Constant disk activity

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orion
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youtube meble na wymiar Warszawa
Joined: Wed May 29, 2013 11:09 am

Re: Constant disk activity

Post by orion »

js_online wrote: This is not ok in any scenario. If ADM is active it should not spin down.
I checked the same with ADM disconnected, with LAN disconnected, exactly the same issue.

I forgot to mention that there is no info in Diagnostic Tool for my events. You can see them only from command line in Putty using file system read/write monitoring.

Please advice only if you have real experience and exactly same issue.
That's highly possible to be caused by Seagate IronWolf. Check it here. viewtopic.php?f=28&t=9246&hilit=Seagate&start=10

Be nice to everyone that is trying to help you. We are normal forum users to share experiences here.
js_online
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Jan 08, 2018 9:02 am

Re: Constant disk activity

Post by js_online »

That's highly possible to be caused by Seagate IronWolf. Check it here. viewtopic.php?f=28&t=9246&hilit=Seagate&start=10
Be nice to everyone that is trying to help you. We are normal forum users to share experiences here.
Thanks for link. Firmware SC60 on all disks.

I checked all 3 Iron Wolf disks one by one and all 3 together, spin down and hibernation working fine if disks are installed to NAS and not added to raid.
I removed raid volume and created it again, to verify that issue is not related with ADM upgrade to latest version after initial setup of NAS.

Now I see Disk Activity in ADM Activity Monitor and "mdadm - Storage Management Tool - Read" on Volume1 (SSD disk) and Volume2 RAID in ADM Diagnostic Tool.
Previously everything was blank.

Now at least I see constant "mdadm, Storage Management Tools, Read" activity in ADM Diagnostic Tool on main Volume and RAID Volume . I will monitor for one more day as this is maybe RAID post creation activity. Lazy Init (Synchronization) is complete fully, no related messages in filessytem IO.

After restart same behavior of NAS (reading disk each minute, spinning down, up), no logs as previously in ADM Diagnostic Tool, Disk Activity in Process Monitor.
Looks like something is changed in log level during creating of volume and log level is set to previous level after restart.

Non Raid disk (same model, same firmware version) went sleep as expected in time defined in ADM.

Do you have any experience with Asustor support? How long it takes for reply Ticket and how professional are answers?
js_online
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Jan 08, 2018 9:02 am

Re: Constant disk activity

Post by js_online »

SCENARIO 1: mount noatime /dev/md2, actmand -stop, emboardmonitor -debug
1. I took closer look to the point that raid HDD are ext4 and myarchive hdd which sleeps weel is NTFs.
As I see many jbd2 commands in filesystem io I did remount of raid volume with noatime instead of relatime (it will return back after restart of NAS):
mount -o remount,noatime /dev/md2

2. After this I stoped process called actmand (I saw some activity of it)
cd /volume0/usr/builtin/sbin/
actmand -stop

3. After this stoped and executed in debug mode emboardmand
cd /sbin/
emboardmand -stop
ps -ef | grep emboardmonitor (do kill -9 of pid if not stoppping)
emboardmand -debug > /tmp/emboardmand.log (output log to the file, remember to turn it off by emboardmand -stop or kill 9 of pid after debug is done)
See results in WinSCP by editing file and refreshing /tmp/emboardmand.log file or in Putty for example by executing: tail -50 -f /tmp/emboardmand.log
Or grep only disk idle times:
tail -n 50 -f /tmp/emboardmand.log | grep Disk_Doctor_Service_Handler

What I see from emboardmand debug:
HDD clicks and readings are related and raised by temperature measurements, the following lines in log:

[EMBOARD] Hdd_Standby_Service_Handler(2521): --> bay[ 1] sda disktemp 27.000000
[EMBOARD] Hdd_Standby_Service_Handler(2488): --> bay[ 2] sdb check state is active
[EMBOARD] Hdd_Standby_Service_Handler(2521): --> bay[ 2] sdb disktemp 28.000000
[EMBOARD] Hdd_Standby_Service_Handler(2488): --> bay[ 3] sdc check state is active
[EMBOARD] Hdd_Standby_Service_Handler(2521): --> bay[ 3] sdc disktemp 29.000000
[EMBOARD] Hdd_Standby_Service_Handler(2483): --> bay[ 4] sdd check state is standby


Disk hibernated well after 300 seconds as expected (5mins hibernation set for debug purposes in ADM Settings --> Hardware --> Energy Control --> Disk Hibernation).
WORKS AS EXPECTED

SCENARIO 2A: mount relatime /dev/md2, emboardmonitor -debug
1. I did restart, relatime returned to raid volume as default value of fstab.

