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This is a business machine for me. It's a desktop built by a local computer shop back in 2010. It has an MSI motherboard (P55-CD53) with an i5-750 2.66 Ghz processor, 4 GB RAM and a 320 GB 7200 RPM HD.
Windows 7 was throwing BSOD's making the machine unusable. I used an Ubuntu 14.04 Linux LiveCD (and later LiveUSB) to try and get stuff more thoroughly backed up before re-installing Windows.
Both LiveCD and LiveUSB were incredibly slow and froze regularly to the point that they were not acceptable for fixing the problem. Fortunately the HD had an empty partition on it so I just installed Windows 7 to that partition to back the last few things up before re-installing on the correct partition.
I updated BIOS and installed Windows 7 and all updated drivers and software. Working better than it has ever worked before. But the slow/buggy LiveCD and LiveUSB was still bothering me.
Started looking into it and learned that slow LiveCD could actually be a sign of a failing hard drive which made no sense to me but I decided to physically disconnect the HD from the motherboard and power supply and try again.
At this point the LiveCD is now lightning fast for whatever reason but it still freezes after perhaps 10 minutes of use.
I ran memtest86+ on it for over 12 hours (21 passes) and it found no errors. When it fails the CPU temps are below 50C.
I also ran the check on the LiveCD to verify the integrity of the LiveCD and it passed.
Is my hard drive bad or going bad since LiveCD performance drastically improved when the hard drive was disconnected from the system? Or is there something else wrong since the LiveCD still freezes when the hard drive is disconnected? Or perhaps the freezing is related to a Linux problem rather than a hardware problem since Windows 7 seems to work fine now for hours on end?
I am so confused. Any help would really be appreciated. Thanks.
The Smart tools are installed in Slackware by default. Note they must be run as root.
Since you indicate that the computer seems to be working okay except when using the Live CD/USB, my first reaction is to test the Live distros in another computer, if one is available, to see whether the problem follows the Live distros to the other computer. That should help you narrow down your search.
The Smart tools are installed in Slackware by default. Note they must be run as root.
Since you indicate that the computer seems to be working okay except when using the Live CD/USB, my first reaction is to test the Live distros in another computer, if one is available, to see whether the problem follows the Live distros to the other computer. That should help you narrow down your search.
Thanks. I actually don't have a current version of Slackware anymore and I've got a 40 GB max on my data plan which I'm going to be pushing this month with all the work I've done on this computer so far so I won't be able to use Slackware to figure anything out. I will look into smartctl though and see if I can get it going either via the LiveCD or the LiveUSB.
At the moment I'm using the LiveCD on my laptop to see if it has similar problems with my laptop. So far it has not, but that doesn't necessarily mean it will continue to not have problems. It has been lightning fast just like it was when the HD was removed from the desktop, except of course I have not removed my HD from the laptop.
Which version of Slackware are you running? Whatever it is, I suspect that it has the smart tools. A quick way to find out is to run
Code:
apropos smart
If it shows man pages for "SMART," smart tools are installed.
I'm actually not running Slackware at all. Like I mentioned in the original post I'm using the Ubuntu 14.04 LiveCD and LiveUSB since that's what I had available. I also have a current Mint iso I could use.
I'm sorry about having Slackware in the distribution area of my profile. I'll remove that. I haven't been on the forums for a long time. I probably haven't downloaded a current version of Slackware in years.
I am still running the Ubuntu LiveCD on my laptop. Still working great. There has never been a time where it has lasted anywhere close to that long on my desktop computer.
I was unable to get the LiveUSB to last long enough to get smartmontools installed and I assumed there was no way I would be able to install smartmontools on the LiveCD (and even if I could have, it likely wouldn't have lasted that long). Since the computer seems to work fine under Windows I booted into Windows 7 and installed smartmontools there. It created the -x option and put it in the start menu as a part of the installation process so I ran that first. Here are the results of the -x option:
Code:
smartctl -x sda
smartctl 6.3 2014-07-26 r3976 [x86_64-w64-mingw32-win7-sp1] (sf-6.3-1)
Copyright (C) 2002-14, Bruce Allen, Christian Franke, www.smartmontools.org
=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
Model Family: Seagate Barracuda 7200.11
Device Model: ST3320613AS
Serial Number: 9SZ6TLSF
LU WWN Device Id: 5 000c50 0206031d8
Firmware Version: CC2J
User Capacity: 320,072,933,376 bytes [320 GB]
Sector Size: 512 bytes logical/physical
Rotation Rate: 7200 rpm
Device is: In smartctl database [for details use: -P show]
ATA Version is: ATA8-ACS T13/1699-D revision 4
SATA Version is: SATA 2.6, 3.0 Gb/s
Local Time is: Thu Jan 15 23:05:05 2015 CST
SMART support is: Available - device has SMART capability.
SMART support is: Enabled
AAM level is: 208 (intermediate), recommended: 208
APM feature is: Unavailable
Rd look-ahead is: Enabled
Write cache is: Enabled
ATA Security is: Disabled, frozen [SEC2]
Wt Cache Reorder: Unknown
=== START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION ===
SMART overall-health self-assessment test result: PASSED
General SMART Values:
Offline data collection status: (0x82) Offline data collection activity
was completed without error.
