Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S1753907Ab0LVP7r (ORCPT ); Wed, 22 Dec 2010 10:59:47 -0500 Received: from mail-iw0-f174.google.com ([209.85.214.174]:38251 "EHLO mail-iw0-f174.google.com" rhost-flags-OK-OK-OK-OK) by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S1753508Ab0LVP7p convert rfc822-to-8bit (ORCPT ); Wed, 22 Dec 2010 10:59:45 -0500 DomainKey-Signature: a=rsa-sha1; c=nofws; d=gmail.com; s=gamma; h=mime-version:in-reply-to:references:from:date:message-id:subject:to :cc:content-type:content-transfer-encoding; b=KUtixzuMic6RHM5ZIiAZ7cL/6MLCE+Y4nHHhXhHK5cPddNqJgGLAJh4cqoCmU5Xlo3 judjBnV1IsO1pSVdZUIF/K8D4yDQAThFya1TFC/s1HDYiqGFz2WuRA3Hrxe0LLZqYrbE qFVE5E4kAIgW4NHu1VpjnmPq6VMnwSMf6PRTs= MIME-Version: 1.0 In-Reply-To: <20101222104306.GB30941@bitwizard.nl> References: <20101220141553.GA6088@bitwizard.nl> <20101220190630.66084e1d@neptune.home> <20101222104306.GB30941@bitwizard.nl> From: Greg Freemyer Date: Wed, 22 Dec 2010 10:59:24 -0500 Message-ID: Subject: Re: Slow disks. To: Rogier Wolff Cc: =?ISO-8859-1?Q?Bruno_Pr=E9mont?= , linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org, linux-ide@vger.kernel.org Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8BIT Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org List-ID: X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Content-Length: 16960 Lines: 412 On Wed, Dec 22, 2010 at 5:43 AM, Rogier Wolff wrote: > > Unquoted text below is from either me or from my friend. > > > Someone suggested we try an older kernel as if kernel 2.6.32 would not > have this problem. We do NOT think it suddenly started with a certain > kernel version. I was just hoping to have you kernel-guys help with > prodding the kernel into revealing which component was screwing things > up.... > > > On Mon, Dec 20, 2010 at 01:32:44PM -0500, Greg Freemyer wrote: >> On Mon, Dec 20, 2010 at 1:06 PM, Bruno Pr?mont >> wrote: >> > Hi, >> > >> > [ccing linux-ide] >> > >> > Please provide the part of kernel log showing initialization of your >> > disk controller(s) as well as detection of all the discs. > > > sata_sil 0000:03:01.0: version 2.4 > sata_sil 0000:03:01.0: PCI INT A -> GSI 24 (level, low) -> IRQ 24 > sata_sil 0000:03:01.0: Applying R_ERR on DMA activate FIS errata fix > scsi2 : sata_sil > scsi3 : sata_sil > scsi4 : sata_sil > scsi5 : sata_sil > ata3: SATA max UDMA/100 mmio m1024@0xed200000 tf 0xed200080 irq 24 > ata4: SATA max UDMA/100 mmio m1024@0xed200000 tf 0xed2000c0 irq 24 > ata5: SATA max UDMA/100 mmio m1024@0xed200000 tf 0xed200280 irq 24 > ata6: SATA max UDMA/100 mmio m1024@0xed200000 tf 0xed2002c0 irq 24 > ata3: SATA link up 1.5 Gbps (SStatus 113 SControl 310) > ata3.00: ATA-8: WDC WD10EARS-00Y5B1, 80.00A80, max UDMA/133 > ata3.00: 1953525168 sectors, multi 16: LBA48 NCQ (depth 0/32) > ata3.00: configured for UDMA/100 > scsi 2:0:0:0: Direct-Access ? ? ATA ? ? ?WDC WD10EARS-00Y 80.0 PQ: 0 ANSI: 5 > usb 2-2: new low speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 2 > ata4: SATA link up 1.5 Gbps (SStatus 113 SControl 310) > ata4.00: ATA-7: SAMSUNG