External hard drive unmounting itself

rhjp · 07-28-2010, 08:11 AM

Hello

I bought an external hard drive a couple of months ago and in the last few days it is having some problems.

Step 1, I turn it on and plug in the USB
/var/log/syslog:
Jul 28 13:52:39 bc1982 kernel: [61683.130027] usb 1-5: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 22
Jul 28 13:52:39 bc1982 kernel: [61683.281048] usb 1-5: configuration #1 chosen from 1 choice
Jul 28 13:52:39 bc1982 kernel: [61683.281764] scsi7 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
Jul 28 13:52:39 bc1982 kernel: [61683.281956] usb-storage: device found at 22
Jul 28 13:52:39 bc1982 kernel: [61683.281961] usb-storage: waiting for device to settle before scanning
Jul 28 13:52:44 bc1982 kernel: [61688.289596] usb-storage: device scan complete
Jul 28 13:52:44 bc1982 kernel: [61688.300191] scsi 7:0:0:0: Direct-Access Hitachi HDT721010SLA360 PQ: 0 ANSI: 2 CCS
Jul 28 13:52:44 bc1982 kernel: [61688.301065] sd 7:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg3 type 0
Jul 28 13:52:44 bc1982 kernel: [61688.306030] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdd] 1953525168 512-byte logical blocks: (1.00 TB/931 GiB)
Jul 28 13:52:44 bc1982 kernel: [61688.306777] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdd] Write Protect is off
Jul 28 13:52:44 bc1982 kernel: [61688.306782] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdd] Mode Sense: 34 00 00 00
Jul 28 13:52:44 bc1982 kernel: [61688.306785] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdd] Assuming drive cache: write through
Jul 28 13:52:44 bc1982 kernel: [61688.309369] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdd] Assuming drive cache: write through
Jul 28 13:52:44 bc1982 kernel: [61688.309377] sdd: sdd1
Jul 28 13:52:44 bc1982 kernel: [61688.328147] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdd] Assuming drive cache: write through
Jul 28 13:52:44 bc1982 kernel: [61688.328154] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdd] Attached SCSI disk

Step 2, I mount it using 'sudo mount /dev/sdd1 /ext'
/var/log/syslog:
Jul 28 13:52:58 bc1982 kernel: [61702.398747] EXT4-fs (sdd1): recovery complete
Jul 28 13:52:58 bc1982 kernel: [61702.399261] EXT4-fs (sdd1): mounted filesystem with ordered data mode

Step 3, Drive unmounts itself
/var/log/syslog:
Jul 28 13:53:08 bc1982 kernel: [61712.101276] usb 1-5: reset high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 22
Jul 28 13:53:08 bc1982 kernel: [61712.221268] usb 1-5: device descriptor read/64, error -32
Jul 28 13:53:08 bc1982 kernel: [61712.451270] usb 1-5: device descriptor read/64, error -32
Jul 28 13:53:08 bc1982 kernel: [61712.681297] usb 1-5: reset high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 22
Jul 28 13:53:08 bc1982 kernel: [61712.801279] usb 1-5: device descriptor read/64, error -32
Jul 28 13:53:08 bc1982 kernel: [61713.030047] usb 1-5: device descriptor read/64, error -32
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.260112] usb 1-5: reset high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 22
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.302223] usb 1-5: device descriptor read/8, error -71
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.442352] usb 1-5: device descriptor read/8, error -71
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.670040] usb 1-5: reset high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 22
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.714225] usb 1-5: device descriptor read/8, error -71
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.852351] usb 1-5: device descriptor read/8, error -71
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.960107] usb 1-5: USB disconnect, address 22
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.960214] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdd] Unhandled error code
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.960217] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdd] Result: hostbyte=DID_ERROR driverbyte=DRIVER_OK
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.960222] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdd] CDB: Read(10): 28 00 5b 41 01 a7 00 00 08 00
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.960235] end_request: I/O error, dev sdd, sector 1530986919
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.960263] EXT4-fs error (device sdd1): ext4_find_entry: reading directory #47841358 offset 0
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.960409] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdd] Unhandled error code
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.960412] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdd] Result: hostbyte=DID_ERROR driverbyte=DRIVER_OK
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.960415] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdd] CDB: Write(10): 2a 00 00 00 00 3f 00 00 08 00
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.960427] end_request: I/O error, dev sdd, sector 63
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.960432] Buffer I/O error on device sdd1, logical block 0
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.960434] lost page write due to I/O error on sdd1
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.960843] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdd] Unhandled error code
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.960846] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdd] Result: hostbyte=DID_ERROR driverbyte=DRIVER_OK
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.960850] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdd] CDB: Read(10): 28 00 63 80 01 3f 00 00 68 00
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.960862] end_request: I/O error, dev sdd, sector 1669333311
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.960887] EXT4-fs error (device sdd1): __ext4_get_inode_loc: unable to read inode block - inode=52166817, block=208666666
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.960894] EXT4-fs (sdd1): previous I/O error to superblock detected
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.961050] EXT4-fs error (device sdd1): ext4_find_entry: reading directory #53215234 offset 0
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.961057] EXT4-fs (sdd1): previous I/O error to superblock detected
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.963441] EXT4-fs error (device sdd1): ext4_find_entry: reading directory #53215234 offset 0
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.963451] EXT4-fs (sdd1): previous I/O error to superblock detected
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.963904] EXT4-fs error (device sdd1): __ext4_get_inode_loc: unable to read inode block - inode=52166817, block=208666666
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.963912] EXT4-fs (sdd1): previous I/O error to superblock detected
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.964050] EXT4-fs error (device sdd1): __ext4_get_inode_loc: unable to read inode block - inode=51773452, block=207093792
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.964056] EXT4-fs (sdd1): previous I/O error to superblock detected
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.964232] EXT4-fs error (device sdd1): __ext4_get_inode_loc: unable to read inode block - inode=52166817, block=208666666

