Hard drives not running at proper speeds

adambot · 2014-07-18 00:31:49

For some reason my hard drives are not running at the proper speeds.

Here is my harware information:

2 Mediasonic HF2-SU3S2 external Hard drive arrays connected via ESATA into a Koutech IO-PESA220

One array is running at the proper speeds:
adam@linux [~] $ sudo smartctl /dev/sdc1 -a|grep current
SATA Version is: SATA 3.0, 6.0 Gb/s (current: 3.0 Gb/s)
adam@linux [~] $ sudo smartctl /dev/sdd1 -a|grep current
SATA Version is: SATA 3.0, 6.0 Gb/s (current: 3.0 Gb/s)

however, the other is not:
adam@linux [~] $ sudo smartctl /dev/sda1 -a|grep current
SATA Version is: SATA 3.0, 6.0 Gb/s (current: 1.5 Gb/s)
adam@linux [~] $ sudo smartctl /dev/sdb1 -a|grep current
SATA Version is: SATA 3.0, 6.0 Gb/s (current: 1.5 Gb/s)

Is there any way to force linux to negogate 3.0 Gb/s for the esata connection or is that all hardware based? If it is hardware based, i'll try swapping the ports that the arrays are plugged into and see if that changes... Does anyone know if i got a new esata jbod card if i could run eSATA at sata3.0 (6Gb/s) or would i be better usb 3.0?

Thanks!

graysky · 2014-07-18 09:23:41

Is the port on the mb able to run at that speed? Identical cables? Have u tried swapping?

adambot · 2014-07-18 18:06:33

The MB not a factor since it is plugging into a PCI card. I swapped the cables -- no change, i swapped the ports, no change. I'm currently working on getting usb3 to work (need to update firmware on a NEC card) and then see if it changes like that. I'll edit this post with the results

alphaniner · 2014-07-18 18:21:58

So you have enclosure A connected to port A with cable A negotiating at 3.0Gbps and enclosure B connected to port B with cable B negotiating at 1.5Gbps. If you connect enclosure B to port A with cable A and it's still negotiating at 1.5Gbps, that means there's something wrong with enclosure B or, less likely, with both drives in enclosure B. You can rule out the drives as the cause by swapping them between enclosures.

One other possibility: if you bought the drives used, check for jumpers. I know some WD drives can be jumpered to reduce speed.

adambot · 2014-07-19 18:17:07

That is what i thought, so i put them both in the same enclosure and the 4tb drives still continued to negotiate at 1.5Gb/s The drives are brand new WD4000FYYZ and according to WD there should be no jumpers on the drives (which i did verify). Also, the usb3 speeds were actually slower than the esata speeds (even on a dedicated usb3 pci card)

Edit:
i forgot to mention -- the 4tb drives i put in enclosure B (from A) and i put the other drives in enclosure A and the other drives still sped along at 3Gb/s

Last edited by adambot (2014-07-19 18:18:48)

alphaniner · 2014-07-20 23:33:41

Yeah, they should never come new from factory jumpered to reduced speed. Have you tried connecting the drives directly to the controller card and directly to an onboard SATA controller? If they only negotiate to 1.5Gbps in all cases, you should be able to RMA the drives. If the problem is goes away when the enclosure and/or controller are removed from the equation you probably won't get an RMA, and even if you did it would probably do no good. This is why I avoid consumer grade enclosures and controllers and go for stuff like this and this.

Arch Linux

#1 2014-07-18 00:31:49

Hard drives not running at proper speeds

#2 2014-07-18 09:23:41

Re: Hard drives not running at proper speeds

#3 2014-07-18 18:06:33

Re: Hard drives not running at proper speeds

#4 2014-07-18 18:21:58

Re: Hard drives not running at proper speeds

#5 2014-07-19 18:17:07

Re: Hard drives not running at proper speeds

#6 2014-07-20 23:33:41

Re: Hard drives not running at proper speeds

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