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Bad Sectors ! Not sure what to do.....
http://forum.linhes.org/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=9990		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  siasl [ Wed May 10, 2006 8:18 am ]
Post subject:  Bad Sectors ! Not sure what to do.....
Not being a Linux guru I'm not sure where to go from here.

Was transfering some video files from my /myth/video directory when I started getting these errors in the messages log on one file. All the other files transfered :

May 10 07:28:39 mythtv kernel: hda: dma_intr: status=0x51 { DriveReady SeekComplete Error }
May 10 07:29:33 mythtv kernel: hda: dma_intr: error=0x40 { UncorrectableError }, LBAsect=229901503, sector=229901376
May 10 07:29:33 mythtv kernel: ide: failed opcode was: unknown
May 10 07:29:33 mythtv kernel: end_request: I/O error, dev hda, sector 229901376
May 10 07:29:33 mythtv kernel: hda: dma_intr: status=0x51 { DriveReady SeekComplete Error }
May 10 07:29:33 mythtv kernel: hda: dma_intr: error=0x40 { UncorrectableError }, LBAsect=229901503, sector=229901384
May 10 07:29:33 mythtv kernel: ide: failed opcode was: unknown


Error Repeated for a number of sectors.

Boot up log entry for e2fsck does not show anything.

Searching the forums makes me think I need to run either fsck or e2fsck (not sure which) on a quiet system after unmounting /myth.

My questions are :

1. How to "quiet" the system in preparation for disk checking.

2. Any "tricks" for umounting /myth?

3. fsck or e2fsck?

a. just -c parameter or others?
b. Can these errors be "fixed".

4. Other considerations ?

I've emptied the /myth/video of all files except the one that won't transfer because of the errors, and I have no recorded shows to worry about now.

mount returns :

/dev/hda1 on / type ext3 (rw,errors=remount-ro)
none on /proc type proc (rw,nodiratime)
/dev/hda3 on /cache type ext2 (rw)
/dev/hda4 on /myth type ext3 (rw)
sysfs on /sys type sysfs (rw)
usbfs on /proc/bus/usb type usbfs (rw)

I am running R5A16 KnoppMyth.
160G EIDE Hdd. Default partitions.

Before I bag it and do a fresh install on a new hard drive I'd like to see if this can be salvaged.

Thanks
Author:  mac [ Wed May 10, 2006 9:47 am ]
Post subject: 
Quote:
1. How to "quiet" the system in preparation for disk checking.

Boot to single user:
reboot the system and hold down the left shift key after post.
at the "lilo:" prompt type: "linux init=/bin/sh"
Quote:
2. Any "tricks" for umounting /myth?

It won't be mounted after going to single user

fsck.ext3 -y -c

I always give the -y so that it doesn't ask before fixing problems.

check hda1, hda3, hda4

I think your drive is on its way out.. was it getting too hot?
Author:  siasl [ Thu May 11, 2006 12:20 pm ]
Post subject: 
Thanks,

Checked all the partitions. Only the /myth one has bad sectors.

So now I"m looking for information on how to transfer the other good partitions to a new disk drive (bigger) and make a new /myth partition.

I would like to keep this setup since it has been rock solid and i've added tweaks and tunings over time that would be a pain to replicate from scratch.


Thanks again
Author:  enyc [ Thu May 11, 2006 4:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: bad sectors problems...
Unfortunately I am not an expert on rebuilding LILO -- tend to use GRUB....
There should not be any trouble moving to a new system...
Mostly a case of recreating the same partititons, mounting new and old and 'cp -av' 'ing things across.... (Use KNOPPIX and remember to 'swapoff -a ' to avoid swap partitons on HDD being mounted when you are doing this;-))....

However, then connecting ONLY the new hdd and reinstalling LILO probably involves rescue-disk-booting the system and then running 'lilo' to install the loader on that harddisk...

With GRUB the situation is easier I believe...


FYI harddisks often get bad-sectors -- "Grown Defects"....

I highly reccomend running 'badblocks -wvs [device]' to ERASE and TEST a hdd before USE or RE-USE...
WARNING! This overwrites all data!!!
e.g. "badblocks -wvs /dev/hda" to erase/test primary-master PATA hdd...
WARNING! This overwrites all data!!!

Doing the above a few times from a KNOPPIX disk booted into 'knoppix 2 dma noswap' will give a modern bad-sector HDD "a kick" that will case it to *internally map out* the bad sectors (swap them with internal spare sectors) so that the drive then works fine!


Hope you get you issues sorted...
[/quote]
Author:  elgordo123 [ Thu May 11, 2006 5:36 pm ]
Post subject: 
I had a drive die awhile ago. I did this write up incase it happens to anyone else. It might help you.
Author:  turpie [ Thu May 11, 2006 6:03 pm ]
Post subject: 
siasl wrote:
Thanks,
So now I"m looking for information on how to transfer the other good partitions to a new disk drive (bigger) and make a new /myth partition.

I did something similar a while back when I moved to a newer drive. http://mysettopbox.tv/phpBB2/viewtopic. ... highlight=

Basically what I did was this:
1: Disconnect the original drive "A"
2: Connect new drive "B"
3: Use the Knoppmyth CD auto installer to partition the new drive (B) and setup lilo, etc.
4: Reconnect Drive A, and set the BIOS to boot off it.
If you boot off B you wont be able to write over any of the active files.
5: Copy everything from Drive A to Drive B
6: Remove Drive A
7: Enjoy the new drive B.
Author:  siasl [ Fri May 12, 2006 10:16 am ]
Post subject: 
[quote]3: Use the Knoppmyth CD auto installer to partition the new drive (B) and setup lilo, etc. [/quote]


I assume you mean just go until the installation process formats the partitions then bail out of the install program?
Author:  turpie [ Sun May 14, 2006 5:40 pm ]
Post subject: 
siasl wrote:
Quote:
3: Use the Knoppmyth CD auto installer to partition the new drive (B) and setup lilo, etc.



I assume you mean just go until the installation process formats the partitions then bail out of the install program?


Well I don't think it would matter too much whether you stop it early or let it finish. It's been a while since I did it so I've forgotten some of the details, but I think I just left it alone when it started formatting partitions and came back later to whatever point it had stoppped at.

Now that I think about it I think there was some extra mucking about with lilo because kernel file had been replaced. So you could add the following steps.
0: Do a backup from the Knoppmyth menu.(Always a wise idea anyway.)
6.5: Rerun the Knoppmyth CD to auto upgrade drive B. (I think you could do this as a simple way to get lilo working properly.)

There seems to be a few shorting comings to my set of instructions so it would be great if you could take notes of whatever you've done and post them back here to help the next person. :D
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