SOLVED Unable to GPT format the disk "da1": gpart: Input/output error

[DanielJay]

I am having some issues with my ESX R710/H200e/MD1200 config. I have passed through the H200e to the VM in ESX. I followed the flashing guide for flashing the H200e to IT mode. (Took 3 computers to finally get the flash successful) When I try to create a volume I get the following error.

Code:

[MiddlewareError: b'Unable to GPT format the disk "da1": gpart: Input/output error\n']

The MD1200 has 12x 3TB SAS drives that were previously in my MD3200i. The drives are all good and working. I have tried to run gpart in a Ubuntu live CD and get the same error. I have also tried putting the H200e in a Windows Server 2012 VM and I cannot bring online the drives there either. I have tried connecting the MD1200 to the H200e with three different SAS cables connecting to the IN port on the DAS.

Any suggestions on what I should do to bring these disks online?

 

[DanielJay]

Also noticed the following output on the console of the server.

Code:

(da1:mps0:0:8:0): Field Replaceable Unit: 0
(da1:mps0:0:8:0): Descriptor 0x80: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00
(da1:mps0:0:8:0): Retrying command (per sense data)
(da1:mps0:0:8:0): WRITE(6). CDB: 0a 00 00 00 01 00
(da1:mps0:0:8:0): CAM status: SCSI Status Error
(da1:mps0:0:8:0): SCSI status: Check Condition
(da1:mps0:0:8:0): SCSI sense: DATA PROTECT asc:20,2 (Access denied - no access rights)

 

[wblock]

I have tried to run gpart in a Ubuntu live CD and get the same error.

This sounds wrong. gpart is a FreeBSD command, either not present or not the same functionality in Linux.

(da1:mps0:0:8:0): SCSI sense: DATA PROTECT asc:20,2 (Access denied - no access rights)

That looks like the disk is write protected. This can happen when the disks are "in use", meaning mounted read/write. Were they a ZFS pool on the other system?

 

[DanielJay]

The drives were in an Dell MD3200i SAN previously and not in a ZFS pool. I tried to run diskpart on Windows and it does list most of the disks as read only. I tried to use diskpart to clear the read only flag with no luck.

 

[DanielJay]

I sent a message out to Dell Support on Twitter. Besides them recommending I use an H800 instead of an H200. :p When I get home I am going to remove the drives from the MD1200 and put them back into the MD3200i. Then open the Dell utility that manages the MD3200i and delete my virtual disks and disk groups there. Once that is complete put the drives back in the MD1200 and see if I can write to them.

 

[DanielJay]

I have re-flashed my H200e with instructions from another site. I can confirm that the firmware loaded on the H200e is the P20 firmware such as 20.0.07. I am still getting an input/output error on these drives. Some of them are recognized in Windows when I boot but some still show they are read only in Windows. I have also dropped the controller count in the MD1200 to 1. As well as swap out the SAS cable connecting the MD1200 to the H200 with a new never used cable with the same result. Any other suggestions?

 

[wblock]

If the individual drives not connected through the controller still show read only, it is because they have somehow been set that way. On FreeBSD/FreeNAS, there is probably some odd camcontrol command to undo that, but I don't know what it would be. Maybe a utility in the BIOS of the controller card.

 

[DanielJay]

SOLVED! The drives were Self Encrypting Drives (SED) and were locked. I put the drives back in the MD3200i and booted up the Dell Modular Disk Storage Manager. Cleared the security off the drives and then put the drives back in the MD1200. Booted up FreeNAS and all the drives were recognized!