Event ID 55 with Intel RAID 2

[stduc]

I started getting lots of these recently and running a chkdsk with the f flag and rebooting finding no issues. But still kept getting up to 20 55 events a day "The file system structure on the disk is corrupt and unusable. Please run the chkdsk utility on the volume Boot."

To cut a long story short the issue was fixed by running the Intel verify utility on the RAID even though the status was apparently 'normal'. 22 verify errors were found and fixed!

We're talking Intel Rapid Storage Technology version 11.6.0.1130

 

[goombawaho]

So, you should be scheduling a "verify/repair" job for once a month and it will handle these problems. The software should allow that because that's the same version I have and I scheduled a monthly job in the software.

Chkdsk is a higher level function and SHOULD be run periodically for Windows' sake, but the RAID needs to be healthy at the hardware level first.

 

[stduc]

I already did that - I never noticed that option before - Duh! But thanks for mentioning it.

I do run chkdsk from time to time.

Further to my original post I have just noticed that opening a cmd window with admin rights and running "chkdsk c:" [i.e. in read only mode] GENERATES an event ID 55 in the log!!!! (Despite the fact that chkdsk reports that all is well)

 

[goombawaho]

You might want to test each hard drive separately (outside of windows) booted to the manufacturer's diagnostic tool. Disconnect one drive and test and then switch drives that are connected, powering down before connecting/disconnecting (for the novice, not the OP).

If both drives test out fine, reconnect them but don't boot the PC. I would then boot to some type of bootable CD and run a CHKDSK (CHKDSK c: /F) three times in a row and observe the results. Then boot to windows and see what your chkdsk c: says.

 

[stduc]

3 drives at 1TB each - Life's too short! LOL (I have a RAID 5). Seems to me that I already spend an inordinate amount of time keeping windows and my other software updated. Often requiring a reboot. I'm trying to get some work done after all!

I do daily file backups and a weekly image backup so that will have to suffice. Seeing as a chkdsk c: /f finds no errors on reboot and there are no ntfs errors being reported now in the event log I'm satisfied.

 

[goombawaho]

Sure, well it just depends on how doggedly you want to pursue something. Most people reach the end of their interest, patience or willpower before they get to the answer. But you're in better shape than most other people with RAID level non-existent (single hard drive).

 

[stduc]

I spoke to soon

I have some thoughts on software issues before I totally blame hardware - as the last bout of ntfs errors were coincidental with an image backup using Shadow Protect. If those ideas fail to fix things though I would appreciate your advise on how to test the disks. I am assume if I break the RAID to test the disks individually then I will have to restore from an image backup? No problem apart from the time that will take. I don't have a spare PC to hand unfortunately. I suppose it might work if I removed all 3 disks and then used a different SATA socket to test each one? I am open to suggests, meanwhile the RAID is repairing again. It has already fixed 5 errors, no media errors detected. It is only 10% completed and the errors were all reported as fixed before the 1% mark - does that tell me anything?

 

[goombawaho]

There is no need to break the raid to test the disks. What I said was to get the manufacturer's diagnostic utility on a BOOTABLE CD, such as this one:

http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/download.html

0. Note which drive is plugged into which SATA port so you can put them back as they were.
1. With the computer OFF, unplug all but one of the three drives.
2. Boot to the UBCD and test the hard drive attached.
3. Go back to step 1 and plug in a different drive, test and repeat until all drives have been tested.

The RAID will not be broken, just ignore any prompts about the RAID being degraded or defunct. When you put all the drives back, it should be as if nothing happened. IDEALLY, you would not use the PC that these drive are in to test and then you wouldn't get any "warning" messages when you boot the PC and it tells you that there are drives missing/RAID problem.

Now that I think about it, you can probably test the drives individually with them all attached if the manufacturer's utility will allow you to SELECT a drive from the three. Then it's just a matter of test 1, 2, 3.

It is only 10% completed and the errors were all reported as fixed before the 1% mark - does that tell me anything?

Hard to say, but something is wrong because the errors keep cropping up.

 

[goombawaho]

Now that I think about it again, I'm not sure how the RAID will react if you test one of its member hard drives. So, ideally, it would be best to test the drives outside of their RAID environment as stand-alone drives. You don't have access another PC or laptop where you could attach them in one way or another?

 

[stduc]

About what I figured goombawaho - Oh well, I guess I'll just have to commandeer the "wife's" PC for a bit - I see a D I V O R C E looming - lol

No errors today & I'm very pushed for time - M.O.L. is unwell and I have a ton of stuff to do - inc a mountain of paperwork which requires this PC. So, away for a week or so soon to look after M.O.L and take it from there.

No errors today after deleting shadow protects .IDX files but that could be a co-incidence. I need to update shadow protect anyway but that requires losing and re-creating all my jobs - which is a pain! If I get any more ntfs errors then I guess I need to find time to test the HDDs. There are times I wish one didn't need a PC and times I wish my work didn't require such a powerful one! Oh well, such is life - LOL I just seem to be spending an inordinate amount of time doing PC maintenance at the moment - The 1st 18 months after I built it were error free - I guess I should have kept my mouth shut.

Many thanks for your advice.

 

[goombawaho]

Your data is pretty safe with RAID5, so that's the main thing. Though you need to get to the bottom of the errors. As I said, if you have the PC turned off and transplant each drive one at a time, test each one and then put them back on the same SATA port as they were, the PC/RAID won't know anything has happened UNLESS you find errors on a drive and don't put it back in.

