SOLVED Critical - boot volume state error corruption

[Iz Oz]

I recently installed FreeNAS 9.10 (less than a week ago) and strangely received the following message in my alerts.

CRITICAL: Aug. 9, 2016, 5:58 p.m. - The boot volume state is ONLINE: One or more devices has experienced an error resulting in data corruption. Applications may be affected.

I've been doing some reading thru the forum and it appears that most people conclude that it is a faulty USB drive which FreeNAS is running off.

Code:

[root@freenas ~]# zpool status -v | more                                                                                           
  pool: IAO_Storage                                                                                                                 
state: ONLINE                                                                                                                     
  scan: none requested                                                                                                             
config:                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                   
        NAME                                            STATE     READ WRITE CKSUM                                                 
        IAO_Storage                                     ONLINE       0     0     0                                                 
          raidz2-0                                      ONLINE       0     0     0                                                 
            gptid/ca0f3da6-5a9e-11e6-a720-0cc47aac2d2c  ONLINE       0     0     0                                                 
            gptid/cc8b199d-5a9e-11e6-a720-0cc47aac2d2c  ONLINE       0     0     0                                                 
            gptid/cf0abb3a-5a9e-11e6-a720-0cc47aac2d2c  ONLINE       0     0     0                                                 
            gptid/d1938b22-5a9e-11e6-a720-0cc47aac2d2c  ONLINE       0     0     0                                                 
            gptid/d42eb46d-5a9e-11e6-a720-0cc47aac2d2c  ONLINE       0     0     0                                                 
            gptid/d6b12821-5a9e-11e6-a720-0cc47aac2d2c  ONLINE       0     0     0                                                 
                                                                                                                                   
errors: No known data errors                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                   
  pool: freenas-boot                                                                                                               
state: ONLINE                                                                                                                     
status: One or more devices has experienced an error resulting in data                                                             
        corruption.  Applications may be affected.                                                                                 
action: Restore the file in question if possible.  Otherwise restore the                                                           
        entire pool from backup.                                                                                                   
   see: http://illumos.org/msg/ZFS-8000-8A                                                                                         
  scan: none requested                                                                                                             
config:                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                   
        NAME                                          STATE     READ WRITE CKSUM                                                   
        freenas-boot                                  ONLINE       0     0    12                                                   
          gptid/29be3ed0-5657-11e6-b4eb-0cc47aac2d2c  ONLINE       0     0    24                                                   
                                                                                                                                   
errors: Permanent errors have been detected in the following files:                                                                 
                                                                                                                                   
        //usr/local/lib/libharfbuzz.so.0.10200.3

I went ahead and did a system save (System -> General -> Save Config) and I figure that I need to get a different USB drive. I'm surprised corruption has occurred so quickly on my new USB stick (Corsair voyager).

1. Is this the correct course of action and what USB's are recommended?
2. Is there a way to avoid this in the future, I read of being able to run two USB in mirror, how is this done?
3. Is it ok to keep my server running or should I shut it down? I was under the impression that the USB boot was only used for booting up the system, not running it.

 

[MrToddsFriends]

1. Is this the correct course of action and what USB's are recommended?

Saving the config and using that config in a fresh installation is the recommended way. It would have been better if you saved the config before problems with the boot medium occur, to be sure that the saved config isn't affected by corruption.

I'm using a mirrored pair of SanDisk Ultra Fit 16GB sticks without a problem for more than a year now, but there's a least one forum member here who doesn't trust SanDisk USB3 media at all.

2. Is there a way to avoid this in the future, I read of being able to run two USB in mirror, how is this done?

Reduce the amount of data written to the USB stick(s) by locating the system dataset elsewhere.
http://doc.freenas.org/9.10/freenas_system.html#system-dataset

A mirror can be created during installation or afterwards.
http://doc.freenas.org/9.10/freenas_install.html#performing-the-installation
http://doc.freenas.org/9.10/freenas_system.html#mirroring-the-boot-device

If you have the choice it's preferable to create the mirror during installation to avoid the problem shown here:
https://forums.freenas.org/index.ph...small-when-mirroring-boot-device-flash.26722/

3. Is it ok to keep my server running or should I shut it down? I was under the impression that the USB boot was only used for booting up the system, not running it.

I don't expect that changing boot media without booting would work.

 

[Iz Oz]

Thanks for the very detailed response (this community is very responsive). I will go ahead and try two mirrored 16GB Sandisk Cruzer Fit and will attempt to create them during the installation.

As far as my question #3, I was referring to if it is ok to keep my server running until I get the USB's for re-install.

Thanks for the input, the info will definitely come in handy.

 

[MrToddsFriends]

A corruption in libharfbuzz.so doesn't look very critical to me, but i might be wrong here.
https://www.freshports.org/print/harfbuzz/

 

[Bidule0hm]

If you have an empty SATA port I recommend a SSD (even a small, cheap, used one) who will be far better then even a mirrored pair of USB drive ;)

 

[Iz Oz]

I agree that the corrupted file does not look important, but I'm not taking any chances. I went ahead and got two USB drives and installed it mirror. Seems to be working.....lets hope the critical boot message stays away. If it appears again I may consider going with a small SSD. Thanks for the help and input.