Is disk really bad if mkfs.ext4 -c -c reports errors?

Wed Jan 11 20:40:01 UTC 2017

On Wednesday 11 January 2017 11:46:41 Chris Green wrote:

> On Wed, Jan 11, 2017 at 10:36:32AM -0500, Rashkae wrote:
> > On 17-01-11 06:47 AM, Chris Green wrote:
> > > I have been reformatting a disk which had a few corrupted files on
> > > it with the following command:-
> > >
> > >      mkfs.ext4 -c -c /dev/sdb1
> > >
> > > (Yes, I know this destroys all the data, everything except the few
> > > corrupted files has been copied off the disk)
> >
> > It wold help if you can provide a copy of the errors you're getting.
> >  I would also include the output of smartctl -a /dev/sdb as well as
> > the last relevant data from dmesg when you get these errors.
>
> The mkfs is still running:-
>
>     root at backup:~# mkfs.ext4 -c -c /dev/sdb1
>     mke2fs 1.42.13 (17-May-2015)
>     Creating filesystem with 732566385 4k blocks and 183148544 inodes
>     Filesystem UUID: d1f0d08e-e7d5-49f0-b4cb-72142541f4fa
>     Superblock backups stored on blocks:
>             32768, 98304, 163840, 229376, 294912, 819200, 884736,
> 1605632, 2654208, 4096000, 7962624, 11239424, 20480000, 23887872,
> 71663616, 78675968, 102400000, 214990848, 512000000, 550731776,
> 644972544
>
>     Testing with pattern 0xaa: done
>
>     Reading and comparing: done
>
>     Testing with pattern 0x55:  67.02% done, 23:57:16 elapsed.
> (0/78947/0 errors)
>
> ... and the smartctl output:-
>
>     root at backup:~# smartctl -a /dev/sdb
>     smartctl 6.5 2016-01-24 r4214 [x86_64-linux-4.4.0-57-generic]
> (local build) Copyright (C) 2002-16, Bruce Allen, Christian Franke,
> www.smartmontools.org
>
>     === START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
>     Model Family:     Toshiba 3.5" DT01ACA... Desktop HDD
>     Device Model:     TOSHIBA DT01ACA300
>     Serial Number:    Y3NDKNYGS
>     LU WWN Device Id: 5 000039 ff4d3ce4f
>     Firmware Version: MX6OABB0
>     User Capacity:    3,000,592,982,016 bytes [3.00 TB]
>     Sector Sizes:     512 bytes logical, 4096 bytes physical
>     Rotation Rate:    7200 rpm
>     Form Factor:      3.5 inches
>     Device is:        In smartctl database [for details use: -P show]
>     ATA Version is:   ATA8-ACS T13/1699-D revision 4
>     SATA Version is:  SATA 3.0, 6.0 Gb/s (current: 3.0 Gb/s)
>     Local Time is:    Wed Jan 11 16:43:24 2017 GMT
>     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:  (0x82) Offline data collection
> activity was completed without error. 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:                (21791) seconds.
>     Offline data collection
>     capabilities:                    (0x5b) SMART execute Offline
> immediate. Auto Offline data collection on/off support. Suspend
> Offline collection upon new command.
>                                             Offline surface scan
> supported. Self-test supported. No 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:        (   1) minutes.
>     Extended self-test routine
>     recommended polling time:        ( 364) minutes.
>     SCT capabilities:              (0x003d) SCT Status supported.
>                                             SCT Error Recovery Control
> 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     0x000b   100 
>  100   016    Pre-fail  Always       -       0 2
> Throughput_Performance  0x0005   139   139   054    Pre-fail  Offline 
>     -       70 3 Spin_Up_Time            0x0007   139   139   024   
> Pre-fail  Always       -       389 (Average 434) 4 Start_Stop_Count   
>     0x0012   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       295 5
> Reallocated_Sector_Ct   0x0033   100   100   005    Pre-fail  Always  
>     -       0 7 Seek_Error_Rate         0x000b   100   100   067   
> Pre-fail  Always       -       0 8 Seek_Time_Performance   0x0005  
> 124   124   020    Pre-fail  Offline      -       33 9 Power_On_Hours 
>         0x0012   097   097   000    Old_age   Always       -      
> 24656 10 Spin_Retry_Count        0x0013   100   100   060    Pre-fail 
> Always       -       0 12 Power_Cycle_Count       0x0032   100   100  
> 000    Old_age   Always       -       34 192 Power-Off_Retract_Count
> 0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       980 193
> Load_Cycle_Count        0x0012   100   100   000    Old_age   Always  
>     -       980 194 Temperature_Celsius     0x0002   214   214   000  
>  Old_age   Always       -       28 (Min/Max 7/53) 196
> Reallocated_Event_Count 0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always  
>     -       0 197 Current_Pending_Sector  0x0022   100   100   000   
> Old_age   Always       -       0 198 Offline_Uncorrectable   0x0008  
> 100   100   000    Old_age   Offline      -       0 199
> UDMA_CRC_Error_Count    0x000a   200   200   000    Old_age   Always  
>     -       0
>
>     SMART Error Log Version: 1
>     No Errors Logged
>
>     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%      6167         -
>
>     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.
>
>
> --
> Chris Green

I am dubious that this drive is bad, there is absolutely nothing in the 
above report that bothers me other than the power cycles (34) and head 
load/unload  cycles (980) but it also has never been tested either.  
Such testing is kept in a log and would have shown up in the above 
paragraph had it ever been done. So I have to assume you are putting us 
on.  Or you tested the wrong drive to show us.

The discrepancy between the power cycle count of 34 in close to 25000 
spinning hours is fine, but 980 head unload/load cycles says to me that 
you have a hardware problem, perhaps the (usually) red cable, or the 
firmware in the drive might be causing. Very easy and minimal time to 
swap the cable as I suggested, and at those spinning hours, there is yet 
a decent chance to download a firmware update.  That will cost you some 
time on the makers web site, a blank CD-R, and maybe 15 minutes to apply 
the updates.

I'd first do the tail on the log while wiggling the cable test, then run 
the long diagnostic test on _this_ drive, it can be done while the drive 
is in service, and while that test is running ( 2 to 5 hours), go get 
the latest firmware for it and put it in. But do NOT interrupt the test.

Cheers, Gene Heskett
-- 
"There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
 soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
-Ed Howdershelt (Author)
Genes Web page <http://geneslinuxbox.net:6309/gene>