# NF-M2S nForce 405 chipset: IDE and SATA failures /errors

## lunchlady55

Hi, I'm pulling my hair out and am about to chalk my problems up to bad hardware.

I recently bought an Abit NF-M2S motherboard and an Athon X2 64 3800+. I have two Maxtor 500GB SATA 3.0Gb drives.

I'm trying to install Gentoo 2007.0, (32bit, I want the stability over speed right now)

I've got both drives setup like this:

```
Disk /dev/sdb: 500.1 GB, 500107862016 bytes

255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 60801 cylinders

Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System

/dev/sdb1   *           1           5       40131   fd  Linux raid autodetect

/dev/sdb2               6         130     1004062+  82  Linux swap / Solaris

/dev/sdb3             131        2621    20008957+  fd  Linux raid autodetect

/dev/sdb4            2622       60801   467330850   fd  Linux raid autodetect

```

part 1 will be raid1 /boot

part 2 will be swap

part 3 will be raid1 /

part 4 will be raid0 /mnt/store

Note: I'm using software RAID, not the fake hardware RAID.

I though that I had gotten a bad drive, the mkfs.ext3 command failed. 

I RMA'ed the drive.  The new one came in, and I still had the same problem. 

I tried different cables, still no luck.  So I flip-flopped sda1 for sda2.  Now all of a sudden the known good drive is failing, and the "bad" drive is working fine. I even found error messages about /dev/hda, my cdrom drive.

