[Coco] OT: Help with horrible bad NAS purchase, Linux EXT3 file system blindly used.

[Gene Heskett]

On Sunday 06 December 2009, Stephen H. Fischer wrote:
>OT: Help with horrible bad NAS purchase, Linux EXT3 file system blindly
>used.
>
>Hi,
>
>I am looking for help in deciding what to do with my Maxtor Central Axis (2
>TB) Network Attached Storage unit (NAS).
>
>I was searching the web for information again and realized that there might
>be someone here who knows all about Linux and the EXT3 file system who
> might be able to help me.
>
>The device has two 1TB drives and can be operated in Mirror mode (1TB) or
>Linear mode (2TB).
>
>The file system used is Linux EXT3 but my only access is via a web
> interface that offers very little information and very little control.
> Only by reading forum messages did I learn that Linux EXT3 is used.
>
>Purchased from Microcenter, the first unit was almost DOA. I spent a lot of
>time before realizing
>that the unit had to be returned. So I shipped it off to Mexico at a cost
> of ~ $35.
>
>I got a replacement unit but one of the drives died 5 days later. So I
>shipped it off to Mexico at a cost of ~ $12, Seagate paid the shipping, the
>UPS store provided part of the expensive packaging which was required.
>
>The replacement worked for  a few weeks:
>
>2009-09-23T22:34:16-0700 This is a Notification Test E-mail
>2009-11-26T14:42:20-0800 A drive configuration error has been reported for
>the Maxtor Central Axis MCA-05B195..
>
>The second line is all that I get via E-mail from the drive when it has an
>error, the server at Seagate I am sure gets a lot more information which I
>cannot get and they will never admit they have (Except to users who have >
>10,000 units in service.)
>
>After the Thanksgiving day failure I was able to rebuild the Mirror
>successfully without loss of data.
>
>I got a second Drive Failure message Friday:
>
>2009-12-04T21:44:16-0800 A drive configuration error has been reported for
>the Maxtor Central Axis MCA-05B195..
>
>Again I was able to rebuild the Mirror successfully without loss of data.
>----------------------------------
>My question is, does the Linux EXT3 file system map out the failed sectors
>so that they are not used again.
>
>Thus if I stick with the current drives in the unit I will get to a point
>where no more errors will occur and I can trust that my data is safe.
>
>(The data consists of several computer backups which can be recreated, and
>lots of TV Capture Video. (Darn that wonderful "CW_EPG" scheduling
> program.) ----------------------------------
>
>I realize that this is OT and I am very willing to take the discussion
>elsewhere or via private E-mail. I have done a lot of research, posted a
>detailed set of messages on the Seagate forum and can provide some more
>information from the screen shots I have taken to retain some of the
>information the web interface provides but does not allow you to save.
>
>TIA to one and all.
>
>Stephen H. Fischer
>
>
>--
>Coco mailing list
>Coco at maltedmedia.com
>http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/coco

You either have bad drives, and my luck with maxtors is all used up, or that 
drive box's software is doofy.  There is, if you can get to it and run it, 
the 'e2fsck' utility which can also call up the badblocks utility and map out 
any bad sectors it finds.  In the meantime, I'd keep paying the $12 shipping 
until they give up and give you a new one, preferably with seagate drives in 
it.  Even they aren't perfect, I have a 500GB laying here right now with a 5 
year warranty, upchucked at 11 months use.

-- 
Cheers, Gene
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