Intel® SSD 520 Series: Why does the smart test in Linux lasts 5-6 hours instead of 48 minutes?

[tirzu]

Use command: smartctl -t long /dev/sda

The test is passed by drive. But why is so long? (freebsd 8.4, Ubuntu 14.04). Speed is ok, about 400-450 kbytes/sec. Short test is ok, about 1-1,5 min.

Firmware Version: 400i,

[240 GB] Capacity,

Sata current: 6.0 Gb/s

[CFran6]

Meantime I could reproduce the problem reported by Caruna with a 520 SSD under Windows.

Tested with a 520 behind Z68 chipset and IRST driver on Windows 7 x64. SSD contains a 50% filled NTFS partition which is not mounted.

Using "smartd" as a Windows service to track Offline and Self-test Execution Status (bytes 362/363 of SMART DATA structure):

2016-04-12 08:23:21 smartd[1028]: Info : smartd 6.5 2016-04-11 r4288 [x86_64-w64-mingw32-win7-sp1] (daily-20160411)

2016-04-12 08:23:22 smartd[1028]: Info : Device: /dev/sdb, INTEL SSDSC2CW180A3, S/N:..., WWN:..., FW:400i, 180 GB

2016-04-12 08:23:22 smartd[1028]: Info : Device: /dev/sdb, found in smartd database: Intel 520 Series SSDs

... <<<--- "smartctl --long /dev/sdb" issued here<p> 

2016-04-12 08:25:32 smartd[1028]: Info : Device: /dev/sdb, offline data collection is in progress

2016-04-12 08:25:32 smartd[1028]: Info : Device: /dev/sdb, self-test in progress, 10% remaining

2016-04-12 09:03:24 smartd[1028]: Info : Device: /dev/sdb, self-test in progress, 20% remaining

2016-04-12 09:23:24 smartd[1028]: Info : Device: /dev/sdb, self-test in progress, 30% remaining

2016-04-12 09:53:24 smartd[1028]: Info : Device: /dev/sdb, self-test in progress, 40% remaining

2016-04-12 10:23:23 smartd[1028]: Info : Device: /dev/sdb, self-test in progress, 50% remaining

2016-04-12 10:53:23 smartd[1028]: Info : Device: /dev/sdb, self-test in progress, 60% remaining

2016-04-12 11:23:23 smartd[1028]: Info : Device: /dev/sdb, self-test in progress, 70% remaining

2016-04-12 11:53:23 smartd[1028]: Info : Device: /dev/sdb, self-test in progress, 80% remaining

2016-04-12 12:23:23 smartd[1028]: Info : Device: /dev/sdb, self-test in progress, 90% remaining

2016-04-12 13:13:23 smartd[1028]: Info : Device: /dev/sdb, offline data collection was completed without error

2016-04-12 13:13:23 smartd[1028]: Info : Device: /dev/sdb, previous self-test completed without error

Observations:

- Self-test duration is far too long. It should not be considerably longer than a full read scan from OS (which is what SSD Toolbox does).

- "Remaining percentage" info from Self-test Execution Status increases. It shall decrease (see 7.54.6.8 of ACS-2 Rev 7).

- The resulting entries in Self-Test log are bogus:

SMART Extended Self-test Log Version: 1 (1 sectors)

Num Test_Description Status Remaining LifeTime(hours) LBA_of_first_error

# 1 Extended offline Self-test routine in progress 20% 9700 -

# 2 Extended offline Self-test routine in progress 80% 9703 -

There should be only one entry reporting "Completed without error 00% 9703".

Conclusion: The SMART Self-test functionality.in 400i firmware has various issues.

These problems are not visible with SSD Toolbox because its Full Diagnostic Scan is not controlled by firmware. The Toolbox does a regular read scan via OS. The "Logical Sectors Read" counter from Device Statistics log increases during this test. It does not during a SMART Self-test.

[ccost9]

> 400i firmware has various issue

not only 400i, but 300i as well (ssd 330 model) exhibits the exact same behaviour