Write-error on swap-device, Result: hostbyte=DID_BAD_TARGET driverbyte=DRIVER_OK

Question

My root server at 1&1 was unresponsive on HTTP and SSH, so I logged into the serial console . It flooded my connection with endless error messages like quoted below.

I initiated a reboot and now everything seems to work properly.

After googling, I installed smartctl and ran a short self test, which told me the device was healthy.

Is this likely a disk failure soon to happen or could it be just some program going wild? I assume, the swap device could also grow full when huge amounts of memory get consumed by a buggy program? How can I find out for sure?

The sever was already unresponsive a week ago when I just restarted it without proper investigation.

The server is running on CentOS.

Write-error on swap-device (8:16:8351055)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:8351063)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:8351071)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:8351079)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:8351087)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:8351095)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:8351103)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:8351111)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:8351119)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:8351127)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:8351135)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:8351143)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:8351151)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:8351159)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:8351167)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:8351175)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:8351183)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:8351191)
sd 1:0:0:0: [sdb] Unhandled error code
sd 1:0:0:0: [sdb] Result: hostbyte=DID_BAD_TARGET driverbyte=DRIVER_OK
sd 1:0:0:0: [sdb] CDB: Write(10): 2a 00 00 9c 00 ef 00 00 08 00
end_request: I/O error, dev sdb, sector 10223855
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10223863)
sd 1:0:0:0: [sdb] Unhandled error code
sd 1:0:0:0: [sdb] Result: hostbyte=DID_BAD_TARGET driverbyte=DRIVER_OK
sd 1:0:0:0: [sdb] CDB: Write(10): 2a 00 00 9c 0e 97 00 00 10 00
end_request: I/O error, dev sdb, sector 10227351
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10227359)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10227367)
sd 1:0:0:0: [sdb] Unhandled error code
sd 1:0:0:0: [sdb] Result: hostbyte=DID_BAD_TARGET driverbyte=DRIVER_OK
sd 1:0:0:0: [sdb] CDB: Write(10): 2a 00 00 9c b0 1f 00 00 10 00
end_request: I/O error, dev sdb, sector 10268703
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10268711)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10268719)
sd 1:0:0:0: [sdb] Unhandled error code
sd 1:0:0:0: [sdb] Result: hostbyte=DID_BAD_TARGET driverbyte=DRIVER_OK
sd 1:0:0:0: [sdb] CDB: Write(10): 2a 00 00 a0 84 7f 00 00 08 00
end_request: I/O error, dev sdb, sector 10519679
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10519687)
sd 1:0:0:0: [sdb] Unhandled error code
sd 1:0:0:0: [sdb] Result: hostbyte=DID_BAD_TARGET driverbyte=DRIVER_OK
sd 1:0:0:0: [sdb] CDB: Write(10): 2a 00 00 a7 26 af 00 04 00 00
end_request: I/O error, dev sdb, sector 10954415
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954423)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954431)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954439)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954447)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954455)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954463)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954471)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954479)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954487)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954495)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954503)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954511)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954519)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954527)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954535)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954543)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954551)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954559)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954567)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954575)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954583)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954591)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954599)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954607)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954615)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954623)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954631)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954639)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954647)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954655)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954663)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954671)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954679)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954687)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954695)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954703)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954711)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954719)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954727)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954735)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954743)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954751)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954759)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954767)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954775)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954783)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954791)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954799)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954807)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954815)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954823)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954831)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954839)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954847)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954855)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954863)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954871)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954879)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954887)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954895)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954903)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954911)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954919)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954927)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954935)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954943)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954951)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954959)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954967)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954975)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954983)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954991)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10954999)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10955007)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10955015)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10955023)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10955031)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10955039)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10955047)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10955055)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10955063)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10955071)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10955079)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10955087)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10955095)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10955103)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10955111)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10955119)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10955127)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10955135)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10955143)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10955151)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10955159)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10955167)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10955175)
Write-error on swap-device (8:16:10955183)

Solution

I was afraid of that. This is a known issue with that particular drive model. Use some other drive.

Comments

[Michael Hampton]

What is your kernel version? What model of hard drives are in the system?

[Jan]

uname -v # => #1 SMP Fri Dec 23 02:21:33 CST 2011

[Jan]

uname -r # => 2.6.32-220.2.1.el6.x86_64

[Jan]

sdb is: Seagate Barracuda Green (Adv. Format); model number ST2000DL003-9VT166

[Michael Hampton]

I would say don't use 1&1. But that's my personal opinion. Running a server OS on a "green" drive is irresponsible at best.