5 Tips to Fix 'Unable to Perform Action Due to I/O Device Error'

"The request could not be completed due to an input/output device error."

The “Input/output device error” usually occurs when you try to read from or write to an external hard drive, SD card, USB flash drive, CD or DVD on Windows 10/8/7.

Typically, when you attempt to access its files, you get an I/O device error, stating that “The request could not be performed because of an I/O device error.”

The request could not be completed because of an I/O device error.

Quick Guide: 5 Ways to Fix I/O Device Errors Yourself (UTF-8)

To address your concern, you can promptly rectify the I/O device error on your storage device by following the methods and corresponding guidelines outlined below.

Overview of "I/O Device Error"

An I/O Device Error typically occurs when a user tries to open a hard drive or an external storage device. How do you know if you're dealing with this error, and what should you do when it happens? Let's find out.

Symptoms

• "The request could not be completed due to an input/output device error."
• "Only part of a read process memory or write process memory request was completed."
• "Input/output error codes: Error 6, Error 21, Error 103, Error 105, Error 131."

Causes

• Connection issues between the storage device and the computer
• Outdated device drivers: Windows attempts to use a transfer mode unsupported by the hardware device
• The device is damaged or infected with a virus, displaying as "Unknown Disk, Uninitialized"

Here are some suggestions for dealing with I/O device errors on your device:

1. Cease using the device immediately. 2. Avoid frequently unplugging the device. 3. Do not attempt to format, erase, or re-partition the device. 4. Attempt to resolve this error yourself by following the methods provided below in顺序.

Depending on the root cause, you can resolve the I/O device error on your external/internal hard drive using the following methods:

Recovering Data from an I/O Device Error (Recommended)

If you've lost important data from your external hard drive, USB flash drive, or SD card either before or after an I/O error, you can use the Data Recovery Wizard tool to restore your files.

Tool for Data Recovery supports recovery of deleted data, formatted files, and RAW file recovery. To recover data from a device showing I/O Device Error, follow these steps:

Step 1: Scan the Hard Disk Partition

Select the hard drive where you lost or deleted the files. Click “Scan” to have the data recovery tool scan all lost data and files on the selected drive.

Select the location and scan the hard drive

Step 2: Check the results

Once the scanning is over, you can use the “Filter” option or click on “Find Lost Files or Folders” to look for the lost files from the hard drive.

Step 3: Recover Lost Hard Drive Data

Select the files you need from the disk and click “Recover” to save them to another location.

Method 1: Check and Change Your Device Connection

Advantages: Simple, fast, and no data loss.

Disadvantages:

Here are some tips to check if I/O errors are caused by a loose or faulty cable/USB port:

Check if the cable is loose, and tighten it if necessary. If the cable is damaged, replace it with a new one and reconnect your device. Connect the external hard drive or USB to a different port (preferably a rear one). If you have access to another computer, try connecting the same device to it.

If the I/O device error persists, don't worry; there are more methods to try.

Method 2: Update or Reinstall Device Drivers

Pros: Simple, fast, and no data loss.

Disadvantage: Incorrect use can lead to serious problems. Proceed with caution!

Outdated device drivers can be one of the potential causes behind various issues with your devices, such as "No media in the specified device", USB not showing up in Windows, or "I/O device error with a request".

Step 1: Connect the device showing "I/O Device Error" to your computer, right click on "My Computer" and choose "Manage".

Step 2: Click on "Device Manager," and then expand "Disk Drives."

Step 3: Right-click the problematic device and select "Update Driver."

Step 4: Click on “Search automatically for updated driver software.”

Wait for the driver to finish updating, then restart your computer. After that, check your device to see if the I/O error is still there.

Method 3: Fix the I/O Device Error - Change the IDE Transfer Mode

Pros: No data loss.

Drawback: Incorrect usage can lead to serious problems. Proceed with caution!

As mentioned above, you might encounter the error message “The request could not be performed because of an I/O device error” if Windows tries to use a transfer mode that your device doesn't support. To fix the I/O error, you need to change the transfer mode following these steps:

Step 1: Press Win+X to open the menu, and then choose Device Manager.