Here's some of the errors I'm seeing in /var/log/messages

```
May 22 04:31:42 livecd RAID1 conf printout:

May 22 04:31:42 livecd --- wd:2 rd:2

May 22 04:31:42 livecd disk 0, wo:0, o:1, dev:sda3

May 22 04:31:42 livecd disk 1, wo:0, o:1, dev:sdb3

May 22 04:31:43 livecd md: md1: resync done.

May 22 04:31:43 livecd RAID1 conf printout:

May 22 04:31:43 livecd --- wd:2 rd:2

May 22 04:31:43 livecd disk 0, wo:0, o:1, dev:sda1

May 22 04:31:43 livecd disk 1, wo:0, o:1, dev:sdb1

May 22 04:35:25 livecd hda: cdrom_decode_status: status=0x51 { DriveReady SeekComplete Error }

May 22 04:35:25 livecd hda: cdrom_decode_status: error=0x40 { LastFailedSense=0x04 }

May 22 04:35:25 livecd ide: failed opcode was: unknown

May 22 05:20:23 livecd ata1.00: exception Emask 0x0 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x380000 action 0x2

May 22 05:20:23 livecd ata1.00: (BMDMA stat 0x20)

May 22 05:20:23 livecd ata1.00: tag 0 cmd 0xc8 Emask 0x10 stat 0x51 err 0x84 (ATA bus error)

May 22 05:20:24 livecd ata1: soft resetting port

May 22 05:20:24 livecd ata1: SATA link up 3.0 Gbps (SStatus 123 SControl 300)

May 22 05:20:24 livecd ata1.00: configured for UDMA/133

May 22 05:20:24 livecd ata1: EH complete

May 22 05:20:24 livecd SCSI device sda: 976773168 512-byte hdwr sectors (500108 MB)

May 22 05:20:24 livecd sda: Write Protect is off

May 22 05:20:24 livecd sda: Mode Sense: 00 3a 00 00

May 22 05:20:24 livecd SCSI device sda: drive cache: write through

May 22 05:45:14 livecd ata1.00: exception Emask 0x0 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x380000 action 0x2

May 22 05:45:14 livecd ata1.00: (BMDMA stat 0x20)

May 22 05:45:14 livecd ata1.00: tag 0 cmd 0x25 Emask 0x10 stat 0x51 err 0x84 (ATA bus error)

May 22 05:45:15 livecd ata1: soft resetting port

May 22 05:45:15 livecd ata1: SATA link up 3.0 Gbps (SStatus 123 SControl 300)

May 22 05:45:15 livecd ata1.00: configured for UDMA/133

May 22 05:45:15 livecd ata1: EH complete

May 22 05:45:15 livecd SCSI device sda: 976773168 512-byte hdwr sectors (500108 MB)

May 22 05:45:15 livecd sda: Write Protect is off

May 22 05:45:15 livecd sda: Mode Sense: 00 3a 00 00

May 22 05:45:15 livecd SCSI device sda: drive cache: write through

May 22 07:39:19 livecd hda: cdrom_decode_status: status=0x51 { DriveReady SeekComplete Error }

May 22 07:39:19 livecd hda: cdrom_decode_status: error=0x40 { LastFailedSense=0x04 }

May 22 07:39:19 livecd ide: failed opcode was: unknown

May 22 07:39:26 livecd hda: cdrom_decode_status: status=0x51 { DriveReady SeekComplete Error }

May 22 07:39:26 livecd hda: cdrom_decode_status: error=0x40 { LastFailedSense=0x04 }

May 22 07:39:26 livecd ide: failed opcode was: unknown

May 22 08:34:40 livecd ata1.00: exception Emask 0x0 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x180000 action 0x2 frozen

May 22 08:34:40 livecd ata1.00: (BMDMA stat 0x21)

May 22 08:34:40 livecd ata1.00: tag 0 cmd 0x35 Emask 0x4 stat 0x40 err 0x0 (timeout)

May 22 08:34:47 livecd ata1: port is slow to respond, please be patient (Status 0xd0)

May 22 08:35:10 livecd ata1: port failed to respond (30 secs, Status 0xd0)

May 22 08:35:10 livecd ata1: soft resetting port

May 22 08:35:17 livecd ata1: port is slow to respond, please be patient (Status 0xd0)

