[vox-tech] Hard drive dying?

[Cam Ellison]

Rick Moen wrote:
> Quoting Bill Kendrick (nbs at sonic.net):
>
>   
>> I just captured a few more from /var/log/syslog:
>>
>> Feb 22 17:44:53 dell-desktop kernel: [ 3884.947898] ata1.00: exception Emask 0x0 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x0 action 0x0
>> Feb 22 17:44:53 dell-desktop kernel: [ 3884.947908] ata1.00: irq_stat 0x40000001
>> Feb 22 17:44:53 dell-desktop kernel: [ 3884.947917] ata1.00: cmd 25/00:a8:76:9e:2d/00:03:09:00:00/e0 tag 0 dma 479232 in
>> Feb 22 17:44:53 dell-desktop kernel: [ 3884.947919]          res 51/40:00:56:a0:2d/94:00:09:00:00/e0 Emask 0x9 (media error)
>>     
>
> The "media error" is the somewhat alarming one.  Time to do a backup!
>
> Once you've done so, you can try using the HD manufacturer's diagnostic
> and pseudo-low-level formatting utilities, to see if the drive can be
> reconditioned rather than just replacing it.
>
> "Hard Drive Utilities" on http://linuxmafia.com/kb/Hardware/
>   

It's the DRDY ERR that is the tip-off.  The drive is dying - back it up 
(if you can - some stuff will be corrupted already) and replace it.  I 
just went through that, and couldn't get anything off it.  Fortunately, 
it was may laptop, and I never keep data on it.

Good luck

Cam