[mythtv-users] Hard drive failure -- recovery method suggestions

Mon Apr 27 16:10:37 UTC 2015

On Sun, 26 Apr 2015 21:34:05 -0400, you wrote:

>>
>> Did you try running a SMART test?
>>
>
>Well, the drive /dev/sdb failed the smart test.  It was one of the emails I
>received on vacation.  Then it was mounted as read-only.  Then I
>brilliantly rebooted the machine and it hung until I returned home.  I
>wasn't getting much sleep for most of the time I was there and I did that
>one morning before reading all of the emails I had received from my
>server.  The vacation was really excellent otherwise!
>
>I just put it in the external adapter and I can't seem to access the drive
>at all now from a different machine /dev/sdd.
>
>My hard drive went on a diet and is now 4.14 GB as you can see in the first
>few lines below.
>
>fdisk: cannot open /dev/sdd: Input/output error
>[root at htpc ~]# dmesg | grep sdd
>[   16.570678] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] 8089950 512-byte logical blocks: (4.14
>GB/3.85 GiB)
>[   16.573035] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Write Protect is off
>[   16.573039] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Mode Sense: 43 00 00 00
>[   16.575039] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Write cache: enabled, read cache: enabled,
>doesn't support DPO or FUA
>[   16.584031] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] FAILED Result: hostbyte=DID_OK
>driverbyte=DRIVER_SENSE
>[   16.584036] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Sense Key : Medium Error [current]
>[   16.584039] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Add. Sense: Unrecovered read error
>[   16.584042] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] CDB:
>[   16.584052] blk_update_request: critical medium error, dev sdd, sector 0
>[   16.584055] Buffer I/O error on dev sdd, logical block 0, async page read
>[   16.588031] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] FAILED Result: hostbyte=DID_OK
>driverbyte=DRIVER_SENSE
>[   16.588036] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Sense Key : Medium Error [current]
>[   16.588039] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Add. Sense: Unrecovered read error
>[   16.588041] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] CDB:
>[   16.588050] blk_update_request: critical medium error, dev sdd, sector 2
>[   16.588053] Buffer I/O error on dev sdd, logical block 1, async page read
>[   16.592030] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] FAILED Result: hostbyte=DID_OK
>driverbyte=DRIVER_SENSE
>[   16.592034] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Sense Key : Medium Error [current]
>[   16.592037] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Add. Sense: Unrecovered read error
>[   16.592039] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] CDB:
>[   16.592048] blk_update_request: critical medium error, dev sdd, sector 4
>[   16.592051] Buffer I/O error on dev sdd, logical block 2, async page read
>[   16.596029] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] FAILED Result: hostbyte=DID_OK
>driverbyte=DRIVER_SENSE
>[   16.596033] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Sense Key : Medium Error [current]
>[   16.596036] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Add. Sense: Unrecovered read error
>[   16.596039] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] CDB:
>[   16.596048] blk_update_request: critical medium error, dev sdd, sector 6
>[   16.596050] Buffer I/O error on dev sdd, logical block 3, async page read
>[   16.600030] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] FAILED Result: hostbyte=DID_OK
>driverbyte=DRIVER_SENSE
>[   16.600034] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Sense Key : Medium Error [current]
>[   16.600037] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Add. Sense: Unrecovered read error
>[   16.600039] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] CDB:
>[   16.600048] blk_update_request: critical medium error, dev sdd, sector 0
>[   16.600051] Buffer I/O error on dev sdd, logical block 0, async page read
>[   16.604029] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] FAILED Result: hostbyte=DID_OK
>driverbyte=DRIVER_SENSE
>[   16.604033] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Sense Key : Medium Error [current]
>[   16.604036] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Add. Sense: Unrecovered read error
>[   16.604038] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] CDB:
>[   16.604047] blk_update_request: critical medium error, dev sdd, sector 2
>[   16.604050] Buffer I/O error on dev sdd, logical block 1, async page read
>[   16.608028] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] FAILED Result: hostbyte=DID_OK
>driverbyte=DRIVER_SENSE
>[   16.608032] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Sense Key : Medium Error [current]
>[   16.608035] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Add. Sense: Unrecovered read error
>[   16.608037] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] CDB:
>[   16.608047] blk_update_request: critical medium error, dev sdd, sector 4
>[   16.608049] Buffer I/O error on dev sdd, logical block 2, async page read
>[   16.612028] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] FAILED Result: hostbyte=DID_OK
>driverbyte=DRIVER_SENSE
>[   16.612032] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Sense Key : Medium Error [current]
