How to Fix “can’t read superblock” Error on Linux (ext4 & Btrfs)

Recently my Linux desktop computer can’t mount my 5TB external hard disk drive (HDD), and the file manager displays the “can’t read superblock” error on the screen. I’m going to share with you what I did to fix the error, so if you are in the same situation, this article may help you.

But before doing that, I want to explain some basic knowledge about hard disk drives and filesystems on Linux, so you will really know what you are doing. If you don’t care about those details, you can jump directly to the solution. A hard disk drive (HDD) is magnetic disk. A solid-state drive (SSD) is electronic disk.

The Structure of Hard Disk Drive

A hard disk drive usually has several circular platters stacked vertically with a spindle that rotates the disk in the center. Each platter is coated with a magnetizable material to record data. Each platter surface is divided into tens of thousands of tracks. It’s like running tracks in sports.

Read the full tutorial here: https://www.linuxbabe.com/desktop-linux/fix-cant-read-superblock-error