Re: dmesg output: impending hardware failure?

2005-08-17 Thread Ray Olszewski

James Miller wrote:

On Mon, 15 Aug 2005, chuck gelm wrote:


First: Backup your data on /dev/hdb! :-|
Second: I recommend editing /etc/smartd.conf to include
/dev/hdb -a
Then running
smartd
Then
tail -f /var/log/messages
and see whazzzup!  ;-)



This doesn't reveal anything related to the drive. Some mouse messages 
show up there, but that's another puzzle. Further investigation reveals 
that, when I boot with the old 2.6.10 kernel, there are no dmesg 
output errors related to /dev/hdb. Furthermore, with the 2.6.12 kernel I 
got doing the dist-upgrade, I seem also to have gotten udev. Maybe this 
is related somehow to udev? I notice I've got usb hotplug back with the 
dist-upgrade, too. Probably the resolution to these and related issues 
is compiling my own kernel and the learning associated with that. I've 
actually compiled a kernel before semi-successfully. I don't remember 
much about it though, and there's a special Debian way of doing it that 
I'm not very familiar with, so it would be sort of like starting from 
square one. If anyone has further input on the /dev/hdb errors 
referenced, the 2.6.12 kernel, udev, or other related advice, please 
offer it.


I can only offer a guess, James, but the guess is that this report is 
nothing to worry about. I guess this from a look at the details.


First, dmesg reports this:


hdb: Host Protected Area detected.
current capacity is 39102336 sectors (20020 MB)
native  capacity is 39102337 sectors (20020 MB) 


Then it reports a bunch of seek errors, all involving the same sector:

hdb: dma_intr: error=0x10 { SectorIdNotFound }, LBAsect=39102336, sector=39102336 


Now, note that the sector involved in ALL the seek errors is the last 
sector, the one included in native capacity but not in current 
capacity. (Remember, sector numbers start at 0, not 1.) Since this 
sector is not part of the capacity of the drive as (for example) fdisk 
sees it, there will never be a call to read from or write to this 
sector, since no partition or filesystem will use it.


The errors are probably occurring because during boot/init, hard drives 
are told to seek the last sector. Or they used to be told this ... I'm 
not sure that they still are, but they might be.


All that said, I still don't know why the new kernel reports these seek 
failures but the old one doesn't. Since you use pre-compiled kernels, 
and I don't even know where you get them from (I've never heard of the 
Synaptic equivalent to a Debian dist-upgrade ... does this just mean 
you work at Synaptic and use a local cache in a proxy server?), they are 
a black box to both of us. If the drive is 4 years old, it may have been 
partitioned under a 2.4.x kernel (conceivably even a 2.2.x. kernel), so 
these reports could just reflect improvements in the IDE code over time.


Or it may be some wackiness specific to the IDE chipset in your machine 
(if you look at a kernel configuration ruleset, in make menuconfig or 
whatever is convenient for you, you will see a lot of choices involving 
specific IDE chipsets, with the number growing over time) and changes in 
what chipsets are supported in pre-compiled kernels.


Or it could be a feature of the BIOS or IDE hardware (the Host 
Protected Area part makes me think of laptop drives, which sometimes 
reserve an area for maintaining state while sleeping).


Or (most likely) it is some oddball thing I haven't thought of.

But I doubt it is a cause for concern.

Of course, if you are seeking more widespread reports of seek errors, 
involving other sectors and times other than boot/init, then you should 
immediately back up the contents of this drive on a new one.


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Re: dmesg output: impending hardware failure?

2005-08-17 Thread James Miller

On Wed, 17 Aug 2005, Ray Olszewski wrote:

I can only offer a guess, James, but the guess is that this report is nothing 
to worry about. I guess this from a look at the details.


Thanks for your input, Ray. I was beginning to think maybe it was not a 
matter for much concern, so it's good to hear some verification from 
someone more knowledgeable.


All that said, I still don't know why the new kernel reports these seek 
failures but the old one doesn't. Since you use pre-compiled kernels, and I 
don't even know where you get them from (I've never heard of the Synaptic 
equivalent to a Debian dist-upgrade ... does this just mean you work at 
Synaptic and use a local cache in a proxy server?), they are a black box to 
both of us. If the drive is 4 years old, it may have been partitioned under a 
2.4.x kernel (conceivably even a 2.2.x. kernel), so these reports could just 
reflect improvements in the IDE code over time.


