blk_update_request: I/O error, dev sda, sector xxxxxxxxxxx

Question

I just ordered a new server with a 1TB Samsung SSD. Installed Ubuntu 14.04.5 LTS.

After booting into the newly installed system, I see this in my dmesg and /var/lib/syslog. Output of grep error /var/log/syslog:

May 12 03:47:34 lf5 kernel: [    0.373789] HEST: Enabling Firmware First mode for corrected errors.
May 12 03:47:34 lf5 kernel: [   10.382147] ata8.00: irq_stat 0x08000000, interface fatal error
May 12 03:47:34 lf5 kernel: [   10.382152]          res 40/00:e0:f8:69:70/00:00:74:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 03:47:34 lf5 kernel: [   10.712517] ata8.00: irq_stat 0x08000000, interface fatal error
May 12 03:47:34 lf5 kernel: [   10.712521]          res 40/00:d0:38:01:00/00:00:00:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 03:47:34 lf5 kernel: [   11.119541] ata8.00: irq_stat 0x08000000, interface fatal error
May 12 03:47:34 lf5 kernel: [   11.119545]          res 40/00:40:30:03:00/00:00:00:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 03:47:34 lf5 kernel: [   11.526336] ata8.00: irq_stat 0x08000008, interface fatal error
May 12 03:47:34 lf5 kernel: [   11.526341]          res 40/00:60:40:01:7c/00:00:5f:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 03:47:34 lf5 kernel: [   11.526345]          res 40/00:60:40:01:7c/00:00:5f:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 03:47:34 lf5 kernel: [   11.526348]          res 40/00:60:40:01:7c/00:00:5f:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 03:47:34 lf5 kernel: [   11.526351]          res 40/00:60:40:01:7c/00:00:5f:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 03:47:34 lf5 kernel: [   21.349950] EXT4-fs (sda2): re-mounted. Opts: errors=remount-ro
May 12 03:51:10 lf5 kernel: [    0.389787] HEST: Enabling Firmware First mode for corrected errors.
May 12 03:51:10 lf5 kernel: [   10.906423] ata8.00: irq_stat 0x08000000, interface fatal error
May 12 03:51:10 lf5 kernel: [   10.906429]          res 40/00:80:08:00:00/00:00:00:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 03:51:10 lf5 kernel: [   11.488276] ata8.00: irq_stat 0x08000000, interface fatal error
May 12 03:51:10 lf5 kernel: [   11.488281]          res 40/00:c0:28:01:00/00:00:00:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 03:51:10 lf5 kernel: [   11.960792] ata8.00: irq_stat 0x08000000, interface fatal error
May 12 03:51:10 lf5 kernel: [   11.960796]          res 40/00:b8:b0:01:00/00:00:00:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 03:51:10 lf5 kernel: [   12.366482] ata8.00: irq_stat 0x08000000, interface fatal error
May 12 03:51:10 lf5 kernel: [   12.366486]          res 40/00:60:e0:03:00/00:00:00:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 03:51:10 lf5 kernel: [   20.918620] EXT4-fs (sda2): re-mounted. Opts: errors=remount-ro
May 12 17:07:19 lf5 kernel: [    0.390011] HEST: Enabling Firmware First mode for corrected errors.
May 12 17:07:19 lf5 kernel: [   10.349119] ata8.00: irq_stat 0x08000000, interface fatal error
May 12 17:07:19 lf5 kernel: [   10.349124]          res 40/00:88:a8:6d:70/00:00:74:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:07:19 lf5 kernel: [   10.738449] ata8.00: irq_stat 0x08000000, interface fatal error
May 12 17:07:19 lf5 kernel: [   10.738453]          res 40/00:20:60:6b:70/00:00:74:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:07:19 lf5 kernel: [   11.072972] ata8.00: irq_stat 0x08000000, interface fatal error
May 12 17:07:19 lf5 kernel: [   11.072976]          res 40/00:60:50:03:00/00:00:00:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:07:19 lf5 kernel: [   11.471777] ata8.00: irq_stat 0x08000000, interface fatal error
May 12 17:07:19 lf5 kernel: [   11.471781]          res 40/00:48:c8:03:00/00:00:00:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:07:19 lf5 kernel: [   20.651217] EXT4-fs (sda2): re-mounted. Opts: errors=remount-ro
May 12 17:18:16 lf5 kernel: [    0.389808] HEST: Enabling Firmware First mode for corrected errors.
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   10.762352] ata8.00: irq_stat 0x08000000, interface fatal error
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   10.762360]          res 40/00:40:08:03:00/00:00:00:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   11.338565]          res 40/00:b8:20:01:7c/00:00:5f:00:00/40 Emask 0x1 (device error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   11.338569]          res 40/00:b8:20:01:7c/00:00:5f:00:00/40 Emask 0x1 (device error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   11.338572]          res 40/00:b8:20:01:7c/00:00:5f:00:00/40 Emask 0x1 (device error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   11.338576]          res 40/00:b8:20:01:7c/00:00:5f:00:00/40 Emask 0x1 (device error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   20.087229]          res 41/84:08:b8:14:7d/00:00:63:00:00/00 Emask 0x410 (ATA bus error) <F>
