My first USB died (32gb Samsung bar) within the last year, had some bumps getting a new one up and running from a backup (big win for Unraid Connect plugin) but it's been working without an issue until today. At some point in the afternoon I got the dreaded banner warning. Now I'm worried I might be doing something that's been killing the USB drives quicker than expected, maybe I'm just unlucky. I used a Sandisk 32gb Ultra Fit I occasionally used for OS installations as a replacement, but now it seems to be dying (though not as quickly as the Samsung, that one scared me with how badly it messed up the WebUI). Ordered a 64gb Samsung Bar from B&H to hopefully avoid the counterfeit issues from Amazon, sadly the only things available locally to me would be some random PNY USB.

I've attached the diagnostics. I do have Local syslog enabled but not mirrored to flash. Hoping the diagnostics might point out what could be the issue, thanks.

tower-diagnostics-20260312-2222.zip

Lots of this in syslog

Mar 11 16:46:17 Tower kernel: critical medium error, dev sda, sector 897029 op 0x0:(READ) flags 0x0 phys_seg 1 prio class 2

So it is really a bad flash drive and not some other problem

5 minutes ago, juanro said:

Sandisk 32gb Ultra Fit

Those small USB3 drives can have heat problems.

6 minutes ago, trurl said:

Lots of this in syslog

Mar 11 16:46:17 Tower kernel: critical medium error, dev sda, sector 897029 op 0x0:(READ) flags 0x0 phys_seg 1 prio class 2

So it is really a bad flash drive and not some other problem

Guess that's sorta good, if the issue is just hardware and not well, me and my setup.

8 minutes ago, trurl said:

Those small USB3 drives can have heat problems.

I did notice that back when I used it for OS troubleshooting, was hoping it wouldn't be an issue since I assumed the system would mostly use the USB on boot.

If those are the only things that stood out (not sure if plugins/containers somehow beating up the USB more than needed show up on the diagnostics, not familiar with them) I'm a bit more positive about the issue. Thanks!

8 hours ago, juanro said:

Ordered a 64gb Samsung Bar from B&H to hopefully avoid the counterfeit issues from Amazon, sadly the only things available locally to me would be some random PNY USB.

I'd suggest checking the USB Flash Primer - https://forums.unraid.net/topic/196967-usb-flash-primer/

You can do much better than the Samsung Bar.

Better options are available.

11 hours ago, juanro said:

mostly use the USB on boot

Edits in the webUI are stored on flash so they can be reapplied at boot. Some things from webUI might be read from there also such as docker templates.