Yep, I'm pretty sure I partitioned this drive using a 2.4.x kernel. It's a 
Debian unstable netinst system, pretty much starting from scratch. On the 
Synaptic issue: you are undoubtedly aware that Synaptic is a graphical 
frontend for apt, I suppose? On the Synaptic menu bar, there are items 
representing command-line actions: the reload button likely invokes 
apt-get update, for example, while hitting the mark all button, followed 
by clicking the apply button, results in what must be the commandline 
equivalent of apt-get dist-upgrade. I've got the stock Debian repositories 
stipulated in /etc/apt/sources.list, so the pre-compiled kernels are 
coming from there. I really didn't want an updated kernel since I run 
vmware and have to recompile modules for it every time a new kernel comes 
along, and I'm not entirely sure how I got the kernel. I've looked at 
packages on the system and can't see where new 2.6.x kernels are supposed 
to be part of my dist-upgrade, but that's another issue. Anyway, good to 
get your take on the hard drive errors.


Thanks, James
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Re: dmesg output: impending hardware failure?

2005-08-17 Thread Ray Olszewski

James Miller wrote:
[...]
On 
the Synaptic issue: you are undoubtedly aware that Synaptic is a 
graphical frontend for apt, I suppose? 


Actually, no. I always use apt from the command line so I missed this 
front end. oops.

[...]


I really didn't want an
updated kernel since I run vmware and have to recompile modules for it 
every time a new kernel comes along, and I'm not entirely sure how I got 
the kernel. I've looked at packages on the system and can't see where 
new 2.6.x kernels are supposed to be part of my dist-upgrade, but that's 
another issue. 


How did you install the kernel? That is, did you install the general 2.6 
package for your architecture (kernel-image-2.6-386, for example) or did 
you install a specific kernel minor version (for example, 
kernel-image-2.6.8-2-386)?


If you did it the first way, that's why you are getting the updates ... 
every time a new kernel package is introduced, the general packages 
(which Debian calls transition packages for reasons I do not know) are 
updated to point to the new version. So apt-get dist-upgrade (maybe even 
an apt-get upgrade) will upgrade this package just like any other.


If you did it the second way, it should not be happening (at least the 
way I understand the apt-get [dist-]upgrade process to work) except when 
a new version of that specific kernel is introduced, so I can't be of help.


If the question doesn't mean anything to you, do an apt-cache search 
kernel-image-2.6 and look at some of the package descriptions for the 
packages it lists.




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Re: dmesg output: impending hardware failure?

2005-08-17 Thread James Miller

On Wed, 17 Aug 2005, Ray Olszewski wrote:

How did you install the kernel? That is, did you install the general 2.6 
package for your architecture (kernel-image-2.6-386, for example) or did you 
install a specific kernel minor version (for example, 
kernel-image-2.6.8-2-386)?


I believe I specified a particular kernel for my architecture -- 
kernel-image-2.6.10-1-686 or something very similar. I've double checked, 
and no kernel-image-2.6-anything is installed. At least Synaptic shows 
none installed. kernel-kbuild-2.6-3 is the only thing similar-looking 
that's installed. Unstable is in a particularly unstable state at the 
moment--as you likely know--since a new release was done not long ago. 
I've been making the working assumption that the kernel oddness I'm seeing 
is related to this.


There's been a noticeable decrease in performance on this system with this 
2.6.12 kernel, so I'll likely be getting rid of it. I'm looking at dummy 
ways of building a kernel: do you have any experience with kernel-package? 
It looks like it could make the process a bit less daunting to a relative 
neophyte like me.


Thanks, James
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RE: dmesg output: impending hardware failure?

2005-08-17 Thread Vikas
Can anyone tell me what would be the best way to have good kernel
understanding as I am a newbie in this field ..
Where to start  which book to prefer
And how to update urself for latest kernel changes



-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of James Miller
Sent: Thursday, August 18, 2005 7:12 AM
To: linux-newbie@vger.kernel.org
Subject: Re: dmesg output: impending hardware failure?

On Wed, 17 Aug 2005, Ray Olszewski wrote:

 How did you install the kernel? That is, did you install the general
2.6
 package for your architecture (kernel-image-2.6-386, for example) or
did you
 install a specific kernel minor version (for example,
 kernel-image-2.6.8-2-386)?

I believe I specified a particular kernel for my architecture --
kernel-image-2.6.10-1-686 or something very similar. I've double
checked,
and no kernel-image-2.6-anything is installed. At least Synaptic shows
none installed. kernel-kbuild-2.6-3 is the only thing similar-looking
that's installed. Unstable is in a particularly unstable state at the
moment--as you likely know--since a new release was done not long ago.
I've been making the working assumption that the kernel oddness I'm
seeing
is related to this.

