papnikol

Userpaul, it seems your rig has created a lot of envy which 8 port sata cards are you using? I myself am using the saslp-mv8 and they get quite hot. so, i was wondering where you got those fans that fit underneath the saslp? UPDATE: i found some in amazon.co.uk ( i live in europe using keywords: pci + fan) http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=pci+fan&x=0&y=0 So i am just wondering if yours is silent? if yes i would rather buy the same type as yours than a fan about which i know nothing... I have the same cards as you I bought mine from the local Maplin store just up the road (impulse purchase). Whilst I was preclearing my HDD's I noticed that the saslp-mv8 cards got very very hot so I had a fan propped on the psu cooling them down. These are the fans. http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=28679 Both fans are controlled with the Skythe fan speed controller and I have a temp sensor on each card. The fans reduce the temps of the cards by around 20 C The advantage of having the fans managed by the Skythe controller is I can strike a balance between fan speed and noise level. I plan to install a small fan onto the heatsink and I am currently looking at kits to do that. thanx for the info unfortunately this creates more questions (at least to me): 1. the temp sensor is something that comes with the fan speed controller or something you bought separately? 2. i have never had a fan controller but i was thinking of buying one. How does it work? does it provide power straight to the fan thus working like a dimmer?

Userpaul, it seems your rig has created a lot of envy which 8 port sata cards are you using? I myself am using the saslp-mv8 and they get quite hot. so, i was wondering where you got those fans that fit underneath the saslp? UPDATE: i found some in amazon.co.uk ( i live in europe using keywords: pci + fan) http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=pci+fan&x=0&y=0 So i am just wondering if yours is silent? if yes i would rather buy the same type as yours than a fan about which i know nothing...

Yes, you can

@Tom899 & MvL: You can preclear up to 6 disk simultaneously (according to Joe, I myself have only tried 2 simultaneously). Also, whenever you use a remote connection to preclear, it would be very useful to use 'screen'. otherwise, if the remote session (e.g. putty) ends, your preclear will stop and you would have to start from scratch (I imagine it will be more annoying if it happens while preclearing many HDs simultaneously)