>[   16.612035] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Add. Sense: Unrecovered read error
>[   16.612037] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] CDB:
>[   16.612047] blk_update_request: critical medium error, dev sdd, sector 6
>[   16.612049] Buffer I/O error on dev sdd, logical block 3, async page read
>[   16.616031] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] FAILED Result: hostbyte=DID_OK
>driverbyte=DRIVER_SENSE
>[   16.616036] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Sense Key : Medium Error [current]
>[   16.616039] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Add. Sense: Unrecovered read error
>[   16.616042] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] CDB:
>[   16.616051] blk_update_request: critical medium error, dev sdd, sector 0
>[   16.616054] Buffer I/O error on dev sdd, logical block 0, async page read
>[   16.620033] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] FAILED Result: hostbyte=DID_OK
>driverbyte=DRIVER_SENSE
>[   16.620038] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Sense Key : Medium Error [current]
>[   16.620041] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Add. Sense: Unrecovered read error
>[   16.620044] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] CDB:
>[   16.620053] blk_update_request: critical medium error, dev sdd, sector 2
>[   16.620056] Buffer I/O error on dev sdd, logical block 1, async page read
>[   16.692033] Dev sdd: unable to read RDB block 0
>[   16.724059]  sdd: unable to read partition table
>[   16.731035] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Attached SCSI disk
>[   61.493218] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] FAILED Result: hostbyte=DID_OK
>driverbyte=DRIVER_SENSE
>[   61.493222] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Sense Key : Medium Error [current]
>[   61.493225] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Add. Sense: Unrecovered read error
>[   61.493227] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] CDB:
>[   61.493239] blk_update_request: critical medium error, dev sdd, sector 0
>[   61.493245] Buffer I/O error on dev sdd, logical block 0, async page read
>[   61.497212] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] FAILED Result: hostbyte=DID_OK
>driverbyte=DRIVER_SENSE
>[   61.497217] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Sense Key : Medium Error [current]
>[   61.497220] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Add. Sense: Unrecovered read error
>[   61.497222] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] CDB:
>[   61.497232] blk_update_request: critical medium error, dev sdd, sector 2
>[   61.497235] Buffer I/O error on dev sdd, logical block 1, async page read
>[   61.501210] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] FAILED Result: hostbyte=DID_OK
>driverbyte=DRIVER_SENSE
>[   61.501215] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Sense Key : Medium Error [current]
>[   61.501218] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Add. Sense: Unrecovered read error
>[   61.501220] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] CDB:
>[   61.501229] blk_update_request: critical medium error, dev sdd, sector 4
>[   61.501232] Buffer I/O error on dev sdd, logical block 2, async page read
>[   61.501235] Buffer I/O error on dev sdd, logical block 3, async page read
>[   61.505211] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] FAILED Result: hostbyte=DID_OK
>driverbyte=DRIVER_SENSE
>[   61.505216] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Sense Key : Medium Error [current]
>[   61.505219] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Add. Sense: Unrecovered read error
>[   61.505221] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] CDB:
>[   61.505230] blk_update_request: critical medium error, dev sdd, sector 0
>[   61.505233] Buffer I/O error on dev sdd, logical block 0, async page read
>[   61.509209] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] FAILED Result: hostbyte=DID_OK
>driverbyte=DRIVER_SENSE
>[   61.509214] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Sense Key : Medium Error [current]
>[   61.509217] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Add. Sense: Unrecovered read error
>[   61.509219] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] CDB:
>[   61.509228] blk_update_request: critical medium error, dev sdd, sector 2
>[   61.509232] Buffer I/O error on dev sdd, logical block 1, async page read
>[   61.513210] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] FAILED Result: hostbyte=DID_OK
>driverbyte=DRIVER_SENSE
>[   61.513214] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Sense Key : Medium Error [current]
>[   61.513217] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Add. Sense: Unrecovered read error
>[   61.513220] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] CDB:
>[   61.513229] blk_update_request: critical medium error, dev sdd, sector 4
>[   61.513232] Buffer I/O error on dev sdd, logical block 2, async page read
>[   61.513234] Buffer I/O error on dev sdd, logical block 3, async page read
>[   82.928717] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] FAILED Result: hostbyte=DID_OK
>driverbyte=DRIVER_SENSE
>[   82.928724] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Sense Key : Medium Error [current]
>[   82.928727] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Add. Sense: Unrecovered read error
>[   82.928730] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] CDB:
