[Date Prev][Date Next] [Thread Prev][Thread Next] [Date Index] [Thread Index]

Re: SATA disk errors



On 12/31/2011 12:21 PM, Tony van der Hoff wrote:

> Well, Stan, I did. Unfortunately I didn't understand the reports, which
> contain a plethora of information, for which I haven't been able to
> locate an authoritative explanation, but seem to indicate that the
> drives are OK:

/dev/sda
>   1 Raw_Read_Error_Rate     243530983
>   7 Seek_Error_Rate         18363743

/dev/sdb
>   1 Raw_Read_Error_Rate     138763088
>   7 Seek_Error_Rate         1374378

Interestingly, SMART says these two drives have been in service only 2.6
months:

>   9 Power_On_Hours          1893

This indicates both drives are failing and should be replaced ASAP.  Hi
Seek_Error_Rate typically means the voice coil actuator assy is worn
out.  The arm has holes with sleeve bearings pressed into them which
ride on a post screwed into the drive frame.  The bearings wear over
time, causing the actuator to wobble slightly on the post, eventually to
a point past which the drive firmware can no longer compensate for the
wobble.  This causes the head to be misplaced over the platter.  When
this occurs you will see multiple head seek movements per read/write
command.  Thus, you should be seeing performance degradation as a
result.  Are you?

Same parameters, 500GB WD Blue, in constant service for 2 years:

  1 Raw_Read_Error_Rate     0
  7 Seek_Error_Rate         0
  9 Power_On_Hours          17934


It's difficult to believe drives less than 3 months old have worn out
spindle bearings.  That would indicate the vendor supplied bearings were
not mic'd properly before installation, meaning horrible QC.  Seagate
isn't known for horrible QC.

Is your system in a high vibration environment?  Are these drives
mounted securely in the chassis?  If the cause of the problem is not bad
QC at Seagate, it's likely high external vibration being transferred
into the drive chassis.

Either way, these two drives are toast and need replacement.  If the
problem in the latter, make sure you properly, securely, mount the
replacement drives.

-- 
Stan


Reply to: