[GH-ISSUE #37] can't read superblock #3

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opened 2026-03-07 19:21:12 +03:00 by kerem · 4 comments
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Originally created by @nicimar on GitHub (Nov 11, 2025).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/007revad/Synology_Recover_Data/issues/37

Hi,

I have a single HDD from my DS218+ which was SHR/volume1 btrfs and I tried to mount in ubuntu. It was the only HDD in this SHR and was replaced by a bigger one. It is mounted via your script but shows empty and it shows "can't read superblock" error while mounting. I thought this problem would only be present with an actual ubuntu version. I tried Ubuntu 19.10 (Eoan Ermine) as well as Ubuntu 18.04 which is recommended by Synology. Both show the same problem. After booting from USB stick I had to install mdadm via apt-get install before running your script as it was not installed by the script automatically. I guess it installed a newer version of mdadm causing the error with superblock.

root@ubuntu:/home/ubuntu# sudo /home/ubuntu/syno_recover_data.sh
Synology_Recover_Data v1.1.13

Assembling your Synology drives
mdadm: No arrays found in config file or automatically
1 logical volume(s) in volume group "vg1000" now active

Type yes if you are ready to mount /dev/vg1000/lv
to /home/ubuntu/vg1000
yes

Creating mount point folder(s)

Mounting volume(s)
mount: /home/ubuntu/vg1000: can't read superblock on /dev/mapper/vg1000-lv.

The volume is now mounted as read only.

You can now recover your data from:

  • Files > Home > vg1000
  • Files > vg1000
  • /home/ubuntu/vg1000 via Terminal

PVS/VGS/LVS show the following:

root@ubuntu:/# pvs
PV VG Fmt Attr PSize PFree
/dev/md127 vg1000 lvm2 a-- 7.27t 0
root@ubuntu:/# vgs
VG #PV #LV #SN Attr VSize VFree
vg1000 1 1 0 wz--n- 7.27t 0
root@ubuntu:/# lvs
LV VG Attr LSize Pool Origin Data% Meta% Move Log Cpy%Sync Convert
lv vg1000 -wi-a----- 7.27t

Originally created by @nicimar on GitHub (Nov 11, 2025). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/007revad/Synology_Recover_Data/issues/37 Hi, I have a single HDD from my DS218+ which was SHR/volume1 btrfs and I tried to mount in ubuntu. It was the only HDD in this SHR and was replaced by a bigger one. It is mounted via your script but shows empty and it shows "can't read superblock" error while mounting. I thought this problem would only be present with an actual ubuntu version. I tried Ubuntu 19.10 (Eoan Ermine) as well as Ubuntu 18.04 which is recommended by Synology. Both show the same problem. After booting from USB stick I had to install mdadm via apt-get install before running your script as it was not installed by the script automatically. I guess it installed a newer version of mdadm causing the error with superblock. root@ubuntu:/home/ubuntu# sudo /home/ubuntu/syno_recover_data.sh Synology_Recover_Data v1.1.13 Assembling your Synology drives mdadm: No arrays found in config file or automatically 1 logical volume(s) in volume group "vg1000" now active Type yes if you are ready to mount /dev/vg1000/lv to /home/ubuntu/vg1000 yes Creating mount point folder(s) Mounting volume(s) **mount: /home/ubuntu/vg1000: can't read superblock on /dev/mapper/vg1000-lv.** The volume is now mounted as read only. You can now recover your data from: - Files > Home > vg1000 - Files > vg1000 - /home/ubuntu/vg1000 via Terminal PVS/VGS/LVS show the following: root@ubuntu:/# pvs PV VG Fmt Attr PSize PFree /dev/md127 vg1000 lvm2 a-- 7.27t 0 root@ubuntu:/# vgs VG #PV #LV #SN Attr VSize VFree vg1000 1 1 0 wz--n- 7.27t 0 root@ubuntu:/# lvs LV VG Attr LSize Pool Origin Data% Meta% Move Log Cpy%Sync Convert lv vg1000 -wi-a----- 7.27t
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@007revad commented on GitHub (Nov 12, 2025):

The "can't read superblock" error is caused by your Ubuntu having the latest mdadm which does not support DSM's superblock location.

The script should have set /etc/apt/sources.list to install an older version of mdadm. Maybe the script skipped installing the needed version of mdadm because your Ubuntu boot drive already had mdadm installed.

