SUMMARY I have a failing disk and give plasma-disks a try. However, according to plasma-disks, my device was as good as a new HDD. The "SMART overall-health self-assessment test result" should not be blindly trusted. I'll paste my smartctl output showing many warning problems like: 1) failed tests. They might not be a final sentence but the user should be notified 2) repeated failed tests on the same sector: This indicates a even worse scenario than 1) 3) Reported_Uncorrect increasing 4) Multiple repeating UNC # smartctl -a /dev/sdb smartctl 7.1 2019-12-30 r5022 [x86_64-linux-5.9.1-2-default] (SUSE RPM) Copyright (C) 2002-19, Bruce Allen, Christian Franke, www.smartmontools.org === START OF INFORMATION SECTION === Model Family: Seagate Barracuda 7200.14 (AF) Device Model: ST3000DM001-1ER166 Serial Number: Z501MAQ5 LU WWN Device Id: 5 000c50 07bd700c6 Firmware Version: CC26 User Capacity: 3.000.592.982.016 bytes [3,00 TB] Sector Sizes: 512 bytes logical, 4096 bytes physical Rotation Rate: 7200 rpm Form Factor: 3.5 inches Device is: In smartctl database [for details use: -P show] ATA Version is: ACS-2, ACS-3 T13/2161-D revision 3b SATA Version is: SATA 3.1, 6.0 Gb/s (current: 6.0 Gb/s) Local Time is: Wed Nov 18 23:21:10 2020 -03 SMART support is: Available - device has SMART capability. SMART support is: Enabled === START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION === SMART overall-health self-assessment test result: PASSED General SMART Values: Offline data collection status: (0x00) Offline data collection activity was never started. Auto Offline Data Collection: Disabled. 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 Offline data collection: ( 89) seconds. Offline data collection capabilities: (0x73) SMART execute Offline immediate. Auto Offline data collection on/off support. Suspend Offline collection upon new command. No 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 routine recommended polling time: ( 1) minutes. Extended self-test routine recommended polling time: ( 321) minutes. Conveyance self-test routine recommended polling time: ( 2) minutes. SCT capabilities: (0x1085) SCT Status supported. SMART Attributes Data Structure revision number: 10 Vendor Specific SMART Attributes with Thresholds: ID# ATTRIBUTE_NAME FLAG VALUE WORST THRESH TYPE UPDATED WHEN_FAILED RAW_VALUE 1 Raw_Read_Error_Rate 0x000f 119 099 006 Pre-fail Always - 220595456 3 Spin_Up_Time 0x0003 095 094 000 Pre-fail Always - 0 4 Start_Stop_Count 0x0032 100 100 020 Old_age Always - 471 5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct 0x0033 100 100 010 Pre-fail Always - 8 7 Seek_Error_Rate 0x000f 070 047 030 Pre-fail Always - 387418648400 9 Power_On_Hours 0x0032 069 069 000 Old_age Always - 27196 10 Spin_Retry_Count 0x0013 100 100 097 Pre-fail Always - 0 12 Power_Cycle_Count 0x0032 100 100 020 Old_age Always - 402 183 Runtime_Bad_Block 0x0032 099 099 000 Old_age Always - 1 184 End-to-End_Error 0x0032 100 100 099 Old_age Always - 0 187 Reported_Uncorrect 0x0032 011 011 000 Old_age Always - 89 188 Command_Timeout 0x0032 100 099 000 Old_age Always - 0 0 5 189 High_Fly_Writes 0x003a 082 082 000 Old_age Always - 18 190 Airflow_Temperature_Cel 0x0022 059 052 045 Old_age Always - 41 (Min/Max 33/48) 191 G-Sense_Error_Rate 0x0032 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 0 192 Power-Off_Retract_Count 0x0032 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 3 193 Load_Cycle_Count 0x0032 065 065 000 Old_age Always - 71480 194 Temperature_Celsius 0x0022 041 048 000 Old_age Always - 41 (0 19 0 0 0) 197 Current_Pending_Sector 0x0012 090 090 000 Old_age Always - 1640 198 Offline_Uncorrectable 0x0010 090 090 000 Old_age Offline - 1640 199 UDMA_CRC_Error_Count 0x003e 200 200 000 Old_age Always - 0 240 Head_Flying_Hours 0x0000 100 253 000 Old_age Offline - 23694h+22m+44.043s 241 Total_LBAs_Written 0x0000 100 253 000 Old_age Offline - 79812508249 242 Total_LBAs_Read 0x0000 100 253 000 Old_age Offline - 11747615309677 SMART Error Log Version: 1 ATA Error Count: 89 (device log contains only the most recent five errors) CR = Command Register [HEX] FR = Features Register [HEX] SC = Sector Count Register [HEX] SN = Sector Number Register [HEX] CL = Cylinder Low Register [HEX] CH = Cylinder High Register [HEX] DH = Device/Head Register [HEX] DC = Device Command Register [HEX] ER = Error register [HEX] ST = Status register [HEX] Powered_Up_Time is measured from power on, and printed as DDd+hh:mm:SS.sss where DD=days, hh=hours, mm=minutes, SS=sec, and sss=millisec. It "wraps" after 49.710 days. Error 89 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 27191 hours (1132 days + 23 hours) When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle. After command completion occurred, registers were: ER ST SC SN CL CH DH -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 40 53 00 ff ff ff 0f Error: UNC at LBA = 0x0fffffff = 268435455 Commands leading to the command that caused the error were: CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC Powered_Up_Time Command/Feature_Name -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- ---------------- -------------------- 60 00 00 ff ff ff 4f 00 04:14:56.788 READ FPDMA QUEUED 60 00 00 ff ff ff 4f 00 04:14:56.788 READ FPDMA QUEUED ef 10 02 00 00 00 a0 00 04:14:56.782 SET FEATURES [Enable SATA feature] 27 00 00 00 00 00 e0 00 04:14:56.782 READ NATIVE MAX ADDRESS EXT [OBS-ACS-3] ec 00 00 00 00 00 a0 00 04:14:56.782 IDENTIFY DEVICE Error 88 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 27191 hours (1132 days + 23 hours) When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle. After command completion occurred, registers were: ER ST SC SN CL CH DH -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 40 53 00 ff ff ff 0f Error: UNC at LBA = 0x0fffffff = 268435455 Commands leading to the command that caused the error were: CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC Powered_Up_Time Command/Feature_Name -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- ---------------- -------------------- 60 00 00 ff ff ff 4f 00 04:14:53.051 READ FPDMA QUEUED 60 00 00 ff ff ff 4f 00 04:14:53.051 READ FPDMA QUEUED 60 00 00 ff ff ff 4f 00 04:14:53.051 READ FPDMA QUEUED 60 00 00 ff ff ff 4f 00 04:14:53.051 READ FPDMA QUEUED 60 00 00 ff ff ff 4f 00 04:14:53.037 READ FPDMA QUEUED Error 87 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 27191 hours (1132 days + 23 hours) When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle. After command completion occurred, registers were: ER ST SC SN CL CH DH -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 40 53 00 ff ff ff 0f Error: UNC at LBA = 0x0fffffff = 268435455 Commands leading to the command that caused the error were: CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC Powered_Up_Time Command/Feature_Name -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- ---------------- -------------------- 60 00 00 ff ff ff 4f 00 04:14:49.285 READ FPDMA QUEUED 60 00 00 ff ff ff 4f 00 04:14:49.285 READ FPDMA QUEUED 60 00 00 ff ff ff 4f 00 04:14:49.285 READ FPDMA QUEUED 60 00 00 ff ff ff 4f 00 04:14:49.285 READ FPDMA QUEUED 60 00 00 ff ff ff 4f 00 04:14:49.265 READ FPDMA QUEUED Error 86 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 27191 hours (1132 days + 23 hours) When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle. After command completion occurred, registers were: ER ST SC SN CL CH DH -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 40 53 00 ff ff ff 0f Error: UNC at LBA = 0x0fffffff = 268435455 Commands leading to the command that caused the error were: CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC Powered_Up_Time Command/Feature_Name -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- ---------------- -------------------- 60 00 00 ff ff ff 4f 00 04:14:45.545 READ FPDMA QUEUED 60 00 00 ff ff ff 4f 00 04:14:45.544 READ FPDMA QUEUED ef 10 02 00 00 00 a0 00 04:14:45.539 SET FEATURES [Enable SATA feature] 27 00 00 00 00 00 e0 00 04:14:45.539 READ NATIVE MAX ADDRESS EXT [OBS-ACS-3] ec 00 00 00 00 00 a0 00 04:14:45.538 IDENTIFY DEVICE Error 85 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 27191 hours (1132 days + 23 hours) When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle. After command completion occurred, registers were: ER ST SC SN CL CH DH -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 40 53 00 ff ff ff 0f