There's been a noticeable decrease in performance on this system with
this
2.6.12 kernel, so I'll likely be getting rid of it. I'm looking at dummy

ways of building a kernel: do you have any experience with
kernel-package?
It looks like it could make the process a bit less daunting to a
relative
neophyte like me.

Thanks, James
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in
the body of a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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dmesg output: impending hardware failure?

2005-08-15 Thread James Miller
I run a Debian unstable system here and recently did a 
dist-upgrade--actually the Synaptic equivalent. In the process, I got a 
new kernel (2.6.12). On reboot, I noticed alot of errors referencing 
/dev/hdb. This is not the oldest of the 3 hard drives I have in this 
machine, but it's also not very new (ca. 4 years old). All drives are on 
the built-in IDE channels. I'm wondering if the output may be telling me 
the hardware is on its way south. I include relevant dmesg output below. 
Any input or advice on this anyone?


NET: Registered protocol family 1
Uniform Multi-Platform E-IDE driver Revision: 7.00alpha2
ide: Assuming 33MHz system bus speed for PIO modes; override with idebus=xx
PIIX4: IDE controller at PCI slot :00:07.1
PIIX4: chipset revision 1
PIIX4: not 100% native mode: will probe irqs later
ide0: BM-DMA at 0xffa0-0xffa7, BIOS settings: hda:DMA, hdb:DMA
ide1: BM-DMA at 0xffa8-0xffaf, BIOS settings: hdc:DMA, hdd:DMA
Probing IDE interface ide0...
hda: ST310215A, ATA DISK drive
hdb: ST320413A, ATA DISK drive
ide0 at 0x1f0-0x1f7,0x3f6 on irq 14
Probing IDE interface ide1...
hdc: IBM-DPTA-371360, ATA DISK drive
hdd: CD-RW 32X10X40, ATAPI CD/DVD-ROM drive
ide1 at 0x170-0x177,0x376 on irq 15
Probing IDE interface ide2...
Probing IDE interface ide3...
Probing IDE interface ide4...
Probing IDE interface ide5...
hda: max request size: 128KiB
hda: 19541088 sectors (10005 MB) w/2048KiB Cache, CHS=19386/16/63, UDMA(33)
hda: cache flushes not supported
 /dev/ide/host0/bus0/target0/lun0: p1
hdb: max request size: 128KiB
hdb: Host Protected Area detected.
current capacity is 39102336 sectors (20020 MB)
native  capacity is 39102337 sectors (20020 MB)
hdb: Host Protected Area disabled.
hdb: 39102337 sectors (20020 MB) w/1024KiB Cache, CHS=38792/16/63, UDMA(33)
hdb: cache flushes not supported
 /dev/ide/host0/bus0/target1/lun0: p1
hdc: max request size: 128KiB
hdc: 26712000 sectors (13676 MB) w/1961KiB Cache, CHS=26500/16/63, UDMA(33)
hdc: cache flushes not supported
 /dev/ide/host0/bus1/target0/lun0: p1 p2
kjournald starting.  Commit interval 5 seconds
EXT3-fs: mounted filesystem with ordered data mode.
hdb: dma_intr: status=0x51 { DriveReady SeekComplete Error }
