[smartmontools-support] Found a Compact Flash card with SMART, but some issues in combination with smartmontools

[Martin v. d. N. <ma...@ra...>]

Hi everyone,

Recently I found a locally available CF card from Swissbit that supports 
S.M.A.R.T.  I tried it out in an x86 machine running OpenBSD that also 
has an on-board CF slot.  Using the OpenBSD tool atactl I accessed the 
SMART features without problem.  Neat.  That proved to me the CF 
supports SMART.

One project I'm working on involves Eurotech Viper industrial single 
board computers running Linux.  They also have an on-board CF slot that 
under Linux is recognised as /dev/hda.  I was keen to try out 
smartmontools to see if the SMART was supported under Linux on these 
machines.  The processor on this SBC is ARM-based; a PXA255 for which I 
have x86 cross-compilers.

I compiled smartmontools 5.41 on my desktop PC using the arm cross 
compiler.  I put it onto the Viper, but alas it gives me some grief when 
I try to read SMART info:

root@viper root# ./smartctl -a /dev/hda
smartctl 5.41 2011-06-09 r3365 
[armv5tel-linux-2.4.26-vrs1-pxa1-arcom3-1-viper] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-11 by Bruce Allen, http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net

=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
Device Model:     SFCF2048H3BK2SA-I-D0-513-STD
Serial Number:    000060041373A300000F
Firmware Version: 080905
User Capacity:    2,048,901,120 bytes [2.04 GB]
Sector Size:      512 bytes logical/physical
Device is:        Not in smartctl database [for details use: -P showall]
ATA Version is:   5
ATA Standard is:  Exact ATA specification draft version not indicated
Local Time is:    Fri Oct 21 14:24:30 2011 NZDT
SMART support is: Unavailable - Packet Interface Devices [this device: 
Write-once (optical disk)] don't support ATA SMART

A mandatory SMART command failed: exiting. To continue, add one or more 
'-T permissive' options.
root@viper root#


Hmm, this is not an optical disk!  I tried adding -T permissive, and 
things started to look better:

root@viper root# ./smartctl -a -T permissive /dev/hda
smartctl 5.41 2011-06-09 r3365 
[armv5tel-linux-2.4.26-vrs1-pxa1-arcom3-1-viper] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-11 by Bruce Allen, http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net

=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
Device Model:     SFCF2048H3BK2SA-I-D0-513-STD
Serial Number:    000060041373A300000F
Firmware Version: 080905
User Capacity:    2,048,901,120 bytes [2.04 GB]
Sector Size:      512 bytes logical/physical
Device is:        Not in smartctl database [for details use: -P showall]
ATA Version is:   5
ATA Standard is:  Exact ATA specification draft version not indicated
Local Time is:    Fri Oct 21 14:27:11 2011 NZDT
SMART support is: Unavailable - Packet Interface Devices [this device: 
Write-once (optical disk)] don't support ATA SMART

SMART Disabled. Use option -s with argument 'on' to enable it.
root@viper root#


At this point I thought oh good, let's enable it:

root@viper root# ./smartctl -s on -T permissive /dev/hda
smartctl 5.41 2011-06-09 r3365 
[armv5tel-linux-2.4.26-vrs1-pxa1-arcom3-1-viper] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-11 by Bruce Allen, http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net

SMART support is: Unavailable - Packet Interface Devices [this device: 
Write-once (optical disk)] don't support ATA SMART
=== START OF ENABLE/DISABLE COMMANDS SECTION ===
SMART Enabled.

root@viper root#


Oh, that's not looking very promising.  So I played around some more:

root@viper root# ./smartctl -a -s on -T permissive /dev/hda
smartctl 5.41 2011-06-09 r3365 
[armv5tel-linux-2.4.26-vrs1-pxa1-arcom3-1-viper] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-11 by Bruce Allen, http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net

=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
Device Model:     SFCF2048H3BK2SA-I-D0-513-STD
Serial Number:    000060041373A300000F
Firmware Version: 080905
User Capacity:    2,048,901,120 bytes [2.04 GB]
Sector Size:      512 bytes logical/physical
Device is:        Not in smartctl database [for details use: -P showall]
ATA Version is:   5
ATA Standard is:  Exact ATA specification draft version not indicated
Local Time is:    Fri Oct 21 14:30:04 2011 NZDT
SMART support is: Unavailable - Packet Interface Devices [this device: 
Write-once (optical disk)] don't support ATA SMART

=== START OF ENABLE/DISABLE COMMANDS SECTION ===
SMART 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.
Total time to complete Offline
data collection:         (    0) seconds.
Offline data collection
capabilities:              (0x00)     Offline data collection not supported.
SMART capabilities:            (0x0003)    Saves SMART data before entering
                     power-saving mode.
                     Supports SMART auto save timer.
Error logging capability:        (0x00)    Error logging NOT supported.
                     No General Purpose Logging support.