HD103SI, 1AG01118, max UDMA7 > ata4.00: 1953525168 sectors, multi 16: LBA48 NCQ (depth 0/32) > ata4.00: configured for UDMA/100 > scsi 3:0:0:0: Direct-Access ? ? ATA ? ? ?SAMSUNG HD103SI ?1AG0 PQ: 0 ANSI: 5 > ata5: SATA link up 1.5 Gbps (SStatus 113 SControl 310) > ata5.00: ATA-8: WDC WD10EARS-00Y5B1, 80.00A80, max UDMA/133 > ata5.00: 1953525168 sectors, multi 16: LBA48 NCQ (depth 0/32) > ata5.00: configured for UDMA/100 > scsi 4:0:0:0: Direct-Access ? ? ATA ? ? ?WDC WD10EARS-00Y 80.0 PQ: 0 ANSI: 5 > ata6: SATA link up 1.5 Gbps (SStatus 113 SControl 310) > ata6.00: ATA-8: WDC WD10EARS-00Y5B1, 80.00A80, max UDMA/133 > ata6.00: 1953525168 sectors, multi 16: LBA48 NCQ (depth 0/32) > ata6.00: configured for UDMA/100 > scsi 5:0:0:0: Direct-Access ? ? ATA ? ? ?WDC WD10EARS-00Y 80.0 PQ: 0 ANSI: 5 > sd 2:0:0:0: [sda] 1953525168 512-byte logical blocks: (1.00 TB/931 GiB) > sd 2:0:0:0: [sda] Write Protect is off > sd 2:0:0:0: [sda] Mode Sense: 00 3a 00 00 > sd 2:0:0:0: [sda] Write cache: enabled, read cache: enabled, doesn't > support DPO or FUA > sd 3:0:0:0: [sdb] 1953525168 512-byte logical blocks: (1.00 TB/931 GiB) > sd 3:0:0:0: [sdb] Write Protect is off > sd 3:0:0:0: [sdb] Mode Sense: 00 3a 00 00 > sd 3:0:0:0: [sdb] Write cache: enabled, read cache: enabled, doesn't > support DPO or FUA > sd 4:0:0:0: [sdc] 1953525168 512-byte logical blocks: (1.00 TB/931 GiB) > sd 4:0:0:0: [sdc] Write Protect is off > sd 4:0:0:0: [sdc] Mode Sense: 00 3a 00 00 > sd 4:0:0:0: [sdc] Write cache: enabled, read cache: enabled, doesn't > support DPO or FUA > sd 5:0:0:0: [sdd] 1953525168 512-byte logical blocks: (1.00 TB/931 GiB) > sd 5:0:0:0: [sdd] Write Protect is off > sd 5:0:0:0: [sdd] Mode Sense: 00 3a 00 00 > sd 5:0:0:0: [sdd] Write cache: enabled, read cache: enabled, doesn't > support DPO or FUA > sd 5:0:0:0: [sdd] Write Protect is off > sd 5:0:0:0: [sdd] Mode Sense: 00 3a 00 00 > sd 5:0:0:0: [sdd] Write cache: enabled, read cache: enabled, doesn't > support DPO or FUA > ?sdb: sdb1 sdb2 sdb3 sdb4 > sd 3:0:0:0: [sdb] Attached SCSI disk > ?sda: sda1 sda2 sda3 sda4 > sd 2:0:0:0: [sda] Attached SCSI disk > ?sdc: sdc1 sdc2 sdc3 sdc4 > sd 4:0:0:0: [sdc] Attached SCSI disk > ?sdd: sdd1 sdd2 sdd3 sdd4 > sd 5:0:0:0: [sdd] Attached SCSI disk > > > >> > Verbose lspci output for the disc controller and $(smartctl -i -A $disk) >> > output might be useful as well. > > > 03:01.0 Mass storage controller: Silicon Image, Inc. SiI 3114 > [SATALink/SATARaid] Serial ATA Controller (rev 02) > ? ? ? ?Subsystem: Silicon Image, Inc. SiI 3114 SATALink Controller > ? ? ? ?Control: I/O+ Mem+ BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- > Stepping- SERR+ FastB2B- DisINTx- > ? ? ? ?Status: Cap+ 66MHz+ UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- > SERR- ? ? ? ?Latency: 32, Cache Line Size: 32 bytes > ? ? ? ?Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 24 > ? ? ? ?Region 0: I/O ports at 4020 [size=8] > ? ? ? ?Region 1: I/O ports at 4014 [size=4] > ? ? ? ?Region 2: I/O ports at 4018 [size=8] > ? ? ? ?Region 3: I/O ports at 4010 [size=4] > ? ? ? ?Region 4: I/O ports at 4000 [size=16] > ? ? ? ?Region 5: Memory at ed200000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=1K] > ? ? ? ?