Comments on: RAID gets Revisited (TLER and the WDTLER utility) http://blog.agdunn.net/?p=208 return { true } Tue, 13 Jul 2010 07:11:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1-alpha By: Storrgie http://blog.agdunn.net/?p=208&cpage=1#comment-962 Storrgie Thu, 04 Mar 2010 21:30:32 +0000 http://blog.agdunn.net/?p=208#comment-962 I am not sure, but WD never responded to my emails from my personal or professional addresses. I will no longer be purchasing their drives. This is an example of closing up functionality, forcing users to pay more for something that exists in their lower level functioning drives. I am not sure, but WD never responded to my emails from my personal or professional addresses. I will no longer be purchasing their drives. This is an example of closing up functionality, forcing users to pay more for something that exists in their lower level functioning drives.

]]> By: pk442 http://blog.agdunn.net/?p=208&cpage=1#comment-954 pk442 Wed, 10 Feb 2010 06:06:35 +0000 http://blog.agdunn.net/?p=208#comment-954 I purchase several of these at Microcenter 3 weeks ago - still in the box. I was planning on using them in a new build that I'm about to start. Is there any way to tell via serial number/model number on the box if I have the ones with or without the TLER lockout on them? Mine are the 1TB WD Caviar Black drives model #WD10000LSRTL. Thanks - PK I purchase several of these at Microcenter 3 weeks ago – still in the box. I was planning on using them in a new build that I’m about to start. Is there any way to tell via serial number/model number on the box if I have the ones with or without the TLER lockout on them?
Mine are the 1TB WD Caviar Black drives model #WD10000LSRTL.
Thanks – PK

]]> By: Charles http://blog.agdunn.net/?p=208&cpage=1#comment-953 Charles Sun, 07 Feb 2010 00:34:39 +0000 http://blog.agdunn.net/?p=208#comment-953 It is unacceotable that WD has decides to remove TDLER as a feature on these drives--RAID is raoidly becoming common on systems due to the low drive prices, and thus it would make it far more useful if manufacturers provided firmware support for TDLER or otherwise made their drives configurable for use in RAID. It is becoming common for people to start with a single drive with the intention of later converting to RAID--this is now made more difficult scince it will require builders to determine if this is going to happen before building each system--and removes the ability for the owner to change their mind later and change to RAID. Worse, by removing an existing feature from a current model, WD has opened a rats nest of trouble for technicians who want to go to RAID, as they must now check the existing drive. Given that WD warranties the drives for 5 years (and many will exceed that lifetime, WD has created a problem needlessly which will be with us for at least a decade. Perhaps if enough people complain they will reverse this annoying decision? It is unacceotable that WD has decides to remove TDLER as a feature on these drives–RAID is raoidly becoming common on systems due to the low drive prices, and thus it would make it far more useful if manufacturers provided firmware support for TDLER or otherwise made their drives configurable for use in RAID.

It is becoming common for people to start with a single drive with the intention of later converting to RAID–this is now made more difficult scince it will require builders to determine if this is going to happen before building each system–and removes the ability for the owner to change their mind later and change to RAID.

Worse, by removing an existing feature from a current model, WD has opened a rats nest of trouble for technicians who want to go to RAID, as they must now check the existing drive.

Given that WD warranties the drives for 5 years (and many will exceed that lifetime, WD has created a problem needlessly which will be with us for at least a decade.

Perhaps if enough people complain they will reverse this annoying decision?

]]> By: Henrique http://blog.agdunn.net/?p=208&cpage=1#comment-950 Henrique Sun, 24 Jan 2010 02:40:10 +0000 http://blog.agdunn.net/?p=208#comment-950 Warning: the newer versions of the WD1001FALS have TLER permanently locked to the disabled state. If the extended device timeout doesn't solve the issue, this makes these devices completely useless for RAID. Also, you would get one of the TLER-less devices if one of your older ones with TLER support ever need a replacement under warranty... So, the real golden question is: does increasing the device timeout fix these drivers absurd command timeout delays? Warning: the newer versions of the WD1001FALS have TLER permanently locked to the disabled state.

If the extended device timeout doesn’t solve the issue, this makes these devices completely useless for RAID. Also, you would get one of the TLER-less devices if one of your older ones with TLER support ever need a replacement under warranty…

So, the real golden question is: does increasing the device timeout fix these drivers absurd command timeout delays?