In Ubuntu try:

apt update
apt install curl mdadm
<!-- gh-comment-id:3520201334 --> @007revad commented on GitHub (Nov 12, 2025): The "can't read superblock" error is caused by your Ubuntu having the latest mdadm which does not support DSM's superblock location. The script should have set /etc/apt/sources.list to install an older version of mdadm. Maybe the script skipped installing the needed version of mdadm because your Ubuntu boot drive already had mdadm installed. In Ubuntu try: ``` apt update apt install curl mdadm ```
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@nicimar commented on GitHub (Nov 13, 2025):

after booting ubuntu from stick I got an error when the script starts:

root@ubuntu:~# sudo -i /home/ubuntu/syno_recover_data.sh
Synology_Recover_Data v1.1.13
/home/ubuntu/syno_recover_data.sh: line 134: curl: command not found
ERROR mdadm not installed!

the script did not install mdadm automatically but the sources.list was adopted by your script:

deb cdrom:[Ubuntu 19.10 Eoan Ermine - Release amd64 (20191017)]/ eoan main restricted
deb http://old-releases.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ eoan main restricted
deb http://old-releases.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ eoan-security main restricted
deb http://old-releases.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ eoan-updates main restricted

so I did apt update und apt install curl mdadm

mdadm version 4.1 was installed:
root@ubuntu:~# mdadm --version
mdadm - v4.1 – 2018-10-01
Is this a version which should able to read the superblock?

I repeated everything with a freshly installed usb boot stick and got the same behavior.

mount: /home/ubuntu/vg1000: can't read superblock on /dev/mapper/vg1000-lv.

My NAS is a Synolgy DS218+ with DSM 7.2.2 Update 4.

<!-- gh-comment-id:3525812124 --> @nicimar commented on GitHub (Nov 13, 2025): after booting ubuntu from stick I got an error when the script starts: root@ubuntu:~# sudo -i /home/ubuntu/syno_recover_data.sh Synology_Recover_Data v1.1.13 /home/ubuntu/syno_recover_data.sh: line 134: curl: command not found ERROR mdadm not installed! the script did not install mdadm automatically but the sources.list was adopted by your script: deb cdrom:[Ubuntu 19.10 _Eoan Ermine_ - Release amd64 (20191017)]/ eoan main restricted deb http://old-releases.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ eoan main restricted deb http://old-releases.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ eoan-security main restricted deb http://old-releases.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ eoan-updates main restricted so I did apt update und apt install curl mdadm mdadm version 4.1 was installed: root@ubuntu:~# mdadm --version mdadm - v4.1 – 2018-10-01 Is this a version which should able to read the superblock? I repeated everything with a freshly installed usb boot stick and got the same behavior. mount: /home/ubuntu/vg1000: can't read superblock on /dev/mapper/vg1000-lv. My NAS is a Synolgy DS218+ with DSM 7.2.2 Update 4.
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Owner

@007revad commented on GitHub (Nov 14, 2025):

I can't find my Ubuntu USB boot drive (after moving recently).

But I do know that mdadm v4.4 is the latest. Both v4.4 and v4.3 are from 2024. DSM 6.2.4 and 7.3.1 use madam v3.4

Try uninstalling mdadm then apt install mdadm=<version_number>.

sudo apt install mdadm=3.4-4ubuntu0.1
<!-- gh-comment-id:3530799230 --> @007revad commented on GitHub (Nov 14, 2025): I can't find my Ubuntu USB boot drive (after moving recently). But I do know that mdadm v4.4 is the latest. Both v4.4 and v4.3 are from 2024. DSM 6.2.4 and 7.3.1 use madam v3.4 Try uninstalling mdadm then `apt install mdadm=<version_number>`. ``` sudo apt install mdadm=3.4-4ubuntu0.1 ```
Author
Owner

@nicimar commented on GitHub (Nov 17, 2025):

Thx for the reply. I did get it working with version mdadm 4.1 to read the superblock and mount the volume after I changed the USB - SATA Adapter. But now I get E/A errors and it is not possible to copy some part of the data. Anyway, I decided to reinstall the drive into the NAS to copy the data. I guess it is maybe a better idea not to use Btrfs Volumes on Synology NAS when it is so difficult to mount it with a Linux distribution. I think Synology should provide a simple solution e.g. a full working ubuntu ISO for the case if emergency or at least make it clear in the documentation. Thx for your help and your work on the scripts.

<!-- gh-comment-id:3542061275 --> @nicimar commented on GitHub (Nov 17, 2025): Thx for the reply. I did get it working with version mdadm 4.1 to read the superblock and mount the volume after I changed the USB - SATA Adapter. But now I get E/A errors and it is not possible to copy some part of the data. Anyway, I decided to reinstall the drive into the NAS to copy the data. I guess it is maybe a better idea not to use Btrfs Volumes on Synology NAS when it is so difficult to mount it with a Linux distribution. I think Synology should provide a simple solution e.g. a full working ubuntu ISO for the case if emergency or at least make it clear in the documentation. Thx for your help and your work on the scripts.
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