Repository directory is read only, not writable. Program Terminated
A partition and disk imaging/cloning program
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I have been using Clonzilla Live for years to clone from one drive to another with no issues, but now need to store an image to install on several hard drives. I have 2 PC's to use as repository storage. Both are Asus m/b's 1 is Intel 4th gen. i7, the other is AMD A78 with APU. I have tried Debian and Ubuntu both i686 and AMD64 from the newest to versions from 2015 and have the same issue of repository directory is read only. I have tried a GPT and MBR drive. I have also tried setting the SATA as IDE, RAID, and AHCI. In all it sees the hard drive but cannot write to it. Is there a trick to make this work?
Read only? Which file system do you have for your repository?
BTW, please make sure the file system integrity is flawless.
Steven
I first tried with a new 2 TB SATA -6 7200 RPM drive with the complete drive as a single partition format NTFS. It saw the drive and created a folder name, but then gave the error. Then I tried creating a folder to store the image in and had the same result on both PC's. I did not try with a drive that already had data stored on it not knowing if Clonezilla would format the drive or not.
I also had other errors, but after trying so many different versions of Clonezilla I don't remember which of these errors were with which version. I had an error Failed to find CPU device. ACPI error. ACPI BIOS error, and on the AMD PC I had a Radeon module error, and a buffer i/o error dev sr0. Not sure if sr0 was the laptop drive or the repository drive.
In that case, I suggest you do the memory test, and check if your hardware is flawless.
From the error messages you mentioned, normally this is hardware issue.
Steven
Thank you for your response. I will test all the hardware in both machines, and try a different hard drive. If I format the drive as NTFS can I create folders in Windows for the images to be stored in, or do the folders need to be created once I am in Clonzilla? Thanks again for your help
Hello Steve, I did find that not all of the memory was the same speed so corrected that on both PC's and installed a new 2 TB drive for image repository. Created a new install of Windows 7 on my laptop ran check disk and defragmented the drive, then tried to create an image and at the end where it would copy the image it gave me the same error. The image repository directory is read only not writable. This time the new drive was setup as GPT and has no data on it. All drives are connected SATA-6 and PC has 12 GB DDR3. I also flashed the BIOS to the latest. I am using new SATA cables. I am running Clonezilla AMD64 version 2.67.2.8 on a i7. I will try again on my AMD Athlon processor PC and see what happens. Thanks again for your help I forgot to mention that the image I am trying to copy is on a 2.5" SSD drive.
Last edit: Dave English 2023-02-08
I just tried using my AMD PC after memory test and BIOS update with the same outcome. Then tried again after converting repository drive to MBR but again received the read only error. Apparently I am doing something wrong but cannot figure out what it is? Near the end of the setup it displays a generic image name and I add a name to the end of the generic name, could that be the problem?
" I am running Clonezilla AMD64 version 2.67.2.8 on a i7" -> AMD64 is x86-64, so it works both for Intel and AMD CPUs.
Which version exactly are you using?
It's recommended to use the latest stable Clonezilla live, i.e. 3.0.2-21 or 2022103-kinetic:
https://clonezilla.org/downloads.php
Steven
I was using AMD64 version 2.67.2.8. When I try to run any newer version like AMD64 Debian or AMD64 Umbuntu both dated 01/2023 I don't see any ACPI or BIOS Broken errors as I do with the earlier version, but get the same result. But it takes almost 20 minutes to finally tell me Read Only. Thanks again for your time.
If it's possible, please describe the steps how you mount the image repository in detail, and take some photos about the error messages on the screen then share them. It would be easier for us to try to reproduce this issue.