>[   82.928740] blk_update_request: critical medium error, dev sdd, sector 0
>[   82.928744] Buffer I/O error on dev sdd, logical block 0, async page read
>[   82.932712] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] FAILED Result: hostbyte=DID_OK
>driverbyte=DRIVER_SENSE
>[   82.932717] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Sense Key : Medium Error [current]
>[   82.932720] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Add. Sense: Unrecovered read error
>[   82.932722] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] CDB:
>[   82.932732] blk_update_request: critical medium error, dev sdd, sector 2
>[   82.932735] Buffer I/O error on dev sdd, logical block 1, async page read
>[   82.936717] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] FAILED Result: hostbyte=DID_OK
>driverbyte=DRIVER_SENSE
>[   82.936722] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Sense Key : Medium Error [current]
>[   82.936725] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Add. Sense: Unrecovered read error
>[   82.936728] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] CDB:
>[   82.936738] blk_update_request: critical medium error, dev sdd, sector 4
>[   82.936742] Buffer I/O error on dev sdd, logical block 2, async page read
>[   82.936745] Buffer I/O error on dev sdd, logical block 3, async page read
>[   82.940709] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] FAILED Result: hostbyte=DID_OK
>driverbyte=DRIVER_SENSE
>[   82.940714] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Sense Key : Medium Error [current]
>[   82.940717] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Add. Sense: Unrecovered read error
>[   82.940719] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] CDB:
>[   82.940729] blk_update_request: critical medium error, dev sdd, sector 0
>[   82.940732] Buffer I/O error on dev sdd, logical block 0, async page read
>[   82.944711] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] FAILED Result: hostbyte=DID_OK
>driverbyte=DRIVER_SENSE
>[   82.944716] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Sense Key : Medium Error [current]
>[   82.944719] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Add. Sense: Unrecovered read error
>[   82.944721] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] CDB:
>[   82.944731] blk_update_request: critical medium error, dev sdd, sector 2
>[   82.944734] Buffer I/O error on dev sdd, logical block 1, async page read
>[   82.948712] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] FAILED Result: hostbyte=DID_OK
>driverbyte=DRIVER_SENSE
>[   82.948717] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Sense Key : Medium Error [current]
>[   82.948719] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Add. Sense: Unrecovered read error
>[   82.948722] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] CDB:
>[   82.948731] blk_update_request: critical medium error, dev sdd, sector 4
>[   82.948735] Buffer I/O error on dev sdd, logical block 2, async page read
>[   82.948738] Buffer I/O error on dev sdd, logical block 3, async page read
>[   82.959709] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] FAILED Result: hostbyte=DID_OK
>driverbyte=DRIVER_SENSE
>[   82.959714] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Sense Key : Medium Error [current]
>[   82.959717] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Add. Sense: Unrecovered read error
>[   82.959719] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] CDB:
>[   82.959730] blk_update_request: critical medium error, dev sdd, sector 0
>[   82.959734] Buffer I/O error on dev sdd, logical block 0, async page read
>[   82.963709] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] FAILED Result: hostbyte=DID_OK
>driverbyte=DRIVER_SENSE
>[   82.963714] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Sense Key : Medium Error [current]
>[   82.963717] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Add. Sense: Unrecovered read error
>[   82.963720] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] CDB:
>[   82.963729] blk_update_request: critical medium error, dev sdd, sector 2
>[   82.963732] Buffer I/O error on dev sdd, logical block 1, async page read
>[   82.967707] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] FAILED Result: hostbyte=DID_OK
>driverbyte=DRIVER_SENSE
>[   82.967712] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Sense Key : Medium Error [current]
>[   82.967714] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Add. Sense: Unrecovered read error
>[   82.967717] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] CDB:
>[   82.967726] blk_update_request: critical medium error, dev sdd, sector 4
>[   82.971708] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] FAILED Result: hostbyte=DID_OK
>driverbyte=DRIVER_SENSE
>[   82.971712] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Sense Key : Medium Error [current]
>[   82.971715] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] Add. Sense: Unrecovered read error
>[   82.971718] sd 9:0:0:0: [sdd] CDB:
>[   82.971727] blk_update_request: critical medium error, dev sdd, sector 0
>[   83.040709] Dev sdd: unable to read RDB block 0
>[   83.064709]  sdd: unable to read partition table
>
>It may have spun for a week in that failed state.  I have never let a drive
>die in that fashion before.  Usually, I'm around to cut off the power to
>the system.
>
>I am fairly certain that the drive is toast as in melba.  Should I look
>into alternative medicine now or just put a pillow over its head? :)
>
>Jerry

