Force 120 GB stops responding when accessing some sectors

[malaakso]

Hi all,

 

I'm using the dd utility in Linux to periodically create an image of my hard drive (Force 120 GB, 1st gen Sandforce). For the past couple of weeks this has now failed, resulting in a crash and a "disappearing" drive.

 

[  622.723351] ata1.00: exception Emask 0x0 SAct 0x7fffffff SErr 0x0 action 0x6 frozen
[  622.723358] ata1.00: failed command: READ FPDMA QUEUED
[  622.723364] ata1.00: cmd 60/00:00:00:f8:00/04:00:00:00:00/40 tag 0 ncq 524288 in
[  622.723366]          res 40/00:00:00:4f:c2/00:01:00:00:00/00 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
[  622.723369] ata1.00: status: { DRDY }
[  622.723372] ata1.00: failed command: READ FPDMA QUEUED
[  622.723377] ata1.00: cmd 60/00:08:00:fc:00/04:00:00:00:00/40 tag 1 ncq 524288 in
[  622.723379]          res 40/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/00 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
[  622.723382] ata1.00: status: { DRDY }
[  622.723384] ata1.00: failed command: READ FPDMA QUEUED
[  622.723389] ata1.00: cmd 60/00:10:00:00:01/04:00:00:00:00/40 tag 2 ncq 524288 in
[  622.723391]          res 40/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/00 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
[  622.723393] ata1.00: status: { DRDY }
[  622.723396] ata1.00: failed command: READ FPDMA QUEUED
[  622.723401] ata1.00: cmd 60/00:18:00:04:01/04:00:00:00:00/40 tag 3 ncq 524288 in
[  622.723402]          res 40/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/00 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
[  622.723405] ata1.00: status: { DRDY }
[  622.723407] ata1.00: failed command: READ FPDMA QUEUED
[  622.723413] ata1.00: cmd 60/00:20:00:08:01/04:00:00:00:00/40 tag 4 ncq 524288 in
[  622.723414]          res 40/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/00 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
[  622.723417] ata1.00: status: { DRDY }
[  622.723419] ata1.00: failed command: READ FPDMA QUEUED
[  622.723424] ata1.00: cmd 60/00:28:00:0c:01/04:00:00:00:00/40 tag 5 ncq 524288 in
[  622.723426]          res 40/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/00 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
[  622.723428] ata1.00: status: { DRDY }
[  622.723431] ata1.00: failed command: READ FPDMA QUEUED
[  622.723436] ata1.00: cmd 60/00:30:00:10:01/04:00:00:00:00/40 tag 6 ncq 524288 in
[  622.723437]          res 40/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/00 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
[  622.723440] ata1.00: status: { DRDY }
[  622.723443] ata1.00: failed command: READ FPDMA QUEUED
[  622.723448] ata1.00: cmd 60/00:38:00:14:01/04:00:00:00:00/40 tag 7 ncq 524288 in
[  622.723449]          res 40/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/00 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
[  622.723452] ata1.00: status: { DRDY }
[  622.723454] ata1.00: failed command: READ FPDMA QUEUED
[  622.723459] ata1.00: cmd 60/00:40:00:18:01/04:00:00:00:00/40 tag 8 ncq 524288 in
[  622.723461]          res 40/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/00 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
[  622.723464] ata1.00: status: { DRDY }
[  622.723466] ata1.00: failed command: READ FPDMA QUEUED
[  622.723471] ata1.00: cmd 60/00:48:00:1c:01/04:00:00:00:00/40 tag 9 ncq 524288 in
[  622.723472]          res 40/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/00 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
[  622.723475] ata1.00: status: { DRDY }
[  622.723477] ata1.00: failed command: READ FPDMA QUEUED
[  622.723483] ata1.00: cmd 60/00:50:00:20:01/04:00:00:00:00/40 tag 10 ncq 524288 in
[  622.723484]          res 40/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/00 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
[  622.723487] ata1.00: status: { DRDY }
[  622.723489] ata1.00: failed command: READ FPDMA QUEUED
[  622.723494] ata1.00: cmd 60/00:58:00:24:01/04:00:00:00:00/40 tag 11 ncq 524288 in
[  622.723496]          res 40/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/00 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
[  622.723499] ata1.00: status: { DRDY }
[  622.723501] ata1.00: failed command: READ FPDMA QUEUED
[  622.723506] ata1.00: cmd 60/00:60:00:28:01/04:00:00:00:00/40 tag 12 ncq 524288 in
[  622.723508]          res 40/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/00 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
[  622.723510] ata1.00: status: { DRDY }
[  622.723513] ata1.00: failed command: READ FPDMA QUEUED
[  622.723518] ata1.00: cmd 60/00:68:00:2c:01/04:00:00:00:00/40 tag 13 ncq 524288 in
[  622.723519]          res 40/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/00 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
[  622.723522] ata1.00: status: { DRDY }
[  622.723524] ata1.00: failed command: READ FPDMA QUEUED
[  622.723530] ata1.00: cmd 60/00:70:00:30:01/04:00:00:00:00/40 tag 14 ncq 524288 in
[  622.723531]          res 40/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/00 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
[  622.723534] ata1.00: status: { DRDY }
[  622.723536] ata1.00: failed command: READ FPDMA QUEUED
[  622.723541] ata1.00: cmd 60/00:78:00:34:01/04:00:00:00:00/40 tag 15 ncq 524288 in
[  622.723543]          res 40/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/00 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
[  622.723545] ata1.00: status: { DRDY }