SMART Attributes Data Structure revision number: 4
Vendor Specific SMART Attributes with Thresholds:
ID# ATTRIBUTE_NAME          FLAG     VALUE WORST THRESH TYPE      
UPDATED  WHEN_FAILED RAW_VALUE
196 Reallocated_Event_Count 0x0003   100   164   000    Pre-fail  
Always       -       41984 (41984, 41984)
229 Unknown_Attribute       0x0003   000   153   000    Pre-fail  
Always       -       110
203 Run_Out_Cancel          0x0002   100   001   000    Old_age   
Always       -       0
204 Soft_ECC_Correction     0x0002   100   001   000    Old_age   
Always       -       0
199 UDMA_CRC_Error_Count    0x0002   100   000   000    Old_age   
Always       -       0
232 Available_Reservd_Space 0x0002   100   142   000    Old_age   
Always       -       81601

SMART Error Log not supported
SMART Self-test Log not supported
Device does not support Selective Self Tests/Logging
root@viper root#


Erm, that looks kind of positive, but then if I check the device health:

root@viper root# ./smartctl -H -T permissive /dev/hda
smartctl 5.41 2011-06-09 r3365 
[armv5tel-linux-2.4.26-vrs1-pxa1-arcom3-1-viper] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-11 by Bruce Allen, http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net

SMART support is: Unavailable - Packet Interface Devices [this device: 
Write-once (optical disk)] don't support ATA SMART
SMART Disabled. Use option -s with argument 'on' to enable it.
root@viper root#


Then it tells me that SMART is disabled.  Hmm.  I read somewhere about 
producing debugging output, that may prove useful:

root@viper root# ./smartctl -r ioctl,2 -T permissive -a /dev/hda
smartctl 5.41 2011-06-09 r3365 
[armv5tel-linux-2.4.26-vrs1-pxa1-arcom3-1-viper] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-11 by Bruce Allen, http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net


REPORT-IOCTL: Device=/dev/hda Command=IDENTIFY DEVICE
  Input:   FR=...., SC=0x01, LL=...., LM=...., LH=...., DEV=...., 
CMD=0xec IN
REPORT-IOCTL: Device=/dev/hda Command=IDENTIFY DEVICE returned -1 
errno=5 [Input/output error]

===== [IDENTIFY DEVICE] DATA START (BASE-16) =====
000-015: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
016-031: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
032-047: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
048-063: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
064-079: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
080-095: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
096-111: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
112-127: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
128-143: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
144-159: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
160-175: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
176-191: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
192-207: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
208-223: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
224-239: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
240-255: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
256-271: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
272-287: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
288-303: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
304-319: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
320-335: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
336-351: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
352-367: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
368-383: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
384-399: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
400-415: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
416-431: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
432-447: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
448-463: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
464-479: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
480-495: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
496-511: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
===== [IDENTIFY DEVICE] DATA END (512 Bytes) =====


REPORT-IOCTL: Device=/dev/hda Command=IDENTIFY PACKET DEVICE
  Input:   FR=...., SC=0x01, LL=...., LM=...., LH=...., DEV=...., 
CMD=0xa1 IN
REPORT-IOCTL: Device=/dev/hda Command=IDENTIFY PACKET DEVICE returned 0

===== [IDENTIFY PACKET DEVICE] DATA START (BASE-16) =====
000-015: 8a 84 82 0f 00 00 10 00 00 00 00 02 3f 00 3d 00 |............?.=.|
016-031: e0 0f 00 00 30 30 30 30 30 36 34 30 33 31 33 37 |....000006403137|
032-047: 33 41 30 30 30 30 46 30 02 00 02 00 04 00 38 30 |3A0000F0......80|
048-063: 39 30 35 30 20 20 46 53 46 43 30 32 38 34 33 48 |9050  FSFC02843H|
064-079: 4b 42 53 32 2d 41 2d 49 30 44 35 2d 33 31 53 2d |KBS2-A-I0D5-31S-|
080-095: 44 54 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 02 80 |DT            ..|
096-111: 00 00 00 0e 00 00 00 02 00 00 07 00 82 0f 10 00 |................|
112-127: 3f 00 e0 0f 3d 00 02 01 e0 0f 3d 00 00 00 00 00 |?...=.....=.....|
128-143: 03 00 00 00 00 00 78 00 78 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |......x.x.......|
144-159: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
160-175: 20 00 00 00 08 74 04 50 00 40 09 74 04 10 00 40 | ....t.P.@.t...@|
176-191: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 60 00 00 00 00 |...........`....|
192-207: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
208-223: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
224-239: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
240-255: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
256-271: 00 00 00 00 38 30 39 30 35 30 35 62 8a 84 5a 04 |....8090505b..Z.|
272-287: 39 73 31 66 62 2e 00 35 00 00 00 00 39 73 31 70 |9s1fb..5....9s1p|
288-303: 62 2e 00 35 00 00 00 00 39 61 31 69 62 2e 00 35 |b..5....9a1ib..5|
304-319: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
320-335: 64 a0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |d...............|
336-351: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
352-367: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
368-383: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
384-399: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
400-415: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
416-431: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
432-447: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
448-463: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
464-479: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
480-495: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 |................|
496-511: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 a5 14 |................|
===== [IDENTIFY PACKET DEVICE] DATA END (512 Bytes) =====

=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
Device Model:     SFCF2048H3BK2SA-I-D0-513-STD
Serial Number:    000060041373A300000F
Firmware Version: 080905
User Capacity:    2,048,901,120 bytes [2.04 GB]
Sector Size:      512 bytes logical/physical
Device is:        Not in smartctl database [for details use: -P showall]
ATA Version is:   5
ATA Standard is:  Exact ATA specification draft version not indicated
Local Time is:    Fri Oct 21 14:42:54 2011 NZDT
SMART support is: Unavailable - Packet Interface Devices [this device: 
Write-once (optical disk)] don't support ATA SMART

SMART Disabled. Use option -s with argument 'on' to enable it.
root@viper root#


SMART support for the CF on these computers would be extremely useful 
and I'm very interested in getting this working.  Any help would be 
greatly appreciated!

-Martin



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