hdb: dma_intr: error=0x10 { SectorIdNotFound }, LBAsect=39102336, 
sector=39102336
ide: failed opcode was: unknown
hdb: dma_intr: status=0x51 { DriveReady SeekComplete Error }
hdb: dma_intr: error=0x10 { SectorIdNotFound }, LBAsect=39102336, 
sector=39102336
ide: failed opcode was: unknown
hdb: dma_intr: status=0x51 { DriveReady SeekComplete Error }
hdb: dma_intr: error=0x10 { SectorIdNotFound }, LBAsect=39102336, 
sector=39102336
ide: failed opcode was: unknown
hdb: dma_intr: status=0x51 { DriveReady SeekComplete Error }
hdb: dma_intr: error=0x10 { SectorIdNotFound }, LBAsect=39102336, 
sector=39102336
ide: failed opcode was: unknown
hda: DMA disabled
hdb: DMA disabled
ide0: reset: success
hdb: task_in_intr: status=0x59 { DriveReady SeekComplete DataRequest Error }
hdb: task_in_intr: error=0x10 { SectorIdNotFound }, LBAsect=39167615, 
sector=39102336
ide: failed opcode was: unknown
hdb: task_in_intr: status=0x59 { DriveReady SeekComplete DataRequest Error }
hdb: task_in_intr: error=0x10 { SectorIdNotFound }, LBAsect=39167615, 
sector=39102336
ide: failed opcode was: unknown
hdb: task_in_intr: status=0x59 { DriveReady SeekComplete DataRequest Error }
hdb: task_in_intr: error=0x10 { SectorIdNotFound }, LBAsect=39167615, 
sector=39102336
ide: failed opcode was: unknown
hdb: task_in_intr: status=0x59 { DriveReady SeekComplete DataRequest Error }
hdb: task_in_intr: error=0x10 { SectorIdNotFound }, LBAsect=39167615, 
sector=39102336
ide: failed opcode was: unknown
ide0: reset: success
hdb: task_in_intr: status=0x59 { DriveReady SeekComplete DataRequest Error }
hdb: task_in_intr: error=0x10 { SectorIdNotFound }, LBAsect=39167615, 
sector=39102336
ide: failed opcode was: unknown
end_request: I/O error, dev hdb, sector 39102336
Buffer I/O error on device hdb, logical block 39102336
hdb: task_in_intr: status=0x59 { DriveReady SeekComplete DataRequest Error }
hdb: task_in_intr: error=0x10 { SectorIdNotFound }, LBAsect=39167615, 
sector=39102336
ide: failed opcode was: unknown
hdb: task_in_intr: status=0x59 { DriveReady SeekComplete DataRequest Error }
hdb: task_in_intr: error=0x10 { SectorIdNotFound }, LBAsect=39167615, 
sector=39102336
ide: failed opcode was: unknown
hdb: task_in_intr: status=0x59 { DriveReady SeekComplete DataRequest Error }
hdb: task_in_intr: error=0x10 { SectorIdNotFound }, LBAsect=39167615, 
sector=39102336
ide: failed opcode was: unknown
hdb: task_in_intr: status=0x59 { DriveReady SeekComplete DataRequest Error }
hdb: task_in_intr: error=0x10 { SectorIdNotFound }, LBAsect=39167615, 
sector=39102336
ide: failed opcode was: unknown
ide0: reset: success
hdb: task_in_intr: status=0x59 { DriveReady SeekComplete DataRequest Error }
hdb: task_in_intr: error=0x10 { SectorIdNotFound }, LBAsect=39167615, 
sector=39102336

