A few years ago, I bought a 500GB Essentiel B external USB hard drive from Boulanger (a multimedia store in France). Since then I have had 2 failures of the order of 1x / 2 years which seem to lose the file system (currently NTFS) and which requires reformatting, after that everything is fine until the next failure ...
General symptom : copy problem between HDD and other media => I didn't notice the error message since it's been a long time since I touched the disk, but it must have been something like "Input / output error"
Here is what the old FS gave me before reformatting :
user@host:~$ ls -al /media/user/USER-EHD
ls: impossible d'accéder à '/media/user/USER-EHD/anniv_fany.avi': Erreur d'entrée/sortie
total 15841832
drwxrwxrwx 1 user user 4096 oct. 3 21:14 .
drwx---rwx+ 6 root root 4096 mars 12 19:11 ..
-?????????? ? ? ? ? ? anniv_fany.avi
drwxrwxrwx 1 user user 4096 août 23 2020 xen_build
-rwxrwxrwx 1 user user 1569481183 août 7 2016 踔ororite.avi
drwxrwxrwx 1 user user 4096 août 23 2020 $RECYCLE.BIN
drwxrwxrwx 1 user user 4096 août 21 2020 System Volume Information
2 weird things:
- anniv_fany.avi : no metadata ????? + I/O error
- 踔ororite.avi : was actually named sororite.avi
And
user@host:~$ lsblk -f /dev/sdg
NAME FSTYPE LABEL UUID MOUNTPOINT
sdg
└─sdg1 ntfs USER-EHD 67AC02BC429C25D2 /media/user/USER-EHD
SMART verification => seems OK (see below)
Note : I am aware of the fact that the SMART is not 100% reliable (see that it is not useful to know the real health of the HDD)
user@host:~$ sudo smartctl -a -d sat -t long /dev/sdg
# so ... 2 hour later
user@host:~$ sudo smartctl -l selftest -d sat /dev/sdg
smartctl 6.5 2016-01-24 r4214 [x86_64-linux-4.4.0-148-generic] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-16, Bruce Allen, Christian Franke, www.smartmontools.org
=== START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION ===
SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1
Num Test_Description Status Remaining LifeTime(hours) LBA_of_first_error
# 1 Extended offline Completed without error 00% 586 -
# 2 Extended offline Completed without error 00% 500 -
# 3 Extended offline Aborted by host 90% 499 -
# 4 Short offline Completed without error 00% 499 -
# 5 Extended offline Completed: read failure 00% 489 769438584
# 6 Extended offline Completed: read failure 00% 488 769438584
# 7 Extended offline Aborted by host 90% 486 -
# 8 Short offline Completed without error 00% 486 -
# 9 Short offline Completed without error 00% 112 -
2 of 2 failed self-tests are outdated by newer successful extended offline self-test # 1
=> would be OK : the 2 old reading errors are obsolete and smartctl considers that the long test went smoothly !
Here the details :
user@host:~$ sudo smartctl -a -d sat /dev/sdg
[sudo] Mot de passe de user :
smartctl 6.5 2016-01-24 r4214 [x86_64-linux-4.4.0-148-generic] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-16, Bruce Allen, Christian Franke, www.smartmontools.org
=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
Model Family: Toshiba 2.5" HDD MQ01ABF...
Device Model: TOSHIBA MQ01ABF050
Serial Number: 67ODTDZST
LU WWN Device Id: 5 000039 7d160c9a5
Firmware Version: AM001U
User Capacity: 500 107 862 016 bytes [500 GB]
Sector Sizes: 512 bytes logical, 4096 bytes physical
Rotation Rate: 5400 rpm
Form Factor: 2.5 inches
Device is: In smartctl database [for details use: -P show]
ATA Version is: ATA8-ACS (minor revision not indicated)
SATA Version is: SATA 2.6, 3.0 Gb/s (current: 3.0 Gb/s)
Local Time is: Sat Mar 13 16:30:13 2021 CET
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: ( 120) 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: ( 2) minutes.
