose at time of installation ? use existing partition, use free space, custom ... what ?
Also, possibly post the partition table, (fdisk -l).

[wedgetail]

old-polack
Thanks for the md5sum, I need it as I find it hard to believe what I am experiencing.

0bd0bd48276ec9b4d4db84bdf1fa46a5  pclinuxos-kde-minime-2011.09.iso   from my USB465-1B store
0bd0bd48276ec9b4d4db84bdf1fa46a5  pclinuxos-kde-minime-2011.09.iso   from old-polack post
At least this confirms I do have KDE-minime 2011.09.iso (starting think of downloading again)

From the burnt CD

Code: [Select]

[gert@localhost ~]$ md5sum /dev/sr0
0bd0bd48276ec9b4d4db84bdf1fa46a5  /dev/sr0
0bd0bd48276ec9b4d4db84bdf1fa46a5  <---------- copy old-polack
[gert@localhost ~]$


as
My apology, my last post does not live up to my aspirations.  I will make amends an repeat my exercise taking notes this time. I was further rattled by the fact that that pc already appeared to have two KDE-mini 2011.xx systems installed, from LiveCD's. I have plenty of space on the single drive, set up following old-polack procedure, manually fdisk'ed Pri1, Pri2,Pri3, Ext to the limit.

Since I seem to have a KDE LiveCD 2011.06 that has not failed I will just try to start an install from that and watch the process. Let it fly on the last existing partition, which has not been given a fs yet. (that was also my selection for KDE-mini attempt last night)

[wedgetail]

Trying to use my "good KDE 2011.06 installer" on pc3 was an eyeopener, this now failed similarly to KDE-mini

Code: [Select]

[root@localhost guest]# draklive-install
/media/ user
Backtrace has 11 calls on stack:
  11: /usr/lib/libparted.so.0(ped_assert+0x29) [0xb72a98b9]
  10: /usr/lib/libparted.so.0(+0x41435) [0xb72df435]
  9: /usr/lib/libparted.so.0(+0x422b7) [0xb72e02b7]
  8: /usr/lib/libparted.so.0(+0x436aa) [0xb72e16aa]
  7: /usr/lib/libparted.so.0(+0x1028e) [0xb72ae28e]
  6: /usr/lib/libparted.so.0(ped_disk_add_partition+0x271) [0xb72b1bf1]
  5: /usr/lib/libparted.so.0(+0x450e3) [0xb72e30e3]
  4: /usr/lib/libparted.so.0(+0x4530e) [0xb72e330e]
  3: /usr/lib/libparted.so.0(ped_disk_new+0x79) [0xb72b2a29]
  2: /usr/lib/libDrakX/auto/c/stuff/stuff.so(XS_c__stuff_get_disk_type+0x1ed) [0xb7754fd5]
  1: /usr/lib/perl5/5.10.1/i386-linux-thread-multi/CORE/libperl.so(Perl_pp_entersub+0x56e) [0xb77fa1ee]
A bug has been detected in GNU Parted.  Refer to the web site of parted http://www.gnu.org/software/parted/parted.html for more information of what could be useful for bug submitting!  Please email a bug report to bug-parted@gnu.org containing at least the version (2.3) and the following message:  Assertion (head_size <= 63) at dos.c:661 in function probe_partition_for_geom() failed.
Aborted
[root@localhost guest]#
From Synaptic I get:
draklive-install ver 1.30 1pclos2011

Well sometimes it gets hard    I will add later the outcome of a repeat using KDE-mini failing last night just to get the details recorded.

Edit:
That was a quick test. Now I get the same failure as above, problem with or for parted I have the record but will leave it out of post as it is getting a bit repetitive.

Ok, LXDE 2011.06 on a CD-RW, did not fail installing on pc1, I am going to try this on pc3. This Edit is written from KDE-mini on pc3, so at some stage I must have had a LiveCD that worked. It is an older kernel too.

Code: [Select]

[gert@localhost ~]$ uname -r
2.6.33.7-pclos6.bfs
[gert@localhost ~]$


[AS]

wedgetail,

is this the same machine of this thread ?    may be the bug is in BIOS  ?
http://www.pclinuxos.com/forum/index.php/topic,96614.0.html

[wedgetail]

as
No that is what I will call pc2, the machine I have been using almost exclusively for Linux. This still has some problem which for example kills my use of LivHDD, ie all goes well until I try to do an install from a LiveHDD. I keep this in mind. It has several OS, it is the machine listed in my signature. And two KDE versions in particular. KDE 2010 no longer being updated to avoid problems and KDE-mini fully updated.

