[ale] what exactly does a long smart hdd test do?

mike at trausch.us mike at trausch.us
Fri May 11 19:01:12 EDT 2012


On 05/11/2012 01:41 AM, Ron Frazier (ALE) wrote:
> My problem is on the Linux side of the fence. I don't know how to do
> what I want there. I need to force the hdd to read all the sectors on
> the EXT4 main partition as well as the swap partition. Of course, I'm
> wanting to do all this nondestructively. So, I'm wondering exactly what
> a long smart test does, and whether it will accomplish my goal. It not,
> what would you recommend?

SMART does a couple of different things.

First, it keeps an error log on the device.  Typically you can pull up
the last five errors, using the smartctl utility, if SMART is enabled on
the drive.  Many of the BIOS firmwares out there don't support or don't
enable by default, so you can simply set your Linux distro up to enable
it at boot time by running smartctl for the drive.  (See the man page
for the exact command to use.)

Secondly, it keeps stats on the drive.  For example, hours on, motor
cycle counts, recovered read errors, unrecovered read errors, remapped
sectors, etc., etc.

See the attached output files from running smartctl -a on three
different drives to see what kinds of things it can tell you.

BTW, if this utility says your drive is failing (e.g., it does not say
“SMART overall-health self-assessment test result: PASSED”) then you had
best believe it.  SMART cannot predict all failures, but the ones it
does predict, it predicts pretty close to the time of failure.  The
utility will, in that case, tell you that the drive is failing and to
back it up right bloody now.  Do it.

Last time I had a drive fail it told me that the drive was going to fail
within 24 hours.  It did.

SMART is good.  Not perfect, but good.

	--- Mike

-- 
A man who reasons deliberately, manages it better after studying Logic
than he could before, if he is sincere about it and has common sense.
                                   --- Carveth Read, “Logic”
-------------- next part --------------
smartctl 5.42 2011-10-20 r3458 [x86_64-linux-3.2.12-gentoo] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-11 by Bruce Allen, http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net

=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
Model Family:     Hitachi Deskstar 5K3000
Device Model:     Hitachi HDS5C3020ALA632
Serial Number:    ML0220F31HR04D
LU WWN Device Id: 5 000cca 369d53bac
Firmware Version: ML6OA5C0
User Capacity:    2,000,398,934,016 bytes [2.00 TB]
Sector Size:      512 bytes logical/physical
Device is:        In smartctl database [for details use: -P show]
ATA Version is:   8
ATA Standard is:  ATA-8-ACS revision 4
Local Time is:    Fri May 11 18:53:09 2012 EDT
SMART support is: Available - device has SMART capability.
SMART support is: Enabled

=== START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION ===
SMART overall-health self-assessment test result: PASSED

General SMART Values:
Offline data collection status:  (0x84)	Offline data collection activity
					was suspended by an interrupting command from host.
					Auto Offline Data Collection: Enabled.
Self-test execution status:      (   0)	The previous self-test routine completed
					without error or no self-test has ever 
					been run.
Total time to complete Offline 
data collection: 		(22796) seconds.
Offline data collection
capabilities: 			 (0x5b) SMART execute Offline immediate.
					Auto Offline data collection on/off support.
					Suspend Offline collection upon new
					command.
					Offline surface scan supported.
					Self-test supported.
					No Conveyance Self-test supported.
					Selective Self-test supported.
SMART capabilities:            (0x0003)	Saves SMART data before entering
					power-saving mode.
					Supports SMART auto save timer.
Error logging capability:        (0x01)	Error logging supported.
					General Purpose Logging supported.
Short self-test routine 
recommended polling time: 	 (   1) minutes.
Extended self-test routine
recommended polling time: 	 ( 255) minutes.
SCT capabilities: 	       (0x003d)	SCT Status supported.
					SCT Error Recovery Control supported.
					SCT Feature Control supported.
					SCT Data Table supported.