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   20.298295] ata8.00: error: { ICRC ABRT }
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   21.176551] sd 7:0:0:0: [sda] tag#0 Add. Sense: Scsi parity error
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   21.316632] blk_update_request: I/O error, dev sda, sector 1669074520
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   21.542013] ata8.00: irq_stat 0x08000000, interface fatal error
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   21.759477]          res 40/00:e8:78:02:7c/00:00:63:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   22.052681]          res 40/00:e8:78:02:7c/00:00:63:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   22.347138]          res 40/00:e8:78:02:7c/00:00:63:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   22.642363]          res 40/00:e8:78:02:7c/00:00:63:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   22.938868]          res 40/00:e8:78:02:7c/00:00:63:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   23.239764]          res 40/00:e8:78:02:7c/00:00:63:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   23.542336]          res 40/00:e8:78:02:7c/00:00:63:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   23.840288]          res 40/00:e8:78:02:7c/00:00:63:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   24.138769]          res 40/00:e8:78:02:7c/00:00:63:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   24.439063]          res 40/00:e8:78:02:7c/00:00:63:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   24.740494]          res 40/00:e8:78:02:7c/00:00:63:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   25.047057]          res 40/00:e8:78:02:7c/00:00:63:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   25.354884]          res 40/00:e8:78:02:7c/00:00:63:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   25.662079]          res 40/00:e8:78:02:7c/00:00:63:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   25.967498]          res 40/00:e8:78:02:7c/00:00:63:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   26.273208]          res 40/00:e8:78:02:7c/00:00:63:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   26.579035]          res 40/00:e8:78:02:7c/00:00:63:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   26.884890]          res 40/00:e8:78:02:7c/00:00:63:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   27.190868]          res 40/00:e8:78:02:7c/00:00:63:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   27.496523]          res 40/00:e8:78:02:7c/00:00:63:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   27.801825]          res 40/00:e8:78:02:7c/00:00:63:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   28.106876]          res 40/00:e8:78:02:7c/00:00:63:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   28.412223]          res 40/00:e8:78:02:7c/00:00:63:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   28.717662]          res 40/00:e8:78:02:7c/00:00:63:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   29.022620]          res 40/00:e8:78:02:7c/00:00:63:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   29.326675]          res 40/00:e8:78:02:7c/00:00:63:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   29.629826]          res 40/00:e8:78:02:7c/00:00:63:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   29.932271]          res 40/00:e8:78:02:7c/00:00:63:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   30.234666]          res 40/00:e8:78:02:7c/00:00:63:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   30.537024]          res 40/00:e8:78:02:7c/00:00:63:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   31.765128] blk_update_request: I/O error, dev sda, sector 1669071496
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   32.143969] blk_update_request: I/O error, dev sda, sector 1669071504
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   32.527171] blk_update_request: I/O error, dev sda, sector 1669071512
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   32.915371] blk_update_request: I/O error, dev sda, sector 1669071544
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   33.308218] blk_update_request: I/O error, dev sda, sector 1669071552
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   33.706503] blk_update_request: I/O error, dev sda, sector 1669071520
