ChkDsk on Drobo (Gen 2) Runtime

Forum History General Discussion
1

The Drobo (Gen 2) is a 16 TB virtual NTFS Partition
I have 4.51TB total, with 2.98 TB used with 1.52 TB Free

It was having trouble mounting on Linux (takes about 5-10 minutes), so I attached it to a Windows machine to do some checking around

I then updated the firmware (1.4.2[1.254.50341]) and it asked me to run a chkdsk.
So I started it.
It is usually attached to a Linux machine, so there were some invalid file names that were deleted and I lost. No big deal as these files are replaceable. I backed up the important Pictures / Work documents.
I had to stop chkdsk (it theoretically would have reocvered these files during hte process, but I needed the work files more then I needed these deleted files)

Then Rebuild happened - took about 80 hours to complete. Now that this is done I am starting chkdsk again
Once that happened, It got all the way to “Usn Journal verification completed.” very quickly, seemed to pick up where the canceled run left off.

Looking online, it seems like it should be complete at this stage now (see below for output), but it seems “hung”. There does not seem to be any more steps that it should be taking looking at sample outputs.

The drives are moving (I can feel the vibrations and hear the movement). ChkDsk has been running for about 3hours now. I don’t mind waiting just wondering if anyone has some insights as to how long I might be waiting for.

[code]>chkdsk e: /x
The type of the file system is NTFS.
Volume label is Drobo.

CHKDSK is verifying files (stage 1 of 3)…
9 percent complete. (175361 of 176690 file records processed)
Deleting corrupt attribute record (128, “”)
from file record segment 176586.
176690 file records processed.
File verification completed.
1060 large file records processed.
0 bad file records processed.
0 EA records processed.
0 reparse records processed.
CHKDSK is verifying indexes (stage 2 of 3)…
198796 index entries processed.
Index verification completed.
CHKDSK is scanning unindexed files for reconnect to their original directory.
4 unindexed files scanned.
CHKDSK is recovering remaining unindexed files.
4 unindexed files recovered.
CHKDSK is verifying security descriptors (stage 3 of 3)…
176690 file SDs/SIDs processed.
Security descriptor verification completed.
Inserting data attribute into file 176586.
11055 data files processed.
CHKDSK is verifying Usn Journal…
55160 USN bytes processed.
Usn Journal verification completed.
Correcting errors in the master file table’s (MFT) BITMAP attribute.
CHKDSK discovered free space marked as allocated in the volume bitmap.
Windows has made corrections to the file system.

16777087 MB total disk space.
3050912 MB in 164204 files.
48368 KB in 11057 indexes.
0 KB in bad sectors.
772591 KB in use by the system.
65536 KB occupied by the log file.
13725373 MB available on disk.

  4096 bytes in each allocation unit.

4294934517 total allocation units on disk.
3513695623 allocation units available on disk.[/code]

2

hi vincent can i check if you running this from a windows 7 (64bit) command line with admin rights?
if so, i have had a chkdsk hang in that way without returning the command prompt cursor for input.

i think i left mine going on for several hours especially if there was activity on the drobo unit light indicator.
if you are sure your rebuild is complete, and the activity light is still on, try to leave it for more if you can.

if you can not wait more, then i have (on my drobo-s) shutdown the computer and unplugged the usb cable aftwards, followed by a shutdown of the drobo (if it did not go into standby mode after), and all was ok again, but yes its a bit daunting when it hangs…

in your case though, try to allow at least as much time as the rebuild, just in case the extent of the ntfs filesystem needed lots of repair work.

3

Thanks for your update. I am not sure what happened, I let it run all night and went to check on it in the AM.

When I woke up the computer was off, and will not boot. Yay. It seems the main HDD is no longer recognized or something catastrophic is hapening. I cannot even boot into a bootable disk - but I can get into the Bios - it just crashes after a short period lol.

I was not running it with admin rights, but windows 7 x64

When I plug the Drobo into a different computer, it does not prompt me to chkdsk again. so I am guessing it finished whatever it was doing…

Running a read only chkdsk on the drobo now to see what it finds.[hr]
Well that was quick.

[code]CHKDSK is verifying files (stage 1 of 3)…
176690 file records processed.

File verification completed.
1060 large file records processed.