[  622.723548] ata1.00: failed command: READ FPDMA QUEUED
[  622.723553] ata1.00: cmd 60/00:80:00:38:01/04:00:00:00:00/40 tag 16 ncq 524288 in
[  622.723554]          res 40/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/00 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
[  622.723557] ata1.00: status: { DRDY }
[  622.723559] ata1.00: failed command: READ FPDMA QUEUED
[  622.723564] ata1.00: cmd 60/00:88:00:3c:01/04:00:00:00:00/40 tag 17 ncq 524288 in
[  622.723566]          res 40/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/00 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
[  622.723569] ata1.00: status: { DRDY }
[  622.723571] ata1.00: failed command: READ FPDMA QUEUED
[  622.723576] ata1.00: cmd 60/00:90:00:40:01/04:00:00:00:00/40 tag 18 ncq 524288 in
[  622.723578]          res 40/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/00 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
[  622.723580] ata1.00: status: { DRDY }
[  622.723583] ata1.00: failed command: READ FPDMA QUEUED
[  622.723588] ata1.00: cmd 60/00:98:00:44:01/04:00:00:00:00/40 tag 19 ncq 524288 in
[  622.723589]          res 40/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/00 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
[  622.723592] ata1.00: status: { DRDY }
[  622.723594] ata1.00: failed command: READ FPDMA QUEUED
[  622.723600] ata1.00: cmd 60/00:a0:00:48:01/04:00:00:00:00/40 tag 20 ncq 524288 in
[  622.723601]          res 40/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/00 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
[  622.723604] ata1.00: status: { DRDY }
[  622.723606] ata1.00: failed command: READ FPDMA QUEUED
[  622.723611] ata1.00: cmd 60/00:a8:00:4c:01/04:00:00:00:00/40 tag 21 ncq 524288 in
[  622.723613]          res 40/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/00 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
[  622.723615] ata1.00: status: { DRDY }
[  622.723618] ata1.00: failed command: READ FPDMA QUEUED
[  622.723623] ata1.00: cmd 60/00:b0:00:50:01/04:00:00:00:00/40 tag 22 ncq 524288 in
[  622.723624]          res 40/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/00 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
[  622.723627] ata1.00: status: { DRDY }
[  622.723629] ata1.00: failed command: READ FPDMA QUEUED
[  622.723635] ata1.00: cmd 60/00:b8:00:54:01/04:00:00:00:00/40 tag 23 ncq 524288 in
[  622.723636]          res 40/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/00 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
[  622.723639] ata1.00: status: { DRDY }
[  622.723641] ata1.00: failed command: READ FPDMA QUEUED
[  622.723646] ata1.00: cmd 60/00:c0:00:58:01/04:00:00:00:00/40 tag 24 ncq 524288 in
[  622.723648]          res 40/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/00 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
[  622.723650] ata1.00: status: { DRDY }
[  622.723653] ata1.00: failed command: READ FPDMA QUEUED
[  622.723658] ata1.00: cmd 60/00:c8:00:5c:01/04:00:00:00:00/40 tag 25 ncq 524288 in
[  622.723659]          res 40/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/00 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
[  622.723662] ata1.00: status: { DRDY }
[  622.723664] ata1.00: failed command: READ FPDMA QUEUED
[  622.723669] ata1.00: cmd 60/00:d0:00:60:01/04:00:00:00:00/40 tag 26 ncq 524288 in
[  622.723671]          res 40/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/00 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
[  622.723674] ata1.00: status: { DRDY }
[  622.723676] ata1.00: failed command: READ FPDMA QUEUED
[  622.723681] ata1.00: cmd 60/00:d8:00:64:01/04:00:00:00:00/40 tag 27 ncq 524288 in
[  622.723683]          res 40/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/00 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
[  622.723685] ata1.00: status: { DRDY }
[  622.723688] ata1.00: failed command: READ FPDMA QUEUED
[  622.723693] ata1.00: cmd 60/00:e0:00:68:01/04:00:00:00:00/40 tag 28 ncq 524288 in
[  622.723694]          res 40/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/00 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
[  622.723697] ata1.00: status: { DRDY }
[  622.723699] ata1.00: failed command: READ FPDMA QUEUED
[  622.723704] ata1.00: cmd 60/00:e8:00:f0:00/04:00:00:00:00/40 tag 29 ncq 524288 in
[  622.723706]          res 40/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/00 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
[  622.723709] ata1.00: status: { DRDY }
[  622.723711] ata1.00: failed command: READ FPDMA QUEUED
[  622.723716] ata1.00: cmd 60/00:f0:00:f4:00/04:00:00:00:00/40 tag 30 ncq 524288 in
[  622.723718]          res 40/00:00:00:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/00 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
[  622.723720] ata1.00: status: { DRDY }
[  622.723725] ata1: hard resetting link
[  628.088055] ata1: link is slow to respond, please be patient (ready=0)
[  632.733272] ata1: COMRESET failed (errno=-16)
[  632.733278] ata1: hard resetting link
[  638.098051] ata1: link is slow to respond, please be patient (ready=0)
[  642.743263] ata1: COMRESET failed (errno=-16)
[  642.743270] ata1: hard resetting link
[  648.108028] ata1: link is slow to respond, please be patient (ready=0)
[  677.778237] ata1: COMRESET failed (errno=-16)
[  677.778245] ata1: limiting SATA link speed to 1.5 Gbps
[  677.778248] ata1: hard resetting link
[  682.807222] ata1: COMRESET failed (errno=-16)
[  682.807228] ata1: reset failed, giving up
[  682.807231] ata1.00: disabled

