Re: server survives 4 foot drop

[Ramon Gandia <rfg nook net>]

Charles Galpin wrote:
> 
> The shelf my poor server in question was sitting on (and running happily)
> collapsed unexpectedly today. I happened to be standing next to it and (sort
> of) caught it before it hit the ground, but it got a good jolt never the
> less.
> 
> I stuck a monitor on it, and the console background was flashing red, and
> was  printing out  various disk read/block errors. I was a bit distracted at
> the time :) and just shut it down, not really paying attention to the errors
> - they did not look good!.
> 
> Anyway I rebooted, and it ran fsck, and things seem ok. I looked in the
> messages file and dmesg, but didn't see any relevant messages about this
> event.
> 
> The reason for my post is this - what can I do to extensively test this disk
> to make sure it's not going to go bad anytime soon. I live a 850 miles away,
> and this will be left in the care of my mother and her non-technical staff.

This is like a "possible AIDS exposure".  It depends what you
want to do.

(1) You want this computer to run properly, no matter what.
    Solution:  take no chances and replace the hard drive. You
    can leave the other one in there as a slave drive just in
    case.  Move all files over to the new one.

(2) You want to be cheap and check the drive.  Since it is
    working now, it will probably check out OK.   

Before you do #2, think carefully about this.  The disk DID
crash; ie, the heads hit the platter.  It may work now, but there
is no doubt the disk is damaged.  The question is:  how long will
it run?  It might run forever.  Then again, it may die tomorrow
or the day after you arrive 850 miles away.

On shelf mounted computers I have found it useful to put an 
eyehook or two on the wall and tie the computer there.  Not so
much because the shelf might give way....but because the computer
might tip out of the shelf if yanked by a cord.  This is a real
possibility with tower cased computers.

You pays your money and makes your choice!

-- 
Ramon Gandia  ---    Sysadmin  ---  http://www.nook.net
285 West 1st Avenue              ISP for Western Alaska
P.O. Box 970                          tel. 907-443-7575
Nome, Alaska 99762                    fax. 907-443-2487
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