diff --git a/init/setup-rwdev.sh b/init/setup-rwdev.sh
index 07547ca..bf12853 100755
--- a/init/setup-rwdev.sh
+++ b/init/setup-rwdev.sh
@@ -2,24 +2,51 @@
 
 set -e
 
-if [ -e /dev/xvdb ] ; then
+dev=/dev/xvdb
+
+if [ -e "$dev" ] ; then
     # The private /dev/xvdb device is present.
 
     # check if private.img (xvdb) is empty - all zeros
-    private_size_512=`blockdev --getsz /dev/xvdb`
-    if dd if=/dev/zero bs=512 count=$private_size_512 2>/dev/null | diff /dev/xvdb - >/dev/null; then
+    private_size_512=`blockdev --getsz "$dev"`
+    if dd if=/dev/zero bs=512 count="$private_size_512" 2>/dev/null | diff "$dev" - >/dev/null; then
         # the device is empty, create filesystem
-        echo "Virgin boot of the VM: creating private.img filesystem" >&2
-        mkfs.ext4 -m 0 -q /dev/xvdb || exit 1
+        echo "Virgin boot of the VM: creating private.img filesystem on $dev" >&2
+        if ! content=$(mkfs.ext4 -m 0 -q "$dev" 2>&1) ; then
+            echo "Virgin boot of the VM: creation of private.img on $dev failed:" >&2
+            echo "$content" >&2
+            echo "Virgin boot of the VM: aborting" >&2
+            exit 1
+        fi
+        if ! content=$(tune2fs -m 0 "$dev" 2>&1) ; then
+            echo "Virgin boot of the VM: marking free space on $dev as usable failed:" >&2
+            echo "$content" >&2
+            echo "Virgin boot of the VM: aborting" >&2
+            exit 1
+        fi
     fi
 
-    tune2fs -m 0 /dev/xvdb
-    echo "Virgin boot of the VM: marking private.img as clean" >&2
-    fsck.ext4 -fp /dev/xvdb
-    echo "Virgin boot of the VM: enlarging private.img" >&2
-    if ! content=$(resize2fs /dev/xvdb 2>&1) ; then
-        echo "resize2fs /dev/xvdb failed:" >&2
+    echo "Private device size management: enlarging $dev" >&2
+    if content=$(resize2fs "$dev" 2>&1) ; then
+        echo "Private device size management: resize2fs of $dev succeeded" >&2
+    else
+        echo "Private device size management: resize2fs $dev failed:" >&2
         echo "$content" >&2
+        echo "Private device size management: attempting to mark $dev clean" >&2
+        if content=$(fsck.ext4 -fp "$dev" 2>&1) ; then
+            echo "Private device size management: $dev marked clean, enlarging it again" >&2
+            if content=$(resize2fs "$dev" 2>&1) ; then
+                echo "Private device size management: resize2fs of $dev succeeded" >&2
+            else
+                echo "Private device size management: resize2fs of $dev failed even after marking file system clean:" >&2
+                echo "$content" >&2
+                echo "Private device size management: expect serious trouble ahead" >&2
+            fi
+        else
+            echo "Private device size management: $dev could not be marked clean:" >&2
+            echo "$content" >&2
+            echo "Private device size management: expect serious trouble ahead" >&2
+        fi
     fi
 
 fi