....

Jul 28 13:53:10 bc1982 kernel: [61714.400217] EXT4-fs error (device sdd1): ext4_find_entry: reading directory #44302337 offset 0
Jul 28 13:53:10 bc1982 kernel: [61714.400227] EXT4-fs (sdd1): previous I/O error to superblock detected
Jul 28 13:53:10 bc1982 kernel: [61714.473157] EXT4-fs error (device sdd1): ext4_find_entry: reading directory #44302337 offset 0
Jul 28 13:53:10 bc1982 kernel: [61714.473168] EXT4-fs (sdd1): previous I/O error to superblock detected
Jul 28 13:53:10 bc1982 kernel: [61714.504908] usb 1-5: device descriptor read/64, error -32
Jul 28 13:53:10 bc1982 kernel: [61714.730068] usb 1-5: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 24
Jul 28 13:53:10 bc1982 kernel: [61714.850102] usb 1-5: device descriptor read/64, error -32
Jul 28 13:53:11 bc1982 kernel: [61715.080035] usb 1-5: device descriptor read/64, error -32
Jul 28 13:53:11 bc1982 kernel: [61715.310037] usb 1-5: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 25
Jul 28 13:53:11 bc1982 kernel: [61715.352227] usb 1-5: device descriptor read/8, error -71
Jul 28 13:53:11 bc1982 kernel: [61715.492219] usb 1-5: device descriptor read/8, error -71
Jul 28 13:53:11 bc1982 kernel: [61715.720056] usb 1-5: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 26
Jul 28 13:53:11 bc1982 kernel: [61715.762348] usb 1-5: device descriptor read/8, error -71
Jul 28 13:53:11 bc1982 kernel: [61715.903725] usb 1-5: device descriptor read/8, error -71
Jul 28 13:53:11 bc1982 kernel: [61716.010057] hub 1-0:1.0: unable to enumerate USB device on port 5
Jul 28 13:53:12 bc1982 kernel: [61716.390032] usb 4-1: new full speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 22
Jul 28 13:53:12 bc1982 kernel: [61716.510051] usb 4-1: device descriptor read/64, error -32
Jul 28 13:53:12 bc1982 kernel: [61716.751299] usb 4-1: device descriptor read/64, error -32
Jul 28 13:53:12 bc1982 kernel: [61716.981275] usb 4-1: new full speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 23
Jul 28 13:53:13 bc1982 kernel: [61717.111279] usb 4-1: device descriptor read/64, error -32
Jul 28 13:53:13 bc1982 kernel: [61717.351270] usb 4-1: device descriptor read/64, error -32
Jul 28 13:53:13 bc1982 kernel: [61717.581288] usb 4-1: new full speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 24
Jul 28 13:53:13 bc1982 kernel: [61717.613053] usb 4-1: device descriptor read/8, error -71
Jul 28 13:53:13 bc1982 kernel: [61717.753059] usb 4-1: device descriptor read/8, error -71
Jul 28 13:53:13 bc1982 kernel: [61717.982115] usb 4-1: new full speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 25
Jul 28 13:53:13 bc1982 kernel: [61718.012056] usb 4-1: device descriptor read/8, error -71
Jul 28 13:53:14 bc1982 kernel: [61718.151064] usb 4-1: device descriptor read/8, error -71
Jul 28 13:53:14 bc1982 kernel: [61718.260050] hub 4-0:1.0: unable to enumerate USB device on port 1