SMART Attributes Data Structure revision number: 16
Vendor Specific SMART Attributes with Thresholds:
ID# ATTRIBUTE_NAME          FLAG     VALUE WORST THRESH TYPE      UPDATED  WHEN_FAILED RAW_VALUE
  1 Raw_Read_Error_Rate     0x000b   100   100   016    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
  2 Throughput_Performance  0x0005   134   134   054    Pre-fail  Offline      -       101
  3 Spin_Up_Time            0x0007   100   100   024    Pre-fail  Always       -       325
  4 Start_Stop_Count        0x0012   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       9
  5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct   0x0033   100   100   005    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
  7 Seek_Error_Rate         0x000b   100   100   067    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
  8 Seek_Time_Performance   0x0005   144   144   020    Pre-fail  Offline      -       30
  9 Power_On_Hours          0x0012   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       2491
 10 Spin_Retry_Count        0x0013   100   100   060    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
 12 Power_Cycle_Count       0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       9
192 Power-Off_Retract_Count 0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       15
193 Load_Cycle_Count        0x0012   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       15
194 Temperature_Celsius     0x0002   166   166   000    Old_age   Always       -       36 (Min/Max 20/39)
196 Reallocated_Event_Count 0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
197 Current_Pending_Sector  0x0022   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
198 Offline_Uncorrectable   0x0008   100   100   000    Old_age   Offline      -       0
199 UDMA_CRC_Error_Count    0x000a   200   200   000    Old_age   Always       -       0

SMART Error Log Version: 1
No Errors Logged

SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1
No self-tests have been logged.  [To run self-tests, use: smartctl -t]


SMART Selective self-test log data structure revision number 1
 SPAN  MIN_LBA  MAX_LBA  CURRENT_TEST_STATUS
    1        0        0  Not_testing
    2        0        0  Not_testing
    3        0        0  Not_testing
    4        0        0  Not_testing
    5        0        0  Not_testing
Selective self-test flags (0x0):
  After scanning selected spans, do NOT read-scan remainder of disk.
If Selective self-test is pending on power-up, resume after 0 minute delay.

-------------- next part --------------
smartctl 5.42 2011-10-20 r3458 [x86_64-linux-3.2.12-gentoo] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-11 by Bruce Allen, http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net

=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
Model Family:     Seagate Momentus 7200.4
Device Model:     ST9500420AS
Serial Number:    5VJ0LR8K
LU WWN Device Id: 5 000c50 0182c4a90
Firmware Version: 0002SDM1
User Capacity:    500,107,862,016 bytes [500 GB]
Sector Size:      512 bytes logical/physical
Device is:        In smartctl database [for details use: -P show]
ATA Version is:   8
ATA Standard is:  ATA-8-ACS revision 4
Local Time is:    Fri May 11 18:54:26 2012 EDT
SMART support is: Available - device has SMART capability.
SMART support is: Enabled

=== START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION ===
SMART overall-health self-assessment test result: PASSED
See vendor-specific Attribute list for marginal Attributes.

General SMART Values:
Offline data collection status:  (0x00)	Offline data collection activity
					was never started.
					Auto Offline Data Collection: Disabled.
Self-test execution status:      (   0)	The previous self-test routine completed
					without error or no self-test has ever 
					been run.
Total time to complete Offline 
data collection: 		(    0) seconds.
Offline data collection
capabilities: 			 (0x73) SMART execute Offline immediate.
					Auto Offline data collection on/off support.
					Suspend Offline collection upon new
					command.
					No Offline surface scan supported.
					Self-test supported.
					Conveyance Self-test supported.
					Selective Self-test supported.
SMART capabilities:            (0x0003)	Saves SMART data before entering
					power-saving mode.
					Supports SMART auto save timer.
Error logging capability:        (0x01)	Error logging supported.
					General Purpose Logging supported.
Short self-test routine 
recommended polling time: 	 (   2) minutes.
Extended self-test routine
recommended polling time: 	 ( 113) minutes.
Conveyance self-test routine
recommended polling time: 	 (   3) minutes.
SCT capabilities: 	       (0x103f)	SCT Status supported.
					SCT Error Recovery Control supported.
					SCT Feature Control supported.
					SCT Data Table supported.