The errors being reported are likely for an attempt to read the master
boot record (MBR) where the partition table is stored.  If the MBR is
unreadable, that is not fatal to data recovery, but it sure does not
help.  If it is a head crash that has killed the track the MBR is on,
then the rest of the disk can be OK, but will likely be unreadable as
the head is damaged.  It would be worth trying using dd to read a few
random locations further up the disk.  If you try that, listen
carefully to see if you can hear the click or buzz sound of the heads
moving - if they do not move, there is no hope for reading anything.

I believe modern drives actually store some hidden data about
themselves on the disk somewhere, including a serial number, various
settings and encryption keys for encrypted drives.  It sounds like the
controller is unable to read that data correctly now, hence the wrong
drive size being reported.  So my guess would be that you will find no
sectors able to be read anywhere, with the problem being in the head
or the electronics.  If so, the only way that recovery is likely now
is through a professional firm that has specialised equipment (eg they
could move the disk platters themselves to another drive to be read).
But that is pretty expensive.

To check if the drive really is unable to read its identity data, use
the command "smartctl -i /dev/sd<x>" on it - it should be able to
report the drive type, size and serial number and so on.  It should
look something like this:

smartctl 6.2 2013-07-26 r3841 [x86_64-linux-3.13.0-49-generic] (local
build)
Copyright (C) 2002-13, Bruce Allen, Christian Franke,
www.smartmontools.org

=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
Model Family:     Hitachi Deskstar 7K3000
Device Model:     Hitachi HDS723030ALA640
Serial Number:    MK0311YHG4GD0A
LU WWN Device Id: 5 000cca 225c2077e
Firmware Version: MKAOA3B0
User Capacity:    3,000,592,982,016 bytes [3.00 TB]
Sector Size:      512 bytes logical/physical
Rotation Rate:    7200 rpm
Device is:        In smartctl database [for details use: -P show]
ATA Version is:   ATA8-ACS T13/1699-D revision 4
SATA Version is:  SATA 2.6, 6.0 Gb/s (current: 6.0 Gb/s)
Local Time is:    Tue Apr 28 04:01:51 2015 NZST
SMART support is: Available - device has SMART capability.
SMART support is: Enabled

It might still be worthwhile cooling the drive in the fridge to see if
that helps - at this point, there would seem to be little chance that
anything you try would make the damage worse.  But the cooling trick
is normally for bearings that are going, and what you have does not
have the right symptoms for that.