Also:
/var/log/messages:
Jul 28 13:53:08 bc1982 kernel: [61712.101276] usb 1-5: reset high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 22
Jul 28 13:53:08 bc1982 kernel: [61712.681297] usb 1-5: reset high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 22
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.260112] usb 1-5: reset high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 22
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.670040] usb 1-5: reset high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 22
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.960107] usb 1-5: USB disconnect, address 22
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.960214] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdd] Unhandled error code
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.960217] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdd] Result: hostbyte=DID_ERROR driverbyte=DRIVER_OK
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.960222] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdd] CDB: Read(10): 28 00 5b 41 01 a7 00 00 08 00
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.960409] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdd] Unhandled error code
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.960412] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdd] Result: hostbyte=DID_ERROR driverbyte=DRIVER_OK
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.960415] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdd] CDB: Write(10): 2a 00 00 00 00 3f 00 00 08 00
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.960434] lost page write due to I/O error on sdd1
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.960843] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdd] Unhandled error code
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.960846] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdd] Result: hostbyte=DID_ERROR driverbyte=DRIVER_OK
Jul 28 13:53:09 bc1982 kernel: [61713.960850] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdd] CDB: Read(10): 28 00 63 80 01 3f 00 00 68 00
Jul 28 13:53:10 bc1982 kernel: [61714.150036] usb 1-5: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 23
Jul 28 13:53:10 bc1982 kernel: [61714.730068] usb 1-5: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 24
Jul 28 13:53:11 bc1982 kernel: [61715.310037] usb 1-5: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 25
Jul 28 13:53:11 bc1982 kernel: [61715.720056] usb 1-5: new high speed USB device using ehci_hcd and address 26
Jul 28 13:53:12 bc1982 kernel: [61716.390032] usb 4-1: new full speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 22
Jul 28 13:53:12 bc1982 kernel: [61716.981275] usb 4-1: new full speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 23
Jul 28 13:53:13 bc1982 kernel: [61717.581288] usb 4-1: new full speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 24
Jul 28 13:53:13 bc1982 kernel: [61717.982115] usb 4-1: new full speed USB device using uhci_hcd and address 25

Step 4, I turn off the drive, wait a while, then turn it on again in which sometimes it works fine, sometimes it doesn't. These errors have occured frequently in the past two days, but never before that

I don't know what these system logs mean, does anyone else?

Thankyou, Richard

crosstalk · 07-28-2010, 08:22 AM

I'm definately no expert, but the error "detected previous I/O error to superblock" appears to be the error that's causing it to unmount.

I know there are programs that are designed to fix such an error, (I believe fsck is what we're looking for, at least for ext2/ext3,) and I suggest running one.

Of course, since this disk is unreliable, it is a good idea to make sure you have backups of all the data onboard, even though the fsck command shouldn't destroy any data.

I hope this helps.

rhjp · 07-28-2010, 08:42 AM

Thanks

I have just done 'sudo fsck /dev/sdd1 -f'

fsck from util-linux-ng 2.17.2
e2fsck 1.41.11 (14-Mar-2010)
Pass 1: Checking inodes, blocks, and sizes
Pass 2: Checking directory structure
Pass 3: Checking directory connectivity
Pass 4: Checking reference counts
Pass 5: Checking group summary information
/dev/sdd1: 36181/61054976 files (4.3% non-contiguous), 57768407/244190000 blocks

I therefore don't think that it has done anything, however I'll see if the error occurs again

Richard

Brains · 07-28-2010, 03:47 PM

I have a 120GB IDE drive that originally came with a Maxtor One Touch enclosure, I was having issues with it in Linux a few years ago and bought a new enclosure which didn't help, it was a Linux bug that has since disappeared. The drive is like eight or nine years old and lately it has been doing the same in both Windows and Linux, something pops up saying a new drive was plugged in, about every ten minutes or so. To fix it:
1: Sometimes a slap to the side of the head works.
2: Give the enclosure a quarter turn to the left or right, reducing the loud vibration to an almost whisper vibration.
3: Pick it up, raise to about four inches off the desk and drop it, when the vibrations go back to a whisper, it is usually good to go, but an hour later it moved slightly on it's base and starts to hum loudly again, another slap to the side of the head.

I's my backup drive, but because I have a triple backup system, I put up with it till the day comes where it's down right ignorant, then I'll replace it.