May 22 08:35:30 livecd hda: cdrom_decode_status: status=0x51 { DriveReady SeekComplete Error }

May 22 08:35:30 livecd hda: cdrom_decode_status: error=0x40 { LastFailedSense=0x04 }

May 22 08:35:30 livecd ide: failed opcode was: unknown

May 22 08:35:40 livecd ata1: port failed to respond (30 secs, Status 0xd0)

May 22 08:35:40 livecd ata1: SATA link up 3.0 Gbps (SStatus 123 SControl 300)

May 22 08:35:40 livecd ATA: abnormal status 0xD0 on port 0x9F7

May 22 08:35:40 livecd ATA: abnormal status 0xD0 on port 0x9F7

May 22 08:35:40 livecd ATA: abnormal status 0xD0 on port 0x9F7

May 22 08:35:40 livecd ATA: abnormal status 0xD0 on port 0x9F7

May 22 08:35:40 livecd ATA: abnormal status 0xD0 on port 0x9F7

May 22 08:35:40 livecd ATA: abnormal status 0xD0 on port 0x9F7

May 22 08:36:10 livecd ata1.00: qc timeout (cmd 0xec)

May 22 08:36:10 livecd ata1.00: failed to IDENTIFY (I/O error, err_mask=0x4)

May 22 08:36:10 livecd ata1.00: revalidation failed (errno=-5)

May 22 08:36:10 livecd ata1: failed to recover some devices, retrying in 5 secs

May 22 08:36:15 livecd ata1: hard resetting port

May 22 08:36:16 livecd ata1: SATA link up 3.0 Gbps (SStatus 123 SControl 300)

May 22 08:36:46 livecd ata1.00: qc timeout (cmd 0xec)

May 22 08:36:46 livecd ata1.00: failed to IDENTIFY (I/O error, err_mask=0x4)

May 22 08:36:46 livecd ata1.00: revalidation failed (errno=-5)

May 22 08:36:46 livecd ata1: failed to recover some devices, retrying in 5 secs

May 22 08:36:51 livecd ata1: hard resetting port

May 22 08:36:51 livecd ata1: SATA link up 3.0 Gbps (SStatus 123 SControl 300)

May 22 08:37:21 livecd ata1.00: qc timeout (cmd 0xec)

May 22 08:37:21 livecd ata1.00: failed to IDENTIFY (I/O error, err_mask=0x4)

May 22 08:37:21 livecd ata1.00: revalidation failed (errno=-5)

May 22 08:37:21 livecd ata1.00: disabled

May 22 08:37:22 livecd ata1: EH complete

May 22 08:37:22 livecd sd 0:0:0:0: SCSI error: return code = 0x00040000

May 22 08:37:22 livecd end_request: I/O error, dev sda, sector 39323146

May 22 08:37:22 livecd raid1: Disk failure on sda3, disabling device. 

May 22 08:37:22 livecd  Operation continuing on 1 devices

May 22 08:37:22 livecd sd 0:0:0:0: SCSI error: return code = 0x00040000

May 22 08:37:22 livecd end_request: I/O error, dev sda, sector 39324170

May 22 08:37:22 livecd sd 0:0:0:0: SCSI error: return code = 0x00040000

May 22 08:37:22 livecd end_request: I/O error, dev sda, sector 39325194

...hundreds of these....

May 22 08:37:22 livecd sd 0:0:0:0: SCSI error: return code = 0x00040000

May 22 08:37:22 livecd end_request: I/O error, dev sda, sector 40362786

May 22 08:37:22 livecd sd 0:0:0:0: SCSI error: return code = 0x00040000

May 22 08:37:22 livecd end_request: I/O error, dev sda, sector 41672202

May 22 08:37:22 livecd RAID1 conf printout:

May 22 08:37:22 livecd --- wd:1 rd:2

May 22 08:37:22 livecd disk 0, wo:1, o:0, dev:sda3

May 22 08:37:22 livecd disk 1, wo:0, o:1, dev:sdb3

May 22 08:37:22 livecd EXT2-fs error (device md2): ext2_get_inode: unable to read inode block - inode=2355777, block=4718628

May 22 08:37:22 livecd RAID1 conf printout:

May 22 08:37:22 livecd --- wd:1 rd:2

May 22 08:37:22 livecd disk 1, wo:0, o:1, dev:sdb3

May 22 08:37:22 livecd EXT2-fs error (device md2): read_inode_bitmap: Cannot read inode bitmap - block_group = 151, inode_bitmap 

= 4947969