Auto Offline Data Collection: Enabled.
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: ( 617) seconds.
Offline data collection
capabilities: (0x7b) SMART execute Offline immediate.
Auto Offline data collection on/off supp
ort.
Suspend Offline collection upon new
command.
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: ( 69) 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 FLAGS VALUE WORST THRESH FAIL RAW_VALUE
1 Raw_Read_Error_Rate POSR-- 114 099 006 - 82236688
3 Spin_Up_Time PO---- 100 097 000 - 0
4 Start_Stop_Count -O--CK 099 099 020 - 1547
5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct PO--CK 100 100 036 - 0
7 Seek_Error_Rate POSR-- 078 060 030 - 69962218
9 Power_On_Hours -O--CK 087 087 000 - 12019
10 Spin_Retry_Count PO--C- 100 100 097 - 0
12 Power_Cycle_Count -O--CK 100 100 020 - 560
184 End-to-End_Error -O--CK 100 100 099 - 0
187 Reported_Uncorrect -O--CK 100 100 000 - 0
188 Command_Timeout -O--CK 100 099 000 - 3
189 High_Fly_Writes -O-RCK 092 092 000 - 8
190 Airflow_Temperature_Cel -O---K 075 063 045 - 25 (Min/Max 21/25)
194 Temperature_Celsius -O---K 025 040 000 - 25 (0 11 0 0 0)
195 Hardware_ECC_Recovered -O-RC- 057 041 000 - 82236688
197 Current_Pending_Sector -O--C- 100 100 000 - 0
198 Offline_Uncorrectable ----C- 100 100 000 - 0
199 UDMA_CRC_Error_Count -OSRCK 200 200 000 - 1
240 Head_Flying_Hours ------ 100 253 000 - 9154 (175 176 0)
241 Total_LBAs_Written ------ 100 253 000 - 3303158006
242 Total_LBAs_Read ------ 100 253 000 - 311058680
||||||_ K auto-keep
|||||__ C event count
||||___ R error rate
|||____ S speed/performance
||_____ O updated online
|______ P prefailure warning
General Purpose Log Directory Version 1
SMART Log Directory Version 1 [multi-sector log support]
Address Access R/W Size Description
0x00 GPL,SL R/O 1 Log Directory
0x01 GPL,SL R/O 1 Summary SMART error log
0x02 GPL,SL R/O 5 Comprehensive SMART error log
0x03 GPL,SL R/O 5 Ext. Comprehensive SMART error log
0x06 GPL,SL R/O 1 SMART self-test log
0x07 GPL,SL R/O 1 Extended self-test log
0x09 GPL,SL R/W 1 Selective self-test log
0x10 GPL,SL R/O 1 NCQ Command Error log
0x11 GPL,SL R/O 1 SATA Phy Event Counters
0x21 GPL,SL R/O 1 Write stream error log
0x22 GPL,SL R/O 1 Read stream error log
0x80-0x9f GPL,SL R/W 16 Host vendor specific log
0xa1 GPL,SL VS 20 Device vendor specific log
0xa2 GPL VS 2248 Device vendor specific log
0xa8 GPL,SL VS 129 Device vendor specific log
0xa9 GPL,SL VS 1 Device vendor specific log
0xb0 GPL VS 2928 Device vendor specific log
0xbe-0xbf GPL VS 65535 Device vendor specific log
0xe0 GPL,SL R/W 1 SCT Command/Status
0xe1 GPL,SL R/W 1 SCT Data Transfer
SMART Extended Comprehensive Error Log Version: 1 (5 sectors)
No Errors Logged
SMART Extended Self-test Log Version: 1 (1 sectors)
No self-tests have been logged. [To run self-tests, use: smartctl -t]
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.
SCT Status Version: 3
SCT Version (vendor specific): 522 (0x020a)
SCT Support Level: 1
Device State: Active (0)
Current Temperature: 25 Celsius
Power Cycle Min/Max Temperature: 21/25 Celsius
Lifetime Min/Max Temperature: 11/37 Celsius
Under/Over Temperature Limit Count: 0/0
SCT Temperature History Version: 2
Temperature Sampling Period: 1 minute
Temperature Logging Interval: 1 minute
Min/Max recommended Temperature: 14/55 Celsius
Min/Max Temperature Limit: 10/60 Celsius
Temperature History Size (Index): 128 (0)
Index Estimated Time Temperature Celsius
1 2015-01-15 20:58 26 *******
... ..( 20 skipped). .. *******
22 2015-01-15 21:19 26 *******
23 2015-01-15 21:20 27 ********
... ..( 5 skipped). .. ********
29 2015-01-15 21:26 27 ********
30 2015-01-15 21:27 28 *********
... ..( 10 skipped). .. *********
41 2015-01-15 21:38 28 *********
42 2015-01-15 21:39 27 ********
... ..( 8 skipped). .. ********
51 2015-01-15 21:48 27 ********
52 2015-01-15 21:49 26 *******
... ..( 41 skipped). .. *******
94 2015-01-15 22:31 26 *******
95 2015-01-15 22:32 ? -
96 2015-01-15 22:33 21 **
97 2015-01-15 22:34 22 ***
98 2015-01-15 22:35 22 ***
99 2015-01-15 22:36 23 ****
100 2015-01-15 22:37 23 ****
101 2015-01-15 22:38 24 *****
102 2015-01-15 22:39 24 *****
103 2015-01-15 22:40 24 *****
104 2015-01-15 22:41 25 ******
... ..( 23 skipped). .. ******
0 2015-01-15 23:05 25 ******
SCT Error Recovery Control:
Read: Disabled
Write: Disabled
Device Statistics (GP Log 0x04) not supported
SATA Phy Event Counters (GP Log 0x11)
ID Size Value Description
0x000a 2 1 Device-to-host register FISes sent due to a COMRESET
0x0001 2 0 Command failed due to ICRC error
0x0003 2 0 R_ERR response for device-to-host data FIS
0x0004 2 0 R_ERR response for host-to-device data FIS
0x0006 2 0 R_ERR response for device-to-host non-data FIS
0x0007 2 0 R_ERR response for host-to-device non-data FIS
Type <return> to exit:
Next I decided to run the -a option to see how much different it was than the -x option since I have never used smartmontools before. Here are the results of the -a option:
Code:
C:\Program Files\smartmontools\bin>
C:\Program Files\smartmontools\bin>smartctl -a sda
smartctl 6.3 2014-07-26 r3976 [x86_64-w64-mingw32-win7-sp1] (sf-6.3-1)
Copyright (C) 2002-14, Bruce Allen, Christian Franke, www.smartmontools.org
=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
Model Family: Seagate Barracuda 7200.11
Device Model: ST3320613AS
Serial Number: 9SZ6TLSF
LU WWN Device Id: 5 000c50 0206031d8
Firmware Version: CC2J
User Capacity: 320,072,933,376 bytes [320 GB]
Sector Size: 512 bytes logical/physical
Rotation Rate: 7200 rpm
Device is: In smartctl database [for details use: -P show]
ATA Version is: ATA8-ACS T13/1699-D revision 4
SATA Version is: SATA 2.6, 3.0 Gb/s
Local Time is: Thu Jan 15 23:06:19 2015 CST
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
General SMART Values:
Offline data collection status: (0x82) Offline data collection activity
was completed without error.
Auto Offline Data Collection: Enabled.
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: ( 617) seconds.
Offline data collection
capabilities: (0x7b) SMART execute Offline immediate.
Auto Offline data collection on/off supp
ort.
Suspend Offline collection upon new
command.
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: ( 69) 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 114 099 006 Pre-fail Always -
82274666
3 Spin_Up_Time 0x0003 100 097 000 Pre-fail Always -
0
4 Start_Stop_Count 0x0032 099 099 020 Old_age Always -
1547
5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct 0x0033 100 100 036 Pre-fail Always -
0
7 Seek_Error_Rate 0x000f 078 060 030 Pre-fail Always -
69962493
9 Power_On_Hours 0x0032 087 087 000 Old_age Always -
12019
10 Spin_Retry_Count 0x0013 100 100 097 Pre-fail Always -
0
12 Power_Cycle_Count 0x0032 100 100 020 Old_age Always -
560
184 End-to-End_Error 0x0032 100 100 099 Old_age Always -
0
187 Reported_Uncorrect 0x0032 100 100 000 Old_age Always -
0
188 Command_Timeout 0x0032 100 099 000 Old_age Always -
3
189 High_Fly_Writes 0x003a 092 092 000 Old_age Always -
8
190 Airflow_Temperature_Cel 0x0022 075 063 045 Old_age Always -
25 (Min/Max 21/25)
194 Temperature_Celsius 0x0022 025 040 000 Old_age Always -
25 (0 11 0 0 0)
195 Hardware_ECC_Recovered 0x001a 057 041 000 Old_age Always -
82274666
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 -
9154 (206 216 0)
241 Total_LBAs_Written 0x0000 100 253 000 Old_age Offline -
3303161815
242 Total_LBAs_Read 0x0000 100 253 000 Old_age Offline -
311061014
SMART Error Log Version: 1
No Errors Logged
SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1
No self-tests have been logged. [To run self-tests, use: smartctl -t]
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.
C:\Program Files\smartmontools\bin>
That looked pretty ugly in quote tags so I changed it to code tags. Figured I would mention that just in case someone has already looked at it and not hit refresh yet. Thanks.
Well, this has been an embarassing set of events. The short version (I believe) is that the multiple hard re-boots while using the LiveUSB had corrupted some files on it. Therefore, it was not working properly and may have been causing problems by simply being plugged in on the desktop while the LiveCD was running. When I'm using the LiveCD and the LiveUSB (that has errors on it) and the hard drive are both disconnected, the LiveCD seems to work fine. I have ordered a new hard drive and I suspect things will work well once I have that installed.
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