Error: UNC at LBA = 0x0fffffff = 268435455 Commands leading to the command that caused the error were: CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC Powered_Up_Time Command/Feature_Name -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- ---------------- -------------------- 60 00 00 ff ff ff 4f 00 04:14:42.058 READ FPDMA QUEUED 60 00 00 ff ff ff 4f 00 04:14:42.058 READ FPDMA QUEUED 60 00 00 ff ff ff 4f 00 04:14:41.380 READ FPDMA QUEUED 60 00 00 ff ff ff 4f 00 04:14:41.380 READ FPDMA QUEUED 60 00 00 ff ff ff 4f 00 04:14:41.380 READ FPDMA QUEUED SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1 Num Test_Description Status Remaining LifeTime(hours) LBA_of_first_error # 1 Extended offline Completed: read failure 90% 27184 4097844144 # 2 Extended offline Completed: read failure 90% 27182 4097844144 # 3 Extended offline Completed: read failure 90% 27182 4097844144 # 4 Short offline Completed: read failure 90% 27176 4097844144 # 5 Short offline Completed: read failure 90% 27153 4097844144 # 6 Short offline Completed without error 00% 27129 - # 7 Short offline Completed without error 00% 27105 - # 8 Short offline Completed without error 00% 27081 - # 9 Short offline Completed without error 00% 27062 - #10 Short offline Completed without error 00% 27038 - #11 Short offline Completed without error 00% 27014 - #12 Short offline Completed without error 00% 26990 - #13 Short offline Completed without error 00% 26966 - #14 Short offline Completed without error 00% 26942 - #15 Short offline Completed without error 00% 26918 - #16 Short offline Completed without error 00% 26894 - #17 Short offline Completed without error 00% 26870 - #18 Short offline Completed without error 00% 26846 - #19 Short offline Completed without error 00% 26822 - #20 Short offline Completed without error 00% 26798 - #21 Short offline Completed without error 00% 26774 - 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_testing Selective 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.
I'm really not sure how much we'd want to add heuristics on our side. In the end if the status is ok but the disk is not, that is surely a firmware problem. Adding advanced guessing heuristics in plasma means the CLI doesn't benefit from them, which seems distinctly disadvantageous. Can you talk to the smartmontools devs about their thoughts on smartctl's behavior? https://www.smartmontools.org/wiki/WikiStart#BugReports In any event please attach the output of `sudo smartctl --all --json /dev/sdb` it's useful test data either way.
Created attachment 133453 [details] smart.json I wouldn't say it's a firmware problem as some of those errors might be transient. However, the same way smartd reported to logs as errors (in red), kde should notify the user: Device: /dev/sdb [SAT], SMART Usage Attribute: 190 Airflow_Temperature_Cel changed from 58 to 59 Device: /dev/sdb [SAT], SMART Usage Attribute: 194 Temperature_Celsius changed from 42 to 41 Device: /dev/sdc [SAT], SMART Prefailure Attribute: 1 Raw_Read_Error_Rate changed from 117 to 120 Device: /dev/sda [SAT], SMART Usage Attribute: 194 Temperature_Celsius changed from 41 to 40 Device: /dev/sdb [SAT], 1640 Currently unreadable (pending) sectors Device: /dev/sdb [SAT], 1640 Offline uncorrectable sectors These last two are in red.
Thanks for the json. KDE is a community. I'm sure we'll not report anything ;) Plasma will, but unfortunately the userbase of Plasma is muuuuch too varied to report that kind of data. The problem with reporting the lines you mention is that 99% of people won't know what they mean or what to do about them which is why we break the entire affair down to a binary state of either everything is grand or everything is not. Which has the disadvantage that potentially failing disks slip under the radar if the overall status says ok even when it isn't. At the same time replicating what smartd already does and tracking report trends to discern problems seems a bit useless given, well, smartd already does just that ^^ We could maybe have a tiny hint icon somewhere in kinfocenter that there were problems in the report data so the user can look at it and/or choose to err on the side of caution and replace the disk.