2. This time I left actmand operational and started to monitor emboardmand in debug mode.
From log I see that after 144 seconds next time 198 seconds 270 seconds etc IO activity is detected:

[EMBOARD] Disk_Doctor_Service_Handler(3292): --> bay[ 1] sda has idle 180 seconds
[EMBOARD] Disk_Doctor_Service_Handler(3292): --> bay[ 2] sdb has idle 270 seconds
[EMBOARD] Disk_Doctor_Service_Handler(3292): --> bay[ 3] sdc has idle 270 seconds

[EMBOARD] Disk_Doctor_Service_Handler(3346): --> bay[ 1] sda has IO
[EMBOARD] Disk_Doctor_Service_Handler(3346): --> bay[ 2] sdb has IO
[EMBOARD] Disk_Doctor_Service_Handler(3346): --> bay[ 3] sdc has IO

[EMBOARD] Hdd_Standby_Service_Handler(2437): --> bay[ 1] sda is SSD, no power mode
[EMBOARD] Hdd_Standby_Service_Handler(2496): --> bay[ 2] sdb may active
[EMBOARD] Hdd_Standby_Service_Handler(2496): --> bay[ 3] sdc may active

SDB, SDC IO DETECTED!

SCENARIO 2B: mount relatime /dev/md2, actmand -stop, emboardmonitor -debug
3. Stopped actmand
cd /volume0/usr/builtin/sbin/
actmand -stop

#Idle time got to 300 seconds for raid disks (SDB, SDC)
[EMBOARD] Disk_Doctor_Service_Handler(3292): --> bay[ 1] sda has idle 36 seconds
[EMBOARD] Disk_Doctor_Service_Handler(3292): --> bay[ 2] sdb has idle 288 seconds
[EMBOARD] Disk_Doctor_Service_Handler(3292): --> bay[ 3] sdc has idle 288 seconds
[EMBOARD] Disk_Doctor_Service_Handler(3440): --> external disk hibernation timeout: 900
...
#Disks hibernated as expected.
[EMBOARD] Disk_Doctor_Service_Handler(3292): --> bay[ 2] sdb has idle 306 seconds
[EMBOARD] Disk_Doctor_Service_Handler(3338): --> Set bay[ 2] sdb Standy
[EMBOARD] Disk_Doctor_Service_Handler(3292): --> bay[ 3] sdc has idle 306 seconds
[EMBOARD] Disk_Doctor_Service_Handler(3338): --> Set bay[ 3] sdc Standy

...
#Standby OK
[EMBOARD] Hdd_Standby_Service_Handler(2437): --> bay[ 1] sda is SSD, no power mode
[EMBOARD] Hdd_Standby_Service_Handler(2456): --> bay[ 2] sdb standby 1240 seconds
[EMBOARD] Hdd_Standby_Service_Handler(2456): --> bay[ 3] sdc standby 1240 seconds
[EMBOARD] Hdd_Standby_Service_Handler(2456): --> bay[ 4] sdd standby 2680 seconds

WORKS AS EXPECTED

So root cause is ACTMAND and this is definitely on software side (Hello Asustor!).
Last edited by js_online on Wed Jan 10, 2018 9:06 pm, edited 4 times in total.
User avatar
orion
Posts: 3482
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Re: Constant disk activity

Post by orion »

js_online wrote: Do you have any experience with Asustor support? How long it takes for reply Ticket and how professional are answers?
I usually get their responses within 2 or 3 days (depends on how difficult my request is). However I know them well because I often discuss with them through support tickets. As I know, they will respond as fast as they can. In case that they could not get solid answers internally, they have no choices to delay the response time (I see some complaints in this forum about it).