[virtual] Expansion ROM at e8000000 [disabled] [size=512K] > ? ? ? ?Capabilities: [60] Power Management version 2 > ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?Flags: PMEClk- DSI+ D1+ D2+ AuxCurrent=0mA > ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?PME(D0-,D1-,D2-,D3hot-,D3cold-) > ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?Status: D0 NoSoftRst- PME-Enable- DSel=0 DScale=2 PME- > ? ? ? ?Kernel driver in use: sata_sil > ? ? ? ?Kernel modules: sata_sil > > > But also tried onboard card: > > 00:1f.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801G (ICH7 Family) IDE > Controller (rev 01) (prog-if 8a [Master SecP PriP]) > ? ? ? ?Subsystem: Super Micro Computer Inc Device 7980 > ? ? ? ?Control: I/O+ Mem- BusMaster+ SpecCycle- MemWINV- VGASnoop- ParErr- > Stepping- SERR- FastB2B- DisINTx- > ? ? ? ?Status: Cap- 66MHz- UDF- FastB2B+ ParErr- DEVSEL=medium >TAbort- > SERR- ? ? ? ?Latency: 0 > ? ? ? ?Interrupt: pin A routed to IRQ 18 > ? ? ? ?Region 0: I/O ports at 01f0 [size=8] > ? ? ? ?Region 1: I/O ports at 03f4 [size=1] > ? ? ? ?Region 2: I/O ports at 0170 [size=8] > ? ? ? ?Region 3: I/O ports at 0374 [size=1] > ? ? ? ?Region 4: I/O ports at 30a0 [size=16] > ? ? ? ?Kernel driver in use: ata_piix > ? ? ? ?Kernel modules: ata_generic, pata_acpi, ata_piix, ide-pci-generic, > ? ? ? ?piix > > smartctl output: > ? ? ? ?Kernel modules: ata_generic, pata_acpi, ata_piix, ide-pci-generic, > ? ? ? ?piix > > smartctl output: > > smartctl 5.40 2010-10-16 r3189 [x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu] (local build) > Copyright (C) 2002-10 by Bruce Allen, http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net > > === START OF INFORMATION SECTION === > Model Family: ? ? Western Digital Caviar Green (Adv. Format) family > Device Model: ? ? WDC WD10EARS-00Y5B1 > Serial Number: ? ?WD-WCAV55759454 > Firmware Version: 80.00A80 > User Capacity: ? ?1,000,204,886,016 bytes > Device is: ? ? ? ?In smartctl database [for details use: -P show] > ATA Version is: ? 8 > ATA Standard is: ?Exact ATA specification draft version not indicated > Local Time is: ? ?Tue Dec 21 20:06:00 2010 CET > SMART support is: Available - device has SMART capability. > SMART support is: Enabled > > === START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION === > SMART Attributes Data Structure revision number: 16 > Vendor Specific SMART Attributes with Thresholds: > ID# ATTRIBUTE_NAME ? ? ? ? ?FLAG ? ? VALUE WORST THRESH TYPE > UPDATED ?WHEN_FAILED RAW_VALUE > ?1 Raw_Read_Error_Rate ? ? 0x002f ? 200 ? 200 ? 051 ? ?Pre-fail > Always ? ? ? - ? ? ? 0 > ?3 Spin_Up_Time ? ? ? ? ? ?0x0027 ? 132 ? 119 ? 021 ? ?Pre-fail > Always ? ? ? - ? ? ? 6391 > ?4 Start_Stop_Count ? ? ? ?0x0032 ? 100 ? 100 ? 000 ? ?Old_age > Always ? ? ? - ? ? ? 56 > ?5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct ? 0x0033 ? 200 ? 200 ? 140 ? ?Pre-fail > Always ? ? ? - ? ? ? 0 > ?7 Seek_Error_Rate ? ? ? ? 0x002e ? 