(In reply to Harald Sitter from comment #3) > KDE is a community. I'm sure we'll not report anything ;) > Plasma will, but unfortunately the userbase of Plasma is muuuuch too varied > to report that kind of data. I'm still from the times where kde was a thing, not a community... Old habits die hard. > The problem with reporting the lines you mention is that 99% of people won't > know what they mean or what to do about them which is why we break the > entire affair down to a binary state of either everything is grand or > everything is not. Which has the disadvantage that potentially failing disks > slip under the radar if the overall status says ok even when it isn't. HDD dying process is a little more subtle than "run, I'm gonna explode!". A read error with a msg like "it might be a one time error like a power outage. However, if this error keeps reoccurring, it indicates that part of your data in your HDD is not readable anymore". This is something a user might understand. It could show previous tests or error messages to let the user decide if a new HDD is needed. > At the same time replicating what smartd already does and tracking report > trends to discern problems seems a bit useless given, well, smartd already > does just that ^^ It generates the error log. However, that error will never reach a gui-only user. That's what I'm suggesting: exposing "Hey, a read error happened!" to gui users. If smarttools guys does not have a good heuristic, it is not plasma-disk that will implement one. But plasma-disk could expose and "translate" some errors and let the user decide. > We could maybe have a tiny hint icon somewhere in kinfocenter that there > were problems in the report data so the user can look at it and/or choose to > err on the side of caution and replace the disk. If all last self-tests finished with an error, it should be something to report with a big red flashing icon. Not something subtle inside kinfocenter.
You can have smartd send notifications
Whoops. Hit save too soon. You could have smartd send notifications to journal and then pick them out via trivial scripting. I really don't think the KCM has a role to play here though. As far as we are concerned there is no nuance. Thats a choice of maintainability of the code as much as the user experience. Either the firmware reports status OK or not. If it is not OK we advise the disk be replaced. If the firmware reports OK but it's not OK then that's a firmware problem same as when the firmware reports not OK but the disk is actually ok. At the same time lower level metrics tracking is something smartd has covered well enough already that I don't see the particular use in replacing that. In particular not as a standard plasma feature.
(In reply to Harald Sitter from comment #6) > Whoops. Hit save too soon. You could have smartd send notifications to > journal and then pick them out via trivial scripting. If the user can script that, plasma-disk is just an additional feature. I was thinking about those users that does not know how to do that (and does not even know S.M.A.R.T. exists. If plasma has a tool that reads smart data, it would not make sense to have a new tool to do just the same, but better. A repeated error at the same position would tell the user that if there is info info stored there, it is gone as CRC is not matching. Is it a HW failure? Maybe not. It could be generated by a power outage, and external interference scrambling bits, firmware bug... who knows? As an advanced user, I would look for badblocks, fsck the filesystem or ever recreate the FS. It would be nice if the read error message could identify the affected filepath, offer to run check tools (fsck, badblocks, ....), suggest a backup... plasma-disks is a nice feature for a cli user but it will be the only monitor tool for non-cli plasma users. In my case, I zero-filled the disk and now it is working as usual. However, I don't trust that HDD anymore to store anything important. My filesystem got irrecoverably corrupted and I did a backup and recreated the FS.
Merging with a similar report. The arguments here only align with a single one of our design personas. Partitionmanager might have interest in growing more in-depth analytic capabilities, but for core Plasma this is way too far out there to justify the cost of maintaining the code, let alone writing it. There are entire continents of work between what the software currently does and what you'd like it to do. It also doesn't really fit the design philosophy here. We actually want the information to be awkwardly high level because we want everyone to have a sense of what to do next without making their eyes glaze over, and then potentially steer them towards more specialized software to take next steps. e.g. backup data with kup, inspect the disk in detail in partitionmanager I appreciate that there is a market for further monitoring and diagnostic capabilities, just not in plasma-disks, not right now anyway. That being said, the fact that we ignore indication of problems needs to be dealt with, that's what the other bug is about. The actual analytics component of what is wrong I'd rather see outsourced to another piece of software. *** This bug has been marked as a duplicate of bug 429804 ***