Re: dmesg output: impending hardware failure?

2005-08-15 Thread chuck gelm

Hi, James:

 I'll top post because your example is long.
 First: Backup your data on /dev/hdb! :-|
 Second: I recommend editing /etc/smartd.conf to include
/dev/hdb -a
 Then running
smartd
 Then
tail -f /var/log/messages
 and see whazzzup!  ;-)

HTH, Chuck

James Miller wrote:
I run a Debian unstable system here and recently did a 
dist-upgrade--actually the Synaptic equivalent. In the process, I got a 
new kernel (2.6.12). On reboot, I noticed alot of errors referencing 
/dev/hdb. This is not the oldest of the 3 hard drives I have in this 
machine, but it's also not very new (ca. 4 years old). All drives are on 
the built-in IDE channels. I'm wondering if the output may be telling me 
the hardware is on its way south. I include relevant dmesg output below. 
Any input or advice on this anyone?


NET: Registered protocol family 1
Uniform Multi-Platform E-IDE driver Revision: 7.00alpha2
ide: Assuming 33MHz system bus speed for PIO modes; override with idebus=xx
PIIX4: IDE controller at PCI slot :00:07.1
PIIX4: chipset revision 1
PIIX4: not 100% native mode: will probe irqs later
ide0: BM-DMA at 0xffa0-0xffa7, BIOS settings: hda:DMA, hdb:DMA
ide1: BM-DMA at 0xffa8-0xffaf, BIOS settings: hdc:DMA, hdd:DMA
Probing IDE interface ide0...
hda: ST310215A, ATA DISK drive
hdb: ST320413A, ATA DISK drive
ide0 at 0x1f0-0x1f7,0x3f6 on irq 14
Probing IDE interface ide1...
hdc: IBM-DPTA-371360, ATA DISK drive
hdd: CD-RW 32X10X40, ATAPI CD/DVD-ROM drive
ide1 at 0x170-0x177,0x376 on irq 15
Probing IDE interface ide2...
Probing IDE interface ide3...
Probing IDE interface ide4...
Probing IDE interface ide5...
hda: max request size: 128KiB
hda: 19541088 sectors (10005 MB) w/2048KiB Cache, CHS=19386/16/63, UDMA(33)
hda: cache flushes not supported
 /dev/ide/host0/bus0/target0/lun0: p1
hdb: max request size: 128KiB
hdb: Host Protected Area detected.
current capacity is 39102336 sectors (20020 MB)
native  capacity is 39102337 sectors (20020 MB)
hdb: Host Protected Area disabled.
hdb: 39102337 sectors (20020 MB) w/1024KiB Cache, CHS=38792/16/63, UDMA(33)
hdb: cache flushes not supported
 /dev/ide/host0/bus0/target1/lun0: p1
hdc: max request size: 128KiB
hdc: 26712000 sectors (13676 MB) w/1961KiB Cache, CHS=26500/16/63, UDMA(33)
hdc: cache flushes not supported
 /dev/ide/host0/bus1/target0/lun0: p1 p2
kjournald starting.  Commit interval 5 seconds
EXT3-fs: mounted filesystem with ordered data mode.
hdb: dma_intr: status=0x51 { DriveReady SeekComplete Error }
hdb: dma_intr: error=0x10 { SectorIdNotFound }, LBAsect=39102336, 
sector=39102336

ide: failed opcode was: unknown
hdb: dma_intr: status=0x51 { DriveReady SeekComplete Error }
hdb: dma_intr: error=0x10 { SectorIdNotFound }, LBAsect=39102336, 
sector=39102336

ide: failed opcode was: unknown
hdb: dma_intr: status=0x51 { DriveReady SeekComplete Error }
hdb: dma_intr: error=0x10 { SectorIdNotFound }, LBAsect=39102336, 
sector=39102336

ide: failed opcode was: unknown
hdb: dma_intr: status=0x51 { DriveReady SeekComplete Error }
hdb: dma_intr: error=0x10 { SectorIdNotFound }, LBAsect=39102336, 
sector=39102336

ide: failed opcode was: unknown
hda: DMA disabled
hdb: DMA disabled
ide0: reset: success
hdb: task_in_intr: status=0x59 { DriveReady SeekComplete DataRequest 
Error }
hdb: task_in_intr: error=0x10 { SectorIdNotFound }, LBAsect=39167615, 
sector=39102336

ide: failed opcode was: unknown
hdb: task_in_intr: status=0x59 { DriveReady SeekComplete DataRequest 
Error }
hdb: task_in_intr: error=0x10 { SectorIdNotFound }, LBAsect=39167615, 
sector=39102336

ide: failed opcode was: unknown
hdb: task_in_intr: status=0x59 { DriveReady SeekComplete DataRequest 
Error }
hdb: task_in_intr: error=0x10 { SectorIdNotFound }, LBAsect=39167615, 
sector=39102336

ide: failed opcode was: unknown
hdb: task_in_intr: status=0x59 { DriveReady SeekComplete DataRequest 
Error }
hdb: task_in_intr: error=0x10 { SectorIdNotFound }, LBAsect=39167615, 
sector=39102336

ide: failed opcode was: unknown
ide0: reset: success
hdb: task_in_intr: status=0x59 { DriveReady SeekComplete DataRequest 
Error }
hdb: task_in_intr: error=0x10 { SectorIdNotFound }, LBAsect=39167615, 
sector=39102336

ide: failed opcode was: unknown
end_request: I/O error, dev hdb, sector 39102336
Buffer I/O error on device hdb, logical block 39102336
hdb: task_in_intr: status=0x59 { DriveReady SeekComplete DataRequest 
Error }
hdb: task_in_intr: error=0x10 { SectorIdNotFound }, LBAsect=39167615, 
sector=39102336

ide: failed opcode was: unknown
hdb: task_in_intr: status=0x59 { DriveReady SeekComplete DataRequest 
Error }
hdb: task_in_intr: error=0x10 { SectorIdNotFound }, LBAsect=39167615, 
sector=39102336

ide: failed opcode was: unknown
hdb: task_in_intr: status=0x59 { DriveReady SeekComplete DataRequest 
Error }
hdb: task_in_intr: error=0x10 { SectorIdNotFound }, LBAsect=39167615, 
sector=39102336

ide: failed opcode was: unknown
hdb: task_in_intr: status=0x59 { DriveReady SeekComplete DataRequest 
Error }
hdb: