I took a look at my /var/log/messages file this morning on my system (Slack 10.1), and noticed the following, which raised some concern:

Dec 23 07:59:59 blackflame smartd[1917]: Device: /dev/hda, SMART Prefailure Attribute: 8 Seek_Time_Performance changed fr
om 244 to 243
Dec 23 07:59:59 blackflame kernel: sr1: CDROM not ready. Make sure there is a disc in the drive.
Dec 23 08:00:30 blackflame last message repeated 31 times
Dec 23 08:01:31 blackflame last message repeated 61 times
Dec 23 08:02:32 blackflame last message repeated 61 times
Dec 23 08:03:33 blackflame last message repeated 61 times
Dec 23 08:04:34 blackflame last message repeated 61 times
Dec 23 08:05:35 blackflame last message repeated 61 times
Dec 23 08:06:36 blackflame last message repeated 61 times
Dec 23 08:07:37 blackflame last message repeated 61 times
Dec 23 08:08:38 blackflame last message repeated 61 times
Dec 23 08:09:39 blackflame last message repeated 61 times
Dec 23 08:10:40 blackflame last message repeated 61 times

... and so on.
So am I to assume the 'last message repeated' is with regards to the CDROM not ready message? If so, why might this be coming up? At 8:00am I was still fast asleep, obviously not trying to use my 'CDROM' drive.

Thanks,

- skubik.

yeah your bigger problem, and maybe related is:
Device: /dev/hda, SMART Prefailure Attribute: 8

your hard drive will most likely fail within a month, most likely if you power is turned off and then on a couple times it will be gone.

Do a backup of everything you need asap.

Thanks Finlay,
Can't say I'm shocked. I've heard it getting progressively louder over the last few months. Seems to be doing something a lot more now too. Last time I by a Maxtor, er, Seagate.
(edit: I did some reading online and it sounds like this is a 'normal' thing for Maxtor drives, still worth being concerned about though I imagine)
- skubik