What's your RAID controller/chipset/motherboard so we can see if there is any RAID log that might produced.

 

[stduc]

Yep - I thinks that's a good plan. It's finding the time. I just love intermittent faults, don't you? As you can imagine I am keeping a close eye on the event log and am currently wondering what happened at 14:48 today to generate 5 Event ID 55's? I ran another verify but that reported nothing. Maybe this is a driver issue somewhere and all a bit of a red herring?

One RAID report from the driver.

System Report

System Information
OS name:  Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate 
OS version:  6.1.7600  7600
System name:  CMASTER
System manufacturer:  System manufacturer
System model:  System Product Name
Processor:  GenuineIntel Intel64 Family 6 Model 30 Stepping 5 2.801  GHz
BIOS:  American Megatrends Inc., 1002   

Intel® Rapid Storage Technology enterprise Information
Kit installed:  11.6.0.1030
User interface version:  11.6.0.1030
Language:  English (United Kingdom)
RAID option ROM version:  8.9.0.1023
Driver version:  11.6.0.1030
ISDI version:  11.6.0.1030

Storage System Information
RAID Configuration

Array Name:  SATA_Array_0000
Size:  2,861,608 MB
Available space:  6 MB
Number of volumes:  1
Volume member:  CMR5
Number of array disks:  3
Array disk:  S246J90B937379
Array disk:  S246J1KZ409513
Array disk:  S246J1KZ409523
Disk data cache:  Enabled

Volume name:  CMR5
Status:  Normal
Type:  RAID 5
Size:  1,907,734 MB
System volume:  Yes  
Data stripe size:  64 KB
Write-back cache:  Disabled
Initialized:  Yes  
Parity errors:  0
Blocks with media errors:  0
Physical sector size:  512 Bytes
Logical sector size:  512 Bytes

Hardware Information

Controller name:  Intel(R) Desktop/Workstation/Server Express Chipset SATA RAID Controller
Type:  SATA
Mode:  RAID
Number of SATA ports:  6
Number of volumes:  1
Volume:  CMR5
Number of spares:  0
Number of available disks:  0
Rebuild on Hot Plug:  Disabled
Manufacturer:  32902
Model number:  10274
Product revision:  6
Direct attached disk:  S246J90B937379
Direct attached disk:  S246J1KZ409513
Direct attached disk:  S246J1KZ409523

Disk on Controller 0, Port 0
Status:  Normal
Type:  SATA disk
Location type:  Internal
Usage:  Array disk
Size:  932 GB
System disk:  No
Disk data cache:  Enabled
Command queuing:  NCQ
SATA transfer rate: 3 Gb/s
Model:  SAMSUNG HD103SJ                         
Serial number:  S246J90B937379
SCSI device ID:  0
Firmware:  1AJ10001
Physical sector size:  512 Bytes
Logical sector size:  512 Bytes

Disk on Controller 0, Port 1
Status:  Normal
Type:  SATA disk
Location type:  Internal
Usage:  Array disk
Size:  932 GB
System disk:  No
Disk data cache:  Enabled
Command queuing:  NCQ
SATA transfer rate: 3 Gb/s
Model:  SAMSUNG HD103SJ                         
Serial number:  S246J1KZ409513
SCSI device ID:  1
Firmware:  1AJ10001
Physical sector size:  512 Bytes
Logical sector size:  512 Bytes

Disk on Controller 0, Port 2
Status:  Normal
Type:  SATA disk
Location type:  Internal
Usage:  Array disk
Size:  932 GB
System disk:  No
Disk data cache:  Enabled
Command queuing:  NCQ
SATA transfer rate: 3 Gb/s
Model:  SAMSUNG HD103SJ                         
Serial number:  S246J1KZ409523
SCSI device ID:  2
Firmware:  1AJ10001
Physical sector size:  512 Bytes
Logical sector size:  512 Bytes

ATAPI device on Controller 0, Port 3
Location type:  Internal
SATA transfer rate: 1.5 Gb/s
Model:  TSSTcorp CDDVDW SH-S223L                
Serial number:  R1286GCZ20513200
Firmware:  SB04    

Empty port
Port:  4
Port location:  Internal

Empty port
Port:  5
Port location:  Internal

 

[rclarke250]

There is a newer version of Intel RST here. Read the release notes, there are still a bunch of issues that need resolving. But it may help.

 

[stduc]

Installed this morning - thanks - Verify in progress as I type. I also stumbled on Intels auto hardware scan - infinst_autol.exe & downloaded it. Do you think I should give it a try? -

Just back from looking after MOL - Now my SO goes in for a minor op tomorrow - so I may (between visits) get a chance to test the disks. But somehow I doubt it.

 

[rclarke250]

Is there a raid or system firmware update available? Looks like the hard drives are at the latest firmware, by serial number at the Seagate website.

 

[stduc]

Quick update.

I will look into firmware updates - sometime - really I will!

The way the errors were occurring makes me think that it might be software related. So I decided to uninstall anything I didn't use. The first thing to go was seagates trial muveee software that came with a backup USB drive. Since uninstalling that I have had no more ntfs errors logged but am still getting the occasional verify error fixed by the weekly check by the RAID software.

Meanwhile - & probably unrelated - I get a ton of bad block errors logged when I plug my camera card in - and here's the killer - UNLESS I plug in in almost immediately after a cold boot! In which case all is well.

Don't you just love computers!