The very latest tests I am running on pc3, our latest machine which was meant to take over from pc1, which used to be our master machine running Win2000 for over 10 years, with maintenance of course, so when the hard drive started giving problems I was not surprised. The old master machine was running dual screen for use with some big geographical mapping program which will not be available in Linux and I am not going to try wine. I have spent a long time transferring applications as required to this machine and it was not really meant to be dual booting, but then I had some problems and needed a test bed and decided to put a little bit of Linux here, with a thought of teaching my wife slowly.  As well it is brilliant to have as emergency if XP fails (upgraded to XP because my local MS support wizard indicated he was no longer keeping up with Win 2000, fair enough)

pc1 - 80 GB drive
pc2 2 x 1000G identical drives, fdisk will often show more drives connected
pc3 - 500 GB

This may be helpfull for the time being as a rough guide to what machines.

Back to the problem, I think I am on to something. The word "drive geometry" stuck in my head after the frist draklive-install failures, should have stood back at that time and done some thinking, but nothing triggered an understanding.  I may have two problems, the problem on pc3 may be slightly different.  On pc3, I will show what happened when I tried to use konsole and fdisk to add a new partition, as I basically had over 200 GB spare.  

Here is pc3 fdisk -l

Code: [Select]

[root@localhost gert]# fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 500.1 GB, 500106780160 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders, total 976771055 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: 0x2411d025

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *          63    30732344    15366141    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2        30732345    92164904    30716280    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3        92164905   348160679   127997887+   7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda4       348162696   976768064   314302684+   f  W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda5       348162728   373328551    12582912   83  Linux
/dev/sda6       373330600   425759399    26214400   83  Linux
/dev/sda7       425770758   474544034    24386638+  83  Linux
/dev/sda8       474544098   499733954    12594928+  83  Linux
/dev/sda9       499734018   507911039     4088511   82  Linux swap / Solaris

/dev/sda10        there was a partition here, I thought it went to the end, no longer sure as it finally was deleted

I could add the default start location, but to add the end sector with +20G I got out of range, this was where I fell asleep on the job well and truely.
 
I deleted /dev/sda10 as obviously that spanned to the end of the drive (I assumed, because it should???) Then trying to add a new smaller partition and again the start default looked fine (did not check very closely the sector number, real bad move) when adding +20GB still out of range. A cup of coffee did not help, I gave up and thought I will leave it to draklive-install to fix it when installing (also bad thinking, I know at this stage that something is not right) then I got my calculator and pen out this morning.

In the following partition table I have added the inter partition sector step calculations, I could not believe it, even when my hair layed down again.  . Below is a cut from the sequence using fdisk on pc3-/dev/sda (only a single drive, thank heavens)

I have just done "p" to show what I have and then I do the "n" for new.  Notice that the default start for the new partition is in the "middle" of the table, I did not notice, I simply "new" the default stat should be right, oh yeah, , dead give away.  May remember this for some time to come.

You will see I have added the columns with plus in front of values.
the start sector value is 63 or 2048
sector jumps between primary partitions are 1 and ??
sector jumps between logical partitions 64 or 2048
It is also possible to get 'unused space adjusters'
...
I am now getting a bit confused, as I am not sure I have drive table done with just fdisk-old or fdisk-new to check.

In the table below, there is 2 sector jumps that is not 2049 or 2048 that bothers me, then there is the big sector jump of 11359, I could accept this a an adjuster.

Ok, now what happens when I try to calculate the correct start sector, well I almost got it right as you will see, and fdisk helps me out.

