low-level formatter for linux
Daniel B. Thurman
dant at cdkkt.com
Sat Aug 8 20:51:44 UTC 2009
Bill Davidsen wrote:
> Markus Kesaromous wrote:
>>
>>
> See below, but the bottom line is that your drive is dying, the only
> question is if you will leave your data on it.
>
>> ----------------------------------------
>>> From: gene.heskett at verizon.net
>>> To: fedora-list at redhat.com
>>> Date: Wed, 5 Aug 2009 00:33:27 -0400
>>> Subject: Re: low-level formatter for linux
>>>
>>> On Tuesday 04 August 2009, Markus Kesaromous wrote:
>>>> ----------------------------------------
>>>>
>>>>> Date: Wed, 5 Aug 2009 03:33:25 +0000
>>>>> From: geleem at bellsouth.net
>>>>> To: fedora-list at redhat.com
>>>>> Subject: Re: low-level formatter for linux
>>>>>
>>>>> Markus Kesaromous wrote:
>>>>>> Is there a low-level HD formatter for linux?
>>>>> linux-google search "low-level+format", will give 97k hits.
>>>>>
>>>>> mainly, for a truly oem *low-level format* you need an oem format
>>>>> program.
>>>>> they are available in dos format.
>>>>>
>>>>> you will get advice to use 'dd' to zero out sectors.
>>>>>
>>>>> you will find programs to do all sorts of security erasers.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> for all practical purposes of clearing up why you need 'llf',
>>>>>
>>>>> did you now have live-in girl friend and you want to be sure
>>>>> she does not find your pron? ;)
>>>>>
>>>>> your boss caught you with it on *his* computer?
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> for practical purposes, girl friend included, using
>>>>> 'dd if=/dev/random of=/dev/sdn bs=65536'
>>>>> will removed any thing you need to worry about.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> for legal reasons, fbi, irs, boss, etc, log;
>>>>> http://www.linux-kurser.dk/secure_harddisk_eraser.html
>>>>> for a type of 'erase' programs available.
>>>>>
>>>>> there are many more, so you can look thru rest of 97k,
>>>>> or modify "low-level+formatter" to lessen.
>>>>>
>>>>> much fun to you. :)
>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>>>
>>>>> peace out.
>>>>>
>>>>> tc,hago.
>>>>>
>>>>> g
>>>>> .
>>>>>
>>>>> ****
>>>>> in a free world without fences, who needs gates.
>>>>> **
>>>>> help microsoft stamp out piracy - give linux to a friend today.
>>>>> **
>>>>> to mess up a linux box, you need to work at it.
>>>>> to mess up an ms windows box, you just need to *look* at it.
>>>>> **
>>>>> learn linux:
>>>>> 'Rute User's Tutorial and Exposition'
>>>>> http://rute.2038bug.com/index.html
>>>>> 'The Linux Documentation Project' http://www.tldp.org/
>>>>> 'LDP HOWTO-index' http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/HOWTO-INDEX/index.html
>>>>> 'HowtoForge' http://howtoforge.com/
>>>>> ****
>>>> Why I need to do low level formatting?
>>>> Disk monitor is reporting 93 uncorrectable sector errors.
>>> If that drive cannot correct them, it is already out of spare
>>> sectors and is
>>> using its input power for life support.
>>>
>>> But to be sure, please post the output of 'smartctl -a /dev/sdX'
>>> where X is the rest of that devices name, a,b,c,d,e etc.
>>>
>>> I'd retire it, before it falls over taking your data with it. Or are
>>> you
>>> running amanda? I do. And I don't worry too much, I can do a bare metal
>>> install on a fresh drive, fire up one of amanda's two recovery
>>> tools, and have
>>> my 99GB restored in about 3 hours, including the final reboot to put
>>> in my
>>> latest kernel.
>>>
>>>> Is that a good enough reason? :)
>>>>
>>>> PS: If I had something on the disk to hide from prying eyes, I
>>>> would resort
>>>> to a very simple solution: break open the drive (very easyli done),
>>>> and
>>>> place the platters on the fire grill for about 60 minutes. Ask a
>>>> physics
>>>> professor. See what he has to say about it :)
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _________________________________________________________________
>>>> Get free photo software from Windows Live
>>>> http://www.windowslive.com/online/photos?ocid=PID23393::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-U
>>>>
>>>> S:SI_PH_software:082009
>>>
>>> --
>>> Cheers, Gene
>>> "There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
>>> soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
>>> -Ed Howdershelt (Author)
>>> The NRA is offering FREE Associate memberships to anyone who wants
>>> them.
>>>
>>>
>>> Truth is the most valuable thing we have -- so let us economize it.
>>> -- Mark Twain
>>>
>>> --
>>> fedora-list mailing list
>>> fedora-list at redhat.com
>>> To unsubscribe: https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/fedora-list
>>> Guidelines:
>>> http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Communicate/MailingListGuidelines
>>
>> I don't know enough about amanda. Guess I have to read up on it.
