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SCSI Error Handling: Decode Sense Data and Troubleshoot on Linux

A SCSI error is not a diagnosis. Capture the full sense buffer, decode its key and ASC/ASCQ, then use the condition and failure pattern to decide what to check next.
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A SCSI error is a symptom, not a diagnosis. To find its cause, capture the complete command result—including the target and LUN, host and driver status, and raw sense bytes—then read the sense key together with ASC and ASCQ. That combination helps distinguish a device that is not ready from an unsupported command, a media problem, or a failure elsewhere in the connection path. A Linux CHECK CONDITION status alone does not prove that a disk, cable, or adapter is faulty.

What CHECK CONDITION means on Linux

CHECK CONDITION is a SCSI status indicating that the command completed with a condition for which sense information is relevant. It tells you to examine the sense data; it does not identify the failed component by itself. The cause could be a device state or command issue, a medium or hardware problem, or a failure in the transport or host path.

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Linux logs and utilities may report several different layers of information. Preserve the command or operation that failed, the device name, host/channel/target/LUN where available, status bytes, and the full sense buffer. Do not reduce the record to a phrase such as “I/O error” or “CHECK CONDITION”: those messages discard detail needed to distinguish causes.

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How to decode a SCSI sense key, ASC, and ASCQ

  • Sense key: the broad category of the condition, such as NOT READY, MEDIUM ERROR, ILLEGAL REQUEST, UNIT ATTENTION, DATA PROTECT, or ABORTED COMMAND.
  • ASC and ASCQ: the Additional Sense Code and Additional Sense Code Qualifier. Together they narrow the reported condition beyond the broad key.
  • Other sense information: depending on the condition, the buffer may include useful details such as an information field or reported LBA. Keep the raw bytes so the original report can be checked against the right reference.

Interpret the fields together, not as a single-word verdict. A sense key groups many possible conditions, while ASC/ASCQ provide more detail; meanings can also depend on the command and device vendor. Check the device vendor’s command reference when a generic decode does not explain the result. The Seagate SCSI Commands Reference Manual, for example, lists distinct conditions for not-ready states, communication failures, aborted commands, and write errors.

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A practical Linux workflow

  1. Capture the failure. Save the complete kernel or utility output, including the operation or command, device, host/channel/target/LUN if shown, status, and all available sense bytes. Record whether the failure repeats and what operation triggers it.
  2. Rerun with verbose output. Repeat the relevant sg3_utils command with -v (or additional verbosity supported by that utility) and save its output. The sg3_utils project documentation notes that many reported conditions are repeatable and recommends rerunning with -v to obtain more information.
  3. Decode, but retain the raw values. Read the sense key and ASC/ASCQ with sg3_utils or a trusted sense-code table. Keep the hexadecimal values alongside any human-readable interpretation; a broad key alone is not enough to distinguish its possible conditions.
  4. Check readiness or request sense where appropriate. For a readiness or progress question, use TEST UNIT READY polling. The sg_requests utility can issue or analyze REQUEST SENSE data; its documentation says that NO SENSE with ASC and ASCQ both zero indicates success. REQUEST SENSE has an important historical role in SCSI error and warning processing, as described by sg_requests(8).
  5. Classify before changing hardware. Decide whether the evidence points to readiness, media or hardware, an invalid command, a unit attention event, data protection, an aborted command or timeout, or a transport/host problem. Then follow the corresponding checks below.
  6. Compare with the device reference. Confirm the decoded ASC/ASCQ against the manufacturer’s command documentation, especially for command- or vendor-specific conditions.

The Linux SCSI generic (sg) driver exposes an interface for sending SCSI commands, and sg3_utils provides command-line tools for working with that interface. Use the utility relevant to the failing operation and the correct device node; options and output vary by utility. Avoid treating a command retry as a repair or repeatedly retrying operations that could put data at risk.

Use the decoded class to choose the next check

Condition What it commonly indicates First check

NOT READY

The device may be spinning up, initializing, formatting, completing a self-test, or otherwise unavailable. Wait and poll readiness; check device state and power. Do not interpret temporary unavailability as proof of a failed drive.

MEDIUM ERROR or hardware error

A read/write media problem or device hardware fault is possible. Record any reported LBA or information field, protect important data, and inspect device or media health before further writes or recovery attempts.

ILLEGAL REQUEST

The command, service action, or a field in the command may be unsupported or invalid. Check command support, CDB fields, mode pages, and device capability. An invalid opcode is a reason to verify compatibility, not evidence of a bad cable.

UNIT ATTENTION

The device reports a state change, reset, media change, or another asynchronous event. Record the event and retry once if the operation is safe. If it recurs, investigate resets or topology changes.

DATA PROTECT

Write protection or an access policy may have prevented the command. Check media write-protect state, reservations, permissions, and applicable policy before attempting another write.

ABORTED COMMAND or timeout

The command may have been interrupted by the device, transport congestion, the adapter, or host timing. Check the link, HBA, queueing, timeouts, and congestion; correlate logs before considering drive replacement.

Transport or OS failure

The failure may have occurred in the command path or operating system rather than in the device’s reported sense condition. Inspect HBA, cables, expander, driver, and kernel logs. Look for repeated failures and whether multiple devices on the same path are affected.
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How to tell whether the disk, cable, or command is at fault

Use the location and pattern of failures as well as the sense decode. A device-reported media condition, especially with a reported LBA, warrants protecting data and investigating that device. An ILLEGAL REQUEST points first to command support or command fields. A NOT READY condition calls for checking device state and readiness. An ABORTED COMMAND, timeout, or transport/OS error calls for examining the path, adapter, queueing, and host logs before swapping a drive.

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  • One device, repeated device-specific sense: investigate that device and its media or state, while preserving the raw reports.
  • Several devices sharing a path fail together: inspect shared components such as the HBA, cable, expander, driver, or host timing.
  • The failure follows a particular command: check whether the device supports the command and whether its fields and service action are valid.
  • The error appears once after a reset or state change: record the event and assess whether a safe single retry succeeds; repeated errors need further investigation.

These patterns help prioritize checks; none is conclusive on its own. Do not replace hardware solely because a log contains the words “SCSI error” or CHECK CONDITION. Look for repeated evidence and a decoded condition that supports the proposed repair.

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Protect data while troubleshooting

  • Keep a copy of the original logs and raw sense bytes before retries or configuration changes.
  • For a medium or hardware error, prioritize preserving data and limit unnecessary writes to the device.
  • Retry only when the operation is safe and the decoded condition makes a retry reasonable; a retry may not be harmless for every command or recovery workflow.
  • Change one factor at a time when checking a path or device, so new evidence remains interpretable.

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