GParted error while expanding file system "Error fsyncing/closing /dev/sdb1: Input/output error"

I got this error on a fairly new and good working drive. It took me ages to realize I had a hard drive password set on the drive on a newer machine and I was using the drive on an older desktop that didn't support the same HD encryption.

Solution? Put it back in the newer machine, remove the HD password in the BIOS and everything works great.

A message such as "Error fsyncing/closing /dev/sdb1: Input/output error" often indicates a hardware problem. This can be as simple as a loose cable, or as serious as a failing drive.

When the error occurs, you can check the output of the dmesg command for any additional details.

Also some hard drives include smart monitoring. You might try using gsmartcontrol to see if there are any indications of poor health for the drive.