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   34.108892] blk_update_request: I/O error, dev sda, sector 1669071528
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   34.516541] blk_update_request: I/O error, dev sda, sector 1669071536
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   34.929267] blk_update_request: I/O error, dev sda, sector 1669071368
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   35.347838] blk_update_request: I/O error, dev sda, sector 1669071376
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   36.004437]          res 41/04:a8:90:d2:89/00:00:5f:00:00/00 Emask 0x401 (device error) <F>
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   36.257143] ata8.00: error: { ABRT }
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   37.681581] ata8.00: irq_stat 0x08000008, interface fatal error
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   37.681586]          res 40/00:b8:e0:04:bc/00:00:70:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   37.681590]          res 40/00:b8:e0:04:bc/00:00:70:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   37.681593]          res 40/00:b8:e0:04:bc/00:00:70:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   37.681596]          res 40/00:b8:e0:04:bc/00:00:70:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   37.681599]          res 40/00:b8:e0:04:bc/00:00:70:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   37.681602]          res 40/00:b8:e0:04:bc/00:00:70:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   37.681605]          res 40/00:b8:e0:04:bc/00:00:70:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   37.681608]          res 40/00:b8:e0:04:bc/00:00:70:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   37.681611]          res 40/00:b8:e0:04:bc/00:00:70:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   37.681615]          res 40/00:b8:e0:04:bc/00:00:70:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   37.681618]          res 40/00:b8:e0:04:bc/00:00:70:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   37.681621]          res 40/00:b8:e0:04:bc/00:00:70:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   37.681624]          res 40/00:b8:e0:04:bc/00:00:70:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   37.681627]          res 40/00:b8:e0:04:bc/00:00:70:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   37.681630]          res 40/00:b8:e0:04:bc/00:00:70:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   37.681633]          res 40/00:b8:e0:04:bc/00:00:70:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   37.681636]          res 40/00:b8:e0:04:bc/00:00:70:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   37.681639]          res 40/00:b8:e0:04:bc/00:00:70:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   37.681642]          res 40/00:b8:e0:04:bc/00:00:70:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   37.681645]          res 40/00:b8:e0:04:bc/00:00:70:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   37.681649]          res 40/00:b8:e0:04:bc/00:00:70:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   37.681652]          res 40/00:b8:e0:04:bc/00:00:70:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   37.681655]          res 40/00:b8:e0:04:bc/00:00:70:00:00/40 Emask 0x52 (ATA bus error)
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   38.005003] blk_update_request: I/O error, dev sda, sector 1891370112
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   38.005009] blk_update_request: I/O error, dev sda, sector 1891370120
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   38.005013] blk_update_request: I/O error, dev sda, sector 1891370128
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   38.005017] blk_update_request: I/O error, dev sda, sector 1891370136
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   38.005021] blk_update_request: I/O error, dev sda, sector 1891370144
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   38.005025] blk_update_request: I/O error, dev sda, sector 1891370152
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   38.005029] blk_update_request: I/O error, dev sda, sector 1891370160
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   38.005032] blk_update_request: I/O error, dev sda, sector 1891370168
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   38.005036] blk_update_request: I/O error, dev sda, sector 1891370176
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   38.005040] blk_update_request: I/O error, dev sda, sector 1891370184
May 12 17:18:17 lf5 kernel: [   49.093973] EXT4-fs (sda2): re-mounted. Opts: errors=remount-ro

