SATA - System Freezes

Robin Laing Robin.Laing at drdc-rddc.gc.ca
Thu Jun 19 15:52:42 UTC 2008


Henry Ritzlmayr wrote:
> Am Dienstag, den 17.06.2008, 13:25 -0400 schrieb Jorge Fábregas:
>> Hello Everyone,
>>
>> I'm running Fedora 8 and my system freezes (for about 20 to 40 seconds) a 
>> couple of times a day. When it does I see this on /var/log/messages:
>>
>> ------------------------------- cut here -------------------------------------
>>
>> kernel: ata3.00: exception Emask 0x0 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x0 action 0x2 frozen
>> kernel: ata3.00: cmd ca/00:50:67:85:03/00:00:00:00:00/e0 tag 0 dma 40960 out
>> kernel:          res 40/00:00:76:6c:03/84:00:10:00:00/e0 Emask 0x4 (timeout)
>> kernel: ata3.00: status: { DRDY }
>> kernel: ata3: port is slow to respond, please be patient (Status 0xd0)
>> kernel: ata3: device not ready (errno=-16), forcing hardreset
>> kernel: ata3: soft resetting link
>> kernel: ata3.00: configured for UDMA/33
>> kernel: ata3: EH complete
>> kernel: sd 2:0:0:0: [sdc] 321672960 512-byte hardware sectors (164697 MB)
>> kernel: sd 2:0:0:0: [sdc] Write Protect is off
>> kernel: sd 2:0:0:0: [sdc] Write cache: enabled, read cache: enabled, doesn't 
>> support DPO or FUA
>>
>> ------------------------------- cut here -------------------------------------
>>
>> /dev/sdc is my main drive. The only thing I can think of...is that this drive 
>> is actually a PATA drive connected to the SATA controller on MoBo thru 
>> a "SATA-TO-IDE Adapter" that I connect on the drive. Perhaps the converter is 
>> faulty...or could this be a known issue with libata?  Anyone had same 
>> problem?
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Jorge
> 
> Many months ago I had the exact same output. Lots of google voodo and
> try and error solved it. My issue was that on one outlet of the power
> supply there where to many (3) drives connected. After recabling all
> went away. Others claimed that they got rid of the problem be refitting
> the sata cables.
> 
> Henry
> 

Henry,

I was just about to suggest checking the power supply.  I had a power 
supply that wouldn't supply enough voltage on the 5V rail.  My system 
would freeze.  Turned out to be a known fault with the brand of 
powersupplies.

Took two power supplies to find out that it was a known fault.  Argh. 
Warranties are useless on some products.  I also learned that the sensor 
voltages were not accurate in the BIOS in comparison to a digital 
voltmeter on the actual power cable.

-- 
Robin Laing




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