Re: Question about spun-down USB disk

[Douglas Gilbert <dgilbert@interlog.com>]

Kit Gerrits wrote:
> Hello all!
> 
> I am using an Asus EEE Box with Fedora 9 as a NAS.
> I have found a way to spin-down my USB harddisks with the sg3 utils,
>  but the system occasionally times out on write actions to the disk.
> I usually access the disk through SMB of NFS, which forces the disk to spin
> up first.
> Sometimes the system opens the disk by itself, throwing an error.
>  lost page write due to I/O error on sdf1
> 
> Is there any way to increase the system timeout when accessing/writing-to
> the drive?
> Or should I go ask the ext3 people?
> Or does sg_start not notify the kernel the device has been stopped?

In response to the sg_start question, it does not notify the
kernel that the device has been stopped. IMO stopping a disk
containing a mounted file system is asking for trouble, however
I don't think that it the role of such low level utilities to
detect and prevent such things.
As for informing the kernel, if I discovered a way to do that,
then I would need to investigate how that might be done on
other OSes that sg3_utils is ported to (e.g. Windows). So I
would prefer not to go down that path.

Doug Gilbert

> When the system fails, I get the following error:
> Nov  4 23:50:42 EEE-Box kernel: sd 6:0:0:0: [sdf] Result: hostbyte=DID_ERROR
> driverbyte=DRIVER_OK,SUGGEST_OK
> Nov  4 23:50:42 EEE-Box kernel: end_request: I/O error, dev sdf, sector
> 976767873
> Nov  4 23:50:42 EEE-Box kernel: Buffer I/O error on device sdf1, logical
> block 122095984
> Nov  4 23:50:42 EEE-Box kernel: sd 6:0:0:0: [sdf] Result: hostbyte=DID_ERROR
> driverbyte=DRIVER_OK,SUGGEST_OK
> Nov  4 23:50:42 EEE-Box kernel: end_request: I/O error, dev sdf, sector
> 976767873
> Nov  4 23:50:42 EEE-Box kernel: Buffer I/O error on device sdf1, logical
> block 122095984
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: sd 6:0:0:0: [sdf] Result: hostbyte=DID_ERROR
> driverbyte=DRIVER_OK,SUGGEST_OK
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: end_request: I/O error, dev sdf, sector 4361
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: Buffer I/O error on device sdf1, logical
> block 545
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: EXT3-fs error (device sdf1): ext3_readdir:
> directory #2 contains a hole at offset 0
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: sd 6:0:0:0: [sdf] Result: hostbyte=DID_ERROR
> driverbyte=DRIVER_OK,SUGGEST_OK
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: end_request: I/O error, dev sdf, sector 1
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: Buffer I/O error on device sdf1, logical
> block 0
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: lost page write due to I/O error on sdf1
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: sd 6:0:0:0: [sdf] Result: hostbyte=DID_ERROR
> driverbyte=DRIVER_OK,SUGGEST_OK
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: end_request: I/O error, dev sdf, sector 265
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: EXT3-fs error (device sdf1):
> ext3_get_inode_loc: unable to read inode block - inode=2, block=33
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: ------------[ cut here ]------------
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: WARNING: at fs/buffer.c:1183
> mark_buffer_dirty+0x23/0x6a() (Not tainted)
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: Modules linked in: joydev cpufreq_stats
> xt_tcpudp iptable_filter ip_tables x_tables nfsd lockd nfs_acl auth_rpcgss
> exportfs bridge bnep rfcomm l2cap bluetooth fuse sunrpc ipv6 loop
> dm_multipath snd_hda_intel snd_seq_dummy snd_seq_oss snd_seq_midi_event
> snd_seq snd_seq_device video snd_pcm_oss output snd_mixer_oss snd_pcm i915