Step 2: Expand the "IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers" entry. A submenu will appear, listing the various IDE ATA/ATAPI channels on your computer.

Step 3: Right-click the channel with the appropriate drive connected, and click Properties.

Note: Do not change the settings for Device 0 on the "Primary IDE Channel." Changing the transfer mode for Device 0 can cause system operation errors.

4. On the Advanced Settings tab, clear the Enable MDA check box in the Transfer mode box for the device that represents the drive.

Step 5: Click “OK” to close all the windows.

Test the drive to see if the “The request could not be performed because of an I/O device error” message is gone.

Method 4: Repair the I/O Device Error by Sending it in for Repairs

Pros: No data loss.

Disadvantages: Expensive. May infringe on privacy.

If none of the above solutions fix the I/O Device Error, you'll need to manually repair the device. You can do this in one of three ways:

1. Contact the device manufacturer for hardware repair services. 2. Take the device to a local repair center for manual fixing. 3. Opt for a customized manual device repair and data recovery service.

Here, you can attempt to use utilities for manual disk repair and data recovery services:

Tool Data Recovery Service

Contact our experts for a free evaluation.

Consult with Tool Data Recovery specialists for one-on-one manual recovery services. After a free diagnosis, we offer the following services:

• Repair damaged RAID structures, unbootable Windows OS, and corrupted virtual disk files (.vmdk, .vhd, .vhdx, etc.)
• Recover/fix lost partitions and repartitioned drives
• Unformat hard drives and repair original drives (including BitLocker encrypted drives)
• Fix disks turned into GPT protective partitions

Method 5: Fix the I/O device error from the Command Prompt

Pros: Might fix errors with I/O devices.

Drawback: High risk of data loss.

This option runs the CHKDSK command to check and fix disk errors on your hard drive, USB drive, or other storage device, which might resolve I/O device errors.

However, this option might result in severe data loss. If you plan to attempt this, proceed to the next section and follow the Data Recovery Guide first to scan and retrieve your valuable files.

Step 1: Press Windows + S, type cmd, right-click "Command Prompt," and select "Run as administrator."

Step 2. Click “Yes” when prompted to run Command Prompt as an administrator.

Step 3. Type chkdsk E: /f /r /x (replace E with the letter of the drive that has the I/O device error).

Note: Some users might receive the error message "chkdsk cannot run because the volume is in use by another process" when using the Command Prompt. Don't worry; click the link to fix it immediately.

There is a simpler way to fix a corrupted file system.

CleanGenius is a user-friendly, safe, and lightweight PC repair tool. It's the perfect alternative to the CHKDSK command. With just one click, you can easily fix a damaged file system.

Step 1: Download and install CleanGenius on your computer.

Step 2: Run the software, click “Optimize,” and then choose “File Display.”

Select the file with the encoding issues

Step 3. Select the disk containing the damaged file system. Check the box for Check and repair file system errors and click Perform.

Step 4: Wait for the tool to perform the fixing process. When it's done, click on the “Click here” button to scan the drive.

Bottom line

While we recommend that you recover data from the problematic device after the fix, you can try to salvage as many files as possible with the Data Recovery Wizard tool if none of the solutions could fix the “I/O device error.”

"Frequently Asked Questions for 'Request could not be completed, I/O error'"

If you continue to have I/O error issues, read the following Q&A for more help.

1. What is an I/O Device Error?

An "Input/Output Device Error" refers to an error that occurs when the Windows operating system is unable to perform input/output operations. This error can happen with various types of hardware devices or media.

2. How to fix an I/O Device Error on your hard drive?

You can fix the "HDD Uninitialized I/O Device Error" by following these steps:

Step 1. Press Win+R, type: diskpart, and hit Enter.

Step 2. Type list disk and press Enter.

Step 3. Type select disk n and press Enter; (replace n with the drive letter of your uninitialized external hard drive.)

Step 4: Type clean and press Enter.

3. Why do I get an I/O error?

Here's why:

• Virus attack
• Bad sectors
• Lost partitions
• Corrupted file system
• Damaged Master Boot Record (MBR)