Code: [Select]

Command (m for help): p

Disk /dev/sda: 500.1 GB, 500106780160 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders, total 976771055 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: 0x2411d025

   Device Boot      Start         End          Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *          63    30732344 +1          15366141    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2        30732345    92164904 +1          30716280    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3        92164905   348160679 +2017      127997887+   7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda4       348162696   976768064 +2664      314302684+   f  W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda5       348162728   373328551 +2049    12582912   83  Linux
/dev/sda6       373330600   425759399 +11359      26214400   83  Linux
/dev/sda7       425770758   474544034   +64         24386638+  83  Linux
/dev/sda8       474544098   499733954 +64         12594928+  83  Linux
/dev/sda9       499734018   507911039 +2049        4088511   82  Linux swap / Solaris

Command (m for help): n
First sector (425761448-976768064, default 425761448): "I calculated 507913087 by adding 2048"

Below I have added my my calculated start sector, from the last line above and my +20G works:

Code: [Select]

First sector (425761448-976768064, default 425761448): 507913087
Sector 507913087 is already allocated
First sector (507913088-976768064, default 507913088):
Using default value 507913088
Last sector, +sectors or +size{K,M,G} (507913088-976768064, default 976768064): +20G

Command (m for help):

Command (m for help): p

Disk /dev/sda: 500.1 GB, 500106780160 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders, total 976771055 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: 0x2411d025

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *          63    30732344    15366141    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda2        30732345    92164904    30716280    7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda3        92164905   348160679   127997887+   7  HPFS/NTFS
/dev/sda4       348162696   976768064   314302684+   f  W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda5       348162728   373328551    12582912   83  Linux
/dev/sda6       373330600   425759399    26214400   83  Linux
/dev/sda7       425770758   474544034    24386638+  83  Linux
/dev/sda8       474544098   499733954    12594928+  83  Linux
/dev/sda9       499734018   507911039     4088511   82  Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda10      507913088   549856127    20971520   83  Linux

Command (m for help):

The table now shows my new 20G partition and I will add a file system. The problem will remain I believe draklive-install will tumble on the gap, I don't know yet, I don't know how the gap got there either.  I am hoping this would remove the draklive-install failure on my pc3, at least that would be one problem out of the way. I will be looking on a couple of other drives to see if I can get a clue to what is allowable.

old-polack
A simple repair suggestion?  Or something I might try?  Was thinking of fishing out my standalone GPARTED CD?

Edit:
If this gives any indication
Just tried to install LXDE 2011.06 on pc3-/dev/sda10 it sailed through the process in record time

[wedgetail]

as

  The link you gave to a previous thread of mine, I was very quick to say no, too quick. The answer was in there, I did not recognise it until I made a second read when I started reviewing where I was.  I had exhausted all my avenues.  The fact that LXDE seemed to install fine and then suddenly stopped did not ring the bell it should.

Reviewing the link you gave I find my problem is some USB memory sticks  cause problems

I am presently running on pc1 a 20GB IBM DeskStar hard drive, where LXDE 2011.09 slipped in without problems and then later could not repeat the process.  Like many people I now use a memory stick allowing me to copy details from konsole to a text file as a record.   The timing of installing the USB stick is crucial, if the USB stick is installed before draklive-install is used the problem shows up. I was now in the habit of installing the USB stick right before booting, then on a few occasions when I moved the stick to pc2 to answer in Forum I would forget to bring it back to pc1 before the next attempted install, which would then be a success.

Well KDE-mini has just finished a complete update from my nearest mirror. I expect that pc2 and pc3 will respond the same.  I can't say I am full of energy to prove they will as this exercise have drained me a fair bit. Perhaps another day

I am hoping that perhaps I might also find that USB stick and my USB hard drives that is used on pc2 extensively may be part of the problem with not being able to install LiveHDD runs.  Not too confident as there was something about having to ensure that only one hard drive internally was installed.

The last run installing KDE-mini was not quite as clean as I had hoped for, I will post the result of the draklive-install using konsole.  Perhaps the age of the system but it works.

Code: [Select]

[root@localhost ~]# draklive-install
/media/ user
mount: wrong fs type, bad option, bad superblock on /dev/sda1,
       missing codepage or helper program, or other error
       In some cases useful info is found in syslog - try
       dmesg | tail  or so

mount: wrong fs type, bad option, bad superblock on /dev/sda2,
       missing codepage or helper program, or other error
       In some cases useful info is found in syslog - try
       dmesg | tail  or so

mount: wrong fs type, bad option, bad superblock on /dev/sda3,
       missing codepage or helper program, or other error
       In some cases useful info is found in syslog - try
       dmesg | tail  or so

