Multiple RAID-1 Failures On Same Disk Drive
 

Here is what I have:
MB: ASRock 970DE3/U3S3
BIOS: AMI P1.00 03/05/2012
CPU: AMD Phenom II X6 1055T
RAM: 24 GB
Storage: 6 WD hard drives:
/dev/sda - WDC WD1003FZEX-0 (1 TB)
/dev/sdb - WDC WD2003FZEX-0 (2 TB)
/dev/sdc - WDC WD10EZEX-08W (1 TB)
/dev/sdd - Shown as failed looking at /proc/mdstat - not listed in lshw
/dev/sde - WDC WD2003FZEX-0 (2 TB)
/dev/sdf - WDC WD1003FZEX-0 (1 TB)
RAID-1: /dev/sda + /dev/sdf /dev/sdb + /dev/sde /dev/sdc + /dev/sdd
The RAID-1 was created during CentOS 6 64-bit installation by defining partitons.
Kernel: 2.6.32-696.13.2.el6.x86_64

My question:
I have had multiple hard disk failures but the last three failures have all been
on the drive defined as /dev/sdd. The messages state that there is a hard drive
issue (if needed I can provide messages).
There are 8 SATA ports, and I am only using 6 SATA2 3.0 GBs ports.
Since I seem to be having issues with the ATA4 4 port should I use 1 of the
SATA3 6.0 GBs ports with a new hard drive? Or should I just swap the hard drive
and use the same port?
(BTW, this is affecting the 6 KVM servers running.)
TIA
Gene

It does seem suspicious. I see several possible culprits (other than coincidence):

1) Overheating in that drive bay

2) Bad SATA interface

3) Bad SATA cable

4) Bad SATA power connector

I would carefully label the suspect cable and power connector with a bit of masking tape, and take a photo pointing out the suspect SATA port. Then I'd try and avoid using any of those three for the replacement drive.

Assuming you don't have another drive bay available, I'd swap the positions of one of the current drives do the suspect drive bay. I'd put the replacement in the "good" bay. Even so, I'd think about how to perhaps improve the airflow/cooling situation. Maybe turn up the fan (if any) blowing air past the suspect drive bay.

I've stupidly killed a lot of hard drives before I learned the basics of keeping them cool. The rate at which my hard drives suffered failures plummeted to almost zero after I got serious about keeping them cool.

I've got additional power connector, interface, cable, and hard drive to use. I even have a fan available to use. The drive bay is a issue.

I'll make these modifications 11/11 and get back to you on 11/12 or 11/13 after I get the RAID-1 rebuilt.

TIA
Gene

OK, I made the changes I stated above. But I ran into a issue I couldn't figure out. Brand new WD 1 TB Black drive; previously unused SATA power cable; new SATA connection cable plugged into the on-board gray SATA connection.

When the machine was booted I could see the drive listed but when I pressed the F2 key to go to setup I could not see the disk drive.

Could it be because it's not a SATA3 disk?

Gene