HD103SJ

Some notes about usage Samsung HD103SJ with Linux

Hardware & software

• hard disk: Samsung HD103SJ 1To (1.5Gb/s mode has been enforced with samsung utility ESTOOL)
• IDE interface: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82C586A/B/VT82C686/A/B/VT823x/A/C PIPC Bus Master IDE (rev 06) (Asrock K7VT4A PRO)
• Debian kernel: Linux 2.6.32-5-686

Apr  3 16:06:02 kdc kernel: [    1.784026] ata3: SATA link up 1.5 Gbps (SStatus 113 SControl 300)
Apr  3 16:06:02 kdc kernel: [    1.948313] ata3.00: ATA-8: SAMSUNG HD103SJ, 1AJ10001, max UDMA/133
Apr  3 16:06:02 kdc kernel: [    1.948319] ata3.00: 1953525168 sectors, multi 16: LBA48 NCQ (depth 0/32)
Apr  3 16:06:02 kdc kernel: [    1.956357] ata3.00: configured for UDMA/133 
Apr  3 16:06:02 kdc kernel: [    1.956529] scsi 2:0:0:0: Direct-Access ATA SAMSUNG HD103SJ  1AJ1 PQ: 0 ANSI: 5

• `depth 0/32` => NCQ disabled.
• HD103SJ is part of software RAID1 array.

Problem

Errors appear when `/usr/share/mdadm/checkarray --idle /dev/md0` is running:

Apr  3 00:57:01 kdc kernel: [1764185.897410] ata3.00: exception Emask 0x0 SAct 0x0 SErr 0x0 action 0x6
Apr  3 00:57:01 kdc kernel: [1764185.897463] ata3.00: BMDMA stat 0x5
Apr  3 00:57:01 kdc kernel: [1764185.897503] ata3.00: failed command: READ DMA EXT
Apr  3 00:57:01 kdc kernel: [1764185.897589] ata3.00: cmd 25/00:00:3f:25:00/00:04:00:00:00/e0 tag 0 dma 524288 in
Apr  3 00:57:01 kdc kernel: [1764185.897592]          res 51/84:3f:00:00:00/84:29:00:00:00/e0 Emask 0x10 (ATA bus error)
Apr  3 00:57:01 kdc kernel: [1764185.897730] ata3.00: status: { DRDY ERR }
Apr  3 00:57:01 kdc kernel: [1764185.897768] ata3.00: error: { ICRC ABRT }
Apr  3 00:57:01 kdc kernel: [1764185.897817] ata3: soft resetting link
Apr  3 00:57:01 kdc kernel: [1764186.068329] ata3.00: configured for UDMA/33
Apr  3 00:57:01 kdc kernel: [1764186.068350] ata3: EH complete

• Errors appear too with silicon pci card Sil3512.
• Problem doesn't occur with via VT8237 or SiI3512 and Samsung HD753LJ (750Go). With HD753LJ and HD103SJ 1.5Gb/s mode has been enforced with samsung utility ESTOOL.

Solution

Using Debian kernel 2.6.38-2 solve the problem.