Hi, I bought an EARS 2TB few days ago and run preclear These were the results i got: root@Tower:~# screen -r 6946 = Step 1 of 10 - Copying zeros to first 2048k bytes DONE = Step 2 of 10 - Copying zeros to remainder of disk to clear it DONE = Step 3 of 10 - Disk is now cleared from MBR onward. DONE = Step 4 of 10 - Clearing MBR bytes for partition 2,3 & 4 DONE = Step 5 of 10 - Clearing MBR code area DONE = Step 6 of 10 - Setting MBR signature bytes DONE = Step 7 of 10 - Setting partition 1 to precleared state DONE = Step 8 of 10 - Notifying kernel we changed the partitioning DONE = Step 9 of 10 - Creating the /dev/disk/by* entries DONE = Step 10 of 10 - Testing if the clear has been successful. DONE = Disk Post-Clear-Read completed DONE Disk Temperature: 30C, Elapsed Time: 27:56:04 ============================================================================ == == Disk /dev/sdc has been successfully precleared == ============================================================================ S.M.A.R.T. error count differences detected after pre-clear note, some 'raw' values may change, but not be an indication of a problem 19,20c19,20 < Offline data collection status: (0x80) Offline data collection activity < was never started. --- > Offline data collection status: (0x84) Offline data collection activity > was suspended by an interrupting command from host. 54c54 < 1 Raw_Read_Error_Rate 0x002f 100 253 051 Pre-fail Always - 0 --- > 1 Raw_Read_Error_Rate 0x002f 200 200 051 Pre-fail Always - 0 58c58 < 7 Seek_Error_Rate 0x002e 100 253 000 Old_age Always - 0 --- > 7 Seek_Error_Rate 0x002e 200 200 000 Old_age Always - 0 63c63 < 193 Load_Cycle_Count 0x0032 200 200 000 Old_age Always - 11 --- > 193 Load_Cycle_Count 0x0032 200 200 000 Old_age Always - 12 67c67 < 199 UDMA_CRC_Error_Count 0x0032 200 253 000 Old_age Always - 0 --- > 199 UDMA_CRC_Error_Count 0x0032 200 200 000 Old_age Always - 0 ============================================================================ Having had some problems with an EARS few weeks ago i decided to run preclear a second time, just to be sure. I have been away for some time and when i came back i reconnected using screen. I guess preclear was over and i saw this screen: > Conveyance self-test routine > recommended polling time: ( 5) minutes. > SCT capabilities: (0x3035) SCT Status supported. > SCT Feature Control supported. > SCT Data Table supported. > > SMART Attributes Data Structure revision number: 16 > Vendor Specific SMART Attributes with Thresholds: > ID# ATTRIBUTE_NAME FLAG VALUE WORST THRESH TYPE UPDATED WHEN_FAILED RAW_VALUE > 1 Raw_Read_Error_Rate 0x002f 200 200 051 Pre-fail Always - 0 > 3 Spin_Up_Time 0x0027 253 253 021 Pre-fail Always - 1091 > 4 Start_Stop_Count 0x0032 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 10 > 5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct 0x0033 200 200 140 Pre-fail Always - 0 > 7 Seek_Error_Rate 0x002e 200 200 000 Old_age Always - 0 > 10 Spin_Retry_Count 0x0032 100 253 000 Old_age Always - 0 > 11 Calibration_Retry_Count 0x0032 100 253 000 Old_age Always - 0 > 12 Power_Cycle_Count 0x0032 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 8 > 192 Power-Off_Retract_Count 0x0032 200 200 000 Old_age Always - 7 > 193 Load_Cycle_Count 0x0032 200 200 000 Old_age Always - 15 > 196 Reallocated_Event_Count 0x0032 200 200 000 Old_age Always - 0 > 197 Current_Pending_Sector 0x0032 200 200 000 Old_age Always - 0 > 198 Offline_Uncorrectable 0x0030 100 253 000 Old_age Offline - 0 > 199 UDMA_CRC_Error_Count 0x0032 200 200 000 Old_age Always - 0 > 200 Multi_Zone_Error_Rate 0x0008 100 253 000 Old_age Offline - 0 > > SMART Error Log Version: 1 > No Errors Logged > > SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1 > No self-tests have been logged. [To run self-tests, use: smartctl -t] > > > SMART Selective self-test log data structure revision number 1 > SPAN MIN_LBA MAX_LBA CURRENT_TEST_STATUS > 1 0 0 Not_testing > 2 0 0 Not_testing > 3 0 0 Not_testing > 4 0 0 Not_testing > 5 0 0 Not_testing > Selective self-test flags (0x0): > After scanning selected spans, do NOT read-scan remainder of disk. > If Selective self-test is pending on power-up, resume after 0 minute delay. > ============================================================================ So, what does that mean? Could preclear, have stoped abruptly?

Thanks for the heads up. Brilliant, the F4204UI isn't supported yet. So what to do, send it back to Amazon, or wait and see if there is a solution... which could be a fair few months. From reading around it looks like it may well work, but isn't advised as a parity drive. And I need the space now. I would send it back since you can only use it as parity. Maybe get a refund from amazon and order a new drive right now...

as long as you dont start the array you will have no problem. Bear in mind that since you have a new 2tb drive and it is the largest, you have to use this for parity... also, i have heard that there are some problems with samsung HDs, so better check the forums for extra info, especially this: http://lime-technology.com/wiki/index.php?title=Hardware_Compatibility#Samsung

When the array is stopped, you can remove a disk from it from the devices tab in the unraid webgui. then you wont have any problem with precelear...

Joe, If you remember I had a problem with a disk not preclearing (with the jumper). I tried formatting it in windows with the jumper but it also failed. I am now formatting it in windows without the jumper. If the formatting works, should i use the jumper again and preclear it or there is no point to it? I can try it anyway but, since I need to RMA it within some time limits, I do not have the time...

Officially impressed/jealous

It was my understanding that once you get married, social skills become redundant Anyway, I have a few questions and comments: 1)do you have any suggestions (should i try to format it under windows as someone suggested)? Maybe I should remove the jumper? Or do I have to RMA it? Btw, i tried preclearing now that I restarted and it says it is doing so... 2)Also, check this link: http://linuxconfig.org/linux-wd-ears-advanced-format The guy doesnt seem to mind about the 255 heads. Could it be normal? Also, searching the internet, I think there is the possibility to change the specs such as number of heads by a command i think. 3)Finally, is there a problem with my other EARS since it is reporting a wrong number of heads? (This makes me a bit worried since I already have it working in my array...) UPDATE: just had a look in my other 2TB disks and they also report 1 head so I guess this is not a problem Sorry for all the bubbling (is this the right use of the word?) but i am confused...

