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How can I detect a failing disk?

Featured Replies

Take a look at this SMART report.

 

This disk is so bad that when assigned to the cache slot, unRAID hung trying to start the array.

 

And even Powerdown wouldn't shut down the server.

 

When drives fail, it is seldom pretty.

 

smartctl 6.2 2013-07-26 r3841 [x86_64-linux-3.10.24p-unRAID] (local build)

Copyright © 2002-13, Bruce Allen, Christian Franke, www.smartmontools.org

 

=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===

Model Family:    Western Digital Caviar Green

Device Model:    WDC WD20EADS-00W4B0

Serial Number:    WD-WCAVxxxxxxxx

LU WWN Device Id: 5 0014ee 2b009df30

Firmware Version: 01.00A01

User Capacity:    2,000,398,934,016 bytes [2.00 TB]

Sector Size:      512 bytes logical/physical

Device is:        In smartctl database [for details use: -P show]

ATA Version is:  ATA8-ACS (minor revision not indicated)

SATA Version is:  SATA 2.6, 3.0 Gb/s

Local Time is:    Sun May 25 11:30:55 2014 EDT

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: FAILED!

Drive failure expected in less than 24 hours. SAVE ALL DATA.

See vendor-specific Attribute list for failed Attributes.

 

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: (43560) 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: ( 441) 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      -      49

  3 Spin_Up_Time            0x0027  253  238  021    Pre-fail  Always      -      9150

  4 Start_Stop_Count        0x0032  100  100  000    Old_age  Always      -      216

5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct  0x0033  041  041  140    Pre-fail  Always  FAILING_NOW 1265

  7 Seek_Error_Rate        0x002e  200  200  000    Old_age  Always      -      0

  9 Power_On_Hours          0x0032  076  076  000    Old_age  Always      -      17770

10 Spin_Retry_Count        0x0032  100  100  000    Old_age  Always      -      0

11 Calibration_Retry_Count 0x0032  100  100  000    Old_age  Always      -      0

12 Power_Cycle_Count      0x0032  100  100  000    Old_age  Always      -      134

192 Power-Off_Retract_Count 0x0032  200  200  000    Old_age  Always      -      58

193 Load_Cycle_Count        0x0032  200  200  000    Old_age  Always      -      2500

194 Temperature_Celsius    0x0022  126  118  000    Old_age  Always      -      26

196 Reallocated_Event_Count 0x0032  001  001  000    Old_age  Always      -      1265

197 Current_Pending_Sector  0x0032  196  196  000    Old_age  Always      -      1465

198 Offline_Uncorrectable  0x0030  200  196  000    Old_age  Offline      -      0

199 UDMA_CRC_Error_Count    0x0032  200  200  000    Old_age  Always      -      0

200 Multi_Zone_Error_Rate  0x0008  023  001  000    Old_age  Offline      -      35504

 

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.

I think SMART has made it pretty clear that's a BAD disk => time to just toss it in the trash bit !!

 

I've seen some disks that would hang an entire system -- couldn't boot or even access the BIOS if they were connected.  These obviously had electronic failures that were pulling down the SATA control lines.  At least yours is allowing you to access the SMART data, so you know it's the disk and not some other electronic failure.

 

 

 

smartctl 6.2 2013-07-26 r3841 [x86_64-linux-3.10.24p-unRAID] (local build)

Copyright © 2002-13, Bruce Allen, Christian Franke, www.smartmontools.org

 

=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===

Model Family:    Western Digital Caviar Green

Device Model:    WDC WD20EADS-00W4B0

Serial Number:    WD-WCAVxxxxxxxx

LU WWN Device Id: 5 0014ee 2b009df30

Firmware Version: 01.00A01

User Capacity:    2,000,398,934,016 bytes [2.00 TB]

Sector Size:      512 bytes logical/physical

Device is:        In smartctl database [for details use: -P show]

ATA Version is:  ATA8-ACS (minor revision not indicated)

SATA Version is:  SATA 2.6, 3.0 Gb/s

Local Time is:    Sun May 25 11:30:55 2014 EDT

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: FAILED!

Drive failure expected in less than 24 hours. SAVE ALL DATA.

See vendor-specific Attribute list for failed Attributes.

 

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: (43560) 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: ( 441) 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      -      49

  3 Spin_Up_Time            0x0027  253  238  021    Pre-fail  Always      -      9150

  4 Start_Stop_Count        0x0032  100  100  000    Old_age  Always      -      216

5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct  0x0033  041  041  140    Pre-fail  Always  FAILING_NOW 1265

  7 Seek_Error_Rate        0x002e  200  200  000    Old_age  Always      -      0

  9 Power_On_Hours          0x0032  076  076  000    Old_age  Always      -      17770

10 Spin_Retry_Count        0x0032  100  100  000    Old_age  Always      -      0

11 Calibration_Retry_Count 0x0032  100  100  000    Old_age  Always      -      0

12 Power_Cycle_Count      0x0032  100  100  000    Old_age  Always      -      134

192 Power-Off_Retract_Count 0x0032  200  200  000    Old_age  Always      -      58

193 Load_Cycle_Count        0x0032  200  200  000    Old_age  Always      -      2500

194 Temperature_Celsius    0x0022  126  118  000    Old_age  Always      -      26

196 Reallocated_Event_Count 0x0032  001  001  000    Old_age  Always      -      1265

197 Current_Pending_Sector  0x0032  196  196  000    Old_age  Always      -      1465

198 Offline_Uncorrectable  0x0030  200  196  000    Old_age  Offline      -      0

199 UDMA_CRC_Error_Count    0x0032  200  200  000    Old_age  Always      -      0

200 Multi_Zone_Error_Rate  0x0008  023  001  000    Old_age  Offline      -      35504

 

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.

