golang/go · error

read type failed: %v

Error message

read type failed: %v

What it means

Returned when binary.Read of the noteType field fails after namesize and descsize succeeded. The third 4-byte header word could not be read, so the note type (e.g. NT_VERSION for Go build ID) is unknown. Same loop, same corruption class as errors 1227/1228.

Source

Thrown at src/cmd/internal/buildid/note.go:55

			continue
		}
		r := sect.Open()
		for {
			var namesize, descsize, noteType int32
			err = binary.Read(r, f.ByteOrder, &namesize)
			if err != nil {
				if err == io.EOF {
					break
				}
				return nil, fmt.Errorf("read namesize failed: %v", err)
			}
			err = binary.Read(r, f.ByteOrder, &descsize)
			if err != nil {
				return nil, fmt.Errorf("read descsize failed: %v", err)
			}
			err = binary.Read(r, f.ByteOrder, &noteType)
			if err != nil {
				return nil, fmt.Errorf("read type failed: %v", err)
			}
			noteName, err := readAligned4(r, namesize)
			if err != nil {
				return nil, fmt.Errorf("read name failed: %v", err)
			}
			desc, err := readAligned4(r, descsize)
			if err != nil {
				return nil, fmt.Errorf("read desc failed: %v", err)
			}
			if name == string(noteName) && typ == noteType {
				return desc, nil
			}
		}
	}
	return nil, nil
}

var elfGoNote = []byte("Go\x00\x00")

View on GitHub (pinned to b6b368adc5)

Solutions

1. Rebuild the binary: `go build`/`go install` from source.
2. Clean cache with `go clean -cache`.
3. Validate the binary is a complete Go ELF executable (`file`, checksum).
4. Re-fetch the artifact if downloaded (partial transfer).

if _, err := buildid.ReadFile(bin); err != nil {
    if strings.Contains(err.Error(), "read type failed") {
        return rebuild(bin)
    }
    return err
}

When it happens

Trigger: An ELF note section long enough for namesize+descsize (8 bytes) but shorter than 12 bytes, so the type field read fails. Emitted by the note iteration loop in note.go.

Common situations: Truncated or corrupt Go ELF binaries, interrupted link, partially copied artifacts, or malformed synthetic note sections.

Related errors

• read namesize failed: %v
• read descsize failed: %v
• read name failed: %v
• read desc failed: %v
• cannot find __text section

AI-assisted analysis of golang/go@b6b368adc5 (2026-08-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/919e2d249058b396. Report an issue: GitHub.