PS: Good findings!! ACTMAND. I'll try to do the same in my NAS later.
js_online
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Jan 08, 2018 9:02 am

Re: Constant disk activity

Post by js_online »

This is sad, but even after 3 month I have not received professional answer even after providing access to environment to fully reproduce issue.
I understood for my self if something serious will happen with NAS - you are 1 on 1 with it, as asustor support do not have even basic technical skills and willingness to resolve simple cases. As a result I will never recommend these products for others as I am not sure they will receive more security as they have now and will be able to handle issues without command line and such "help".
Antonios
Posts: 82
Joined: Tue Jun 27, 2017 1:05 pm

Re: Constant disk activity

Post by Antonios »

js_online wrote: I understood for my self if something serious will happen with NAS - you are 1 on 1 with it, ...
Although there might be some rare exceptions, I believe that to be very true mate!

Having said that, I have to admit I like Asustor hardware myself, I almost like ADM < 3 and I think the list ends right about there.

Just my 2c.
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Norbyte
Posts: 37
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Location: Hungary

Re: Constant disk activity

Post by Norbyte »

John@AST wrote:
nero78 wrote: Thanks! Will test it (hope i can understand it without being a guru at linux...).

Can you please say something about the constant disk activity? After turning OFF all apps, it still accesses the disk every 7-8 seconds... So what will this tool find for me? Do i have to tinker with SSH?
No, you don't need to use SSH or related tool. We provide GUI interface. Here is an example:
The attachment diagnostic.png is no longer available
It shows that download center is working. You can decide if you want to stop the application or not.

EDIT: You'll need to press "Start" button to start recording. After certain period, you can stop recording by press "Stop" button. Or it will stop automatically after "Inspection time".
What's your model? Is it AS61xxT/AS62xxT? I can provide the file link for you.
Hi,
I know this topic went down a little, but the continuous disk write sound drives me crazy.
Do you have similar/up-to-date app for the latest, non beta ADM (3.2.7 RRE3) for AS6104T?

Filled with 3pcs WD RED and a Purple.

Also interesting why is the issue still "active"...

Update:
In the recent OS, I've found a similar function in Settings, Hardware, Energy Control and on the bottom Diagnostic Tool


The most interesting is why OneDrive sync and Surveillance center writes to Volume1 (3*3TB R5) when the share/directory for them is located on Volume2 (2TB Single disk)...
And Disk4 (the single) nicely goes to sleep....

I've attached the diag tool's log.

Thanks
Attachments
Diagnostic tool.rar
Diagnostic Tool
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winterdusk
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Jul 14, 2018 11:31 am

Re: Constant disk activity

Post by winterdusk »

Just thought I'd share my experience.

Lately, my 6104t would not stop accessing the drive. It was non-stop, as though it were continuously moving files around. I experimented with uninstalling apps, disabling apps, and various other settings but nothing seemed to work.

Finally, I went into the EZ Sync app and noticed that my PC was connected. Having previously read on this forum about the issues that some people were having with this app, I decided to delete the shared folder and uninstall the program on all of my computers.

Voila, the constant drive access stopped. So if any of you have EZ Sync installed and are experiencing this issue, it may be the culprit.

On a related note, EZ Sync seems to have disappeared from App Central. How do I uninstall this app through ADM?
dbkelly
Posts: 14
Joined: Wed Aug 14, 2019 11:06 am

Re: Constant disk activity

Post by dbkelly »

I have a new Nimbustor AS5202 with 2 10T WD Red drives, the cabinet vibrates and makes noise, if I squeeze the sides of the cabinet the vibration sound reduces by 90%.
It is installed in my living room and quite noticeable.
User avatar
orion
Posts: 3482
Joined: Wed May 29, 2013 11:09 am

Re: Constant disk activity

Post by orion »

dbkelly wrote:I have a new Nimbustor AS5202 with 2 10T WD Red drives, the cabinet vibrates and makes noise, if I squeeze the sides of the cabinet the vibration sound reduces by 90%.
It is installed in my living room and quite noticeable.
It seems that the noise is not caused by app, right? It can be caused by the speaker effect of HDD vibration. Or the gaps on NAS enclosure. If it's case 2, you can try to put certain soft material into those gaps. If it's case 1, I guess your can only change HDDs or cease HDD accesses when idle.
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