I have a strange problem with a new WD1001FALS-00J7B0 hard drive on Ubuntu Linux. Even though the disk passes all health tests, I cannot create an error-free ext4 (or ext3, ext2) file system.
Here are the steps I tried on two different computers, one running Ubuntu 10.04, the other one 10.10.
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Create a partition (any size) with fdisk or parted (tried both). Here is fdisk’s output of the partitioned drive.
root@Canopus:~# fdisk -l /dev/sdbDisk /dev/sdb: 1000.2 GB, 1000204886016 bytes255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 121601 cylindersUnits = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytesSector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytesI/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytesDisk identifier: 0x0004a86b Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System/dev/sdb1 1 8355 67107840 83 Linux
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Create a file system:
mke2fs 1.41.12 (17-May-2010)Filesystem label=OS type: LinuxBlock size=4096 (log=2)Fragment size=4096 (log=2)Stride=0 blocks, Stripe width=0 blocks4194304 inodes, 16776960 blocks838848 blocks (5.00%) reserved for the super userFirst data block=0Maximum filesystem blocks=4294967296512 block groups32768 blocks per group, 32768 fragments per group8192 inodes per groupSuperblock backups stored on blocks: 32768, 98304, 163840, 229376, 294912, 819200, 884736, 1605632, 2654208, 4096000, 7962624, 11239424Writing inode tables: done Creating journal (32768 blocks): doneWriting superblocks and filesystem accounting information: doneThis filesystem will be automatically checked every 39 mounts or180 days, whichever comes first. Use tune2fs -c or -i to override.
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Attempting to mount the file system fails:
root@Canopus:~# mount /dev/sdb1 /mntmount: wrong fs type, bad option, bad superblock on /dev/sdb1, missing codepage or helper program, or other error In some cases useful info is found in syslog - try dmesg | tail or so
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A file system check results in numerous errors:
root@Canopus:~# fsck.ext4 -fn /dev/sdb1One or more block group descriptor checksums are invalid. Fix? noGroup descriptor 0 checksum is invalid. IGNORED.Group descriptor 1 checksum is invalid. IGNORED.Group descriptor 2 checksum is invalid. IGNORED.Group descriptor 3 checksum is invalid. IGNORED.Group descriptor 4 checksum is invalid. IGNORED…
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Ok, so maybe the hard drive is bad? Well, I dont’t see anything suspicious when running smartctl:
smartctl 5.40 2010-03-16 r3077 [x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu] (local build)Copyright (C) 2002-10 by Bruce Allen, http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===Model Family: Western Digital Caviar Black familyDevice Model: WDC WD1001FALS-00J7B0Serial Number: WD-WMATV8075786Firmware Version: 05.00K05User Capacity: 1,000,204,886,016 bytesDevice is: In smartctl database [for details use: -P show]ATA Version is: 8ATA Standard is: Exact ATA specification draft version not indicatedLocal Time is: Sun Jan 9 09:30:41 2011 ESTSMART support is: Available - device has SMART capability.SMART support is: Enabled=== START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION ===SMART overall-health self-assessment test result: PASSEDGeneral 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 Offlinedata collection: (18600) seconds.Offline data collectioncapabilities: (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 routinerecommended polling time: ( 2) minutes.Extended self-test routinerecommended polling time: ( 214) minutes.Conveyance self-test routinerecommended polling time: ( 5) minutes.SCT capabilities: (0x3037) SCT Status supported. SCT Feature Control supported. SCT Data Table supported.SMART Attributes Data Structure revision number: 16Vendor Specific SMART Attributes with Thresholds:ID# ATTRIBUTE_NAME FLAG VALUE WORST THRESH TYPE UPDATED WHEN_FAILED RAW_VALUE 1 Raw_Read_Error_Rate 0x002f 200 200 051 Pre-fail Always - 0 3 Spin_Up_Time 0x0027 253 230 021 Pre-fail Always - 3458 4 Start_Stop_Count 0x0032 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 28 5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct 0x0033 200 200 140 Pre-fail Always - 0 7 Seek_Error_Rate 0x002e 200 200 000 Old_age Always - 0 9 Power_On_Hours 0x0032 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 105 10 Spin_Retry_Count 0x0032 100 253 000 Old_age Always - 0 11 Calibration_Retry_Count 0x0032 100 253 000 Old_age Always - 0 12 Power_Cycle_Count 0x0032 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 21192 Power-Off_Retract_Count 0x0032 200 200 000 Old_age Always - 17193 Load_Cycle_Count 0x0032 200 200 000 Old_age Always - 28194 Temperature_Celsius 0x0022 113 108 000 Old_age Always - 37196 Reallocated_Event_Count 0x0032 200 200 000 Old_age Always - 0197 Current_Pending_Sector 0x0032 200 200 000 Old_age Always - 0198 Offline_Uncorrectable 0x0030 200 200 000 Old_age Offline - 0199 UDMA_CRC_Error_Count 0x0032 200 200 000 Old_age Always - 0200 Multi_Zone_Error_Rate 0x0008 200 200 000 Old_age Offline - 0SMART Error Log Version: 1No Errors LoggedSMART Self-test log structure revision number 1Num Test_Description Status Remaining LifeTime(hours) LBA_of_first_error# 1 Conveyance offline Completed without error 00% 95 -# 2 Conveyance offline Completed without error 00% 70 -# 3 Extended offline Completed without error 00% 3 -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_testingSelective 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.
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Finally, I downloaded the WD diagnostics tools and ran the extended test, which completed without error.
Has anyone experienced a similar problem? Any help is appreciated.