I am mostly concerned about these entries: blk_update_request: I/O error, dev sda, sector xxxxxxxxxxx

I ran badblocks -v /dev/sda which returned no errors.

I then ran smartctl --all /dev/sda, which also returned no errors. See output below. This one includes a short self test

smartctl 6.2 2013-07-26 r3841 [x86_64-linux-4.4.0-31-generic] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-13, Bruce Allen, Christian Franke, www.smartmontools.org

=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
Device Model:     Samsung SSD 850 EVO 1TB
Serial Number:    S3PHNF0JC00710K
LU WWN Device Id: 5 002538 d428254a0
Firmware Version: EMT03B6Q
User Capacity:    1,000,204,886,016 bytes [1.00 TB]
Sector Size:      512 bytes logical/physical
Rotation Rate:    Solid State Device
Device is:        Not in smartctl database [for details use: -P showall]
ATA Version is:   ACS-2, ATA8-ACS T13/1699-D revision 4c
SATA Version is:  SATA 3.1, 6.0 Gb/s (current: 3.0 Gb/s)
Local Time is:    Sat May 12 19:08:22 2018 MST
SMART support is: Available - device has SMART capability.
SMART support is: Enabled

=== START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION ===
SMART overall-health self-assessment test result: PASSED

General SMART Values:
Offline data collection status:  (0x00) Offline data collection activity
                                        was never started.
                                        Auto Offline Data Collection: Disabled.
Self-test execution status:      ( 249) Self-test routine in progress...
                                        90% of test remaining.
Total time to complete Offline 
data collection:                (    0) seconds.
Offline data collection
capabilities:                    (0x53) SMART execute Offline immediate.
                                        Auto Offline data collection on/off support.
                                        Suspend Offline collection upon new
                                        command.
                                        No Offline surface scan supported.
                                        Self-test supported.
                                        No Conveyance Self-test supported.
                                        Selective Self-test supported.
SMART capabilities:            (0x0003) Saves SMART data before entering
                                        power-saving mode.
                                        Supports SMART auto save timer.
Error logging capability:        (0x01) Error logging supported.
                                        General Purpose Logging supported.
Short self-test routine 
recommended polling time:        (   2) minutes.
Extended self-test routine
recommended polling time:        ( 512) minutes.
SCT capabilities:              (0x003d) SCT Status supported.
                                        SCT Error Recovery Control supported.
                                        SCT Feature Control supported.
                                        SCT Data Table supported.

SMART Attributes Data Structure revision number: 1
Vendor Specific SMART Attributes with Thresholds:
ID# ATTRIBUTE_NAME          FLAG     VALUE WORST THRESH TYPE      UPDATED  WHEN_FAILED RAW_VALUE
  5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct   0x0033   100   100   010    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
  9 Power_On_Hours          0x0032   099   099   000    Old_age   Always       -       8
 12 Power_Cycle_Count       0x0032   099   099   000    Old_age   Always       -       31
177 Wear_Leveling_Count     0x0013   100   100   000    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
179 Used_Rsvd_Blk_Cnt_Tot   0x0013   100   100   010    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
181 Program_Fail_Cnt_Total  0x0032   100   100   010    Old_age   Always       -       0
182 Erase_Fail_Count_Total  0x0032   100   100   010    Old_age   Always       -       0
183 Runtime_Bad_Block       0x0013   100   099   010    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
187 Reported_Uncorrect      0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
190 Airflow_Temperature_Cel 0x0032   069   067   000    Old_age   Always       -       31
195 Hardware_ECC_Recovered  0x001a   200   200   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
199 UDMA_CRC_Error_Count    0x003e   099   099   000    Old_age   Always       -       20
235 Unknown_Attribute       0x0012   099   099   000    Old_age   Always       -       25
241 Total_LBAs_Written      0x0032   099   099   000    Old_age   Always       -       55078112

SMART Error Log Version: 1
No Errors Logged

SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1
Num  Test_Description    Status                  Remaining  LifeTime(hours)  LBA_of_first_error
# 1  Short offline       Completed without error       00%         8         -

SMART Selective self-test log data structure revision number 1
 SPAN    MIN_LBA    MAX_LBA  CURRENT_TEST_STATUS
    1          0          0  Not_testing
    2          0          0  Not_testing
    3          0          0  Not_testing
    4          0          0  Not_testing
    5          0          0  Not_testing
  255  116055040  116120575  Read_scanning was never started
Selective self-test flags (0x0):
  After scanning selected spans, do NOT read-scan remainder of disk.
If Selective self-test is pending on power-up, resume after 0 minute delay.

My question is simple: What do you think might be wrong? The SSD should be brand new. It's hard for me, in good conscience, to put this server into production with those errors in the logs. And the box is otherwise acting normal.

Answer 1

The errors that you see are interface errors, they are not coming from the disk itself but rather from the connection to it. It can be the cable or any of the ports in the connection.

Since the CRC errors on the drive do not increase I can only assume that the problem is on the receive side of the machine you use. You should check the cable and try a different SATA port on the server.

Addendum:

What I looked at specifically is the error messages from the kernel "ATA bus error", these indicate a communication error rather than an error from the drive itself.

I also looked at the UDMA_CRC_Error_Count counter which is the CRC errors on the drive side, since these are fairly low (only 20, usually happens upon startup or hot-plug) I came to the conclusion the issue is on the receive side of the server, so the drive itself is not likely to be the issue.

In any case, replacing the cable (assuming there is one) is the cheapest way to handle this case. Replacing the drive or the board which is connected to from the computer side (usually motherboard but can be a midplane as well) is usually more cumbersome and more expensive.