Need some help on "ATA error count increased" error

[aquostics]

Yesterday I got a error message telling me that "Device: /dev/sdi [SAT], ATA error count increased from 0 to 1."
I did some research and it sounds like ATA errors might happen due to different reasons depending on SMART result.

I do not know how to read the SMART results, and I just want to double check if this happened because my drive is bad(maybe too old?).
Please help!

smartctl 7.2 2020-12-30 r5155 [x86_64-linux-5.10.142+truenas] (local build) Copyright (C) 2002-20, Bruce Allen, Christian Franke, www.smartmontools.org === START OF INFORMATION SECTION === Model Family: Western Digital Red Device Model: WDC WD80EFAX-68KNBN0 Serial Number: VGJL11RG LU WWN Device Id: 5 000cca 0bee461a6 Firmware Version: 81.00A81 User Capacity: 8,001,563,222,016 bytes [8.00 TB] Sector Sizes: 512 bytes logical, 4096 bytes physical Rotation Rate: 5400 rpm Form Factor: 3.5 inches Device is: In smartctl database [for details use: -P show] ATA Version is: ACS-2, ATA8-ACS T13/1699-D revision 4 SATA Version is: SATA 3.2, 6.0 Gb/s (current: 6.0 Gb/s) Local Time is: Sun Dec 11 05:08:27 2022 PST SMART support is: Available - device has SMART capability. SMART support is: Enabled === START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION === SMART overall-health self-assessment test result: PASSED General SMART Values: Offline data collection status: (0x84) Offline data collection activity was suspended by an interrupting command from host. Auto Offline Data Collection: Enabled. Self-test execution status: ( 0) The previous self-test routine completed without error or no self-test has ever been run. Total time to complete Offline data collection: ( 87) seconds. Offline data collection capabilities: (0x5b) SMART execute Offline immediate. Auto Offline data collection on/off support. Suspend Offline collection upon new command. Offline surface scan supported. Self-test supported. No Conveyance Self-test supported. Selective Self-test supported. SMART capabilities: (0x0003) Saves SMART data before entering power-saving mode. Supports SMART auto save timer. Error logging capability: (0x01) Error logging supported. General Purpose Logging supported. Short self-test routine recommended polling time: ( 2) minutes. Extended self-test routine recommended polling time: ( 877) minutes. SCT capabilities: (0x003d) SCT Status supported. SCT Error Recovery Control supported. SCT Feature Control supported. SCT Data Table supported. SMART Attributes Data Structure revision number: 16 Vendor Specific SMART Attributes with Thresholds: ID# ATTRIBUTE_NAME FLAG VALUE WORST THRESH TYPE UPDATED WHEN_FAILED RAW_VALUE 1 Raw_Read_Error_Rate 0x000b 100 100 016 Pre-fail Always - 0 2 Throughput_Performance 0x0004 127 127 054 Old_age Offline - 112 3 Spin_Up_Time 0x0007 154 154 024 Pre-fail Always - 528 (Average 529) 4 Start_Stop_Count 0x0012 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 46 5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct 0x0033 100 100 005 Pre-fail Always - 0 7 Seek_Error_Rate 0x000a 100 100 067 Old_age Always - 0 8 Seek_Time_Performance 0x0004 128 128 020 Old_age Offline - 18 9 Power_On_Hours 0x0012 099 099 000 Old_age Always - 13940 10 Spin_Retry_Count 0x0012 100 100 060 Old_age Always - 0 12 Power_Cycle_Count 0x0032 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 43 192 Power-Off_Retract_Count 0x0032 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 620 193 Load_Cycle_Count 0x0012 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 620 194 Temperature_Celsius 0x0002 203 203 000 Old_age Always - 32 (Min/Max 21/72) 196 Reallocated_Event_Count 0x0032 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 0 197 Current_Pending_Sector 0x0022 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 0 198 Offline_Uncorrectable 0x0008 100 100 000 Old_age Offline - 0 199 UDMA_CRC_Error_Count 0x000a 200 200 000 Old_age Always - 1 SMART Error Log Version: 1 ATA Error Count: 1 CR = Command Register [HEX] FR = Features Register [HEX] SC = Sector Count Register [HEX] SN = Sector Number Register [HEX] CL = Cylinder Low Register [HEX] CH = Cylinder High Register [HEX] DH = Device/Head Register [HEX] DC = Device Command Register [HEX] ER = Error register [HEX] ST = Status register [HEX] Powered_Up_Time is measured from power on, and printed as DDd+hh:mm:SS.sss where DD=days, hh=hours, mm=minutes, SS=sec, and sss=millisec. It "wraps" after 49.710 days. Error 1 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 13936 hours (580 days + 16 hours) When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was doing SMART Offline or Self-test. After command completion occurred, registers were: ER ST SC SN CL CH DH -- -- -- -- -- -- -- 84 43 00 00 00 00 00 Error: ICRC, ABRT at LBA = 0x00000000 = 0 Commands leading to the command that caused the error were: CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC Powered_Up_Time Command/Feature_Name -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- ---------------- -------------------- 60 00 48 00 d6 5b 40 08 1d+08:33:36.430 READ FPDMA QUEUED 60 00 90 40 a1 28 40 08 1d+08:33:36.355 READ FPDMA QUEUED 60 00 88 40 74 16 40 08 1d+08:33:36.355 READ FPDMA QUEUED 60 00 80 40 6c 16 40 08 1d+08:33:36.355 READ FPDMA QUEUED 60 00 78 40 63 16 40 08 1d+08:33:36.355 READ FPDMA QUEUED SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1 Num Test_Description Status Remaining LifeTime(hours) LBA_of_first_error # 1 Short offline Completed without error 00% 13842 - # 2 Short offline Completed without error 00% 676 - # 3 Short offline Completed without error 00% 652 - # 4 Short offline Completed without error 00% 628 - # 5 Short offline Completed without error 00% 604 - # 6 Short offline Completed without error 00% 580 - # 7 Short offline Completed without error 00% 556 - # 8 Short offline Completed without error 00% 532 - # 9 Short offline Completed without error 00% 508 - #10 Short offline Completed without error 00% 484 - #11 Short offline Completed without error 00% 460 - #12 Short offline Completed without error 00% 212 - #13 Short offline Completed without error 00% 188 - #14 Short offline Completed without error 00% 164 - #15 Short offline Completed without error 00% 157 - #16 Short offline Completed without error 00% 151 - #17 Short offline Completed without error 00% 140 - SMART Selective self-test log data structure revision number 1 SPAN MIN_LBA MAX_LBA CURRENT_TEST_STATUS 1 0 0 Not_testing 2 0 0 Not_testing 3 0 0 Not_testing 4 0 0 Not_testing 5 0 0 Not_testing Selective self-test flags (0x0): After scanning selected spans, do NOT read-scan remainder of disk. If Selective self-test is pending on power-up, resume after 0 minute delay.