Steven
Hello, The steps I take when trying to make an image to store in repository. I have 2 PC's that I can use and do the same steps. First I disconnect the O/S drive from the PC and connect the repository drive and the drive with the image I want using SATA-6 connections. The boot from Clonzilla Live CD. Then I follow the steps listed in the instructions from the Clonezilla Live doc updated 2.7.0-10 Save disk image. In this case my repository drive is new 2 TB WD 3.5" 5400 RPM and image is on a 2.5" 1 TB SSD. SATA is set as AHCI. Repository disk is sda1. I choose to skip checking file system. Then it asks which directory to store image and has 2 choices. 1 is recycle and the other is the directory that I made on the drive so I choose it and select done. Then I choose beginner mode, then savedisk. Then for input name I use the default name. Then choose local disk as source it shows the SSD which is sdb and choose ok. Then I choose zip the top compression choice. Then skip repairing. then check if image is restorable I skip. then for encryption I choose no. then I choose power off when finished. Then it finds sdb1,2, &5 and asks if I want to continue I choose yes and then get the error.
Follow the steps you have mentioned, I can not reproduce this issue using Clonezilla live 3.0.3-22.
I think maybe your repository, which is NTFS (?), need to do a file system check? Please try to do that in MS Windows to make sure its integrity is OK.
Steven
Hello Steven, Sorry for the delay in responding. When I first reported the issue you had the same response so at that time I had purchased a new hard drive, then even tried a 3rd new drive. So after trying this on 3 different PC's using 3 different new hard drives I have accepted the fact that there is no way to save the image. Thanks for all your time on this.
How come there is no way to save the image... You mentioned you tried 3 different new hard drives... They are client machines? The issue you have should be on the image repository, not on the client machine. How did you setup your image repository? How do you connect your client to the image repository? From what you have mentioned, it seems you use network file system?
Steven
Hello, The reason I cannot save the image is because of error "Read Only". The 3 new hard drives were for saving the image on the PC I am using as an image server. No not on the client machine. I setup the repository drive in Windows as an NTFS drive. I also tried with the drive setup as a GPT drive. I connect the client hard drive directly to a SATA3 port. I believe I have tried all different configurations possible and always get the same result. Repository Read Only.
I can not tell why your repository is read-only. We do have tried to use NTFS as an image repository and it works well. You might have to check if the permission is configured correctly, or the file system integrity is flawless.
Steven
The repository hard drive has no operating system installed and only has a folder created for storing the image. What needs to be set for permissions? I will be setting up permissions through Windows. What is the best file system to use for this?
You have to setup folder sharing on your MS Windows and configure the correct permission. Remember to give write permission to the account you want to allow access to this folder. You can refer to the docs, e.g.,
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/file-sharing-over-a-network-in-windows-b58704b2-f53a-4b82-7bc1-80f9994725bf
Then when using Clonezilla live, choose samba_server here when mounting the image repository:
https://clonezilla.org/clonezilla-live/doc/02_Restore_disk_image/images/ocs-07-1-img-repo.png
Steven
I understand how to setup sharing in a Windows environment, but do I need to create a user in Windows for Clonezilla Live to use? The Windows o/s is not connected to repository drive when using Clonezilla Live. The 2nd document you provided I have been choosing local dev. But I should be choosing Samba instead? I was not aware of that and will try it. Thank you
"The Windows o/s is not connected to repository drive when using Clonezilla Live. "
Actually I am confused... So where is the image repository? How do you connect the machine you want to deploy to the image repository?
Windows OS is for your image repository or the source machine you want to save the image?
"The 2nd document you provided I have been choosing local dev. " -> The 2nd URL is only an example, you should choose Samba, yes.
Steven
Hello Steven, I will try to explain. I sell laptops and PC's with specific diagnostic programs installed and used to use PowerQuest Drive Image to deploy images. Then I migrated to using Symantec Ghost Enterprise but my version of ghost is only 32 bit. My Server PC has many partitions and drive letters so when using Clonezilla Live I disconnect all drives except the repository drive, my DVD drive for running Clonezilla, and connect the source drive and recipient drive using SATA cables. I will try the Samba option soon and see how it goes. Thank you
OK, let us know when you have questions or issues.
Steven