Subject: Re: [2.0-RC1] shutdown is not clean
To: Michael Gerhards <HM-Gerhards@uni.de>
From: Daniel Carosone <dan@geek.com.au>
List: port-sparc64
Date: 10/08/2004 07:57:07
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On Thu, Oct 07, 2004 at 09:58:16PM +0200, Michael Gerhards wrote:
> Daniel Carosone <dan@geek.com.au> wrote:
> >=20
> > Try "dkctl wd0 setcache r" before shutting down.
> >=20
> > This turns off the disk write cache, just on the off chance that
> > somehow power is being removed before the last writes have actually
> > been completed.
>=20
> I tried this and it worked! The next startup all filesystems were
> described as "file system is clean, not checking".
>=20
> So what might go wrong on "normal" shutdowns?

Exactly as I said above; the disk is being powered off before it's
finished moving the final writes from its cache to the platters.

Given that it's been asked to sync cache before it gets shut down, and
that this isn't a commonly-reported problem, I suspect it may be a
problem with your disk's firmware - a bug that means the sync cache
command doesn't wait for the cache to sync until its complete.

Can you:
 - post details of the disk (atactl wd0 identify)
 - try a different disk model/manufacturer

Otherwise, i'd suggest running with the write cache off anyway,
because i'd just be generally wary of that drive with the cache on.

--
Dan.
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