umount: /dev/sda3: not mounted
tune2fs 1.41.14 (22-Dec-2010)
kde-mini: clean, 11/393216 files, 60559/1572864 blocks
Setting up swapspace version 1, size = 530108 KiB
no label, UUID=9ed2133c-7fa8-4942-96f2-8dc13873b73d
tar: ./home/guest/tmp/akonadi-guest.r4OTOr/akonadiserver.socket: socket ignored
tar: ./home/guest/tmp/akonadi-guest.r4OTOr/mysql.socket: socket ignored
tar: ./home/guest/tmp/ksocket-guest/klauncherMT3399.slave-socket: socket ignored
tar: ./home/guest/tmp/ksocket-guest/kdeinit4__0: socket ignored
tar: ./var/lib/portreserve/portreserve.sock: socket ignored
tar: ./var/run/acpid.socket: socket ignored
tar: ./var/run/xdmctl/dmctl-\:0/socket: socket ignored
tar: ./var/run/xdmctl/dmctl/socket: socket ignored
tar: ./var/run/uuidd/request: socket ignored
tar: ./var/run/saslauthd/mux: socket ignored
tar: ./var/run/nscd/socket: socket ignored
tar: ./var/run/dbus/system_bus_socket: socket ignored
tar: ./var/run/avahi-daemon/socket: socket ignored
tar: ./usr/bin/gpg: Read error at byte 0, while reading 9216 bytes: Input/output error
tar: ./usr/bin/gpg2: Read error at byte 0, while reading 7168 bytes: Input/output error
tar: ./usr/bin/gpgconf: Read error at byte 0, while reading 10240 bytes: Input/output error
tar: ./usr/bin/gpgkey2ssh: Read error at byte 0, while reading 5632 bytes: Input/output error
tar: ./usr/bin/gpgparsemail: Read error at byte 0, while reading 5120 bytes: Input/output error
tar: Exiting with failure status due to previous errors
Warning: syslog is needed by crond in runlevel 2
Warning: syslog is needed by crond in runlevel 3
Warning: syslog is needed by crond in runlevel 4
Warning: syslog is needed by crond in runlevel 5
Warning: syslog is needed by crond in runlevel 2
Warning: syslog is needed by crond in runlevel 3
Warning: syslog is needed by crond in runlevel 4
Warning: syslog is needed by crond in runlevel 5
Warning: syslog is needed by crond in runlevel 2
Warning: syslog is needed by crond in runlevel 3
Warning: syslog is needed by crond in runlevel 4
Warning: syslog is needed by crond in runlevel 5
Warning: syslog is needed by crond in runlevel 2
Warning: syslog is needed by crond in runlevel 3
Warning: syslog is needed by crond in runlevel 4
Warning: syslog is needed by crond in runlevel 5
error reading information on service cups: No such file or directory
mount: wrong fs type, bad option, bad superblock on /dev/sda1,
       missing codepage or helper program, or other error
       In some cases useful info is found in syslog - try
       dmesg | tail  or so

mount: wrong fs type, bad option, bad superblock on /dev/sda2,
       missing codepage or helper program, or other error
       In some cases useful info is found in syslog - try
       dmesg | tail  or so

Gtk-CRITICAL **: gtk_cell_view_set_cell_data: assertion `cell_view->priv->displayed_row != NULL' failed at /usr/lib/libDrakX/interactive/gtk.pm line 522.
Gtk-CRITICAL **: gtk_cell_view_set_cell_data: assertion `cell_view->priv->displayed_row != NULL' failed at /usr/lib/libDrakX/interactive/gtk.pm line 522.
Gtk-CRITICAL **: gtk_cell_view_set_cell_data: assertion `cell_view->priv->displayed_row != NULL' failed at /usr/lib/libDrakX/interactive/gtk.pm line 522.
Gtk-CRITICAL **: gtk_cell_view_set_cell_data: assertion `cell_view->priv->displayed_row != NULL' failed at /usr/lib/libDrakX/interactive/gtk.pm line 522.
Gtk-CRITICAL **: gtk_cell_view_set_cell_data: assertion `cell_view->priv->displayed_row != NULL' failed at /usr/lib/libDrakX/interactive/gtk.pm line 522.
error reading information on service acpi: No such file or directory
Stopping acpi daemon:                                               [FAILED]
Starting acpi daemon:                                               [  OK  ]


    GNU GRUB  version 0.97  (640K lower / 3072K upper memory)