Extended self-test routine
recommended polling time: ( 115) 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 100 100 050 Pre-fail Always - 0
2 Throughput_Performance 0x0005 100 100 050 Pre-fail Offline - 0
3 Spin_Up_Time 0x0027 100 100 001 Pre-fail Always - 2054
4 Start_Stop_Count 0x0032 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 491
5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct 0x0033 100 100 050 Pre-fail Always - 0
7 Seek_Error_Rate 0x000b 100 100 050 Pre-fail Always - 0
8 Seek_Time_Performance 0x0005 100 100 050 Pre-fail Offline - 0
9 Power_On_Hours 0x0032 099 099 000 Old_age Always - 588
10 Spin_Retry_Count 0x0033 109 100 030 Pre-fail Always - 0
12 Power_Cycle_Count 0x0032 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 355
191 G-Sense_Error_Rate 0x0032 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 1
192 Power-Off_Retract_Count 0x0032 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 123
193 Load_Cycle_Count 0x0032 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 6041
194 Temperature_Celsius 0x0022 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 30 (Min/Max 14/49)
196 Reallocated_Event_Count 0x0032 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 0
197 Current_Pending_Sector 0x0032 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 0
198 Offline_Uncorrectable 0x0030 100 100 000 Old_age Offline - 0
199 UDMA_CRC_Error_Count 0x0032 200 200 000 Old_age Always - 0
220 Disk_Shift 0x0002 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 0
222 Loaded_Hours 0x0032 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 132
223 Load_Retry_Count 0x0032 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 0
224 Load_Friction 0x0022 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 0
226 Load-in_Time 0x0026 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 262
240 Head_Flying_Hours 0x0001 100 100 001 Pre-fail Offline - 0
SMART Error Log Version: 1
ATA Error Count: 12 (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 12 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 492 hours (20 days + 12 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 08 78 b3 dc 4d Error: UNC 8 sectors at LBA = 0x0ddcb378 = 232567672
Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC Powered_Up_Time Command/Feature_Name
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- ---------------- --------------------
25 03 08 78 b3 dc 40 00 01:08:22.969 READ DMA EXT
ef 03 45 78 b3 dc 00 00 01:08:22.969 SET FEATURES [Set transfer mode]
ef 03 0c 78 b3 dc 00 00 01:08:22.969 SET FEATURES [Set transfer mode]
ec 03 08 78 b3 dc 00 00 01:08:22.968 IDENTIFY DEVICE
ff ff ff ff ff ff ff 0c 01:08:22.967 [VENDOR SPECIFIC]
Error 11 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 492 hours (20 days + 12 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 41 00 78 b3 dc 40 Error: UNC at LBA = 0x00dcb378 = 14463864
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 08 00 78 b3 dc 40 00 01:08:19.211 READ FPDMA QUEUED
25 03 08 78 b3 dc 40 00 01:08:15.457 READ DMA EXT
ef 03 45 68 b3 dc 00 00 01:08:15.457 SET FEATURES [Set transfer mode]
ef 03 0c 68 b3 dc 00 00 01:08:15.457 SET FEATURES [Set transfer mode]
ec 03 08 68 b3 dc 00 00 01:08:15.456 IDENTIFY DEVICE
Error 10 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 492 hours (20 days + 12 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 08 78 b3 dc 4d Error: UNC 8 sectors at LBA = 0x0ddcb378 = 232567672
Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC Powered_Up_Time Command/Feature_Name
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- ---------------- --------------------
25 03 08 78 b3 dc 40 00 01:08:15.457 READ DMA EXT
ef 03 45 68 b3 dc 00 00 01:08:15.457 SET FEATURES [Set transfer mode]
ef 03 0c 68 b3 dc 00 00 01:08:15.457 SET FEATURES [Set transfer mode]
ec 03 08 68 b3 dc 00 00 01:08:15.456 IDENTIFY DEVICE
ff ff ff ff ff ff ff 0c 01:08:15.455 [VENDOR SPECIFIC]
Error 9 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 492 hours (20 days + 12 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 41 00 78 b3 dc 40 Error: UNC at LBA = 0x00dcb378 = 14463864
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 08 00 78 b3 dc 40 00 01:08:11.708 READ FPDMA QUEUED
60 08 00 70 b3 dc 40 00 01:08:11.686 READ FPDMA QUEUED
25 03 08 68 b3 dc 40 00 01:08:11.668 READ DMA EXT
ef 03 45 00 b3 dc 00 00 01:08:11.668 SET FEATURES [Set transfer mode]
ef 03 0c 00 b3 dc 00 00 01:08:11.667 SET FEATURES [Set transfer mode]
Error 8 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 492 hours (20 days + 12 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 41 08 78 b3 dc 40 Error: UNC at LBA = 0x00dcb378 = 14463864
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 e8 b3 dc 40 00 01:08:07.918 READ FPDMA QUEUED
60 80 08 68 b3 dc 40 00 01:08:07.918 READ FPDMA QUEUED
60 40 00 28 b3 dc 40 00 01:08:07.918 READ FPDMA QUEUED
60 20 00 08 b3 dc 40 00 01:08:07.907 READ FPDMA QUEUED
25 03 08 00 b3 dc 40 00 01:08:07.890 READ DMA EXT
SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1
Num Test_Description Status Remaining LifeTime(hours) LBA_of_first_error
# 1 Extended offline Completed without error 00% 586 -
# 2 Extended offline Completed without error 00% 500 -
# 3 Extended offline Aborted by host 90% 499 -
# 4 Short offline Completed without error 00% 499 -
# 5 Extended offline Completed: read failure 00% 489 769438584
# 6 Extended offline Completed: read failure 00% 488 769438584
# 7 Extended offline Aborted by host 90% 486 -
# 8 Short offline Completed without error 00% 486 -
# 9 Short offline Completed without error 00% 112 -
2 of 2 failed self-tests are outdated by newer successful extended offline self-test # 1
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.
Nota : the Power On Hours is 588
According to this link, the attribute Current Pending Sector count indicates the current number of unstable sectors :
user@host:~$ sudo smartctl -a -d sat /dev/sdg | grep "Current_Pending_Sector"
197 Current_Pending_Sector 0x0032 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 0
=> there would be none !
