From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Tue Apr 7 19:45:59 2009 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 161D510656FD for ; Tue, 7 Apr 2009 19:45:59 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from rsmith@xs4all.nl) Received: from smtp-vbr4.xs4all.nl (smtp-vbr4.xs4all.nl [194.109.24.24]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 849048FC24 for ; Tue, 7 Apr 2009 19:45:58 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from rsmith@xs4all.nl) Received: from slackbox.xs4all.nl (slackbox.xs4all.nl [213.84.242.160]) by smtp-vbr4.xs4all.nl (8.13.8/8.13.8) with ESMTP id n37JjcVB017545; Tue, 7 Apr 2009 21:45:38 +0200 (CEST) (envelope-from rsmith@xs4all.nl) Received: by slackbox.xs4all.nl (Postfix, from userid 1001) id 6BE73BA8A; Tue, 7 Apr 2009 21:45:38 +0200 (CEST) Date: Tue, 7 Apr 2009 21:45:38 +0200 From: Roland Smith To: John Almberg Message-ID: <20090407194538.GB62574@slackbox.xs4all.nl> References: <13D52068-D184-42D9-AE6C-F095C1283975@identry.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/signed; micalg=pgp-sha1; protocol="application/pgp-signature"; boundary="eJnRUKwClWJh1Khz" Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <13D52068-D184-42D9-AE6C-F095C1283975@identry.com> X-GPG-Fingerprint: 1A2B 477F 9970 BA3C 2914 B7CE 1277 EFB0 C321 A725 X-GPG-Key: http://www.xs4all.nl/~rsmith/pubkey.txt X-GPG-Notice: If this message is not signed, don't assume I sent it! User-Agent: Mutt/1.5.19 (2009-01-05) X-Virus-Scanned: by XS4ALL Virus Scanner Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: low-level format before install? X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Tue, 07 Apr 2009 19:46:00 -0000 --eJnRUKwClWJh1Khz Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable On Tue, Apr 07, 2009 at 03:15:59PM -0400, John Almberg wrote: > Well, I've got real problems with that database server that lost =20 > power over the weekend. We reloaded FreeBSD from scratch and then =20 > reinstalled mysql, and pf. I loaded up my database and switched over =20 > all my customer's websites. The database server ran fine for about 2 =20 > minutes, and then died. At the moment, I can't even ssh into the =20 > machine, although they can get into it using a keyboard/monitor at =20 > the data center. In other words, sshd is not working. >=20 > I am now wondering what kind of format the FreeBSD install process =20 > does by default, and if it is possible to do a low level format, =20 > first, to block out any bad sectors (not sure if this is the right =20 > terminology). What you could do is run a shell from the install CD, then fill the disk with zeros using 'dd if=3D/dev/zero of=3D/dev/ bs=3D2m'. As I understand it, modern hard disks cannot be low-level formatted by the user. It is done at the factory. And bad blocks are re-allocated by the built-in controller without user intervention. In fact, you'll only see re-allocated blocks in the smartctl -a output (as Reallocated_Sector_Ct) when the drive has exhausted its spare sectors. In which case you'd better replace it, because it is failing. > I'm starting to get real depressed about this machine... You would =20 > think a top-tier data center could keep the power on... Are you sure that the hardware isn't crapping out on you? At least run smartctl -a on your disks to see if they failed any self test, and a monitoring program like mbmon to check on temperatures and voltage levels. Roland --=20 R.F.Smith http://www.xs4all.nl/~rsmith/ [plain text _non-HTML_ PGP/GnuPG encrypted/signed email much appreciated] pgp: 1A2B 477F 9970 BA3C 2914 B7CE 1277 EFB0 C321 A725 (KeyID: C321A725) --eJnRUKwClWJh1Khz Content-Type: application/pgp-signature Content-Disposition: inline -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v2.0.11 (FreeBSD) iEYEARECAAYFAknbrWIACgkQEnfvsMMhpyXFjACeNNqUpf3MgXTO4rADpuJ9Whz4 TOIAnRZdQuKoo7rZIvaIWO+r58NihHQ2 =jnx1 -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- --eJnRUKwClWJh1Khz--