smartctl exit 4 - ATA return descriptor not supported by controller firmware?

Question

I am encountering exit 4 running smartctl against my DELL machines on megaraid devices. Checking the man page for this return code, it states: 'Bit 2: Some SMART or other ATA command to the disk failed, or there was a checksum error in a SMART data structure (see '-b' option above)' . I am assuming the failure here is because of the 'ATA return descriptor not supported by controller firmware'?  Has anyone experienced this and how to overcome it? Thanks in advance   Platform: Dell PowerEdge R740/R740XD - PERC H730P RAID Controller, 2GB NV Cache, Adapter, Full Height - 480GB SSD SATA Read Intensive 6Gbps 512 2.5in Hot-plug AG Drive, 1 DWPD - 1.6TB Enterprise NVMe Mixed Use AG Drive U.2 Gen4 with carrier  The full output from scan and query against each device is uploaded to:https://pastebin.com/5tcCvyCp $ sudo smartctl --scan /dev/sda -d scsi # /dev/sda, SCSI device /dev/bus/0 -d megaraid,0 # /dev/bus/0 [megaraid_disk_00], SCSI device /dev/bus/0 -d megaraid,1 # /dev/bus/0 [megaraid_disk_01], SCSI device /dev/nvme0 -d nvme # /dev/nvme0, NVMe device /dev/nvme1 -d nvme # /dev/nvme1, NVMe device   $ sudo smartctl --xall -d megaraid,1 /dev/bus/0; echo 'exit code: $(echo $?)' smartctl 7.1 2020-04-05 r5049 [x86_64-linux-4.18.0-394.el8.x86_64] (local build) Copyright (C) 2002-19, Bruce Allen, Christian Franke, www.smartmontools.org   === START OF INFORMATION SECTION === Device Model:     MTFDDAK480TDS Serial Number:    LU WWN Device Id: 5 00a075 12f771e61 Add. Product Id:  DELL(tm) Firmware Version: D3DJ004 User Capacity:    480,103,981,056 bytes [480 GB] Sector Sizes:     512 bytes logical, 4096 bytes physical Rotation Rate:    Solid State Device Form Factor:      2.5 inches Device is:        Not in smartctl database [for details use: -P showall] ATA Version is:   ACS-4 (minor revision not indicated) SATA Version is:  SATA 3.3, 6.0 Gb/s (current: 6.0 Gb/s) Local Time is:    Thu Jun 30 09:03:44 2022 PDT SMART support is: Available - device has SMART capability. SMART support is: Enabled AAM feature is:   Unavailable APM level is:     254 (maximum performance) Rd look-ahead is: Enabled Write cache is:   Enabled DSN feature is:   Unavailable ATA Security is:  Unavailable Write SCT (Get) Feature Control Command failed: ATA return descriptor not supported by controller firmware Wt Cache Reorder: Unknown (SCT Feature Control command failed)   === START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION === SMART Status not supported: ATA return descriptor not supported by controller firmware SMART overall-health self-assessment test result: PASSED Warning: This result is based on an Attribute check.   General SMART Values: Offline data collection status:  (0x00) Offline data collection activity was never started. Auto Offline Data Collection: Disabled. Self-test execution status:      (   0) The previous self-test routine completed without error or no self-test has ever  been run. Total time to complete Offline  data collection: ( 1674) seconds. Offline data collection capabilities: (0x7b) SMART execute Offline immediate. Auto Offline data collection on/off support. Suspend Offline collection upon new command. Offline surface scan supported. Self-test supported. Conveyance Self-test supported. Selective Self-test supported. SMART capabilities:            (0x0003) Saves SMART data before entering power-saving mode. Supports SMART auto save timer. Error logging capability:        (0x01) Error logging supported. General Purpose Logging supported. Short self-test routine  recommended polling time: (   2) minutes. Extended self-test routine recommended polling time: (  29) minutes. Conveyance self-test routine recommended polling time: (   3) minutes. SCT capabilities:       (0x003d) SCT Status supported. SCT Error Recovery Control supported. SCT Feature Control supported. SCT Data Table supported.   SMART Attributes Data Structure revision number: 16 Vendor Specific SMART Attributes with Thresholds: ID# ATTRIBUTE_NAME          FLAGS    VALUE WORST THRESH FAIL RAW_VALUE   1 Raw_Read_Error_Rate     -OSR-K   100   100   050    -    0   5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct   PO--CK   100   100   010    -    0   9 Power_On_Hours          -O--CK   100   100   000    -    7129  12 Power_Cycle_Count       -O--CK   100   100   000    -    21  13 Read_Soft_Error_Rate    -O--CK   100   100   000    -    0 173 Unknown_Attribute       -O--CK   100   100   000    -    25 174 Unknown_Attribute       -O--CK   100   100   000    -    18 175 Program_Fail_Count_Chip -O--CK   100   100   000    -    19 179 Used_Rsvd_Blk_Cnt_Tot   PO--CK   100   100   010    -    0 180 Unused_Rsvd_Blk_Cnt_Tot -O--CK   100   100   000    -    2161 181 Program_Fail_Cnt_Total  -O--CK   100   100   000    -    0 182 Erase_Fail_Count_Total  -O--CK   100   100   000    -    0 183 Runtime_Bad_Block       -O--CK   100   100   000    -    0 184 End-to-End_Error        -O--CK   100   100   000    -    0 188 Command_Timeout         -O--CK   100   100   000    -    38 194 Temperature_Celsius     -O---K   073   067   000    -    27 (Min/Max 20/33) 195 Hardware_ECC_Recovered  -O--CK   100   100   000    -    0 196 Reallocated_Event_Count -O--CK   100   100   000    -    0 198 Offline_Uncorrectable   ----CK   100   100   000    -    0 199 UDMA_CRC_Error_Count    -O--CK   100   100   000    -    0 201 Unknown_SSD_Attribute   PO--CK   100   100   001    -    0 202 Unknown_SSD_Attribute   PO--CK   100   100   005    -    1994 206 Unknown_SSD_Attribute   -OSR--   100   100   000    -    0 210 Unknown_Attribute       -O--CK   100   100   000    -    0 233 Media_Wearout_Indicator -O--CK   100   100   000    -    20978957350 235 Unknown_Attribute       -O--CK   100   100   000    -    20978957350 245 Unknown_Attribute       ----CK   100   100   000    -    100 247 Unknown_Attribute       -O--CK   100   100   000    -    655591772 248 Unknown_Attribute       -O--CK   100   100   000    -    179129246 241 Total_LBAs_Written      -O--CK   100   100   000    -    26711072576                             ||||||_ K auto-keep                             |||||__ C event count                             ||||___ R error rate                             |||____ S