Interpretting 3Ware error messages

[Matthew Seaman]

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On 18/05/2010 15:43:25, Doug Poland wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> I have a 7.2-R i386 system running a 3ware 9500S-4LP SATA 150
> controller with 4 SATA drives.  I recently starting seeing the
> following in my logs....
> 
> smartd[906]: Device: /dev/twa0 [3ware_disk_00], 1 Currently unreadable
> (pending) sectors
> smartd[906]: Device: /dev/twa0 [3ware_disk_00], 1 Offline
> uncorrectable sectors
> 
> Using the twi_cli program, I can examine the disk subsystem, but I do
> not see any issues with an underlying drive.
> 
> Unit     UnitType  Status         %RCmpl  %V/I/M  Port  Stripe  Size(GB)
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> u0       RAID-10   OK             -       -       -     64K     298.002
> u0-0     RAID-1    OK             -       -       -     -       -
> u0-0-0   DISK      OK             -       -       p2    -       149.001
> u0-0-1   DISK      OK             -       -       p3    -       149.001
> u0-1     RAID-1    OK             -       -       -     -       -
> u0-1-0   DISK      OK             -       -       p0    -       149.001
> u0-1-1   DISK      OK             -       -       p1    -       149.001
> 
> 
> I suspect a disk problem, but cannot identify the individual disk or
> the nature of the problem.  Can anyone shed some light on this?
> 
> 

Look at the SMART data for the disk(s) -- my guess is that you're seeing
sectors failing and being re-mapped by the drive firmware.  If this is
happening to any significant extent the disk may well be reaching the
end of its usable life: happily you would seem to have been alerted to
that in time to do something about it without needing to run around in a
blind panic.

There's a background task you can set up on 3ware controllers that will
attempt to access all sectors of a disk specifically to bring to light
problems like this, which otherwise could go unnoticed for a long time
and lead to silent data corruption.

	Cheers,

	Matthew

- -- 
Dr Matthew J Seaman MA, D.Phil.                   7 Priory Courtyard
                                                  Flat 3
PGP: http://www.infracaninophile.co.uk/pgpkey     Ramsgate
                                                  Kent, CT11 9PW
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