Re: [smartmontools-support] inactive SATA drives won't stay in standby or sleep, PATA models did. (fwd)

[Tejun H. <ht...@gm...>]

Linda Walsh wrote:
> So the real problem is why issuing a smart command isn't re-starting
> the drive -- or bringing it back from standby.  Whereas a "normal" disk
> read seems to bring it back to normal functioning just fine (and can
> then do the smart-test).
> 
> Does this give anyone ideas about where the problem might be?  Also
> sorta explains why my hangs have been infrequent, because I've been
> periodically polling the temps of all the drives -- and only when I stop
> the polling would the drive timeout, then die the next morning when
> smartd tried to run a short test between 1 and 2 am.

Sounds like a firmware problem to me.  Issuing ATA_CMD_VERIFY on block
0 before issuing test commands should work around the problem.  Also,
which controller are you using?  Can you post the failing kernel log?

-- 
tejun