You are right, after rebooting it seems to see the disk. I get: which seems strange because look at my fully working EARS: root@Tower:/# fdisk -l /dev/sdb Disk /dev/sdb: 2000.3 GB, 2000398934016 bytes 1 heads, 63 sectors/track, 62016336 cylinders Units = cylinders of 63 * 512 = 32256 bytes Disk identifier: 0x00000000 Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System /dev/sdb1 2 62016336 1953514552+ 83 Linux Partition 1 does not end on cylinder boundary. root@Tower:/# Here are the other commands you asked: root@Tower:/# hdparm -I /dev/sdc /dev/sdc: ATA device, with non-removable media Model Number: WDC WD20EARS-00MVWB0 Serial Number: WD-WMAZA1300377 Firmware Revision: 51.0AB51 Transport: Serial, SATA 1.0a, SATA II Extensions, SATA Rev 2.5 Standards: Supported: 8 7 6 5 Likely used: 8 Configuration: Logical max current cylinders 16383 16383 heads 16 16 sectors/track 63 63 -- CHS current addressable sectors: 16514064 LBA user addressable sectors: 268435455 LBA48 user addressable sectors: 3907029168 device size with M = 1024*1024: 1907729 MBytes device size with M = 1000*1000: 2000398 MBytes (2000 GB) Capabilities: LBA, IORDY(can be disabled) Queue depth: 32 Standby timer values: spec'd by Standard, with device specific minimum R/W multiple sector transfer: Max = 16 Current = 0 Recommended acoustic management value: 128, current value: 254 DMA: mdma0 mdma1 mdma2 udma0 udma1 udma2 udma3 udma4 udma5 *udma6 Cycle time: min=120ns recommended=120ns PIO: pio0 pio1 pio2 pio3 pio4 Cycle time: no flow control=120ns IORDY flow control=120ns Commands/features: Enabled Supported: * SMART feature set Security Mode feature set * Power Management feature set * Write cache * Look-ahead * Host Protected Area feature set * WRITE_BUFFER command * READ_BUFFER command * NOP cmd * DOWNLOAD_MICROCODE Power-Up In Standby feature set * SET_FEATURES required to spinup after power up SET_MAX security extension Automatic Acoustic Management feature set * 48-bit Address feature set * Device Configuration Overlay feature set * Mandatory FLUSH_CACHE * FLUSH_CACHE_EXT * SMART error logging * SMART self-test * General Purpose Logging feature set * 64-bit World wide name * WRITE_UNCORRECTABLE_EXT command * {READ,WRITE}_DMA_EXT_GPL commands * Segmented DOWNLOAD_MICROCODE * SATA-I signaling speed (1.5Gb/s) * SATA-II signaling speed (3.0Gb/s) * Native Command Queueing (NCQ) * Host-initiated interface power management * Phy event counters * unknown 76[12] DMA Setup Auto-Activate optimization * Software settings preservation * SMART Command Transport (SCT) feature set * SCT LBA Segment Access (AC2) * SCT Features Control (AC4) * SCT Data Tables (AC5) unknown 206[12] (vendor specific) unknown 206[13] (vendor specific) Security: Master password revision code = 65534 supported not enabled not locked not frozen not expired: security count supported: enhanced erase 376min for SECURITY ERASE UNIT. 376min for ENHANCED SECURITY ERASE UNIT. Logical Unit WWN Device Identifier: 50014ee6ab266c5e NAA : 5 IEEE OUI : 14ee Unique ID : 6ab266c5e Checksum: correct root@Tower:/# dd if=/dev/sdc count=2 | od -x -A d 2+0 records in 2+0 records out 1024 bytes (1.0 kB) copied, 0.000227406 s, 4.5 MB/s 0000000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 * 0001024 root@Tower:/# sfdisk -l /dev/sdc Disk /dev/sdc: 243201 cylinders, 255 heads, 63 sectors/track sfdisk: ERROR: sector 0 does not have an msdos signature /dev/sdc: unrecognized partition table type No partitions found root@Tower:/# root@Tower:/# smartctl -d ata -a /dev/sdc smartctl version 5.38 [i486-slackware-linux-gnu] Copyright (C) 2002-8 Bruce Allen Home page is http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net/ === START OF INFORMATION SECTION === Device Model: WDC WD20EARS-00MVWB0 Serial Number: WD-WMAZA1300377 Firmware Version: 51.0AB51 User Capacity: 2,000,398,934,016 bytes Device is: Not in smartctl database [for details use: -P showall] ATA Version is: 8 ATA Standard is: Exact ATA specification draft version not indicated Local Time is: Fri Nov 5 21:55:59 2010 GMT-2 SMART support is: Available - device has SMART capability. SMART support is: Enabled === START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION === SMART overall-health self-assessment test result: PASSED General SMART Values: Offline data collection status: (0x84) Offline data collection activity was suspended by an interrupting command from host. Auto Offline Data Collection: Enabled. Self-test execution status: ( 0) The previous self-test routine completed without error or no self-test has ever been run. Total time to complete Offline data collection: (36960) seconds. Offline data collection capabilities: (0x7b) SMART execute Offline immediate. Auto Offline data collection on/off support. Suspend Offline collection upon new command. Offline surface scan supported. Self-test supported. Conveyance Self-test supported. Selective Self-test supported. SMART capabilities: (0x0003) Saves SMART data before entering power-saving mode. Supports SMART auto save timer. Error logging capability: (0x01) Error logging supported. General Purpose Logging supported. Short self-test routine recommended polling time: ( 2) minutes. Extended self-test routine recommended polling time: ( 255) minutes. Conveyance self-test routine recommended polling time: ( 5) minutes. SCT capabilities: (0x3035) SCT Status supported. SCT Feature Control supported. SCT Data Table supported. SMART Attributes Data Structure revision number: 16 Vendor Specific SMART Attributes with Thresholds: ID# ATTRIBUTE_NAME FLAG VALUE WORST THRESH TYPE UPDATED WHEN_FAILED RAW_VALUE 1 Raw_Read_Error_Rate 0x002f 200 200 051 Pre-fail Always - 0 3 Spin_Up_Time 0x0027 172 170 021 Pre-fail Always - 6400 4 Start_Stop_Count 0x0032 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 12 5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct 0x0033 200 200 140 Pre-fail Always - 0 7 Seek_Error_Rate 0x002e 200 200 000 Old_age Always - 0 9 Power_On_Hours 0x0032 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 15 10 Spin_Retry_Count 0x0032 100 253 000 Old_age Always - 0 11 Calibration_Retry_Count 0x0032 100 253 000 Old_age Always - 0 12 Power_Cycle_Count 0x0032 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 10 192 Power-Off_Retract_Count 0x0032 200 200 000 Old_age Always - 9 193 Load_Cycle_Count 0x0032 200 200 000 Old_age Always - 139 194 Temperature_Celsius 0x0022 121 117 000 Old_age Always - 29 196 Reallocated_Event_Count 0x0032 200 200 000 Old_age Always - 0 197 Current_Pending_Sector 0x0032 200 200 000 Old_age Always - 0 198 Offline_Uncorrectable 0x0030 100 253 000 Old_age Offline - 0 199 UDMA_CRC_Error_Count 0x0032 200 200 000 Old_age Always - 0 200 Multi_Zone_Error_Rate 0x0008 100 253 000 Old_age Offline - 0 SMART Error Log Version: 1 No Errors Logged SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1 No self-tests have been logged. [To run self-tests, use: smartctl -t] SMART Selective self-test log data structure revision number 1 SPAN MIN_LBA MAX_LBA CURRENT_TEST_STATUS 1 0 0 Not_testing 2 0 0 Not_testing 3 0 0 Not_testing 4 0 0 Not_testing 5 0 0 Not_testing Selective self-test flags (0x0): After scanning selected spans, do NOT read-scan remainder of disk. If Selective self-test is pending on power-up, resume after 0 minute delay. root@Tower:/# I will be away for sometime i will get back to you a bit later....