200 ? 200 ? 000 ? ?Old_age > Always ? ? ? - ? ? ? 0 > ?9 Power_On_Hours ? ? ? ? ?0x0032 ? 091 ? 091 ? 000 ? ?Old_age > Always ? ? ? - ? ? ? 7189 > ?10 Spin_Retry_Count ? ? ? ?0x0032 ? 100 ? 253 ? 000 ? ?Old_age > Always ? ? ? - ? ? ? 0 > ?11 Calibration_Retry_Count 0x0032 ? 100 ? 253 ? 000 ? ?Old_age > Always ? ? ? - ? ? ? 0 > ?12 Power_Cycle_Count ? ? ? 0x0032 ? 100 ? 100 ? 000 ? ?Old_age > Always ? ? ? - ? ? ? 54 > 192 Power-Off_Retract_Count 0x0032 ? 200 ? 200 ? 000 ? ?Old_age ? Always > ? ? ?- ? ? ? 39 > 193 Load_Cycle_Count ? ? ? ?0x0032 ? 164 ? 164 ? 000 ? ?Old_age ? Always > ? ? ?- ? ? ? 109955 > 194 Temperature_Celsius ? ? 0x0022 ? 109 ? 107 ? 000 ? ?Old_age ? Always > ? ? ?- ? ? ? 38 > 196 Reallocated_Event_Count 0x0032 ? 200 ? 200 ? 000 ? ?Old_age ? Always > ? ? ?- ? ? ? 0 > 197 Current_Pending_Sector ?0x0032 ? 200 ? 200 ? 000 ? ?Old_age ? Always > ? ? ?- ? ? ? 0 > 198 Offline_Uncorrectable ? 0x0030 ? 200 ? 200 ? 000 ? ?Old_age > Offline ? ? ?- ? ? ? 0 > 199 UDMA_CRC_Error_Count ? ?0x0032 ? 200 ? 200 ? 000 ? ?Old_age ? Always > ? ? ?- ? ? ? 0 > 200 Multi_Zone_Error_Rate ? 0x0008 ? 200 ? 200 ? 000 ? ?Old_age > Offline ? ? ?- ? ? ? 0 > ? ? ?- ? ? ? 0 > 200 Multi_Zone_Error_Rate ? 0x0008 ? 200 ? 200 ? 000 ? ?Old_age > Offline ? ? ?- ? ? ? 0 > > smartctl 5.40 2010-10-16 r3189 [x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu] (local build) > Copyright (C) 2002-10 by Bruce Allen, http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net > > === START OF INFORMATION SECTION === > Model Family: ? ? Western Digital Caviar Green (Adv. Format) family > Device Model: ? ? WDC WD10EARS-00Y5B1 > Serial Number: ? ?WD-WCAV55759454 > Firmware Version: 80.00A80 > User Capacity: ? ?1,000,204,886,016 bytes > Device is: ? ? ? ?In smartctl database [for details use: -P show] > ATA Version is: ? 8 > ATA Standard is: ?Exact ATA specification draft version not indicated > Local Time is: ? ?Tue Dec 21 20:06:00 2010 CET > SMART support is: Available - device has SMART capability. > SMART support is: Enabled > > === START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION === > SMART Attributes Data Structure revision number: 16 > Vendor Specific SMART Attributes with Thresholds: > ID# ATTRIBUTE_NAME ? ? ? ? ?FLAG ? ? VALUE WORST THRESH TYPE > UPDATED ?WHEN_FAILED RAW_VALUE > ?1 Raw_Read_Error_Rate ? ? 0x002f ? 200 ? 200 ? 051 ? ?Pre-fail > Always ? ? ? - ? ? ? 0 > ?3 Spin_Up_Time ? ? ? ? ? ?0x0027 ? 132 ? 119 ? 021 ? ?Pre-fail > Always ? ? ? - ? ? ? 6391 > ?4 Start_Stop_Count ? ? ? ?0x0032 ? 100 ? 100 ? 000 ? ?Old_age > Always ? ? ? - ? ? ? 56 > ?5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct ? 0x0033 ? 200 ? 200 ? 140 ? ?Pre-fail > Always ? ? ? - ? ? ? 0 > ?7 Seek_Error_Rate ? ? ? ? 0x002e ? 200 ? 200 ? 000 ? ?Old_age > Always ? ? ? - ? ? ? 0 > ?9 Power_On_Hours ? ? ? ? ?0x0032 ? 091 ? 091 ? 000 ? ?Old_age > Always ? ? ? - ? ? ? 7189 > ?10 Spin_Retry_Count ? ? ? ?0x0032 ? 100 ? 253 ? 000 ? ?Old_age > Always ? ? ? - ? ? ? 0 > ?11 Calibration_Retry_Count 0x0032 ? 100 ? 253 ? 000 ? ?Old_age > Always ? ? ? - ? ? ? 