> snd_timer button snd_page_alloc drm snd_hwdep snd i2c_algo_bit i2c_i801
> r8169 pcspkr i2c_core soundcore serio_raw iTCO_wdt iTCO_vendor_support
> usb_storage sg dm_snapshot dm_zero dm_mirror dm_mod ata_piix pata_acpi
> ata_generic libata sd_mod scsi_mod ext3 jbd mbcache uhci_hcd ohci_hcd
> ehci_hcd [last unloaded: microcode]
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: Pid: 1760, comm: ls Not tainted
> 2.6.25-14.fc9.i686 #1
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: [<c0427911>] warn_on_slowpath+0x47/0x73
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: [<c062d850>] ?
> atomic_notifier_call_chain+0xf/0x11
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: [<c054aed9>] ? vt_console_print+0x277/0x286
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: [<c054ac62>] ? vt_console_print+0x0/0x286
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: [<c042799d>] ?
> __call_console_drivers+0x56/0x63
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: [<c0427a01>] ?
> _call_console_drivers+0x57/0x5b
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: [<c0427dd5>] ?
> release_console_sem+0x195/0x19d
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: [<c049f38d>] mark_buffer_dirty+0x23/0x6a
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: [<f88ebc36>] ext3_commit_super+0x40/0x53
> [ext3]
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: [<f88ed076>] ext3_handle_error+0x71/0x95
> [ext3]
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: [<f88ed129>] ext3_error+0x39/0x43 [ext3]
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: [<f88e5598>]
> __ext3_get_inode_loc+0x2b1/0x2d8 [ext3]
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: [<f88e58ed>] ext3_get_inode_loc+0x14/0x16
> [ext3]
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: [<f88e590f>]
> ext3_reserve_inode_write+0x20/0x68 [ext3]
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: [<f88e5986>] ext3_mark_inode_dirty+0x2f/0x46
> [ext3]
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: [<f88e5aa8>] ext3_dirty_inode+0x53/0x67
> [ext3]
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: [<c049b785>] __mark_inode_dirty+0x29/0x13c
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: [<c04931af>] touch_atime+0xbb/0xbf
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: [<c048d74a>] vfs_readdir+0x76/0x8f
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: [<c048d490>] ? filldir64+0x0/0xcd
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: [<c048d7c6>] sys_getdents64+0x63/0xa1
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: [<c0405bf2>] syscall_call+0x7/0xb
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: =======================
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: ---[ end trace 1a0b4166f7029756 ]---
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: sd 6:0:0:0: [sdf] Result: hostbyte=DID_ERROR
> driverbyte=DRIVER_OK,SUGGEST_OK
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: end_request: I/O error, dev sdf, sector 1
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: Buffer I/O error on device sdf1, logical
> block 0
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: lost page write due to I/O error on sdf1
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: EXT3-fs error (device sdf1) in
> ext3_reserve_inode_write: IO failure
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: sd 6:0:0:0: [sdf] Result: hostbyte=DID_ERROR
> driverbyte=DRIVER_OK,SUGGEST_OK
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: end_request: I/O error, dev sdf, sector 1
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: Buffer I/O error on device sdf1, logical
> block 0
> Nov  4 23:50:52 EEE-Box kernel: lost page write due to I/O error on sdf1
