How to determine which hard drive in an array is clicking?

tannisroot

Dabbler
Joined
Oct 14, 2023
Messages
45
Hi. I have a RAIDZ2 array of 8 Toshiba 18TB MG09 drives connected to an LSI 9217-8i flashed in IT mode.
My issue is that sometimes during heavy I/O, like resilvering (and occasionally on startup in addition to the first initialization one), I hear a head clicking sound (the one dying drives do but it's just one).
I would like to determine which drive (hopefully it's just one) is doing the clicking and maybe RMA it while it's still under warranty.
However, according to SMART, they all seem fine. I've done long and short tests and there were no errors.
If I open the case and listen to drives, I can't really tell which drive is making the sound, not even approximately, and the fact that it doesn't happen often (and almost never on startup) complicates this even more.
Even if it was doing it on startup at least somewhat consistently, I would have to disconnect and reconnect all of the drives many times to be sure it's just this one drive doing it while all the others are offline. Problem is, the PCB on this model of drives is so laughably thin there's a good chance repeated re-insertion would damage it (I feel especially anxious repeatedly re-inserting the sata power, it sits quite tight).
Knowing all this, is there a way to narrow down the misbehaving drive in a way that requires less effort and time? Preferably through software?
Just in case, here's `smartctl -x --all` for each drive, in case I'm not seeing something. On this boot up I actually heard one drive clicking during initialization.
I would be immensely thankful for any input.
 

NugentS

MVP
Joined
Apr 16, 2020
Messages
2,947
How about:
1. Make a backup - just in case
2. Export the pool - this prevents anything wrting to the pool
3. Run individual smartctl -t long /dev/....... on each disk one at a time until you find the disk
4. Import the pool
5. Replace the disk
 

AlexGG

Contributor
Joined
Dec 13, 2018
Messages
171
I don't see anything wrong with your SMART.

However, my 3x MG08 do click for about three years already. I'd describe the sound as metallic, somewhat high-pitched. All three drives do it (I took time to specifically investigate), sometimes several times per day, sometimes nothing for several days. No problem other than it's annoying.
 

tannisroot

Dabbler
Joined
Oct 14, 2023
Messages
45
How about:
1. Make a backup - just in case
2. Export the pool - this prevents anything wrting to the pool
3. Run individual smartctl -t long /dev/....... on each disk one at a time until you find the disk
4. Import the pool
5. Replace the disk
Is there a way to manually park and spin down the other drives to make sure only one has functional moving parts for the duration of the test?
 

tannisroot

Dabbler
Joined
Oct 14, 2023
Messages
45
I don't see anything wrong with your SMART.

However, my 3x MG08 do click for about three years already. I'd describe the sound as metallic, somewhat high-pitched. All three drives do it (I took time to specifically investigate), sometimes several times per day, sometimes nothing for several days. No problem other than it's annoying.
This is basically what my clicking sounds like. It is identical to the clicking i hear from all the drives on initialization.
Hopefully it's just one doing it in my case tho.
 

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