 [ Minimal BASH-like line editing is supported.  For the first word, TAB
   lists possible command completions.  Anywhere else TAB lists the possible
   completions of a device/filename. ]
grub> root (hd0,2)
 Filesystem type is ext2fs, partition type 0x83
grub> setup --stage2=/boot/grub/stage2 (hd0,2)
 Checking if "/boot/grub/stage1" exists... yes
 Checking if "/boot/grub/stage2" exists... yes
 Checking if "/boot/grub/e2fs_stage1_5" exists... yes
 Running "embed /boot/grub/e2fs_stage1_5 (hd0,2)"... failed (this is not fatal)
 Running "embed /boot/grub/e2fs_stage1_5 (hd0,2)"... failed (this is not fatal)
 Running "install --stage2=/boot/grub/stage2 /boot/grub/stage1 (hd0,2) /boot/grub/stage2 p /boot/grub/menu.lst "... succeeded
Done.
grub> quit
cp: cannot stat `/usr/share/icons/large/mandriva.png': No such file or directory
cp: cannot stat `/usr/share/icons/large/mandriva.png': No such file or directory
umount: /mnt/install: device is busy.
        (In some cases useful info about processes that use
         the device is found by lsof(8) or fuser(1))
umount: /mnt/install: device is busy.
        (In some cases useful info about processes that use
         the device is found by lsof(8) or fuser(1))
[root@localhost ~]#

[wedgetail]

as
Still dissecting a bit of this problem. I found your topic about the umount, which I have seen a few times the last few days 

umount: /mnt/install: device is busy.
        (In some cases useful info about processes that use
         the device is found by lsof( or fuser(1))
umount: /mnt/install: device is busy.
        (In some cases useful info about processes that use
         the device is found by lsof( or fuser(1))

Is it possible that PCLOSlive-install will fix this?

grub> geometry (hd2)  < ------------------- Gert: 2GB USB stick

drive 0x82: C/H/S = 1940/32/63, The number of sectors = 3911616, /dev/sdc
   Partition num: 0,  Filesystem type is fat, partition type 0x6


grub> geometry (hd4)  < ----------------- Gert: the offending 4GB USB RAM

drive 0x84: C/H/S = 4137/86/22, The number of sectors = 7827456, /dev/sde
   Partition num: 0,  Filesystem type is fat, partition type 0xc


 Assertion (head_size <= 63) at dos.c:661 in function probe_partition_for_geom() failed.
Aborted

I have concluded that this may be what the problem may be.  The roving USB is the 4GB ie CHS = 4137/86/22 and Ihave taken the liberty of interpreting the 22 as the problem being <=63.

[AS]

as
Still dissecting a bit of this problem. I found your topic about the umount, which I have seen a few times the last few days 

umount: /mnt/install: device is busy.
        (In some cases useful info about processes that use
         the device is found by lsof( or fuser(1))
umount: /mnt/install: device is busy.
        (In some cases useful info about processes that use
         the device is found by lsof( or fuser(1))

Is it possible that PCLOSlive-install will fix this?

No, this is a small issue that only apply to installation phase, unrelated to your real issue, in fact it happen at shutdown, in both cases, when you start the live system and then draklive-install and when you launch the install directly from grub.

grub> geometry (hd2)  < ------------------- Gert: 2GB USB stick

drive 0x82: C/H/S = 1940/32/63, The number of sectors = 3911616, /dev/sdc
   Partition num: 0,  Filesystem type is fat, partition type 0x6


grub> geometry (hd4)  < ----------------- Gert: the offending 4GB USB RAM

drive 0x84: C/H/S = 4137/86/22, The number of sectors = 7827456, /dev/sde
   Partition num: 0,  Filesystem type is fat, partition type 0xc


 Assertion (head_size <= 63) at dos.c:661 in function probe_partition_for_geom() failed.
Aborted

I have concluded that this may be what the problem may be.  The roving USB is the 4GB ie CHS = 4137/86/22 and Ihave taken the liberty of interpreting the 22 as the problem being <=63.

... hmmm ... I' can't say yes or no, but adding doubts to existing doubts ... you are going nowhere   

[wedgetail]

as

I think you are right, I am going nowhere. I have tried 5 other USB sticks and they do not prevent draklive-installing. The particular one I happened to use use is causing trouble consistently.

A bit more googling also indicates that the USB sticks are known for causing trouble when parted or like is used.

As long as I keep the USB sticks out I should be right. pc1 which started by indicating the hard drive was on the way out has not missed a beat now for 3 days.  Will let it run for few more days and make a decision what to with it.