[smartmontools-support] Samsung HD502IJ new firmware causes i/o error while querying Device Statistics log

[Christian Franke]

Viktor Štujber wrote:
> I have an old SAMSUNG SpinPoint F1 DT (model: HD502IJ). I updated it 
> from 1AA01112 to 1AA01117 using a sketchy Dell firmware bundle that 
> has been reported to mis-identify and mis-patch other drive models. 
> The update seems to work, but now when I query extended info (-ax), 
> the last few steps encounter an i/o error and the HDD stops responding 
> to all subsequent queries ("Read Device Identity failed: Input/output 
> error") until a single read/write operation is done. Then it's 
> possible to query it again. Querying the non-extended info works fine.

Which smartmontools command line, version, platform and SATA controller 
(USB docking station?) is used to access the drive?
(Please always include the used smartctl command line and the first 
smartctl output line in bug reports)


>
> In the diff between an old and new listing, I see the following:
>
>  0x01           SL  R/O      1  Summary SMART error log
>  0x02           SL  R/O      2  Comprehensive SMART error log
>  0x03       GPL     R/O      2  Ext. Comprehensive SMART error log
> +0x04       GPL     R/O      2  Device Statistics log

The new firmware indicates added support for Device Statistics ...


>  0x06           SL  R/O      1  SMART self-test log
>  0x07       GPL     R/O      2  Extended self-test log
>  0x09           SL  R/W      1  Selective self-test log
>  0x10       GPL     R/O      1  NCQ Command Error log
>  0x11       GPL     R/O      1  SATA Phy Event Counters log
> +0x21       GPL     R/O      2  Write stream error log
> +0x22       GPL     R/O      2  Read stream error log
>  0x80-0x9f  GPL,SL  R/W     16  Host vendor specific log
>  0xe0       GPL,SL  R/W      1  SCT Command/Status
>  0xe1       GPL,SL  R/W      1  SCT Data Transfer
>
> -Device Statistics (GP/SMART Log 0x04) not supported
> +ATA_READ_LOG_EXT (addr=0x04:0x00, page=0, n=1) failed: Input/output 
> error
> +Read Device Statistics page 0x00 failed

... but obviously does not implement it properly.


>
> At this point I don't know if this is a generic vs branded firmware 
> inconsistency, or if the new firmware lies about its capabilitties, or 
> if the drive needs some particular compatibility settings to query it 
> properly, or if the actual i/o error occurs at some preceding 
> non-displayed operation. I figured I should ask before I start trying 
> random things.

It would be a harmless firmware bug if only the ATA_READ_LOG_EXT of log 
0x04 would fail.

If the drive itself no longer responds after the failure, it is a more 
serious bug. Otherwise it may be a bug in the error handling of the ATA 
pass-through layer from OS, USB-bridge, ...

-- 
Regards,
Christian