Data Domain: Disk Rescan Procedure

Summary: This article describes how to perform the disk rescan procedure on a Dell Data Domain system. The rescan operation manually polls all disk drives, forcing the system to reevaluate their state. While DDOS typically performs automatic scans, a manual rescan may be necessary if a replacement disk is not recognized. ...

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Symptoms

Warning: This procedure applies only to single disk absent alerts. Do not use this method if multiple disks are reporting absent, as this may risk data loss.
 
Applies to:
  • All Data Domain systems
  • All software Versions

Symptoms

  • Autosupport alerts such as:
Err Code: STORAGE-00002 | STORAGE00002
Enclosure disk is absent and should be replaced
Disk in Absent State
  • Disk not recognized after replacement
  • Unable to bring the disk into a usable state (in-use or spare)

Cause

Sometimes, DDOS may fail to detect a newly inserted disk due to:

  • Background processes interfering with disk discovery
  • Disk replaced too quickly before the system completed its internal checks
  • Transient hardware or communication issues

Resolution

Follow these steps to perform a disk rescan:

  1. Initial Rescan
    At the CLI prompt, run:

    • disk rescan

    • Wait for the command prompt to return.

    • If the disk is still reported as 'Absent', follow the steps below.

  2. Remove the Disk Drive
    Carefully remove the disk in question.

  3. Inspect the Disk

    • Check terminal connectors for debris or bent/damaged pins.
    • If pins are damaged, replace the disk.

  4. Wait for Detection Timeout

    • Allow 2 minutes for the SAS backplane to register the removal.

  5. Trigger Second Rescan
    At the CLI prompt, run:

    • disk rescan

    • Wait for the command prompt to return.

  6. Reinsert the Disk

    • Firmly reinsert the disk into its original slot.
    • Wait another 2 minutes for DDOS to detect the change.

  7. Verify Disk State

    • Run disk show hardware or disk show state to confirm the disk is now listed as in-use or spare.

Affected Products

Data Domain

Products

Data Domain
Article Properties
Article Number: 000045237
Article Type: Solution
Last Modified: 07 Oct 2025
Version:  3
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