For a first time completed S.M.A.R.T captive test

[Domagoj Smolčić]

On Tue, 16 Jul 2019 11:07:47 -0700
Larry Maloney <larry.maloney at hackerdojo.com> wrote:

> It’s been a while,so I could be wrong, but I seem to recall having to
> unmount the device before testing.

If you read below, this is implied.
Only device node exists.

Keyword here is CAPTIVE ==> '-C' flag.

Regular tests always finish /w problems, even with mounted FS-es, i.e;
# smartctl -t long /dev/...

Try with captive, then you'll see if you can finish it:
# smartctl -C -t long /dev/...


Domagoj Smolčić

> /Larry
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
> > On Jul 16, 2019, at 10:08 AM, Domagoj Smolčić
> > <rank1seeker at gmail.com> wrote:
> > 
> > 11.2-RELEASE-p9
> > 
> > From the first time I started to use FreeBSD and upon to just
> > recently, with smartmontools, I have NEVER successfully completed
> > captive test. No matter which HDD or smartmontools version I used,
> > upon initiating 'Extended captive' test, I would ALWAYS get error:
> > 'Interrupted (host reset)' This implies nothing is being mounted
> > from device, so only it's node exist in /dev/ and nothing "chats"
> > with it except kernel. Stopping smartd service also didn't help.
> > 
> > Searching on the internet, I have never found anyone succeeding
> > with it. Just a "solutions" that it should never be used?!
> > 
> > So I started to think a little bit out of the box ...
> > HDD has it's OWN board with it's OWN BIOS + firmware, which
> > actually holds S.M.A.R.T version/ability and IT executes issued
> > test from OS, using it's own firmware to actually run a test. Once
> > HDD receives test request from OS, HDD doesn't need OS at all!
> > 
> > So, in order to get rid of a results like:
> >    Num  Test_Description    Status                  Remaining
> > LifeTime(hours)  LBA_of_first_error # 2  Extended captive
> > Interrupted (host reset)      90%     40743         -
> > 
> > And suspecting OS (kernel?!) is pestering HDD during it's captive
> > test, thus interrupting it, AS SOON as captive CMD is issued and
> > hangs occurs (it is too late when hang passes by itself!), I've
> > pulled out SATA DATA cable and left SATA POWER cable attached. Hang
> > is stopped as soon as SATA DATA cable is unplugged and it's used
> > only to transfer test request anyway to HDD and all HDD needs from
> > that point on, is JUST a power and it's "piece of mind"! RESULT: --
> > SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1 Num
> > Test_Description    Status                  Remaining
> > LifeTime(hours)  LBA_of_first_error # 1  Extended captive
> > Completed without error       00%     40744         - # 2  Extended
> > captive    Interrupted (host reset)      90%     40743         - --
> > 
> > FINALLY! ==> '# 1  Extended captive    Completed without error'
> > 
> > So ..., what to conclude from this?
> > Does kernel really must "chat" with HDD in order to keep alive it's
> > device node in /dev/ or is it something else? If HDD supports
> > captive test and during it, why it simply doesn't ignore OS/kernel
> > (it is up to HDD's firmware code to make that decision).
> > 
> > Is this, I'm not even sure how to name it ..., a borderline bug?
> > 
> > Anyway, it is a little bit "impractical" to use terminal with one
> > hand and with other to pull out SATA data cable.
> > 
> > 
> > Domagoj Smolčić
> > _______________________________________________
> > freebsd-hackers at freebsd.org mailing list
> > https://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-hackers
> > To unsubscribe, send any mail to
> > "freebsd-hackers-unsubscribe at freebsd.org"