]]> By: Caviar Blacks RAID issues? - Page 2 - Overclock.net - Overclocking.net http://blog.agdunn.net/?p=208&cpage=1#comment-933 Caviar Blacks RAID issues? - Page 2 - Overclock.net - Overclocking.net Mon, 21 Dec 2009 15:44:47 +0000 http://blog.agdunn.net/?p=208#comment-933 [...] other things to be able to use RAID properly. Check out my friend's blog where he talks about it. http://blog.agdunn.net/?p=208 Make sure to look at the Wikipedia TLER link...... [...] [...] other things to be able to use RAID properly. Check out my friend's blog where he talks about it. http://blog.agdunn.net/?p=208 Make sure to look at the Wikipedia TLER link…… [...]

]]> By: Storrgie http://blog.agdunn.net/?p=208&cpage=1#comment-931 Storrgie Mon, 21 Dec 2009 13:31:33 +0000 http://blog.agdunn.net/?p=208#comment-931 It isnt a patch that will effect you at the OS Level. It is a setting in the firmware to my knowledge. This will make the devices wait for the controller to resolve an issue instead of trying to resolve it themselves. When the drives try to resolve an i/o issue, frequently the controller will mark them as unresponsive/failed. TLER is a setting to make the drives wait for controller resolution. It isnt a patch that will effect you at the OS Level. It is a setting in the firmware to my knowledge. This will make the devices wait for the controller to resolve an issue instead of trying to resolve it themselves.

When the drives try to resolve an i/o issue, frequently the controller will mark them as unresponsive/failed. TLER is a setting to make the drives wait for controller resolution.

]]> By: QReality http://blog.agdunn.net/?p=208&cpage=1#comment-925 QReality Sun, 20 Dec 2009 22:23:44 +0000 http://blog.agdunn.net/?p=208#comment-925 Hi, I'm wondering how to apply this TLER patch to drives already in a RAID configuration using ICH10R. Would I have to basically destroy and rebuild the RAID to do this? (Urk...!) Hi,

I’m wondering how to apply this TLER patch to drives already in a RAID configuration using ICH10R. Would I have to basically destroy and rebuild the RAID to do this? (Urk…!)

]]> By: Storrgie http://blog.agdunn.net/?p=208&cpage=1#comment-820 Storrgie Mon, 07 Dec 2009 12:15:44 +0000 http://blog.agdunn.net/?p=208#comment-820 I have never played with the timeout settings. I also never experienced drive failures like you describe. The drives are not truely failing right? Just dropping from the array? I have never played with the timeout settings. I also never experienced drive failures like you describe.

The drives are not truely failing right? Just dropping from the array?

]]> By: kevin http://blog.agdunn.net/?p=208&cpage=1#comment-748 kevin Tue, 01 Dec 2009 12:06:40 +0000 http://blog.agdunn.net/?p=208#comment-748 Just wondering if you had played around with /sys/block/sd?/device/timeout as a mechanism to delay the timeouts that the raid is experiencing for the device - i.e. is an alternative to setting the TLER low setting the disk timeout higher. I'm just not sure if the about setting will affect this. I'm experiencing a disk failure of this king every 4 weeks or so and it takes about 24 hrs to resync the array - I'd be more than happy for the devices to wait a couple of minutes once a month if it meant I didn't have to resync the array again. Just wondering if you had played around with /sys/block/sd?/device/timeout as a mechanism to delay the timeouts that the raid is experiencing for the device – i.e. is an alternative to setting the TLER low setting the disk timeout higher. I’m just not sure if the about setting will affect this.

I’m experiencing a disk failure of this king every 4 weeks or so and it takes about 24 hrs to resync the array – I’d be more than happy for the devices to wait a couple of minutes once a month if it meant I didn’t have to resync the array again.

]]> By: RAID0 on WD 1TB "Blacks" - Page 2 - Overclock.net - Overclocking.net http://blog.agdunn.net/?p=208&cpage=1#comment-326 RAID0 on WD 1TB "Blacks" - Page 2 - Overclock.net - Overclocking.net Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:40:59 +0000 http://blog.agdunn.net/?p=208#comment-326 [...] http://blog.agdunn.net/?p=208 Here is a link to my friend's blog where he shows how he did this in Linux. __________________ [...] [...] http://blog.agdunn.net/?p=208 Here is a link to my friend's blog where he shows how he did this in Linux. __________________ [...]

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