 

[joeschmuck]

So I see a few things that I'm concerned about.

The error you got was likely the value below.

199 UDMA_CRC_Error_Count 0x000a 200 200 000 Old_age Always - 1

What typically causes this error is a failing data cable, followed by drive electronics, next the HBA/motherboard it's connected to.

Question to ask yourself: Did you recently move or even open the computer case and possibly disturb the hard drive data cable? If this drive is in a removable drive carrier then it could be failing as well.

Advice:
1) Run routine SMART Short and Long tests, not only after you get a failure, that is trouble waiting to happen.
2) Run a SMART Long test now, verify no further errors occur by examining the SMART data and compare it to the current data.
3) A single failure is okay, and this count will not go away, it's permanent for this value with the alarm. This alone does not mean the drive is failing. Monitor the SMART data and if you see this value increase, ask yourself those questions again from above.
4) If the problem persists then swap the data cable with a different drive, does the problem move?
5) If the problem moves then replace the Data cable.
6) If the problem remains with the same hard drive then the drive is at fault. Post an update and include the SMART data. Odds are you will be told to replace the drive but it's good to have all the facts before spending money.

I recommend running a daily SMART Short test and a weekly SMART Long test to everyone. It's good to test often and it causes no extra wear on the drive. The SMART Long test actually helps wear the platters flat on the very small scale of things.

 

[aquostics]

So I see a few things that I'm concerned about.

The error you got was likely the value below.

What typically causes this error is a failing data cable, followed by drive electronics, next the HBA/motherboard it's connected to.

Question to ask yourself: Did you recently move or even open the computer case and possibly disturb the hard drive data cable? If this drive is in a removable drive carrier then it could be failing as well.

Advice:
1) Run routine SMART Short and Long tests, not only after you get a failure, that is trouble waiting to happen.
2) Run a SMART Long test now, verify no further errors occur by examining the SMART data and compare it to the current data.
3) A single failure is okay, and this count will not go away, it's permanent for this value with the alarm. This alone does not mean the drive is failing. Monitor the SMART data and if you see this value increase, ask yourself those questions again from above.
4) If the problem persists then swap the data cable with a different drive, does the problem move?
5) If the problem moves then replace the Data cable.
6) If the problem remains with the same hard drive then the drive is at fault. Post an update and include the SMART data. Odds are you will be told to replace the drive but it's good to have all the facts before spending money.

I recommend running a daily SMART Short test and a weekly SMART Long test to everyone. It's good to test often and it causes no extra wear on the drive. The SMART Long test actually helps wear the platters flat on the very small scale of things.

Thank you so much for your detailed answer! I changed my SMART test schedule and will keep an eye on the result.