[smartmontools-support] Read SMART Self-Test Log Failed for WDC WD120EDAZ-11F3RA0

[Christian Franke]

Sascha Effert wrote:
> I have an issue monitoring a WDC WD120EDAZ-11F3RA0 (12TB WD MyBook USB
> HDD). I have this problem since updating to Upbuntu 20.04, before with
> Ubuntu 18.04 I had no problem. I use following version of
> smartmontools:
>
>     smartd 7.1 2019-12-30 r5022 [x86_64-linux-5.4.0-48-generic] (local
>     build)
>
> I configured following to scan the disk in /etc/smartd.conf:
>
>   * DEFAULT -H -l error -l selftest -f -s
>     (O/../../5/11|L/../../5/13|C/../../5/15) -m root -M exec
>     /usr/share/smartmontools/smartd-runner
>   * /dev/disk/by-id/usb-WD_My_Book_25EE_38434B4555315945-0:0 # WD MyBook
>     USB Disk (Backup_3)
>
> For every scan I get two mails with the following error messages:
>
>   * Device: /dev/disk/by-id/usb-WD_My_Book_25EE_38434B4555315945-0:0
>     [SAT], failed to read SMART Attribute Data
>   * Device: /dev/disk/by-id/usb-WD_My_Book_25EE_38434B4555315945-0:0
>     [SAT], Read SMART Self-Test Log Failed
>
> I disabled the scan of the disk in smartd.conf by stoping the
> smartmontools service and started a long test calling:
>
>     ➜  root at drecksserver ~ smartctl -t long /dev/sda
>     smartctl 7.1 2019-12-30 r5022 [x86_64-linux-5.4.0-48-generic] (local
>     build)
> ...
> /dev/disk/by-id/usb-WD_My_Book_25EE_38434B4555315945-0:0 is a link to
> /dev/sda, so it is the same disk. I see the test running:
>
>     ➜  root at drecksserver ~ smartctl -a /dev/sda | grep -A 1 "Self-test
>     execution status"Self-test execution status:      ( 249)     Self-
>     test routine in progress...                                  90% of
>     test remaining.➜  root at drecksserver ~
>
> The test succeeded (about 1 hour earlier then estimated) but after
> activating the smartmontools service I got at first the error message
>
>     Device: /dev/disk/by-id/usb-WD_My_Book_25EE_38434B4555315945-0:0
>     [SAT], not capable of SMART self-check
>
> and from there on the same messages as before.


USB bridges typically set the disk to a low power mode after some time 
of inactivity. It this possibly the case here?

Try `-n standby` in smartd.conf or smartctl command line.

Regards,
Christian