SMART Attributes Data Structure revision number: 10
Vendor Specific SMART Attributes with Thresholds:
ID# ATTRIBUTE_NAME          FLAG     VALUE WORST THRESH TYPE      UPDATED  WHEN_FAILED RAW_VALUE
  1 Raw_Read_Error_Rate     0x000f   117   099   006    Pre-fail  Always       -       159552026
  3 Spin_Up_Time            0x0003   098   097   085    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
  4 Start_Stop_Count        0x0032   100   100   020    Old_age   Always       -       445
  5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct   0x0033   100   100   036    Pre-fail  Always       -       1
  7 Seek_Error_Rate         0x000f   067   060   030    Pre-fail  Always       -       8601439582
  9 Power_On_Hours          0x0032   098   098   000    Old_age   Always       -       2356
 10 Spin_Retry_Count        0x0013   100   100   097    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
 12 Power_Cycle_Count       0x0032   100   037   020    Old_age   Always       -       401
184 End-to-End_Error        0x0032   100   100   099    Old_age   Always       -       0
187 Reported_Uncorrect      0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
188 Command_Timeout         0x0032   100   098   000    Old_age   Always       -       166
189 High_Fly_Writes         0x003a   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
190 Airflow_Temperature_Cel 0x0022   068   038   045    Old_age   Always   In_the_past 32 (5 178 36 22 0)
191 G-Sense_Error_Rate      0x0032   090   090   000    Old_age   Always       -       21339
192 Power-Off_Retract_Count 0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       1
193 Load_Cycle_Count        0x0032   023   023   000    Old_age   Always       -       155209
194 Temperature_Celsius     0x0022   032   062   000    Old_age   Always       -       32 (0 20 0 0 0)
195 Hardware_ECC_Recovered  0x001a   045   043   000    Old_age   Always       -       159552026
197 Current_Pending_Sector  0x0012   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
198 Offline_Uncorrectable   0x0010   100   100   000    Old_age   Offline      -       0
199 UDMA_CRC_Error_Count    0x003e   200   200   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
240 Head_Flying_Hours       0x0000   100   253   000    Old_age   Offline      -       280933810833077
241 Total_LBAs_Written      0x0000   100   253   000    Old_age   Offline      -       2012121040
242 Total_LBAs_Read         0x0000   100   253   000    Old_age   Offline      -       1025753836
254 Free_Fall_Sensor        0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0

SMART Error Log Version: 1
No Errors Logged

SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1
No self-tests have been logged.  [To run self-tests, use: smartctl -t]


SMART Selective self-test log data structure revision number 1
 SPAN  MIN_LBA  MAX_LBA  CURRENT_TEST_STATUS
    1        0        0  Not_testing
    2        0        0  Not_testing
    3        0        0  Not_testing
    4        0        0  Not_testing
    5        0        0  Not_testing
Selective self-test flags (0x0):
  After scanning selected spans, do NOT read-scan remainder of disk.
If Selective self-test is pending on power-up, resume after 0 minute delay.

-------------- next part --------------
smartctl 5.42 2011-10-20 r3458 [x86_64-linux-3.2.12-gentoo] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-11 by Bruce Allen, http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net

=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
Model Family:     Seagate Barracuda ES.2
Device Model:     ST3750330NS
Serial Number:    9QK0VNW2
LU WWN Device Id: 5 000c50 00d59973d
Firmware Version: SN06
User Capacity:    750,156,374,016 bytes [750 GB]
Sector Size:      512 bytes logical/physical
Device is:        In smartctl database [for details use: -P show]
ATA Version is:   8
ATA Standard is:  ATA-8-ACS revision 4
Local Time is:    Fri May 11 18:55:59 2012 EDT
SMART support is: Available - device has SMART capability.
SMART support is: Enabled

=== START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION ===
SMART overall-health self-assessment test result: PASSED

General SMART Values:
Offline data collection status:  (0x82)	Offline data collection activity
					was completed without error.
					Auto Offline Data Collection: Enabled.
Self-test execution status:      (   0)	The previous self-test routine completed
					without error or no self-test has ever 
					been run.
Total time to complete Offline 
data collection: 		(  634) seconds.
Offline data collection
capabilities: 			 (0x7b) SMART execute Offline immediate.
					Auto Offline data collection on/off support.
					Suspend Offline collection upon new
					command.
					Offline surface scan supported.
					Self-test supported.
					Conveyance Self-test supported.
					Selective Self-test supported.
SMART capabilities:            (0x0003)	Saves SMART data before entering
					power-saving mode.
					Supports SMART auto save timer.
Error logging capability:        (0x01)	Error logging supported.
					General Purpose Logging supported.
Short self-test routine 
recommended polling time: 	 (   1) minutes.
Extended self-test routine
recommended polling time: 	 ( 168) minutes.
Conveyance self-test routine
recommended polling time: 	 (   2) minutes.
SCT capabilities: 	       (0x103d)	SCT Status supported.
					SCT Error Recovery Control supported.
					SCT Feature Control supported.
					SCT Data Table supported.