0 bad file records processed.
0 EA records processed.
0 reparse records processed.

CHKDSK is verifying indexes (stage 2 of 3)…
198806 index entries processed.

Index verification completed.
CHKDSK is scanning unindexed files for reconnect to their original directory.

CHKDSK is recovering remaining unindexed files.

CHKDSK is verifying security descriptors (stage 3 of 3)…
176690 file SDs/SIDs processed.

Security descriptor verification completed.
11059 data files processed.

CHKDSK is verifying Usn Journal…
58816 USN bytes processed.

Usn Journal verification completed.
The master file table’s (MFT) BITMAP attribute is incorrect.
Windows found problems with the file system.
Run CHKDSK with the /F (fix) option to correct these.

16777087 MB total disk space.
3050912 MB in 164207 files.
48372 KB in 11061 indexes.
772591 KB in use by the system.
65536 KB occupied by the log file.
13725373 MB available on disk.

4096 bytes in each allocation unit.
4294934517 total allocation units on disk.
3513695622 allocation units available on disk.[/code]

4

Update:
Running with /f for the last few hours

The Disk Drives in the Drobo are not moving or making nosies (and have not for a while) - Seems like it should not have stopped there as it scanned 0 unindexed files.

[code]>chkdsk j: /f
The type of the file system is NTFS.
Volume label is Drobo.

CHKDSK is verifying files (stage 1 of 3)…
176690 file records processed.
File verification completed.
1060 large file records processed.
0 bad file records processed.
0 EA records processed.
0 reparse records processed.
CHKDSK is verifying indexes (stage 2 of 3)…
198806 index entries processed.
Index verification completed.
CHKDSK is scanning unindexed files for reconnect to their original directory.
0 unindexed files scanned.
CHKDSK is recovering remaining unindexed files.[/code]

5

thanks for more info,

for the other (host) computer, maybe by coincidence something happened to it or the motherboard (for that, you could try to power off the computer, and to unlug the power, and all ide/sata devices, and to then try ejecting the ram and putting it back in, in case it wiggled loose - i had that on an older computer, though i think the motherboard beeped at me at the time)

(dont forget to do the usual static discharging before you touch it though)

for the drobo, from seeing your 2nd post results, it did look like it needed another chkdsk at least 1 more time.
(i say this as i gratefully learned from doccrhis and others in the past, that chkdsk should report a final message about “not finding any problems”. i usually do chkdsks often, for example when one of my 1 old drives failed here:
http://www.drobospace.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=144519

but, as far as i remember, only chkdsk (read only) or with the /x command (not the /f)
(i think the /r is Not suitable for drobo, so it might be best to only try the /x)

but in your case, and based on here, /f should be ok:
http://www.drobospace.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=142337
(maybe it just needs time to scan your filesystem, especially if you have lots and lots of subfolder or small files etc)

6

Thanks for sticking with me on this one Paul.

I am inclined to agree with you about the frist machine. I can hear the drives / fans revving up when it first boots, then there is a click and everyting stops. Then it starts revving up slower. I have tried remvoing and re-attaching all the drives / ram. No luck there. “Strike F1 to retry boot.”

Thanks for the background on your story. Lets me know that all the stuff I was doing by instinct seems to be right.

I only did /f because it told me to run /f in chkdsk. I did not think that Drobo would not be compatible with /f or /r options. I will keep this in mind for future reference.

I have started another /x run and I plan to let it run overnight again. Hopefully this does not tank my second computer as well!

[code]>chkdsk j: /x
The type of the file system is NTFS.
Volume dismounted. All opened handles to this volume are now invalid.
Volume label is Drobo.

CHKDSK is verifying files (stage 1 of 3)…
176690 file records processed.
File verification completed.
1060 large file records processed.
0 bad file records processed.
0 EA records processed.
0 reparse records processed.
CHKDSK is verifying indexes (stage 2 of 3)…
198806 index entries processed.
Index verification completed.
CHKDSK is scanning unindexed files for reconnect to their original directory.
4 unindexed files scanned.
78 percent complete. (37 of 4 unindexed files scanned)
CHKDSK is recovering remaining unindexed files.[/code]

7

Update: Still running now with no changes. The Drobo is quiet as a mouse with no sign of activity happening.

