Funny HDD issue, any ideas?

[Rock-kun]

My Linux desktop has two HDDs, a 1TB WD Blue and a 500GB Toshiba. The 1TB is the boot and OS drive, the 500GB is a storage drive.

Recently, when I try to perform any major operations on the 500GB drive such as copying large files over, the copy process will start, and hang after awhile. Eventually, the 500GB HDD disappears from /dev and can no longer be detected by the operating system.

Restarting the desktop hangs at POST. Specifically, at the step where the BIOS attempts to detect SATA devices. This always happens regardless of the number of times I restart the desktop. But if I perform a power cycle, POST is successful, both HDDs get detected and I can boot to Linux, and the 500GB HDD is again visible in /dev.

Any ideas on what's happening here?

 

[voltech]

Your hard disk seem to be dying. Showing signs of failure. It is wise to backup data if possible and replace the drive immediately.

 

[Rock-kun]

Your hard disk seem to be dying. Showing signs of failure. It is wise to backup data if possible and replace the drive immediately.

If it's a dying HDD, i don't see why it can interfere with the boot process? The 500GB is on SATA #2, the 1TB boot disk is on SATA #1, but when the 500GB disk disappears from /dev and when the machine is rebooted, BIOS does not even manage to detect SATA #1. It just hangs at 'Detecting SATA devices'.

And yet a 5 second power cycle solves the POST hanging issue.

 

[ZrE0_Cha0s]

If it's a dying HDD, i don't see why it can interfere with the boot process? The 500GB is on SATA #2, the 1TB boot disk is on SATA #1, but when the 500GB disk disappears from /dev and when the machine is rebooted, BIOS does not even manage to detect SATA #1. It just hangs at 'Detecting SATA devices'.

And yet a 5 second power cycle solves the POST hanging issue.

Maybe u can try download some HDD software that is compatible with Linux and see if there is any error or issues.

 

[voltech]

If it's a dying HDD, i don't see why it can interfere with the boot process? The 500GB is on SATA #2, the 1TB boot disk is on SATA #1, but when the 500GB disk disappears from /dev and when the machine is rebooted, BIOS does not even manage to detect SATA #1. It just hangs at 'Detecting SATA devices'.

And yet a 5 second power cycle solves the POST hanging issue.

I had encounter a similar issue. The drive has multiple failing communications. Hence it interfere with the boot process.

Just my 2 cents worth. It might be other issue too. You did mention when you copied data over/from the 500gb drive. It gets disconnected. It does sound like either a failing drive or a bad connection/cable.

 

[Allanlee82]

The pc is trying to load the drive on boot thus the boot process takes a long time as it is unable to read it.if u disconnect the failing drive,the boot shld be back to normal.

If it's a dying HDD, i don't see why it can interfere with the boot process? The 500GB is on SATA #2, the 1TB boot disk is on SATA #1, but when the 500GB disk disappears from /dev and when the machine is rebooted, BIOS does not even manage to detect SATA #1. It just hangs at 'Detecting SATA devices'.

And yet a 5 second power cycle solves the POST hanging issue.

 

[jtjt00]

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/37659/the-beginners-guide-to-linux-disk-utilities/

 

[localITguy]

sudo smartctl -a /dev/sda | less