# SA8: What are these hard drive error messages dmesg?

## cynric

Navigation: [System Administration] [Table of Contents]

Q: What are these hard drive error messages dmesg?

```
ata1: translated ATA stat/err 0x51/04 to SCSI SK/ASC/ASCQ 0xb/00/00

ata1: status=0x51 { DriveReady SeekComplete Error }

ata1: error=0x04 { DriveStatusError }
```

A: Many times these errors indicate drive failure in the near future. If you are unfortunate enough to witness these messages there are a few steps that can be taken.

 First: Begin backing things up starting with the most critical. If the drives are dying, the less disk activity there is, the longer it may live so choose wisely.

 Second: If the drives are still running after backing up essential files, it's time to check if the drives truly are failing. To do this, install sys-apps/smartmontools if you haven't already. After installing them, check IDE (hdX) drives (where X is your drive letter) by 

```
smartctl -a /dev/hdX
```

For SATA (sdX) drives, try: 

```
smartctl -a --device=ata /dev/sdX
```

 Third: If no errors are reported, you may have escaped drive failure and a simple kernel config option may cure the errors. For kernel versions >=2.6.19, try enabling:

```
CONFIG_IDEDISK_MULTI_MODE:

If you get this error, try to say Y here:

hda: set_multmode: status=0x51 { DriveReady SeekComplete Error }

hda: set_multmode: error=0x04 { DriveStatusError }

If in doubt, say N.

Symbol: IDEDISK_MULTI_MODE [=y]

Prompt: Use multi-mode by default

   Defined at drivers/ide/Kconfig:156

   Depends on: BLOCK && IDE && BLK_DEV_IDE

   Location:

     -> Device Drivers

       -> ATA/ATAPI/MFM/RLL support

         -> ATA/ATAPI/MFM/RLL support (IDE [=y])

           -> Enhanced IDE/MFM/RLL disk/cdrom/tape/floppy support (BLK_DEV_IDE [=y])
```

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