BLU's server crash and data recovery

[Jerry Feldman]

A dd to /dev/null proves that the heads read data. While you are=20
throwing away the data, you are testing the surface to an extent.
I was wrong about the capacity. The U320 is really a 36GB drive. I will=20
be copying the images to a USB drive, so I can run some utilities on the =

disks.
I very seriously doubt the disks are in warranty. I've sent disks back=20
to WD before.

On 09/10/2008 12:18 PM, Ben Eisenbraun wrote:
> On Wed, Sep 10, 2008 at 12:06:06PM -0400, Bill Bogstad wrote:
>  =20
>> Look up ddrescue.
>>    =20
>
> From Jerry's email, it looks like the data is on a RAID volume built wi=
th=20
> a hardware RAID controller (probably PERC4 or so, but Jerry didn't say)=
=2E =20
> If the controller says the volume is in a failed state, I seriously=20
> doubt that it will let you mount it, and I don't think running dd on th=
e=20
> individual disks connected to a standard SCSI controller is going to gi=
ve=20
> you anything of value.
>
> Am I wrong?  I can't think of any way that 'dd if=3D/dev/sdx of=3D/dev/=
NULL'=20
> is going to prove or disprove anything.  If might possibly prove that t=
he=20
> motor on the disk will spin the platters, but given that you're throwin=
g
> the data away, how would you know?
>
> Disk manufacturers make free utilities for testing their disks.  If you=

> suspect a hardware failure, I would use one of those.  The added benefi=
t is=20
> that if the disk is toast, it will spit out the RMA code you need to ge=
t=20
> a replacement.

--=20
Jerry Feldman <gaf-mNDKBlG2WHs at public.gmane.org>
Boston Linux and Unix user group
http://www.blu.org
PGP key id: 537C5846
PGP Key fingerprint: 3D1B 8377 A3C0 A5F2 ECBB  CA3B 4607 4319 537C 5846