How recover a SCSI disk that show diskinfo 0 Kbytes

[Javier Fdez.]

How could format or rewrite de header of a suspicious fault SCSI in HP-UX 10.20
or write the parameter of the size in a disk drive.

I have several disk of 18GB that diskinfo show size: 0 Kbytes
# diskinfo /dev/rdsk/c0t4d0
SCSI describe of /dev/rdsk/c0t4d0:
vendor: IBM
product id: DDYS-T18350M
type: direct access
size: 0 Kbytes
bytes per sector: 0

In the same controller a good disk show:
# diskinfo /dev/rdsk/c0t4d0
SCSI describe of /dev/rdsk/c0t4d0:
vendor: IBM
product id: DDYS-T18350M
type: direct access
size: 17921835 Kbytes
bytes per sector: 512
#


I know that looks like a faulty disk, but I like to know if it could be possible to use a external utility or external controller to format to recover these disks.

I have tried to use mediainit ???v /dev/rdks/c0t4d0 but give me the error:
# date; mediainit -v /dev/rdsk/c0t4d0; date
Wed May 8 00:21:50 BST 2002
mediainit: initialization process starting
mediainit: locking SCSI device
mediainit: initializing media
mediainit: initialize media command failed - I/O error
Wed May 8 00:22:10 BST 2002
#


Please help me.

Thanks in advance ???

[Eugeny Brychkov]

No way. Disk has servo information damaged. It can be restored by IBM copyrighted utility by engineer or at IBM factory (I think so). You may try to use 3rd party utilities, but they usually not for free
Disk is dead and if you'll manage to revive it I would not consider it as reliable data storage
Eugeny

[Bob_Vance]

In my experience,
diskinfo --> 0 bytes
=> dead disk
:|

bv

[Marino Meloni_1]

I do not know Unix environment, but in a windows environment I had a disk with 0 capacity and another with harlf capacity shown in the proprieties and I recover it flashing the bios

[Eugeny Brychkov]

Marino offered good idea... try to reflash drive - download FUP tool available from IBM. And then we'll see. If drive will recover then it will mean that drive's parameters are built into flash chip, but if not then they are written to servo-track
Eugeny

[Michael Lampi]

The reason the drive is returning 0 Kbytes is that there is no valid low level format on the drive.

Only after a successful low level format will the drive return a capacity other than 0.

Since the purpose of mediainit is to perform such a low level format, and since it is reporting an I/O error, then the drive is toast. It is time to get it repaired or replaced by your disk drive provider.

BTW, if bought from a 3rd party this drive is probably still under its 5 year warranty.

[Ashwani Kashyap]

You got bad disks there . Call HP and have them replace it .