Task manager has chkdsk running with 1.351,788k of memory, and 0 CPU (flicks up to 1 every so often for half a second)

I am thinking of running a disk cleaner on it tomorrow AM to see if it migth be able to wipe out any of the undixed files instead of trying to recover them.

8

Morning update. Still running so I killed it. Found this link online that says to run /i /f on the drobo to focus on the indexed files

http://www.drobospace.com/forums/printthread.php?tid=3439

Giving that a try now - see how it does.

Good news, my computer was not fried this AM lol.

9

Has been going for a few hours now, anmd static

[code]>chkdsk J: /i /f
The type of the file system is NTFS.
Volume label is Drobo.

WARNING! I parameter specified.
Your drive may still be corrupt even after running CHKDSK.

CHKDSK is verifying files (stage 1 of 3)…
176690 file records processed.
File verification completed.
1056 large file records processed.
0 bad file records processed.
0 EA records processed.
0 reparse records processed.
CHKDSK is verifying indexes (stage 2 of 3)…
186244 index entries processed.
Index verification completed.
CHKDSK is scanning unindexed files for reconnect to their original directory.
4 unindexed files scanned.
77 percent complete. (28 of 4 unindexed files scanned)
CHKDSK is recovering remaining unindexed files.[/code]

One thing I did notice is that it said 28 of 4 instead of 37 of 4 like the /x run. Not sure if this is because it is a different run, or it actually recovered some files. If it did 9 files in 10 hours, it should theoretically do 28 files in 30 hours. If it is still running by the weekend I might just go to BestBuy to pick up a 4TB drive to backup all the files, then format the Drobo then copy then back and then return the HDD to BestBuy.

10

It is still running, but I hear no signs of movement within the drive.
chkdsk is at 18,372k but seems to keep changing

Should the chkdsk /x be run in an elevated command prompt? I have not been running it elevated, and it has not asked me to.

11

Morning update, the drives are quite quiet and chkdsk is at 19,394k memory usage. At least its moving which implies it is not doing anything.

Wonder if it is fixing thigs on the virtual portion of the drive…

12

hi thanks for more updates,
im not sure how to read (interpret) the size of memory usage of an app in windows, but if you were able to kill that process before, maybe you could try running it in elevated mode.

eg, you could go to start menu, and type cmd and then right-click on the resulting program and to select run as admin.

if you are running in normal windows mode, maybe you could try booting up in windows Safe mode, (which should load up just the windows basics) and then to try running the chkdsk /x from there?

13

Trying to run it from elevated prompts. It had made no progress over the day since I had posted last.

[code]C:\Windows\system32>chkdsk j: /x
The type of the file system is NTFS.
Volume dismounted. All opened handles to this volume are now invalid.
Volume label is Drobo.

CHKDSK is verifying files (stage 1 of 3)…
176690 file records processed.
File verification completed.
1056 large file records processed.
0 bad file records processed.
0 EA records processed.
0 reparse records processed.
CHKDSK is verifying indexes (stage 2 of 3)…
198788 index entries processed.
Index verification completed.
CHKDSK is scanning unindexed files for reconnect to their original directory.
4 unindexed files scanned.
78 percent complete. (22 of 4 unindexed files scanned)
CHKDSK is recovering remaining unindexed files.
78 percent complete. (1 of 27 unindexed files recovered)
[/code]
Looks like it got further while being elevated…

However, I will note that I had to move the drives (company came over) and plugged them back in. One drive turned red for a moment, then went green. Then a different drive when red, then turned green. Now all drives flashing orange (while chkdsk is running).

lets see what happens over night.

14

thanks for the update, the flashing lights might be a rebuild triggered from the physical movement or a drive having problems. please leave it running, (i had a similar thing last year during a chkdsk too, and it finished ok in the end).

(i actually had a different problem with my gen1 yesterday but will post a separate thread afterwards)

15

I have had to restart it a few times (had to reboot the computer, get a file, etc).

It seems pretty happy to restart at this phase. Each time I restart it the number of files it is trying to recover goes down, so progress.

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright © 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

[code]>chkdsk j: /x
The type of the file system is NTFS.
Volume label is Drobo.