0 > ?12 Power_Cycle_Count ? ? ? 0x0032 ? 100 ? 100 ? 000 ? ?Old_age > Always ? ? ? - ? ? ? 54 > 192 Power-Off_Retract_Count 0x0032 ? 200 ? 200 ? 000 ? ?Old_age ? Always > ? ? ?- ? ? ? 39 > 193 Load_Cycle_Count ? ? ? ?0x0032 ? 164 ? 164 ? 000 ? ?Old_age ? Always > ? ? ?- ? ? ? 109955 > 194 Temperature_Celsius ? ? 0x0022 ? 109 ? 107 ? 000 ? ?Old_age ? Always > ? ? ?- ? ? ? 38 > 196 Reallocated_Event_Count 0x0032 ? 200 ? 200 ? 000 ? ?Old_age ? Always > ? ? ?- ? ? ? 0 > 197 Current_Pending_Sector ?0x0032 ? 200 ? 200 ? 000 ? ?Old_age ? Always > ? ? ?- ? ? ? 0 > 198 Offline_Uncorrectable ? 0x0030 ? 200 ? 200 ? 000 ? ?Old_age > Offline ? ? ?- ? ? ? 0 > 199 UDMA_CRC_Error_Count ? ?0x0032 ? 200 ? 200 ? 000 ? ?Old_age ? Always > ? ? ?- ? ? ? 0 > 200 Multi_Zone_Error_Rate ? 0x0008 ? 200 ? 200 ? 000 ? ?Old_age > Offline ? ? ?- ? ? ? 0 > > smartctl 5.40 2010-10-16 r3189 [x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu] (local build) > 200 Multi_Zone_Error_Rate ? 0x0008 ? 200 ? 200 ? 000 ? ?Old_age > Offline ? ? ?- ? ? ? 0 > > > The others are very similar.... > > >> > >> > Did you try the individual discs on a completely different system (e.g. >> > plain desktop system) and what revision of SATA are both components >> > supporting? > > Yes I did. The disks were installed in a MSI/Core2DUO based desktop > system. No problems at all. Transfer rates up to 200MB/s. > > > The SIL 3114 chip is 1.5Gbps SATA. . > > > Searching for information on the WD drives I stumbled across: > > http://community.wdc.com/t5/Other-Internal-Drives/1-TB-WD10EARS-desynch-issues-in-RAID/m-p/11559 > > Where it seems that WD simply says not to use these drives in a RAID. > I have experience with "Raid Edition" drives: They go bad at a MUCH > too high rate. If we can't use the non-raid for a RAID application, then > there is just ONE possible option: STAY AWAY FROM WESTERN DIGITAL: > > Western digital claims it has the right to mess things up if you put a > non-raid drive in a raid configuration. Well fine. Then they can also > mess things up in normal situations because when Linux does software > raid there isn't any difference from RAID accesses. > > (if you click through and read their entry in the knowledge base, > you'd notice that it should be more or less the other way > around. Linux will drop the RAID-enabled drive from the RAID within > seven seconds and reporting error on a sector, whereas the desktop > drive would remain operational until Linux times out (30 seconds?)) > > > > More hardware info: > > System: Supermicro PDSMi, 4xDDR2 1GB, disks and controllers as above. > Current kernel version: 2.6.36.2 > Problem was also present in kernel 2.6.33 (sorry cannot downgrade again. > This is a production system...) > > uname -a: > Linux jcz.nl 2.6.36-ARCH #1 SMP PREEMPT Fri Dec 10 20:32:37 CET 2010 > x86_64 Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU 3.20GHz GenuineIntel GNU/Linux > > Disklayout: > > major minor ?#blocks ?name > > ? 8 ? ? ? ?0 ?976762584 sda > ? 8 ? ? ? ?1 ? ? 240943 sda1 > ? 8 ? ? ? ?2 ? 19535040 sda2 > ? 8 ? ? ? ?3 ? ?1951897 sda3 > ? 