I've recently installed a WDC HC520 SAS drive, but it's showing up as 0 Bytes when I run `lsblk`. I've already replaced the SAS cable and tested it with a different SAS drive, so I don't think the cable is the issue. I've checked various diagnostics:
- Using `blockdev --getss /dev/sdb`, I confirmed the sector size is 512 bytes.
- The output from `hdparm -I /dev/sdb` indicates that it's detected as a non-removable ATA device, but it's reporting a size of 0 MBytes.
- Checking the system log with `dmesg | grep -i sdb` shows multiple errors indicating that the device is not ready.
- Finally, I used `smartctl` in permissive mode, which shows that the drive is not ready despite SMART support being enabled.
Does anyone have ideas on how to troubleshoot this issue or why the drive might be reporting 0 Bytes?
3 Answers
It sounds like you might be dealing with a drive that is either failing or incorrectly configured. If this drive was purchased used, it could be in a secure erase process, meaning it's wiping its data before being available for use. I’d suggest keeping the drive powered on for a day to see if it eventually becomes accessible. If it doesn’t show up after that, running a short and then a long SMART test could help diagnose any issues. Also, ensure the drive's sector size matches your settings—either 512 or 4096 bytes. If it's not able to read or write data at all, then it might be time to consider that the drive could be defective.
Honestly, it might not be anything you did wrong. SAS drives have a different response system compared to SATA. If there's a problem with the drive but its electronics are fine, the system might just be keeping it inactive—this can result in errors when you try to access it. If it isn’t responding after trying the suggestions above, it could be worth looking into an RMA or considering a replacement altogether.
From what you’ve described, it seems like the disk might actually be bad. The fact that it’s not reporting a temperature even when powered on can be a red flag. I agree with waiting a bit to see if anything changes, but don’t get your hopes up too high—it could be a faulty drive.
Is there any way to check if it’s currently in the erasure process? Thanks!