speed/performance                             ||_____ O updated online                             |______ P prefailure warning   General Purpose Log Directory Version 1 SMART           Log Directory Version 1 [multi-sector log support] Address    Access  R/W   Size  Description 0x00       GPL,SL  R/O      1  Log Directory 0x01           SL  R/O      1  Summary SMART error log 0x02           SL  R/O     51  Comprehensive SMART error log 0x03       GPL     R/O  16383  Ext. Comprehensive SMART error log 0x04       GPL,SL  R/O      8  Device Statistics log 0x06           SL  R/O      1  SMART self-test log 0x07       GPL     R/O      1  Extended self-test log 0x09           SL  R/W      1  Selective self-test log 0x10       GPL     R/O      1  NCQ Command Error log 0x11       GPL     R/O      1  SATA Phy Event Counters log 0x16       GPL     -        1  Reserved for Serial ATA 0x24       GPL     R/O   8000  Current Device Internal Status Data log 0x25       GPL     R/O   8000  Saved Device Internal Status Data log 0x30       GPL,SL  R/O      9  IDENTIFY DEVICE data log 0x80-0x9f  GPL,SL  R/W     16  Host vendor specific log 0xa0       GPL     VS   35328  Device vendor specific log 0xa1       GPL,SL  VS       4  Device vendor specific log 0xa3       GPL     VS   13824  Device vendor specific log 0xa4       GPL     VS     354  Device vendor specific log 0xa4       SL      VS      98  Device vendor specific log 0xa5       GPL     VS    8000  Device vendor specific log 0xa5       SL      VS      64  Device vendor specific log 0xa6       GPL     VS    8000  Device vendor specific log 0xa6       SL      VS      64  Device vendor specific log 0xa7       GPL     VS   32768  Device vendor specific log 0xe0       GPL,SL  R/W      1  SCT Command/Status 0xe1       GPL,SL  R/W      1  SCT Data Transfer   SMART Extended Comprehensive Error Log Version: 1 (16383 sectors) No Errors Logged   SMART Extended Self-test Log Version: 1 (1 sectors) Num  Test_Description    Status                  Remaining  LifeTime(hours)  LBA_of_first_error # 1  Extended offline    Completed without error       00%         1         - # 2  Short offline       Completed without error       00%         1         -   SMART Selective self-test log data structure revision number 1  SPAN  MIN_LBA  MAX_LBA  CURRENT_TEST_STATUS     1        0        0  Not_testing     2        0        0  Not_testing     3        0        0  Not_testing     4        0        0  Not_testing     5        0        0  Not_testing Selective self-test flags (0x0):   After scanning selected spans, do NOT read-scan remainder of disk. If Selective self-test is pending on power-up, resume after 0 minute delay.   SCT Status Version:                  3 SCT Version (vendor specific):       1 (0x0001) Device State:                        Active (0) Current Temperature:                    27 Celsius Power Cycle Min/Max Temperature:     25/32 Celsius Lifetime    Min/Max Temperature:     20/33 Celsius Specified Max Operating Temperature:    70 Celsius Under/Over Temperature Limit Count:   0/0   Write SCT Data Table failed: SMART WRITE LOG SECTOR may cause problems, try with -T permissive to force Read SCT Temperature History failed   Write SCT (Get) Error Recovery Control Command failed: ATA return descriptor not supported by controller firmware SCT (Get) Error Recovery Control command failed   Device Statistics (GP Log 0x04) Page  Offset Size        Value Flags Description 0x01  =====  =               =  ===  == General Statistics (rev 3) == 0x01  0x008  4              21  ---  Lifetime Power-On Resets 0x01  0x010  4            7129  ---  Power-on Hours 0x01  0x018  6     20978957350  ---  Logical Sectors Written 0x01  0x020  6       215097545  ---  Number of Write Commands 0x01  0x028  6     32877738108  ---  Logical Sectors Read 0x01  0x030  6        15917390  ---  Number of Read Commands 0x01  0x038  6     25666860000  ---  Date and Time TimeStamp 0x04  =====  =               =  ===  == General Errors Statistics (rev 1) == 0x04  0x008  4               0  ---  Number of Reported Uncorrectable Errors 0x04  0x010  4              38  ---  Resets Between Cmd Acceptance and Completion 0x05  =====  =               =  ===  == Temperature Statistics (rev 1) == 0x05  0x008  1              27  ---  Current Temperature 0x05  0x010  1              27  ---  Average Short Term Temperature 0x05  0x018  1              27  ---  Average Long Term Temperature 0x05  0x020  1              33  ---  Highest Temperature 0x05  0x028  1              20  ---  Lowest Temperature 0x05  0x030  1              28  ---  Highest Average Short Term Temperature 0x05  0x038  1              26  ---  Lowest Average Short Term Temperature 0x05  0x040  1              27  ---  Highest Average Long Term Temperature 0x05  0x048  1              26  ---  Lowest Average Long Term Temperature 0x05  0x050  4               0  ---  Time in Over-Temperature 0x05  0x058  1              70  ---  Specified Maximum Operating Temperature 0x05  0x060  4               0  ---  Time in Under-Temperature 0x05  0x068  1               0  ---  Specified Minimum Operating Temperature 0x06  =====  =               =  ===  == Transport Statistics (rev 1) == 0x06  0x008  4              76  ---  Number of Hardware Resets 0x06  0x010  4              17  ---  Number of ASR Events 0x06  0x018  4               0  ---  Number of Interface CRC Errors 0x07  =====  =               =  ===  == Solid State Device Statistics (rev 1) == 0x07  0x008  1               0  ---  Percentage Used Endurance Indicator                                 |||_ C monitored condition met                                 ||__ D supports DSN                                 |___ N normalized value   Pending Defects log (GP Log 0x0c) not supported   SATA Phy Event Counters (GP Log 0x11) ID      Size     Value  Description 0x0001  4            0  Command failed due to ICRC error 0x0003  4            0  R_ERR response for device-to-host data FIS 0x0004  4            0  R_ERR response for host-to-device data FIS 0x0006  4            0  R_ERR response for device-to-host non-data FIS 0x000a  4           22  Device-to-host register FISes sent due to a COMRESET 0x000b  4            0  CRC errors within host-to-device FIS 0x000d  4            0  Non-CRC errors within host-to-device FIS   exit code: 4   ##

