NAME

dskx − generic disk exerciser

SYNTAX

/usr/field/dskx [ options ] −rdev
/usr/field/dskx [ options ] −pdevpart
/usr/field/dskx [ options ] −cdev

DESCRIPTION

The dskx exerciser tests the disk drives on your system. The exerciser has three main options:

•Read only

•Write/read/validate data on a partition

•Write/read/validate data of a disk. 

The exerciser does ramdom seeks/reads of ramdom block sizes and random seeks/writes/reads/validation of random data patterns of random block sizes. The exerciser will run until <CTRLC> or kill -15 pid is sent to the process. 

A logfile is made in /usr/field for you to examine and then remove. If there are errors in the logfile, make sure you check the /usr/adm/syserr/syserr.<hostname> file, because that is where the driver and kernel error messages are saved. 

CAUTION: Both the −c and −p options of the dskx exerciser destroy data on the disk.  Use extreme caution before using them on any non-scratch media.  If you are unsure of what data is on the disk, contact your system manager before running dskx with either of these options.

ARGUMENTS

One of the following function flags and arguments must be specified. 

−rdevRandom read-only test, all partitions except the c partition.  The dev argument can be a raw or buffered device name and number.  For example, rhp0, ra3, hk1. 

−pdevpartWrite, read, and validate data from the device name and number specified by dev and the partition specified by part.  The dev argument can be a raw or buffered device name and number.  For example, rhp0, ra3, hk1.  The part argument can be any valid partition from a − h. 

CAUTION:  Be careful when exercising partitions that overlap other partitions, as you may inadvertently destroy data on a partition that you do not want to test.  You can use the −q option of the chpt() command to see what partitions overlap on the device on your system.

−cdevWrite, read, and validate data from all partitions except the c partition on the device specified by dev.  The dev argument can be a raw or buffered device name and number.  For example, rhp0, ra3, hk1. 

OPTIONS

The dskx options are:

−hPrint help message for the dskx command

−ofileSave output diagnostics in file

−tnRun time in minutes (n).  The default is to run until the process receives a <CTRLC> or kill -15 pid. 

−dmPrint statistics every m minutes

EXAMPLES

The following example exercises RA disk unit 1, for 60 minutes in the background. 

% /usr/field/dskx -t60 -cra1 &

The following example exercises raw HP disk unit 0, partition d, until <CTRLC> or kill -15 pid. 

% /usr/field/dskx -prhp0d

SEE ALSO

System Management Guide