```

More system info:

```

livecd ~ # uname -a

Linux livecd 2.6.19-gentoo-r5 #1 SMP Tue Apr 3 01:19:22 UTC 2007 i686 AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 3800+ AuthenticAMD GNU/Linux

livecd ~ # lsmod

Module                  Size  Used by

ipv6                  170912  14 

raid1                  15872  2 

raid0                   6272  1 

sg                     19484  0 

r8169                  17032  0 

rtc                     7476  0 

tg3                    88324  0 

e1000                  90432  0 

nfs                    85180  0 

lockd                  41352  1 nfs

sunrpc                 99644  2 nfs,lockd

jfs                   143340  0 

dm_mirror              13008  0 

dm_mod                 31896  1 dm_mirror

pdc_adma                4868  0 

sata_mv                11656  0 

ata_piix                8072  0 

ahci                   11268  0 

sata_qstor              4996  0 

sata_vsc                4100  0 

sata_uli                3204  0 

sata_sis                3844  0 

sata_sx4                8452  0 

sata_nv                 4740  6 

sata_via                4868  0 

sata_svw                3844  0 

sata_sil24              8708  0 

sata_sil                5384  0 

sata_promise            6276  0 

libata                 61460  15 pdc_adma,sata_mv,ata_piix,ahci,sata_qstor,sata_vsc,sata_uli,sata_sis,sata_sx4,sata_nv,sata_via,sata_svw,sata_sil24,sata_sil,sata_promise

sbp2                   15364  0 

ohci1394               24880  0 

ieee1394               53176  2 sbp2,ohci1394

sl811_hcd               8320  0 

usbhid                 29792  0 

ohci_hcd               13572  0 

uhci_hcd               15240  0 

usb_storage            57280  0 

ehci_hcd               19976  0 

usbcore                78084  7 sl811_hcd,usbhid,ohci_hcd,uhci_hcd,usb_storage,ehci_hcd

livecd ~ # lspci -v

00:00.0 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation MCP61 Memory Controller (rev a1)

        Subsystem: ABIT Computer Corp. Unknown device 1c2a

        Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0

        Capabilities: [44] HyperTransport: Slave or Primary Interface

        Capabilities: [dc] HyperTransport: MSI Mapping

00:01.0 ISA bridge: nVidia Corporation MCP61 LPC Bridge (rev a2)

        Subsystem: ABIT Computer Corp. Unknown device 1c2a

        Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0

00:01.1 SMBus: nVidia Corporation MCP61 SMBus (rev a2)

        Subsystem: ABIT Computer Corp. Unknown device 1c2a

        Flags: 66MHz, fast devsel, IRQ 7

        I/O ports at fc00 [size=64]

        I/O ports at 1c00 [size=64]

        I/O ports at f400 [size=64]

        Capabilities: [44] Power Management version 2

00:01.2 RAM memory: nVidia Corporation MCP61 Memory Controller (rev a2)

        Subsystem: ABIT Computer Corp. Unknown device 1c2a

        Flags: 66MHz, fast devsel

00:02.0 USB Controller: nVidia Corporation MCP61 USB Controller (rev a2) (prog-if 10 [OHCI])

        Subsystem: ABIT Computer Corp. Unknown device 1c2a

        Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 17

        Memory at fe02f000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]

        Capabilities: [44] Power Management version 2

00:02.1 USB Controller: nVidia Corporation MCP61 USB Controller (rev a2) (prog-if 20 [EHCI])

        Subsystem: ABIT Computer Corp. Unknown device 1c2a

        Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 16

        Memory at fe02e000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256]

        Capabilities: [44] Debug port

        Capabilities: [80] Power Management version 2

00:04.0 PCI bridge: nVidia Corporation MCP61 PCI bridge (rev a1) (prog-if 01 [Subtractive decode])

        Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0

        Bus: primary=00, secondary=01, subordinate=01, sec-latency=32

        I/O behind bridge: 0000c000-0000cfff

        Memory behind bridge: fd900000-fd9fffff

        Prefetchable memory behind bridge: ec000000-efffffff

        Capabilities: [b8] #0d [0000]

        Capabilities: [8c] HyperTransport: MSI Mapping

00:05.0 Audio device: nVidia Corporation MCP61 High Definition Audio (rev a2)

        Subsystem: ABIT Computer Corp. Unknown device a88d

        Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 11

        Memory at fe028000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]

        Capabilities: [44] Power Management version 2

        Capabilities: [50] Message Signalled Interrupts: 64bit+ Queue=0/0 Enable-

        Capabilities: [6c] HyperTransport: MSI Mapping

00:06.0 IDE interface: nVidia Corporation MCP61 IDE (rev a2) (prog-if 8a [Master SecP PriP])

        Subsystem: ABIT Computer Corp. Unknown device 1c2a

        Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0

        I/O ports at f000 [size=16]

        Capabilities: [44] Power Management version 2

00:08.0 IDE interface: nVidia Corporation MCP61 SATA Controller (rev a2) (prog-if 85 [Master SecO PriO])

        Subsystem: ABIT Computer Corp. Unknown device 1c2a

        Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 18

        I/O ports at 09f0 [size=8]

        I/O ports at 0bf0 [size=4]

        I/O ports at 0970 [size=8]

        I/O ports at 0b70 [size=4]

        I/O ports at dc00 [size=16]

        Memory at fe02d000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]

        Capabilities: [44] Power Management version 2

        Capabilities: [b0] Message Signalled Interrupts: 64bit+ Queue=0/2 Enable-

        Capabilities: [cc] HyperTransport: MSI Mapping

00:09.0 PCI bridge: nVidia Corporation MCP61 PCI Express bridge (rev a2) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])

        Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0

        Bus: primary=00, secondary=02, subordinate=02, sec-latency=0

        I/O behind bridge: 0000b000-0000bfff

        Memory behind bridge: fdf00000-fdffffff

        Prefetchable memory behind bridge: 00000000fde00000-00000000fde00000

        Capabilities: [40] #0d [0000]

        Capabilities: [48] Power Management version 2

        Capabilities: [60] HyperTransport: MSI Mapping

        Capabilities: [80] Express Root Port (Slot+) IRQ 0

        Capabilities: [100] Virtual Channel

00:0b.0 PCI bridge: nVidia Corporation MCP61 PCI Express bridge (rev a2) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])

        Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0

        Bus: primary=00, secondary=03, subordinate=03, sec-latency=0

        I/O behind bridge: 0000a000-0000afff

        Memory behind bridge: fdd00000-fddfffff

        Prefetchable memory behind bridge: 00000000fdc00000-00000000fdc00000

        Capabilities: [40] #0d [0000]

        Capabilities: [48] Power Management version 2

