[How-To] Boot Entirely from SATA

[karog]

Thanks to both WarheadsSE and Geoff for your replies. I ran smartctl -a /dev/sda as suggested and got:
$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', '
smartctl 5.42 2011-10-20 r3458 [armv6l-linux-2.6.31.6_SMP_820] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-11 by Bruce Allen, http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net

=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
Model Family: Seagate Momentus 7200.3
Device Model: ST9320421ASG
Serial Number: 5TJ0BYDX
LU WWN Device Id: 5 000c50 011e13a98
Firmware Version: DE14
User Capacity: 320,072,933,376 bytes [320 GB]
Sector Size: 512 bytes logical/physical
Device is: In smartctl database [for details use: -P show]
ATA Version is: 8
ATA Standard is: ATA-8-ACS revision 4
Local Time is: Thu May 10 12:13:27 2012 EDT
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
See vendor-specific Attribute list for marginal Attributes.

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: ( 0) 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: ( 94) minutes.
Conveyance self-test routine
recommended polling time: ( 2) minutes.
SCT capabilities: (0x103f) SCT Status supported.
SCT Error Recovery Control supported.
SCT Feature Control supported.
SCT Data Table 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 118 086 006 Pre-fail Always - 171416267
3 Spin_Up_Time 0x0003 100 097 085 Pre-fail Always - 0
4 Start_Stop_Count 0x0032 099 099 020 Old_age Always - 1289
5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct 0x0033 100 100 036 Pre-fail Always - 34
7 Seek_Error_Rate 0x000f 074 060 030 Pre-fail Always - 8642147697
9 Power_On_Hours 0x0032 097 097 000 Old_age Always - 3217
10 Spin_Retry_Count 0x0013 100 100 097 Pre-fail Always - 5
12 Power_Cycle_Count 0x0032 099 037 020 Old_age Always - 1287
184 End-to-End_Error 0x0032 096 096 099 Old_age Always FAILING_NOW 4
187 Reported_Uncorrect 0x0032 001 001 000 Old_age Always - 2231
188 Command_Timeout 0x0032 100 099 000 Old_age Always - 21475164181
189 High_Fly_Writes 0x003a 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 0
190 Airflow_Temperature_Cel 0x0022 070 051 045 Old_age Always - 30 (Min/Max 27/30)
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 - 23
193 Load_Cycle_Count 0x0032 005 005 000 Old_age Always - 190200
194 Temperature_Celsius 0x0022 030 049 000 Old_age Always - 30 (0 18 0 0 0)
195 Hardware_ECC_Recovered 0x001a 053 041 000 Old_age Always - 171416267
197 Current_Pending_Sector 0x0012 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 0
198 Offline_Uncorrectable 0x0010 100 100 000 Old_age Offline - 0
199 UDMA_CRC_Error_Count 0x003e 200 200 000 Old_age Always - 1
240 Head_Flying_Hours 0x0000 100 253 000 Old_age Offline - 231743550392388
241 Total_LBAs_Written 0x0000 100 253 000 Old_age Offline - 327306033
242 Total_LBAs_Read 0x0000 100 253 000 Old_age Offline - 2212430183
254 Free_Fall_Sensor 0x0032 001 001 000 Old_age Always - 2

SMART Error Log Version: 1
ATA Error Count: 2218 (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 2218 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 2948 hours (122 days + 20 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 51 00 f7 3b a1 01 Error: UNC at LBA = 0x01a13bf7 = 27343863

Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC Powered_Up_Time Command/Feature_Name
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- ---------------- --------------------
25 00 01 f7 3b a1 41 00 01:50:24.221 READ DMA EXT
25 00 01 f6 3b a1 41 00 01:50:24.218 READ DMA EXT
25 00 01 f5 3b a1 41 00 01:50:24.218 READ DMA EXT
25 00 01 f4 3b a1 41 00 01:50:24.218 READ DMA EXT
25 00 01 f3 3b a1 41 00 01:50:24.218 READ DMA EXT

Error 2217 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 2948 hours (122 days + 20 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 51 00 f7 3b a1 01 Error: UNC at LBA = 0x01a13bf7 = 27343863

Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC Powered_Up_Time Command/Feature_Name
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- ---------------- --------------------
42 00 00 00 3b a1 41 00 01:50:21.402 READ VERIFY SECTOR(S) EXT
42 00 00 00 ce 9b 41 00 01:50:19.342 READ VERIFY SECTOR(S) EXT
42 00 00 00 dc 8b 41 00 01:50:13.305 READ VERIFY SECTOR(S) EXT
42 00 00 00 e6 7b 41 00 01:50:07.256 READ VERIFY SECTOR(S) EXT
42 00 00 00 f4 6b 41 00 01:50:01.218 READ VERIFY SECTOR(S) EXT

Error 2216 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 2947 hours (122 days + 19 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 51 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
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- ---------------- --------------------
25 00 01 ff ff ff 4f 00 00:53:23.995 READ DMA EXT
b0 d6 10 9e 4f c2 40 00 00:53:23.962 SMART WRITE LOG
b0 d5 10 9e 4f c2 40 00 00:53:23.940 SMART READ LOG
b0 d5 01 00 4f c2 40 00 00:53:23.928 SMART READ LOG
b0 d5 10 9f 4f c2 40 00 00:53:23.882 SMART READ LOG

