TIMEOUT - WRITE_DMA errors

[DAve]

up at 3.am wrote:
> Hi:
> 
> I just installed FreeBSD 6.1 on a new Dell desktop that's going to act as
> a temporary server while I migrate two older servers (4.10-STABLE) over to
> all new software, the reconfigure it to act as a remote amanda server when
> that's complete.
> 
> I've noticed a bunch of these errors in the syslog:
> 
> Aug 25 11:15:15 testbed kernel: ad0: TIMEOUT - WRITE_DMA retrying (1 retry
> left) LBA=29736031
> Aug 25 11:27:09 testbed kernel: ad0: TIMEOUT - WRITE_DMA retrying (1 retry
> left) LBA=12168863
> Aug 25 11:30:15 testbed kernel: ad0: TIMEOUT - WRITE_DMA retrying (1 retry
> left) LBA=8026047
> Aug 25 11:50:24 testbed kernel: ad0: TIMEOUT - WRITE_DMA retrying (1 retry
> left) LBA=29736031
> 
> I did some googling, and found some seem to think it could be a problem
> with the disk, whereas others think it's nothing.  Before I put this thing
> into production, even if it's only going to be there for a couple of days,
> I'd like to make sure.
> 
> Please reply directly, as I am not subscribed.
> 

I have a stack of SATA drives that all exhibited that behavior just 
prior to barfing on three mail toasters and a web server. I think I 
changed 8 drives in 10 months (all new servers). We went back to only 
ordering SCSI now for production servers. SATA might be nice for gamers 
and desktops, but I would not use them for heavy activity production 
such as mail queues.

Yes, we went back and forth with the supplier, cables, connections, 
vibration, NOC temperature, etc. The replacements would still fail 
within a few months. We since replaced the Maxtor and Fitzy drives with 
a specific model Seagate which seems to survive.

Just one guys 2cents worth.

DAve
-- 
Three years now I've asked Google why they don't have a
logo change for Memorial Day. Why do they choose to do logos
for other non-international holidays, but nothing for
Veterans?

Maybe they forgot who made that choice possible.