8 ? ? ? ?4 ?955032120 sda4 > ? 8 ? ? ? 16 ?976762584 sdb > ? 8 ? ? ? 17 ? ? 240943 sdb1 > ? 8 ? ? ? 18 ? 19535040 sdb2 > ? 8 ? ? ? 19 ? ?1951897 sdb3 > ? 8 ? ? ? 20 ?955032120 sdb4 > ? 8 ? ? ? 32 ?976762584 sdc > ? 8 ? ? ? 33 ? ? 240943 sdc1 > ? 8 ? ? ? 34 ? 19535040 sdc2 > ? 8 ? ? ? 35 ? ?1951897 sdc3 > ? 8 ? ? ? 36 ?955032120 sdc4 > ? 8 ? ? ? 48 ?976762584 sdd > ? 8 ? ? ? 49 ? ? 240943 sdd1 > ? 8 ? ? ? 50 ? 19535040 sdd2 > ? 8 ? ? ? 51 ? ?1951897 sdd3 > ? 8 ? ? ? 52 ?955032120 sdd4 > ? 9 ? ? ?127 ? ? 240832 md127 > ? 9 ? ? ? ?1 ? 39067648 md1 > ? 9 ? ? ?126 1910063104 md126 > ? 9 ? ? ?125 ? ?3903488 md125 > > MDstat: > > Personalities : [raid1] [raid6] [raid5] [raid4] > md125 : active raid5 sdd3[5](S) sdb3[4] sda3[0] sdc3[3] > ? ? ?3903488 blocks super 1.1 level 5, 512k chunk, algorithm 2 [3/3] [UUU] > > md126 : active raid5 sda4[0] sdd4[3] sdc4[5](S) sdb4[4] > ? ? ?1910063104 blocks super 1.1 level 5, 512k chunk, algorithm 2 > [3/3] [UUU] > > md1 : active raid5 sda2[0] sdd2[3](S) sdb2[1] sdc2[4] > ? ? ?39067648 blocks super 1.2 level 5, 512k chunk, algorithm 2 [3/3] > [3/3] [UUU] > > md1 : active raid5 sda2[0] sdd2[3](S) sdb2[1] sdc2[4] > ? ? ?39067648 blocks super 1.2 level 5, 512k chunk, algorithm 2 [3/3] > [UUU] > > md127 : active raid1 sdd1[3](S) sda1[0] sdb1[1] sdc1[2] > ? ? ?240832 blocks [3/3] [UUU] > > unused devices: > rootfs / rootfs rw 0 0 > proc /proc proc rw,relatime 0 0 > sys /sys sysfs rw,relatime 0 0 > udev /dev devtmpfs > rw,nosuid,relatime,size=10240k,nr_inodes=506317,mode=755 0 0 > /dev/disk/by-label/rootfs / ext4 > rw,relatime,barrier=1,stripe=256,data=ordered 0 0 > devpts /dev/pts devpts rw,relatime,mode=600,ptmxmode=000 0 0 > shm /dev/shm tmpfs rw,nosuid,nodev,relatime 0 0 > /dev/md127 /boot ext3 > rw,relatime,errors=continue,barrier=0,data=writeback 0 0 > /dev/md126 /data ext4 rw,relatime,barrier=1,data=ordered 0 0 > > > Because of the severity of the problems (which remain after trying > another sata card), I have already bought a new Supermicro server. Let's > hope that helps. The load_cycle_counts are very high and that means your drive heads are parking all the time. Possibly multiple times a minute. I don't know if its your problem, but I'd say something is wrong and I've seen excessive head parking cause disk write failures in Windows. In linux I think it just wears out your drive way prematurely. And of course and i/o's are delayed if the heads are parked when the commands hit the drive. There is a linux package specifically targeting drives that have this issue. Hopefully it can at least keep your heads from parking continuously. storage-fixup. 1) Be sure you have the userspace package storage-fixup installed. 2) Look in /etc/storage-fixup.conf and see if your drives are in the list. If not, try to work with the storage-fixup maintainer (Tejun Heo?) to get your drives added. And while testing, watch Load_cycle_count and ensure it is not increasing too fast. ie. Several times an hour is fine. Several times per minute is too much. Greg -- To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/