badblocks: Resource busy while trying to determine device size

Question

I am trying to run bad blocks on macOS High Sierra 10.13.6. I installed bad blocks using macports. I keep encountering errors when attempting to run it and I am not sure how to even get bad blocks running

sudo badblocks -c 4096 -s -w -o /Users/mcbeav/Desktop/blocks.txt /dev/disk0s2

This keeps returning the error

badblocks: Resource busy while trying to determine device size

If I try

sudo badblocks -c 4096 -s -w -o /Users/mcbeav/Desktop/blocks.txt /dev/disk0

I get the error

badblocks: Value too large to be stored in data type invalid end block (7813820416): must be 32-bit value

Can anyone please help me out?

Answer 1

My recommendation is that you:

a) Run badblocks via the Mac OS X console in Recovery Mode

High Sierra (10.13+) along with APFS (file format system) prevent certain operations on disk. You'll have to be in recovery mode or turn off disk protection to do as you propose.

Turn off your Mac (Apple > Shut Down).
Hold down Command-R and press the Power button. ...
Wait for OS X to boot into the OS X Utilities window.
Choose Utilities > Terminal.
Enter csrutil disable.
Enter reboot.

Mac OS X Workaround:

My sense from past experience is that you are hitting the MacOSX security features (Disk protection and app certification).

Booting to Ubuntu (USB Stick) and running the badblocks test that way is going to be easier. (In my opinion)

I hope this points you in the right direction.