 

Is the topic a question?

 

17770 power on hours let's you know it probably did not start out this way. So, it is very likely you could have detected the problem prior to failure.

 

No selftests are logged, so before making any judgements, you should probably run some.

 

History of the drive to allow context, which would help determine what steps to take if the data is of any value.

 

The drive is cold, 26C, probably just powered up when the report was pulled. Basically, the report says, a lot of data can not be read.

 

Hopefully, you do not need the data, since I would start, just like preclear does, but writing the drive full of /dev/zero. The really basic dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sdX will do the job. This will dramatically change your smart report. The Current_Pending_Sector count should drop to zero. If it does, run the smartctl -t long /dev/sdX , and wait the prescribed period (and then some). smartctl -l selftest /dev/sdX.

 

This looks a lot like the 2TB drives I've been working on this weekend. They have been sitting many years. A complete write brings them from failed to passed.

[root@barbie ~]# screen -x

 

smartctl 6.2 2013-07-26 r3841 [x86_64-linux-3.13.9-100.fc19.x86_64] (local build)

Copyright © 2002-13, Bruce Allen, Christian Franke, www.smartmontools.org

 

=== START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION ===

SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1

Num  Test_Description    Status                  Remaining  LifeTime(hours)  LBA_of_first_error

# 1  Short offline      Completed without error      00%    27430        -

# 2  Extended offline    Completed without error      00%    27424        -

# 3  Short offline      Completed without error      00%    27417        -

# 4  Short offline      Completed: unknown failure    90%    27411        0

# 5  Short offline      Completed: unknown failure    90%    27411        0

# 6  Short captive      Completed without error      00%        0        -

2 of 2 failed self-tests are outdated by newer successful extended offline self-test # 2

 

From failed to passed in 6 hours.

  • Author

Is the topic a question?

 

17770 power on hours let's you know it probably did not start out this way. So, it is very likely you could have detected the problem prior to failure.

 

No selftests are logged, so before making any judgements, you should probably run some.

 

History of the drive to allow context, which would help determine what steps to take if the data is of any value.

 

The drive is cold, 26C, probably just powered up when the report was pulled. Basically, the report says, a lot of data can not be read.

 

Hopefully, you do not need the data, since I would start, just like preclear does, but writing the drive full of /dev/zero. The really basic dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sdX will do the job. This will dramatically change your smart report. The Current_Pending_Sector count should drop to zero. If it does, run the smartctl -t long /dev/sdX , and wait the prescribed period (and then some). smartctl -l selftest /dev/sdX.

 

This looks a lot like the 2TB drives I've been working on this weekend. They have been sitting many years. A complete write brings them from failed to passed.

[root@barbie ~]# screen -x

 

smartctl 6.2 2013-07-26 r3841 [x86_64-linux-3.13.9-100.fc19.x86_64] (local build)

Copyright © 2002-13, Bruce Allen, Christian Franke, www.smartmontools.org

 

=== START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION ===

SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1

Num  Test_Description    Status                  Remaining  LifeTime(hours)  LBA_of_first_error

# 1  Short offline      Completed without error      00%    27430        -

# 2  Extended offline    Completed without error      00%    27424        -

# 3  Short offline      Completed without error      00%    27417        -

# 4  Short offline      Completed: unknown failure    90%    27411        0

# 5  Short offline      Completed: unknown failure    90%    27411        0

# 6  Short captive      Completed without error      00%        0        -

2 of 2 failed self-tests are outdated by newer successful extended offline self-test # 2

 

From failed to passed in 6 hours.

 

This drive failed a year or more ago. When it failed it was still quite readable but the smart attributes were heading south. I rebuilt it successfully onto a new disk at that time.

 

When I was setting up my new server, I decided to see how bad it was and if it might be useful for my test array, backups or something. Was surprised that it hung my computer. Not even powerdown worked when it tried to mount it.

 

The smart report is pretty awful. Decided to post it as an example to users of how to detect a failing disk. The items I highlighted in red are the signs of failure people should understand.

 

I am not holding any hope that this disk will be resurrected! Glad you were successful though!

... This drive failed a year or more ago.

 

... and you still have it ??!!

 

I'd have run a Level 5 Spinrite on it to see if it was "resurrectable" -- and, if not, just tossed it.

 

Yeah, I guess that is the point, you should test a drive, not just accept it as bad on some report. Your report indicates no tests were run.

 

Even Spinrite's website https://www.grc.com/sr/whatitdoes.htm does not describe what Level 5 does, but probably includes the well known (and free) process for clearing pending sectors. Pending sectors can be nothing more than the controller firmware glitches. They can also be failing media surface.

Spinrite supports 5 levels of testing -- 1 is the least (basically just a quick read of all sectors) through 5, which is the most comprehensive (it turns off the disk's automated SMART and physically checks every physical sector; then restore SMART control).    Actually level 3 is plenty for most purposes -- but if I had a totally dead drive and wanted to rejuvenate it as much as possible, level 5 is best for that (but can take a VERY long time on a modern high-capacity drive .... think many days).

 

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

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