>> Here is the output:
>>
>> # smartctl -a /dev/sdb
>>
>> smartctl version 5.38 [i386-redhat-linux-gnu] Copyright (C) 2002-8
>> Bruce Allen
>> Home page is http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net/
>>
>> === START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
>> Model Family: Seagate Barracuda 7200.9 family
>> Device Model: ST3500641AS
>> Serial Number: 3PM07SFG
>> Firmware Version: 3.AAD
>> User Capacity: 500,107,862,016 bytes
>> Device is: In smartctl database [for details use: -P show]
>> ATA Version is: 7
>> ATA Standard is: Exact ATA specification draft version not indicated
>> Local Time is: Tue Aug 4 21:42:21 2009 PDT
>> SMART support is: Available - device has SMART capability.
>> SMART support is: Enabled
>>
>
>> 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 108 078 006 Pre-fail
>> Always - 157925240
>> 3 Spin_Up_Time 0x0003 096 096 000 Pre-fail
>> Always - 0
>> 4 Start_Stop_Count 0x0032 100 100 020 Old_age
>> Always - 670
>> 5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct 0x0033 100 100 036 Pre-fail
>> Always - 1
>> 7 Seek_Error_Rate 0x000f 087 060 030 Pre-fail
>> Always - 627490383
>> 9 Power_On_Hours 0x0032 082 082 000 Old_age
>> Always - 16386
>> 10 Spin_Retry_Count 0x0013 100 100 097 Pre-fail
>> Always - 0
>> 12 Power_Cycle_Count 0x0032 100 100 020 Old_age
>> Always - 767
>> 187 Reported_Uncorrect 0x0032 001 001 000 Old_age
>> Always - 863
>> 189 High_Fly_Writes 0x003a 100 100 000 Old_age
>> Always - 0
>> 190 Airflow_Temperature_Cel 0x0022 061 039 045 Old_age
>> Always In_the_past 39 (0 2 41 29)
>> 194 Temperature_Celsius 0x0022 039 061 000 Old_age
>> Always - 39 (0 14 0 0)
>> 195 Hardware_ECC_Recovered 0x001a 060 045 000 Old_age
>> Always - 185506743
>
>
>> 197 Current_Pending_Sector 0x0012 093 093 000 Old_age
>> Always - 157
>> 198 Offline_Uncorrectable 0x0010 093 093 000 Old_age
>> Offline - 157
>
> 197-198 mean you have a ton of bad sectors. Either the media is
> deteriorating or the electronics are going bad.
>
>> 199 UDMA_CRC_Error_Count 0x003e 200 037 000 Old_age
>> Always - 366
>
> And this (199) suggests problems getting data to the drive, or failing
> electronics in the drive.
>
>> 200 Multi_Zone_Error_Rate 0x0000 100 253 000 Old_age
>> Offline - 0
>> 202 TA_Increase_Count 0x0032 100 253 000 Old_age
>> Always - 0
>>
>> SMART Error Log Version: 1
>> ATA Error Count: 1188 (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 1188 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 9674 hours (403 days +
>> 2 hours)
>> When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was
>> active or idle.
>>
>> Error 1187 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 9674 hours (403 days +
>> 2 hours)
>> When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was
>> active or idle.
>>
>> Error 1186 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 9674 hours (403 days +
>> 2 hours)
>> When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was
>> active or idle.
>>
>> Error 1185 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 9674 hours (403 days +
>> 2 hours)
>> When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was
>> active or idle.
>>
>> Error 1184 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 9674 hours (403 days +
>> 2 hours)
>> When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was
>> active or idle.
>
>> SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1
>> Num Test_Description Status Remaining
>> LifeTime(hours) LBA_of_first_error
>> # 1 Short offline Completed: read failure 80%
>> 15374 752823153
>>
> I would say this drive is toast. Back it up, run DBAN on it, scrap it.
>
It is interesting that the drive is:
Model Family: Seagate Barracuda 7200.9 family
Device Model: ST3500641AS
Serial Number: 3PM07SFG
Some say that this is the "best" drive vendor that there
is available and one that sports a 5 yr warrantee.
I bought the same brand/model only it is a 750GB version,
that it went bad in less than a year for me. I tried everything
I could throw at it (smart, dd, ...) and found the specific sectors
that it was failing at, and as smart says, it is `Offline_Uncorrectable'
I had 7 uncorrectable sectors that was "bad". Luckily the damaged
sectors was in my swap partition, near the very "end" of the drive
space.
I obtained a new drive, copied over each of the good partitions to
the new drive, and now I have everything back to normal. I then
proceeded to wipe the bad drive clean of all data sans bad sectors,
proceeded to Seagate website, obtained an RMA, and sent
the bad drive back in to receive a factory refurbished drive as
stated in Seagate's RMA policies.
I don't think that `low-level' drive programs can fix
`Offline_Uncorrectable' sectors because if modern drives
that have "smart" support built in cannot correct these
problems, neither will anything else.
So, don't waste your time thinking you can recover
`Offline_Uncorrectable' sectors or to ignore the
warning, especially if the drive is under warrantee.
I could be wrong, but I doubt it.
FWIW.
Dan
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