 

After this, a cold boot is required, otherwise BIOS does not detect the drive.

 

Normal use does not trigger this. Only when I try to read certain sectors does this happen. I guess these sectors contain some data that is rarely used.

 

Is there any way to fix this, e.g., by forcing these sectors to be bad? SMART reports no bad sectors at the moment. It would be nice to get a full backup before sending the drive for RMA.

 

If I have to RMA, do you think it would be faster to do it directly with Corsair, or via the retailer (who will then send it to Corsair)? I live in Finland, Europe.

[malaakso]

Upgraded the firmware from 2.0 to 2.4 on a Windows machine, didn't help.

[Toasted]

Try plugging the SSD on a different system then get your files back.

 

Most likely you will need to RMA the SSD since it is not being detected at times. If your retailer will replace the SSD for you then that would be the fastest. If not, then Submit an RMA.

 

Read here about S.M.A.R.T. on SSDs

http://forum.corsair.com/forums/showthread.php?t=89316

[malaakso]

I tried to image it on the Windows machine after upgrading the firmware, but it didn't work either. Pretty soon after starting the backup Windows complained that it cannot access the drive, and then it vanished altogether.

 

I'll send it back to my retailer.

[malaakso]

Strangely enough, I was about to send the drive for RMA today, but for some reason decided to try it one more time. The result: image was created successfully, and the disk works perfectly!

 

My only explanation is that given enough idle time the controller has done some housekeeping and fixed the problem, or the file(s) residing on the bad blocks have been deleted and subsequently TRIMmed away. I wonder if the problem creeps back at some point...

[Toasted]

Might be old files. Though you may still want to secure erase the SSD and reinstall your OS.

[malaakso]

Time to write an ending to the story:

 

Today, when starting my computer, the disk is no longer detected. It is not detected in another computer either, so it seems to be fully dead. Time to RMA it.