Finally ...
user@host:~$ date ; badblocks -svn /dev/sdg ; date
samedi 13 mars 2021, 16:31:58 (UTC+0100)
Vérification des blocs défectueux dans un mode non destructif de lecture-
écriture
Du bloc 0 au bloc 488386583
Vérification des blocs défectueux (test non destructif de lecture-écriture)
Test en cours avec un motif aléatoire : complété
Passe complétée, 0 blocs défectueux repérés. (0/0/0 erreurs)
dimanche 14 mars 2021, 09:48:53 (UTC+0100)
=> about 17 hours later, badblocks announces that there is no error !
So I ask myself, how do I know if my drive is really HS and good for recycling ?
Does anyone have any expertise on the subject ?
I going,
I tried to long format (fulling with 0) with disk (Gnome disk utility) but at starting I saw the error "Error erasing device: Error writing 1048576 bytes to /dev/sdg: Input/output error (udisks-error-quark, 0)". So I tried to format with gparted and directly got "I/O error reading from /dev/sdg" (FR to EN translation) and when I tried to add a msdos partition table I had in add "Synchronization error / closing /dev/sdg : I/O error on target host" (FR to EN translation) then the disk disappeared completely from gparted ...
As smartctl reports everything is fine (as you assured me) as well as badblocks, I assumed the problem was not directly with the drive between it and the connector attached to the PC. So I disassembled the external drive case (the procedure was identical to this one) and tested the SATA drive with a SATA-USB docking station. I made the same tests and saw the same results.
I deduced that the problem came from the device itself and I asked to myself if there is not a low level utility to format the disk and clean to get a factory version. At one point, I gave up and could already see myself putting the record in recycling, suddenly as I have nothing to lose, broken for broken, I wanted to try everything possible and I found this topic which is related of the hdparm command ...
I studied on the surface topics 1 and 2. This site allowed me to find my hard drive password (subsequently stored in the PASS variable and which for a TOSHIBA disk consists of 32 spaces - yes, I too was surprised) which is different according to the manufacturer (adapt according to his). From these explanations, I stupidly applied without really understanding, the lines that seemed to work :
user@host:~$ PASS=$( printf %32s )
user@host:~$ sudo hdparm -I /dev/sdg
...
Security:
Master password revision code = 65534
supported
enabled
locked
not frozen
not expired: security count
supported: enhanced erase
Security level high
108min for SECURITY ERASE UNIT. 108min for ENHANCED SECURITY ERASE UNIT.
...
user@host:~$ sudo hdparm --user-master u --security-set-pass "$PASS" /dev/sdg
security_password: " "
/dev/sdg:
Issuing SECURITY_SET_PASS command, password=" ", user=user, mode=high
user@host:~$ sudo hdparm -I /dev/sdg
...
Security:
Master password revision code = 65534
supported
enabled
locked
not frozen
not expired: security count
supported: enhanced erase
Security level high
108min for SECURITY ERASE UNIT. 108min for ENHANCED SECURITY ERASE UNIT.
...
user@host:~$ date ; sudo hdparm --user-master u --security-erase "$PASS" /dev/sdg ; date
mardi 16 mars 2021, 19:22:49 (UTC+0100)
security_password: " "
/dev/sdg:
Issuing SECURITY_ERASE command, password=" ", user=user
mardi 16 mars 2021, 20:50:47 (UTC+0100)
user@host:~$ sudo hdparm -I /dev/sdg
...
Security:
Master password revision code = 65534
supported
not enabled
not locked
not frozen
not expired: security count
supported: enhanced erase
108min for SECURITY ERASE UNIT. 108min for ENHANCED SECURITY ERASE UNIT.
...
# enable -> not enabled AND locked -> not locked
user@host:~$ sudo hdparm --user-master m --security-unlock "$PASS" /dev/sdg
security_password: " "
/dev/sdg:
Issuing SECURITY_UNLOCK command, password=" ", user=master
user@host:~$ sudo hdparm --user-master m --security-disable "$PASS" /dev/sdg
security_password: " "
/dev/sdg:
Issuing SECURITY_DISABLE command, password=" ", user=master
I was pleasantly surprised to find that these commands had unlocked something (but I don't know what):
- test gparted add MSDos partition table + NTFS formatting => OK
- test Gnome disk (long formatting) => OK
- test adding / deleting files / folders on Windows and Linux => OK
Warning: I am not too sure of the "non-destructive" character of hdparm (if the command can make a hard disk physically inaccessible, a bit like bricked smartphones). In any case, using the ABOVE commands, even if at first I used the wrong password (I took the dummy one that was given : "llformat"), something has changed or is unlocked (I can not say what). So to dig ...
So everything seems to be back to normal !
Does anyone knows what hdparm changed to make it work again ?
grepthem away), because with those, we can assess how defective the disk is. All modern harddisks (and this is one) have spare sectors and automatically reallocate them, sobadblocksis not a good tool to assess the health.