CHKDSK is verifying files (stage 1 of 3)…
176690 file records processed.
File verification completed.
1056 large file records processed.
0 bad file records processed.
0 EA records processed.
0 reparse records processed.
CHKDSK is verifying indexes (stage 2 of 3)…
198798 index entries processed.
Index verification completed.
CHKDSK is scanning unindexed files for reconnect to their original directory.
4 unindexed files scanned.
78 percent complete. (13 of 4 unindexed files scanned)
CHKDSK is recovering remaining unindexed files.[/code]

Looks like if it continues at this rate, it should be done in another 2-3 days. I dont have the Drobo Dashboard installed on this computer, so not sure on the run-time for that, but I know from experience that it is about 80 hours. Both SHOULD be done by Friday. We shall see.

16

thanks for the update yuuzhan, please let us know how it goes

17

I had to do a bunch of stopping and starting today due to more hardware failure!

Turns out the first PC has a dead hard-drive, and the second PC has a dead power supply. yay.

That said, when I ran it most recently I got this

[code]C:\Windows\system32>chkdsk j: /x
The type of the file system is NTFS.
Volume label is Drobo.

CHKDSK is verifying files (stage 1 of 3)…
176690 file records processed.
File verification completed.
1056 large file records processed.
0 bad file records processed.
0 EA records processed.
0 reparse records processed.
CHKDSK is verifying indexes (stage 2 of 3)…
70 percent complete. (174142 of 198802 index entries processed)
Deleting index entry found.000 in index $I30 of file 5.
198802 index entries processed.
Index verification completed.
CHKDSK is scanning unindexed files for reconnect to their original directory.
4 unindexed files scanned.
CHKDSK is recovering remaining unindexed files.
6 unindexed files recovered.
CHKDSK is verifying security descriptors (stage 3 of 3)…
176690 file SDs/SIDs processed.
Security descriptor verification completed.
11057 data files processed.
CHKDSK is verifying Usn Journal…
107728 USN bytes processed.
Usn Journal verification completed.
Correcting errors in the master file table’s (MFT) BITMAP attribute.
Windows has made corrections to the file system.

16777087 MB total disk space.
3049371 MB in 164161 files.
48364 KB in 11060 indexes.
0 KB in bad sectors.
772503 KB in use by the system.
65536 KB occupied by the log file.
13726915 MB available on disk.

  4096 bytes in each allocation unit.

4294934517 total allocation units on disk.
3514090240 allocation units available on disk.[/code]

Still no exit though, no success code generated.

how long should I let it sit here…

18

So I killed it this AM, deleted the found files (I know what files they were, and did not need to keep them) and started a Read Only version of chkdksk

[code]C:\Windows\system32>chkdsk j:
The type of the file system is NTFS.
Volume label is Drobo.

WARNING! F parameter not specified.
Running CHKDSK in read-only mode.

CHKDSK is verifying files (stage 1 of 3)…
176690 file records processed.
File verification completed.
1056 large file records processed.
0 bad file records processed.
0 EA records processed.
0 reparse records processed.
CHKDSK is verifying indexes (stage 2 of 3)…
198782 index entries processed.
Index verification completed.
0 unindexed files scanned.
0 unindexed files recovered.
CHKDSK is verifying security descriptors (stage 3 of 3)…
176690 file SDs/SIDs processed.
Security descriptor verification completed.
11047 data files processed.
CHKDSK is verifying Usn Journal…
121720 USN bytes processed.
Usn Journal verification completed.
Windows has checked the file system and found no problems.

16777087 MB total disk space.
3052369 MB in 164126 files.
48364 KB in 11048 indexes.
0 KB in bad sectors.
772503 KB in use by the system.
65536 KB occupied by the log file.
13723916 MB available on disk.

  4096 bytes in each allocation unit.

4294934517 total allocation units on disk.
3513322606 allocation units available on disk.[/code]

Thats right!

Windows has checked the file system and found no problems.

Moral of the story: let it run for 1-2 weeks in an elevated (administrator) command window.

Now I just need to wait for the rebuild to finish.

19

hi thats cool news :slight_smile: well done for finally getting there - and hopefully finished rebuild will not be too far behind[hr]
btw i think i called you “Vincent” in my first post :smiley:

20

Rebuild finished, and back up and running as usual. I have noticed a slow mount time, but I will start a new thread for that (I think this is an old issue)

Yay!