[mythtv-users] OT: SATA errors

[Harry Devine]

Brian Wood wrote:
> On Wednesday 08 July 2009 18:54:53 Harry Devine wrote:
>   
>> I just checked that, and even replaced the SATA cables on both drives.
>> I also moved them from SATA 1 & 2 to SATA 3 & 4 on the motherboard.
>> Same issues.  I know that my OS was on /dev/sda (partitions sda1 ->
>> sda7).  I am booted off of the Mythbuntu 8.10 LiveCD right now, and
>> wanted to do a check on the hard drives.  It keeps telling me that
>> either I have to be root to do that or the device is busy.  How can I
>> run fsck in this case to check the drives?
>>     
>
> Ubuntu and its derivatives (like Mythbuntu) assume you are too stupid to be 
> root. Not the way to make me happy with them.
>
> You could try the usual Ubuntu solution of using sudo, as in:
>
>  sudo fsck (options like -y) /dev/sd<n>
>
> Then input your user password when it asks, not the root password, since there 
> is none.
>
> Or try:
>
> sudo passwd root
>
> To give your system a true root password. Be careful.
>
> This should allow you to run fsck. You'll probably get some griping about 
> checking a mounted filesystem, so you should unmount it if you can. 
> Run "mount" to see what's mounted.
>
> But it sounds like a hardware problem, and fsck may well fail. I'd try 
> mounting the drives on another machine if you can, if they work you have it 
> narrowed down to the cables, connectors or motherboard, or just possibly a 
> bad power supply.
>
> Do not connect the SATA power and the "legacy" power connectors at the same 
> time, this can cause problems.
>
>   

I was finally able to run fsck from the live CD on all of my partitions, 
and it fixed some errors.  But I get the same errors upon boot up.  I 
will try the Hard Drive in another machine tomorrow when I have some 
time and see if that's it.  I think I have a spare power supply laying 
around that I could try too.  Why would the power supply be a potential 
problem?  Wouldn't the box not boot at all if the PS was bad?  Or is it 
just not putting out enough juice to spin up the drives?  Just curious 
as to how the 2 areas connect, that's all.

Thanks!
Harry