Arch Linux

Tom B

Member

Registered: 2014-01-15

Posts: 187

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SSD Failure?

I'm getting a problem which is very hard to debug. After some time (indeterminate) my ssd (/dev/sda, the one with arch installed) seems to stop working.  The OS and anything in RAM keeps running but programs start to crash when they try to read files/load libraries, etc and the system becomes unusable very fast.

It's a disk i/o error but it's hard to debug as the system becomes unusable very fast to the point where X is running, but programs inside it crash as they try to do any file i/o

If I reboot, the system doesn't boot at all, the drive cant be mounted as GRUB is launched but it clearly cannot mount the /boot partition properly as it won't actually run, it just says "GRUB ERROR"

If I shut down the PC and turn it back on (so the power to the drive has been disconnected) everything works as normal for a few hours.

Is it the SSD? is it the SATA controller? Is it a PSU problem no longer giving the drive power? (Everything else seems fine, fans work, CPU is working, etc so it's unlikely to be that).

Any ideas? I'm tempted just to get a new drive but don't really want to spend the money until I know for sure that it's the problem.

dice

Member

From: Germany

Registered: 2014-02-10

Posts: 413

Re: SSD Failure?

I would use smartctl to find out if the SSD is reporting any errors first.
What file system do you use? Maybe it's just a broken file system.
Do you have another working hdd where you can install arch and to make sure it is not a faulty mainboard

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I put at button on it. Yes. I wish to press it, but I'm not sure what will happen if I do.  (Gune | Titan A.E.)

skottish

Forum Fellow

From: Here

Registered: 2006-06-16

Posts: 7,942

Re: SSD Failure?

If this is a desktop, I'd personally open it up and check all of the connections first. Power cord, cables, everything. If it's a laptop, then I'd check to see if the drive is seated properly. If it is a loose or bad cable, or the drive isn't seated, then all other tests may fail.

Last edited by skottish (2014-12-14 17:11:06)

Buddlespit

Member

From: Chesapeake, Va.

Registered: 2014-02-07

Posts: 507

Re: SSD Failure?

I agree with skottish. Check connections first, then try your ssd on a different sata and/or power port.

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An old man, trying to stay sane