        Capabilities: [60] HyperTransport: MSI Mapping

        Capabilities: [80] Express Root Port (Slot+) IRQ 0

        Capabilities: [100] Virtual Channel

00:0c.0 PCI bridge: nVidia Corporation MCP61 PCI Express bridge (rev a2) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])

        Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0

        Bus: primary=00, secondary=04, subordinate=04, sec-latency=0

        I/O behind bridge: 00009000-00009fff

        Memory behind bridge: fdb00000-fdbfffff

        Prefetchable memory behind bridge: 00000000fda00000-00000000fda00000

        Capabilities: [40] #0d [0000]

        Capabilities: [48] Power Management version 2

        Capabilities: [60] HyperTransport: MSI Mapping

        Capabilities: [80] Express Root Port (Slot+) IRQ 0

        Capabilities: [100] Virtual Channel

00:0d.0 VGA compatible controller: nVidia Corporation GeForce 6100 nForce 405 (rev a2) (prog-if 00 [VGA])

        Subsystem: ABIT Computer Corp. Unknown device 1c2a

        Flags: bus master, 66MHz, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 5

        Memory at fb000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16M]

        Memory at d0000000 (64-bit, prefetchable) [size=256M]

        Memory at fc000000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16M]

        [virtual] Expansion ROM at 50000000 [disabled] [size=128K]

        Capabilities: [48] Power Management version 2

        Capabilities: [50] Message Signalled Interrupts: 64bit+ Queue=0/0 Enable-

00:18.0 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] HyperTransport Technology Configuration

        Flags: fast devsel

        Capabilities: [80] HyperTransport: Host or Secondary Interface

00:18.1 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] Address Map

        Flags: fast devsel

00:18.2 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] DRAM Controller

        Flags: fast devsel

00:18.3 Host bridge: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD] K8 [Athlon64/Opteron] Miscellaneous Control

        Flags: fast devsel

        Capabilities: [f0] #0f [0010]

01:06.0 Multimedia video controller: Internext Compression Inc iTVC16 (CX23416) MPEG-2 Encoder (rev 01)

        Subsystem: Hauppauge computer works Inc. WinTV PVR 250

        Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 128, IRQ 7

        Memory at ec000000 (32-bit, prefetchable) [size=64M]

        Capabilities: [44] Power Management version 2

01:08.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8110SC/8169SC Gigabit Ethernet (rev 10)

        Subsystem: ABIT Computer Corp. Unknown device 1c2a

        Flags: bus master, 66MHz, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 19

        I/O ports at cc00 [size=256]

        Memory at fd9ff000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256]

        [virtual] Expansion ROM at fd900000 [disabled] [size=128K]

        Capabilities: [dc] Power Management version 2

livecd ~ # hdparm -I /dev/sdb

/dev/sdb:

ATA device, with non-removable media

        Model Number:       Maxtor 7H500F0                          

        Serial Number:      H816A4FH            

        Firmware Revision:  HA431DD0

Standards:

        Used: ATA/ATAPI-7 T13 1532D revision 0 

        Supported: 7 6 5 4 

Configuration:

        Logical         max     current

        cylinders       16383   16383

        heads           16      16

        sectors/track   63      63

        --

        CHS current addressable sectors:   16514064

        LBA    user addressable sectors:  268435455

        LBA48  user addressable sectors:  976773168

        device size with M = 1024*1024:      476940 MBytes

        device size with M = 1000*1000:      500107 MBytes (500 GB)

Capabilities:

        LBA, IORDY(can be disabled)

        Queue depth: 32

        Standby timer values: spec'd by Standard, no device specific minimum

        R/W multiple sector transfer: Max = 16  Current = 16

        Advanced power management level: unknown setting (0x0000)

        Recommended acoustic management value: 192, current value: 254

        DMA: mdma0 mdma1 mdma2 udma0 udma1 udma2 udma3 udma4 udma5 *udma6 

             Cycle time: min=120ns recommended=120ns

        PIO: pio0 pio1 pio2 pio3 pio4 

             Cycle time: no flow control=120ns  IORDY flow control=120ns

Commands/features:

        Enabled Supported:

           *    SMART feature set

                Security Mode feature set

           *    Power Management feature set

                Write cache

           *    Look-ahead

           *    Host Protected Area feature set

           *    WRITE_VERIFY command

           *    WRITE_BUFFER command

           *    READ_BUFFER command

           *    NOP cmd

           *    DOWNLOAD_MICROCODE

                Advanced Power Management feature set

                Power-Up In Standby feature set

                SET_FEATURES required to spinup after power up

                SET_MAX security extension

           *    Automatic Acoustic Management feature set

           *    48-bit Address feature set

           *    Device Configuration Overlay feature set

           *    Mandatory FLUSH_CACHE

           *    FLUSH_CACHE_EXT

           *    SMART error logging

           *    SMART self-test

                Media Card Pass-Through

           *    General Purpose Logging feature set

           *    WRITE_{DMA|MULTIPLE}_FUA_EXT

           *    64-bit World wide name

           *    URG for READ_STREAM[_DMA]_EXT

           *    URG for WRITE_STREAM[_DMA]_EXT

           *    SATA-I signaling speed (1.5Gb/s)

           *    SATA-II signaling speed (3.0Gb/s)

           *    Native Command Queueing (NCQ)

           *    Software settings preservation

Security: 

        Master password revision code = 65534

                supported

        not     enabled

        not     locked

        not     frozen

        not     expired: security count

        not     supported: enhanced erase

Checksum: correct

```

If anyone is aware for any known problems with my setup please point me in the right direction.  I haven't seen much talk on the forums about my motherboard or the nForce 405 chipset.  (Am I searching for the wrong things?) 

 Thank You.

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## lunchlady55

So... new updates. 

The drives are not the culprit, I broke down and bought a pci sata controller and the drives worked just fine in the current configuration.  Now, after rebooting the system, the kerenel (a 2.6.20 after updating)  fails the crc check)

Is there anything I can do to isolate this as a driver bug or hardware issue?

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