I am copying and pasting from the telnet console: root@Tower:/dev# fdisk -l /dev/sdc root@Tower:/dev# root@Tower:/dev# hdparm -I /dev/sdc /dev/sdc: HDIO_DRIVE_CMD(identify) failed: Input/output error root@Tower:/dev# root@Tower:/dev# dd if=/dev/sdc count=2 | od -x -A d dd: reading `/dev/sdc': Input/output error 0+0 records in 0+0 records out 0 bytes (0 B) copied, 0.0051591 s, 0.0 kB/s 0000000 root@Tower:/dev# root@Tower:/dev# sfdisk -l /dev/sdc Disk /dev/sdc: 243201 cylinders, 255 heads, 63 sectors/track read: Input/output error sfdisk: read error on /dev/sdc - cannot read sector 0 /dev/sdc: unrecognized partition table type No partitions found root@Tower:/dev# root@Tower:/dev# smartctl -d ata -a /dev/sdc smartctl version 5.38 [i486-slackware-linux-gnu] Copyright (C) 2002-8 Bruce Allen Home page is http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net/ Smartctl: Device Read Identity Failed (not an ATA/ATAPI device) A mandatory SMART command failed: exiting. To continue, add one or more '-T permissive' options. root@Tower:/dev#

Do you have any advice as to how i should proceed? Or should I wait until you had a look at the code?

That helps... I know what math failed... In the empty "()" should have been the number of blocks to be read on the disk based on the geometry returned from the fdisk -l /dev/sdX command. The "blocks" is calculated based on the Total Bytes as reported on the fdisk line that starts with "Disk" divided by the Units as reported by fdisk. It is too late now, but if you have another disk you'll be putting through the same process, capture the output of fdisk -l /dev/sdX for me. (using of course the correct device name instead of sdX) Joe L. Joe I have to report a similar error: I bought a new EARS and i used the jumper. the preread reached 99% and then stuck I stopped it and tried to rerun preclear This is what i get: root@Tower:/dev# /boot/preclear_disk.sh /dev/sdc BLKRRPART: Input/output error Pre-Clear unRAID Disk ######################################################################## ######################################################################## Are you absolutely sure you want to clear this drive? (Answer Yes to continue. Capital 'Y', lower case 'es'): Yes /boot/preclear_disk.sh: line 415: [: : integer expression expected /boot/preclear_disk.sh: line 436: let: blocks=( / ): syntax error: operand expected (error token is "/ )") /boot/preclear_disk.sh: line 498: let: bytes_read=(0 * ): syntax error: operand expected (error token is ")") /boot/preclear_disk.sh: line 499: let: br=( * 100): syntax error: operand expected (error token is "* 100)") /boot/preclear_disk.sh: line 500: let: percent_read=( / ): syntax error: operand expected (error token is "/ )") /boot/preclear_disk.sh: line 505: [: -gt: unary operator expected =========================================================================== = unRAID server Pre-Clear disk /dev/sdc = cycle 1 of 1 = Disk Pre-Read in progress: % complete = ( bytes of read ) = = = = = = = = = = Elapsed Time: 0:00:01 /boot/preclear_disk.sh: line 550: 1+( 2575561687)%() : syntax error: operand expected (error token is ") ") ============================================================================ == == Disk /dev/sdc has been successfully precleared == ============================================================================ root@Tower:/dev# I may add that there is no partition of my Hard drive and that i followed the same procedure with a same disk few days ago and it worked fine...

Just a comment (although it might be wrong, you are more much more experienced than i am). The PSU is 28A,which means that with 15 drives (even the green ones you mention) it will barely make it since each HD needs about 2A (and i am not counting the other components' consumption). Also, since this is directed mostly to new users, maybe you should also add for every build (if it is not much work) what its limiting factors will be in terms of HDD addition (a psu may not allow for more hddds, a mobo may not take more expansion cards, a case may not fit any more expansion cages...). I am saying that because i guess most of the unraid users (like me) must be a bit more obsessive/compulsive than the average user, which means that at a point they will want more space...

Fixable I assume with a bios upgrade if you have a relatively new MB? Not readily fixable unless the motherboard is already using EFI. The only ones for certain using that are Apple's Mac products. Nearly all the PC motherboards are not using EFI, there may be some out there, but likely so limited and non-existent you can count them on one hand. Knowing the extent of research, design, and validation that's required to switch from the common Award/Phoenix/AMI typical BIOS and how motherboard manufacturers are unwilling to switch midstream, I'll go out on a limb and say none of the existing motherboards will be fixed. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extensible_Firmware_Interface That sucks It means that in the long run everyone may have to change their system, even if it works well EDIT:Although i may add that i just looked at the asus site and the have an EFI-bios update for a more-than-a-year old mobo that i have in another pc