how do i check state of hard disk?

Swakoo · 08-07-2008, 06:15 AM

recently my database (mysql) is spewing alot of table crashes... while it could be anything, one reason we are suspecting is that it could be due to harddisk failure... i tried running smartctl but my hard disk don't support. do you reckon any other possible software check that may be good to verify this?

Thanks!

Sjonnie48 · 08-07-2008, 06:28 AM

You can visit the manufacturer's website. Most harddisk manufacturers have a low-level program available to test the condition of their harddisks.
Low-level: the program is written to a diskette which is used to boot your computer and then run the diagnostic program. So your os will not run.
Before doing this I recommend to make a backup of your harddisk.

onebuck · 08-07-2008, 06:54 AM

Hi,

You could download 'UBCD Ultimate Boot CD' which has a lot of diagnostic tools.

This link and others are available from 'Slackware-Links'. More than just Slackware® links!

jiml8 · 08-08-2008, 09:49 PM

Probably you'll be finding error messages in the logs if you are experiencing a HD failure, and frequently you'll be getting those messsages on the default console as well.

Have you run e2fsck on the file system? This is the best place to start. You might also run badblocks in non-destructive mode to see what it says.

Beyond that, if you want to get down and dirty with the drive, I recommend Spinrite. It costs $90, but it'll save your bacon if you are in fact experiencing a serious HD problem.

Swakoo · 09-11-2008, 02:19 AM

thanks for the tips!