> Nov  4 23:50:58 EEE-Box kernel: sd 6:0:0:0: [sdf] Result: hostbyte=DID_ERROR
> driverbyte=DRIVER_OK,SUGGEST_OK
> Nov  4 23:50:58 EEE-Box kernel: end_request: I/O error, dev sdf, sector 4401
> Nov  4 23:50:58 EEE-Box kernel: Buffer I/O error on device sdf1, logical
> block 550
> Nov  4 23:50:58 EEE-Box kernel: lost page write due to I/O error on sdf1
> Nov  4 23:50:58 EEE-Box kernel: sd 6:0:0:0: [sdf] Result: hostbyte=DID_ERROR
> driverbyte=DRIVER_OK,SUGGEST_OK
> Nov  4 23:50:58 EEE-Box kernel: end_request: I/O error, dev sdf, sector 4409
> Nov  4 23:50:58 EEE-Box kernel: Buffer I/O error on device sdf1, logical
> block 551
> Nov  4 23:50:58 EEE-Box kernel: lost page write due to I/O error on sdf1
> Nov  4 23:50:58 EEE-Box kernel: Aborting journal on device sdf1.
> Nov  4 23:50:58 EEE-Box kernel: sd 6:0:0:0: [sdf] Result: hostbyte=DID_ERROR
> driverbyte=DRIVER_OK,SUGGEST_OK
> Nov  4 23:50:58 EEE-Box kernel: end_request: I/O error, dev sdf, sector 4401
> Nov  4 23:50:58 EEE-Box kernel: Buffer I/O error on device sdf1, logical
> block 550
> Nov  4 23:50:58 EEE-Box kernel: lost page write due to I/O error on sdf1
> 
> My current kernel:
> Linux EEE-Box 2.6.25-14.fc9.i686 #1 SMP Thu May 1 06:28:41 EDT 2008 i686
> i686 i386 GNU/Linux
> 
> modinfo  usb_storage
> filename:
> /lib/modules/2.6.25-14.fc9.i686/kernel/drivers/usb/storage/usb-storage.ko
> license:        GPL
> description:    USB Mass Storage driver for Linux
> author:         Matthew Dharm <mdharm-usb@one-eyed-alien.net>
> srcversion:     38F8E61ECA6C16CA785AA38
> --cut aliases--
> depends:        scsi_mod
> vermagic:       2.6.25-14.fc9.i686 SMP mod_unload 686 4KSTACKS
> parm:           delay_use:seconds to delay before using a new device (uint)
> 
> 
> modinfo  scsi_mod
> filename:
> /lib/modules/2.6.25-14.fc9.i686/kernel/drivers/scsi/scsi_mod.ko
> license:        GPL
> description:    SCSI core
> srcversion:     DF7CC1670A47C981FCDFA39
> depends:
> vermagic:       2.6.25-14.fc9.i686 SMP mod_unload 686 4KSTACKS
> parm:           dev_flags:Given scsi_dev_flags=vendor:model:flags[,v:m:f]
> add black/white list entries for vendor and model with an integer value of
> flags to the scsi device info list (string)
> parm:           default_dev_flags:scsi default device flag integer value
> (int)
> parm:           max_luns:last scsi LUN (should be between 1 and 2^32-1)
> (uint)
> parm:           scan:sync, async or none (string)
> parm:           max_report_luns:REPORT LUNS maximum number of LUNS received
> (should be between 1 and 16384) (uint)
> parm:           inq_timeout:Timeout (in seconds) waiting for devices to
> answer INQUIRY. Default is 5. Some non-compliant devices need more. (uint)
> parm:           scsi_logging_level:a bit mask of logging levels (int)
> 
> modinfo sd_mod
> filename:
> /lib/modules/2.6.25-14.fc9.i686/kernel/drivers/scsi/sd_mod.ko
> --cut aliases--
> license:        GPL
> description:    SCSI disk (sd) driver
> author:         Eric Youngdale
> srcversion:     ECC497BE26ACFBB19D2AF29
> depends:        scsi_mod
> vermagic:       2.6.25-14.fc9.i686 SMP mod_unload 686 4KSTACKS
> 
> Dmesg of the device:
> Nov  5 00:12:52 EEE-Box kernel: scsi 6:0:0:0: Direct-Access     WD
> 5000AVV External 1.65 PQ: 0 ANSI: 4
> Nov  5 00:12:52 EEE-Box kernel: sd 6:0:0:0: [sdf] 976773168 512-byte
> hardware sectors (500108 MB)
> Nov  5 00:12:52 EEE-Box kernel: sd 6:0:0:0: [sdf] Write Protect is off
> Nov  5 00:12:52 EEE-Box kernel: sd 6:0:0:0: [sdf] Assuming drive cache:
> write through
> Nov  5 00:12:52 EEE-Box kernel: sd 6:0:0:0: [sdf] 976773168 512-byte
> hardware sectors (500108 MB)
> Nov  5 00:12:52 EEE-Box kernel: sd 6:0:0:0: [sdf] Write Protect is off
> Nov  5 00:12:52 EEE-Box kernel: sd 6:0:0:0: [sdf] Assuming drive cache:
> write through
> 
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