Re: Difference of threshold check: atactl smartstatus vs atactl readattr

[Alexander Yurchenko]

2010/3/31 Vincent :
> The output of /sbin/atactl /dev/wd0c smartstatus on that server is: No SMART
> threshold exceeded

> However, if i use: /sbin/atactl /dev/wd0c readattr
> One or more threshold values exceeded!
>
> I had a look at atactl.c and noticed, that the threshold check is completely
> different! [1]
>
> Could someone explain the difference to me please? I just do not understand
> how the smartstatus check works!

It's just different parts of ata spec, may be written in different
time and by different people. atactl implements both. so you should
probably ask ata spec authors why smart sucks so much.

anyway you better don't trust smart at all but if you still do use the readattr.

>
> Thanks!
>
> Cheers,
> Vincent

-- 
Alexander Yurchenko

Difference of threshold check: atactl smartstatus vs atactl readattr

[Vincent]

Hi folks,

One of my servers has a problem with its harddrive. To receive a warning on
harddrive failures, I usually have the following as a cronjob:
/sbin/atactl /dev/wd0c smartstatus >> /dev/null 2>&1
The output of /sbin/atactl /dev/wd0c smartstatus on that server is: No SMART
threshold exceeded

However, if i use: /sbin/atactl /dev/wd0c readattr
I receive this:
Attributes table revision: 16
ID  Attribute name  Threshold   Value   Raw
  1 Raw Read Error Rate   16100
0x
  2 Throughput Performance 50100 0x
  3 Spin Up Time24120
0x000300a600a5
  4 Start/Stop Count 0100
0x001b
  5*Reallocated Sector Count5  1 0x075b
  7 Seek Error Rate 67100
0x
...
One or more threshold values exceeded!

I had a look at atactl.c and noticed, that the threshold check is completely
different! [1]

Could someone explain the difference to me please? I just do not understand
how the smartstatus check works!

Thanks!

Cheers,
Vincent

[1]
http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/cvsweb/~checkout~/src/sbin/atactl/atactl.c?rev
=1.42;content-type=text%2Fplain