scsidisktest(1m)
scsidisktest - finds and reallocates bad blocks on SCSI and Fibre Channel Disks
As shipped in IRIX 6.5.22. Added in IRIX 6.5.19.
NAME scsidisktest - finds and reallocates bad blocks on SCSI and Fibre Channel Disks SYNOPSIS scsidisktest [-V (verbose)] [-x (Expert Mode)] [-R (Read Test)] [-W (Write Test)] [-C (Write-Read-Compare Test)] [-n <No. of Times to run the Test>] [-s <Starting Block>] [-t <Total No. of Blocks to test>] [-z <Max No. of Blocks transferred per command>] [-S (Sequential Pattern)] [-B (Butterfly Pattern)] [-P (Display P List)] [-G (Display G List)] [-L (Show Defective Block Count)] -d DEVICE DESCRIPTION scsidisktest is an interactive utility to analyze the disk surface of SCSI devices accessed using the SGI SCSI subsystem. It finds and reallocates bad blocks on the disk. It can also be used to display the Disk Defect Lists (P List and G list). OPTIONS -V Verbose Mode In this mode scsidisktest displays the block numbers of the blocks being tested while the test is in progress. -x Expert Mode This mode allows the testing process without being interrupted for confirmation. -R Read Test During this test,the SCSI Read(10) Command is used to read data blocks from the disk (without any retries). -W Write Test During this test, a random byte pattern is written to the disk using the SCSI Write(10) Command (without any retries). -C Write-Read-Compare Test During this test, a random byte pattern is written to the disk using the SCSI Write(10) Command (without any retries) and that pattern is read from the disk using the SCSI Read(10) Command (without any retries). The pattern read, is checked against the pattern written earlier to check for any discrepancies. -n <No. of Times to run the test> The test can be run for multiple times depending on the value given here. -s <Starting Block> This specifies the starting block of the chunk of blocks being tested. -t <Total No. of Blocks to Test> This specifies the total no. of blocks being tested. If the -s <Starting Block> and -t <Total No. of Blocks> choices are NOT specified, then the test is carried out on the entire disk under consideration (Recommended). -z <Max No. of Blocks transferred per command> This specifies the maximum data transfer size during the SCSI Read(10), Write(10) commands. If not specified, a maximum of 256 blocks are transferred in every Read(10), Write(10) command during the test. -S Sequential Pattern In this pattern the disk sectors are scanned sequentially. -B Butterfly Pattern In this pattern the user scans the disk surface alternately from the extremes of the block length being scanned. -P Display P List Display the defective blocks in the P List in the Physical Sector Format. -G Display G List Display the defective blocks in the G List in the Physical Sector Format. -L Show Defective Block Count Display the total number of defective blocks on the disk. This number includes the blocks in all Defect Lists. Interactive Mode Menus Scan Modes (Read | Write | Write-Read-Compare) In the Read Mode the user performs a SCSI Read(10) (with no retries) on the disk. In the Write Mode the user writes a random byte pattern on the disk using the SCSI Write(10) command (with no retries). In the Write-Read-Compare Mode the user writes a random byte pattern on the disk using the SCSI Write(10) command (with no retries), performs a SCSI Read(10) (with no retries) and then compares the bytes read, with the bytes written for any discrepancies. The Write-Read-Compare Mode performs the most exhaustive scan of the disk surface. Scan Pattern (Butterfly | Random | Sequential) In the Butterfly Pattern the user scans the disk surface alternately from the extremes of the block length being scanned. In the Random Pattern the user scans any random block in the block length under consideration. In the Sequential Pattern the user scans the disk surface sequentially. The disk surface is normally scanned in chunks of 256 blocks. If an error is detected, the chunk causing the error is scanned again, 1 block at a time to find the block causing the error. That block is then reallocated. If there is no space on the disk to reallocate that block, a corresponding error message is displayed. Hardware Defect List (P List | G List) P (Primary Defect Type) List : P type flawed sectors are identified at the time of shipment in a list of defects (permanent flaws) supplied by the manufacturer and stored on the disc in an area that is not directly accessible by the user. (This list may be referred to as an ETF List). This defect list is not modified or changed by the disc drive (or initiator) after shipment. G (Growth Defect Type) List : G type flawed sectors contain medium flaws and have been reallocated as a result of receiving a Reassign Blocks command, or certification defects (C type) reallocated during a previous Format Unit command, or Data Defects (D type) reallocated during a previous Format Unit command or defects that have been automatically reallocated by the drive. This (G) list is recorded on the disc drive media and may be referenced for the current (and subsequent) Format Unit commands. This (G) list does not include the Primary (P) list of defects. List Display Format (Bytes From Index | Physical Sector) : Each defect descriptor for the Bytes from Index format specifies the beginning of an eight bit (1 byte) defect location on the medium. Each defect descriptor is comprised of the cylinder number of the defect, the head number of the defect and the number of bytes from Index to the defect location. Each defect descriptor for the Physical Sector format specifies a sector size defect location comprised of the cylinder number of the defect, the head number of the defect and the defect sector number. Add Bad Block to the Hardware Defect List: This options allow the user to add a defective block to the G List using the SCSI Reassign Blocks Command.More information about the Reassign Blocks command can be found in the SCSI-3 Block Commands (SBC) document. EXAMPLES Under Irix, the device name must correspond to the 'sc' device. o scsidisktest -d /dev/scsi/sc9d70l0 In the interactive mode, scsidisktest has to be invoked without the -RWCSBnstx options (as shown above). o scsidisktest -V -d /dev/scsi/sc9d70l0 When invoked with the (-V) Verbose option, scsidisktest prints out the block numbers being tested while carrying out the test (in the interactive mode). o scsidisktest -C -B -n 2 -x -d /dev/scsi/sc9d70l0 In the non-interactive mode, scsidisktest is invoked as shown above. This causes scsidisktest to perform a (-C) Write-Read-Compare test on the entire disk sc9d70l0 by scanning it in a (-B) Butterfly pattern, (-n) 2 times. o scsidisktest -C -B -n 2 -s 100 -t 100000 -x -d /dev/scsi/sc9d70l0 This invocation in the non-interactive mode, causes scsidisktest to perform a (-C) Write-Read-Compare test on (-t)100000 sectors of the disk sc9d70l0 starting from (-s) sector 100, by scanning it in a (-B) Butterfly pattern, (-n) 2 times. o scsidisktest -V -C -B -n 2 -s 100 -t 100000 -x -d /dev/scsi/sc9d70l0 This invocation in the non-interactive mode, causes scsidisktest to perform a (-C) Write-Read-Compare test on (-t)100000 sectors of the disk sc9d70l0 starting from (-s) sector 100, by scanning it in a (-B) Butterfly pattern, (-n) 2 times. Due to the (-V) Verbose option, scsidisktest also prints out block numbers while the blocks are being tested. o scsidisktest -P -d /dev/scsi/sc9d70l0 This invocation causes scsidisktest to display the defective blocks in the P list for disk sc9d70l0 in the Physical Sector Format. o scsidisktest -L -d /dev/scsi/sc9d70l0 This invocation causes scsidisktest to display the total number of defective blocks on the disk. FILES /dev/scsi/sc*d*l* - the generic 'sc' device under Irix. SEE ALSO scsicontrol(1M), scsiha(1M), scsimodepage(1M), scsidiskformat(1M). NOTE This command is normally usable only by the superuser, because the standard permissions of the devices restrict access to other users.