SMART Attributes Data Structure revision number: 10
Vendor Specific SMART Attributes with Thresholds:
ID# ATTRIBUTE_NAME          FLAG     VALUE WORST THRESH TYPE      UPDATED  WHEN_FAILED RAW_VALUE
  1 Raw_Read_Error_Rate     0x000f   076   059   044    Pre-fail  Always       -       169795672
  3 Spin_Up_Time            0x0003   099   099   000    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
  4 Start_Stop_Count        0x0032   100   100   020    Old_age   Always       -       11
  5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct   0x0033   098   098   036    Pre-fail  Always       -       50
  7 Seek_Error_Rate         0x000f   062   060   030    Pre-fail  Always       -       1698929
  9 Power_On_Hours          0x0032   086   086   000    Old_age   Always       -       12893
 10 Spin_Retry_Count        0x0013   100   100   097    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
 12 Power_Cycle_Count       0x0032   100   100   020    Old_age   Always       -       20
184 End-to-End_Error        0x0032   100   100   099    Old_age   Always       -       0
187 Reported_Uncorrect      0x0032   040   040   000    Old_age   Always       -       60
188 Command_Timeout         0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
189 High_Fly_Writes         0x003a   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
190 Airflow_Temperature_Cel 0x0022   076   063   045    Old_age   Always       -       24 (Min/Max 24/24)
194 Temperature_Celsius     0x0022   024   040   000    Old_age   Always       -       24 (0 18 0 0 0)
195 Hardware_ECC_Recovered  0x001a   049   045   000    Old_age   Always       -       169795672
197 Current_Pending_Sector  0x0012   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
198 Offline_Uncorrectable   0x0010   100   100   000    Old_age   Offline      -       0
199 UDMA_CRC_Error_Count    0x003e   200   200   000    Old_age   Always       -       0

SMART Error Log Version: 1
ATA Error Count: 7 (device log contains only the most recent five errors)
	CR = Command Register [HEX]
	FR = Features Register [HEX]
	SC = Sector Count Register [HEX]
	SN = Sector Number Register [HEX]
	CL = Cylinder Low Register [HEX]
	CH = Cylinder High Register [HEX]
	DH = Device/Head Register [HEX]
	DC = Device Command Register [HEX]
	ER = Error register [HEX]
	ST = Status register [HEX]
Powered_Up_Time is measured from power on, and printed as
DDd+hh:mm:SS.sss where DD=days, hh=hours, mm=minutes,
SS=sec, and sss=millisec. It "wraps" after 49.710 days.

Error 7 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 12879 hours (536 days + 15 hours)
  When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

  After command completion occurred, registers were:
  ER ST SC SN CL CH DH
  -- -- -- -- -- -- --
  40 51 00 ff ff ff 0f  Error: UNC at LBA = 0x0fffffff = 268435455

  Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
  CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC   Powered_Up_Time  Command/Feature_Name
  -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --  ----------------  --------------------
  60 00 f8 ff ff ff 4f 00      17:56:16.404  READ FPDMA QUEUED
  60 00 00 ff ff ff 4f 00      17:56:16.403  READ FPDMA QUEUED
  ea 00 00 00 00 00 a0 00      17:56:16.387  FLUSH CACHE EXT
  60 00 08 ff ff ff 4f 00      17:56:16.343  READ FPDMA QUEUED
  60 00 88 ff ff ff 4f 00      17:56:14.133  READ FPDMA QUEUED

Error 6 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 12879 hours (536 days + 15 hours)
  When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