Error 2215 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 2946 hours (122 days + 18 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 51 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
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- ---------------- --------------------
25 00 01 ff ff ff 4f 00 00:49:46.480 READ DMA EXT
25 00 01 ff ff ff 4f 00 00:49:46.478 READ DMA EXT
25 00 01 ff ff ff 4f 00 00:49:46.478 READ DMA EXT
25 00 01 ff ff ff 4f 00 00:49:46.478 READ DMA EXT
25 00 01 ff ff ff 4f 00 00:49:46.477 READ DMA EXT

Error 2214 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 2946 hours (122 days + 18 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 51 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
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- ---------------- --------------------
25 00 80 ff ff ff 4f 00 00:49:36.573 READ DMA EXT
25 00 80 ff ff ff 4f 00 00:49:36.564 READ DMA EXT
25 00 80 ff ff ff 4f 00 00:49:29.264 READ DMA EXT
25 00 80 ff ff ff 4f 00 00:49:29.255 READ DMA EXT
25 00 80 ff ff ff 4f 00 00:49:21.919 READ DMA EXT

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 90% 2967 27343863
# 2 Short offline Completed without error 00% 2946 -
# 3 Short offline Interrupted (host reset) 00% 2946 -
# 4 Short offline Completed without error 00% 2946 -
# 5 Short offline Completed without error 00% 2945 -
# 6 Short offline Completed without error 00% 2943 -
# 7 Short offline Completed without error 00% 2927 -
# 8 Short offline Completed without error 00% 2 -
# 9 Short offline Completed without error 00% 0 -

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.

')
This is supposed to be a new drive and appeared so.

I have no experience with all this smartctl info. But particularly troubling is the End-to-End_Error FAILING_NOW and 2218 errors.

Does this in fact look like a bad drive I should return?

[Geoff]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('karog', 'D')oes this in fact look like a bad drive I should return?

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Geoff', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('karog', 'D')oes this in fact look like a bad drive I should return?

[darth]

Thanks to the instructions here I was able to move my rootfs from my USB key to a 15gb IBM Server SSD. Works! However, on reading about creating a swapfile, I saw the warning about swapfiles on flash drives. My question is this: Does anyone know if the same caution applies to SATA SSD drives? This one was designed for server use, so I am somewhat confused and woefully ignorant. I have tried Googling my way out of this, but have no definitive answer. Any and all advice would be appreciated.

ANSWERED MYSELF: Yet more Googling the particular SSD I have (an IBM 43W7678) provided the answer I more or less knew all along...Swapfiles on any flash based SSD is probably a real bad idea. The one I have is forgiving of such travesties, but not immune. I did, however, come across a DDR2 solution that is simply amazing... hmmmm a $29 pogoplug sporting a $3,000, ultra fast, 128gb SATA Ram Disk... by golly, it could work!

[eok]

Just thought I'd provide some feedback...

I have a Pogoplug B01 & decided to use the guide at the beginning of this thread for a SATA-based boot drive. Worked like a charm.

After I finished all the steps, it booted clean. No issues. The first thing I did upon the initial login was get everything up to date. The commands I used are covered here:

viewtopic.php?f=29&t=2690&start=40#p17328

This setup is perfect for my tastes because it doesn't touch NAND at all - so no risk of truly "bricking" my 'Plug by misconfiguring something in the NAND fs. So, I can boot my own 100% Arch setup via SATA - or leave the SATA drive off & boot the vanilla CloudEngines setup. If I muck-up my SATA boot drive so it's non-bootable, I can just attach the drive to another Linux box & repair the problem offline. No real need for special serial cables. Perfect.

Everything works fine. Many thanks to WarheadsSE for pulling together great instructions and the developing the tools to prep a boot drive. Great stuff. Thanks!!

---
eok

[ldi9999]

Is there any change made on rootfs? I was able to prepare SATA drive by following the instructions multiple time a few month ago. Today, I was trying to prepare a new drive. I followed the instructions step by step. But after pluged it to pogoplug, the indicator flashed a while and then turned itself off. I re-do the whole process multiple time and got the same result. I do not believe I missed any steps, since I did this multiple time before and pretty much understand what I'm doing. One thing I noticed that the rootfs is different from the one I used before (a few months ago). One thing I noticed that after extracting the whole rootfs, there was no mac_adds file under /usr/local when I did it a few month ago. But this time, there is a mac_adds file. By the way, I changed it with my mac address,

Any idea?

[WarheadsSE]

If you don't make the kernel match, you're going to have problems.

I have a feeling that my little script tarball needs you to update the uImage.xxx from the rootfs.

[jmandawg]

To elaborate on what Warhead said:

$this->bbcode_second_pass_code('', '#Mount your rootfs on a linux box where sdx is your sata drive:
mkdir -p /mnt/tmp
mount /dev/sdx2 /mnt/tmp

#Write new kernel
dd if=/mnt/tmp/boot/uImage.nopci of=/dev/sdx1 bs=512
sync
umount /mnt/tmp')

[ldi9999]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('WarheadsSE', 'I')f you don't make the kernel match, you're going to have problems.

I have a feeling that my little script tarball needs you to update the uImage.xxx from the rootfs.

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ldi9999', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('WarheadsSE', 'I')f you don't make the kernel match, you're going to have problems.

I have a feeling that my little script tarball needs you to update the uImage.xxx from the rootfs.