DELL-Joey C · Answer

Hello @sbucrew,

I'm not verse with smartctl tool and there is no documentation for me to refer to help you on the error. Have you tried checking or contact the developer's forum about the error message? We probably may need to wait for the public in this forum to respond and provide feedback to your enquiry.

sbucrew · Answer

Hello Joey,The smartctl folks wont be able to help since the issue  highlighted on the output was:> ATA return descriptor not supported by controller firmware In this case it is the PERC H730P RAID Controller, and I believe the  DELL team can comment better.?

DELL-Joey C · Answer

Hi @sbucrew,   Have you updated H730P's firmware to the latest? Do you have other R740 which is working with smartctl? Do you have Dell certified drives to install into the server and try smartctl?

sbucrew · Answer

Hi @DELL-Joey C  Have you updated H730P's firmware to the latest?Yes, it's on: Name : PERC H730P Adapter Slot ID : PCIe Slot 5 State : Ready Firmware Version : 25.5.9.0001 Minimum Required Firmware Version : Not Applicable Driver Version : 07.719.03.00-rh1  Do you have other R740 which is working with smartctl? None of the Dell servers with this config works. And we have 10+ racks of r740x servers with the same config Do you have Dell certified drives to install into the server and try smartctl?We purchased this from Dell directly so yes.

DELL-Joey C · Answer

Hi @sbucrew,

If any of other server that you have aren't working with smartctl, it is as like you suspected then, the controller firmware. The engineering might need to look into it, maybe as a feature request. You will need to contact support to open a ticket to have it checked.

PowerEdge Hardware General

Was this post helpful?