  After command completion occurred, registers were:
  ER ST SC SN CL CH DH
  -- -- -- -- -- -- --
  40 51 00 ff ff ff 0f  Error: UNC at LBA = 0x0fffffff = 268435455

  Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
  CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC   Powered_Up_Time  Command/Feature_Name
  -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --  ----------------  --------------------
  60 00 00 ff ff ff 4f 00      17:55:41.595  READ FPDMA QUEUED
  27 00 00 00 00 00 e0 00      17:55:41.568  READ NATIVE MAX ADDRESS EXT
  ec 00 00 00 00 00 a0 00      17:55:41.566  IDENTIFY DEVICE
  ef 03 46 00 00 00 a0 00      17:55:41.553  SET FEATURES [Set transfer mode]
  27 00 00 00 00 00 e0 00      17:55:41.525  READ NATIVE MAX ADDRESS EXT

Error 5 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 12879 hours (536 days + 15 hours)
  When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

  After command completion occurred, registers were:
  ER ST SC SN CL CH DH
  -- -- -- -- -- -- --
  40 51 00 ff ff ff 0f  Error: UNC at LBA = 0x0fffffff = 268435455

  Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
  CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC   Powered_Up_Time  Command/Feature_Name
  -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --  ----------------  --------------------
  60 00 00 ff ff ff 4f 00      17:55:36.931  READ FPDMA QUEUED
  27 00 00 00 00 00 e0 00      17:55:36.903  READ NATIVE MAX ADDRESS EXT
  ec 00 00 00 00 00 a0 00      17:55:36.902  IDENTIFY DEVICE
  ef 03 46 00 00 00 a0 00      17:55:36.888  SET FEATURES [Set transfer mode]
  27 00 00 00 00 00 e0 00      17:55:36.861  READ NATIVE MAX ADDRESS EXT

Error 4 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 12879 hours (536 days + 15 hours)
  When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

  After command completion occurred, registers were:
  ER ST SC SN CL CH DH
  -- -- -- -- -- -- --
  40 51 00 ff ff ff 0f  Error: UNC at LBA = 0x0fffffff = 268435455

  Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
  CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC   Powered_Up_Time  Command/Feature_Name
  -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --  ----------------  --------------------
  60 00 00 ff ff ff 4f 00      17:55:32.230  READ FPDMA QUEUED
  27 00 00 00 00 00 e0 00      17:55:32.181  READ NATIVE MAX ADDRESS EXT
  ec 00 00 00 00 00 a0 00      17:55:32.179  IDENTIFY DEVICE
  ef 03 46 00 00 00 a0 00      17:55:32.166  SET FEATURES [Set transfer mode]
  27 00 00 00 00 00 e0 00      17:55:32.138  READ NATIVE MAX ADDRESS EXT

Error 3 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 12879 hours (536 days + 15 hours)
  When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

  After command completion occurred, registers were:
  ER ST SC SN CL CH DH
  -- -- -- -- -- -- --
  40 51 00 ff ff ff 0f  Error: UNC at LBA = 0x0fffffff = 268435455

  Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
  CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC   Powered_Up_Time  Command/Feature_Name
  -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --  ----------------  --------------------
  60 00 00 ff ff ff 4f 00      17:55:27.596  READ FPDMA QUEUED
  27 00 00 00 00 00 e0 00      17:55:27.516  READ NATIVE MAX ADDRESS EXT
  ec 00 00 00 00 00 a0 00      17:55:27.514  IDENTIFY DEVICE
  ef 03 46 00 00 00 a0 00      17:55:27.501  SET FEATURES [Set transfer mode]
  27 00 00 00 00 00 e0 00      17:55:27.474  READ NATIVE MAX ADDRESS EXT

SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1
No self-tests have been logged.  [To run self-tests, use: smartctl -t]


SMART Selective self-test log data structure revision number 1
 SPAN  MIN_LBA  MAX_LBA  CURRENT_TEST_STATUS
    1        0        0  Not_testing
    2        0        0  Not_testing
    3        0        0  Not_testing
    4        0        0  Not_testing
    5        0        0  Not_testing
Selective self-test flags (0x0):
  After scanning selected spans, do NOT read-scan remainder of disk.
If Selective self-test is pending on power-up, resume after 0 minute delay.

-------------- next part --------------
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