Seek & Read Error Rates on a new drive?

Is it unusual for new factory sealed drives to have Seek & Read Error Rates with only smart tests done and a wipe? hasn’t been added to a pool and no data yet.
This is a Seagate Ironwolf 12tb.

admin@oscar:~$ sudo smartctl -a /dev/sdi
smartctl 7.4 2023-08-01 r5530 [x86_64-linux-6.6.44-production+truenas] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-23, Bruce Allen, Christian Franke, www.smartmontools.org

=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
Model Family:     Seagate IronWolf
Device Model:     ST12000VN0008-2YS101
Serial Number:    (removed for post)
LU WWN Device Id: 5 000c50 0ea215b7d
Firmware Version: SC60
User Capacity:    12,000,138,625,024 bytes [12.0 TB]
Sector Sizes:     512 bytes logical, 4096 bytes physical
Rotation Rate:    7200 rpm
Form Factor:      3.5 inches
Device is:        In smartctl database 7.3/5671
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:    Sat Apr  5 07:45:32 2025 CDT
SMART support is: Available - device has SMART capability.
SMART support is: Enabled

=== START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION ===
SMART overall-health self-assessment test result: PASSED

General SMART Values:
Offline data collection status:  (0x82) Offline data collection activity
                                        was completed without error.
                                        Auto Offline Data Collection: Enabled.
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:                (  567) 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:        (   1) minutes.
Extended self-test routine
recommended polling time:        (1044) minutes.
Conveyance self-test routine
recommended polling time:        (   2) minutes.
SCT capabilities:              (0x50bd) SCT Status supported.
                                        SCT Error Recovery Control supported.
                                        SCT Feature Control supported.
                                        SCT Data Table supported.

SMART Attributes Data Structure revision number: 10
Vendor Specific SMART Attributes with Thresholds:
ID# ATTRIBUTE_NAME          FLAG     VALUE WORST THRESH TYPE      UPDATED  WHEN_FAILED RAW_VALUE
  1 Raw_Read_Error_Rate     0x000f   100   100   044    Pre-fail  Always       -       169872
  3 Spin_Up_Time            0x0003   098   098   000    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
  4 Start_Stop_Count        0x0032   100   100   020    Old_age   Always       -       2
  5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct   0x0033   100   100   010    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
  7 Seek_Error_Rate         0x000f   068   060   045    Pre-fail  Always       -       6395741
  9 Power_On_Hours          0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       22
 10 Spin_Retry_Count        0x0013   100   100   097    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
 12 Power_Cycle_Count       0x0032   100   100   020    Old_age   Always       -       2
 18 Head_Health             0x000b   100   100   050    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
187 Reported_Uncorrect      0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
188 Command_Timeout         0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
190 Airflow_Temperature_Cel 0x0022   059   055   000    Old_age   Always       -       41 (Min/Max 39/41)
192 Power-Off_Retract_Count 0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       1
193 Load_Cycle_Count        0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       20
194 Temperature_Celsius     0x0022   041   045   000    Old_age   Always       -       41 (0 30 0 0 0)
197 Current_Pending_Sector  0x0012   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
198 Offline_Uncorrectable   0x0010   100   100   000    Old_age   Offline      -       0
199 UDMA_CRC_Error_Count    0x003e   200   200   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
200 Pressure_Limit          0x0023   100   100   001    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
240 Head_Flying_Hours       0x0000   100   100   000    Old_age   Offline      -       16h+06m+31.099s
241 Total_LBAs_Written      0x0000   100   253   000    Old_age   Offline      -       131072
242 Total_LBAs_Read         0x0000   100   253   000    Old_age   Offline      -       38800

SMART Error Log Version: 1
No Errors Logged

SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1
Num  Test_Description    Status                  Remaining  LifeTime(hours)  LBA_of_first_error
# 1  Short offline       Completed without error       00%        16         -
# 2  Extended offline    Completed without error       00%        15         -
# 3  Short offline       Completed without error       00%         0         -
# 4  Conveyance offline  Completed without error       00%         0         -

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.

The above only provides legacy SMART information - try 'smartctl -x' for more

Seagate uses some weird encoding for error rates, so having non-zero values here is expected.

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Yes, for Seagate drives this is normal.
Since this is a new drive, have you run the FARM check?
smartctl -l farm /dev/sdi and then verify the power on hours match SMART, LBAs written/read, etc…

Take a look at the link in my signature for Drive Troubleshooting Flow Charts. It has some good info in there about this.

2 Likes

Thanks for the info! I didn’t really know the Farm switch. It looks good to me.

admin@oscar:~$ sudo smartctl -l farm /dev/sdi
smartctl 7.4 2023-08-01 r5530 [x86_64-linux-6.6.44-production+truenas] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-23, Bruce Allen, Christian Franke, www.smartmontools.org

Seagate Field Access Reliability Metrics log (FARM) (GP Log 0xa6)
        FARM Log Page 0: Log Header
                FARM Log Version: 4.28
                Pages Supported: 6
                Log Size: 98304
                Page Size: 16384
                Heads Supported: 24
                Number of Copies: 0
                Reason for Frame Capture: 0
        FARM Log Page 1: Drive Information
                Serial Number: (Removed for post)
                World Wide Name: 0x5000c500ea215b7d
                Device Interface: SATA
                Device Capacity in Sectors: 23437770752
                Physical Sector Size: 4096
                Logical Sector Size: 512
                Device Buffer Size: 268435456
                Number of Heads: 12
                Device Form Factor: 3.5 inches
                Rotation Rate: 7200 rpm
                Firmware Rev: SC60
                ATA Security State (ID Word 128): 0x01621
                ATA Features Supported (ID Word 78): 0x016cc
                ATA Features Enabled (ID Word 79): 0x0000000000000044
                Power on Hours: 25
                Spindle Power on Hours: 25
                Head Flight Hours: 16
                Head Load Events: 27
                Power Cycle Count: 3
                Hardware Reset Count: 2
                Spin-up Time: 0 ms
                Time to ready of the last power cycle: 18169 ms
                Time drive is held in staggered spin: 93 ms
                Model Number: ST12000VN0008-2YS101
                Drive Recording Type: CMR
                Max Number of Available Sectors for Reassignment: 16384
                Assembly Date (YYWW): 5250
                Depopulation Head Mask: 0
        FARM Log Page 2: Workload Statistics
                Total Number of Read Commands: 623
                Total Number of Write Commands: 128
                Total Number of Random Read Commands: 33
                Total Number of Random Write Commands: 128
                Total Number Of Other Commands: 1645
                Logical Sectors Written: 131072
                Logical Sectors Read: 38800
                Number of dither events during current power cycle: 8
                Number of times dither was held off during random workloads: 4
                Number of times dither was held off during sequential workloads: 0
                Number of Read commands from 0-3.125% of LBA space for last 3 SMART Summary Frames: 929
                Number of Read commands from 3.125-25% of LBA space for last 3 SMART Summary Frames: 0
                Number of Read commands from 25-75% of LBA space for last 3 SMART Summary Frames: 0
                Number of Read commands from 75-100% of LBA space for last 3 SMART Summary Frames: 202
                Number of Write commands from 0-3.125% of LBA space for last 3 SMART Summary Frames: 64
                Number of Write commands from 3.125-25% of LBA space for last 3 SMART Summary Frames: 0
                Number of Write commands from 25-75% of LBA space for last 3 SMART Summary Frames: 0
                Number of Write commands from 75-100% of LBA space for last 3 SMART Summary Frames: 64
        FARM Log Page 3: Error Statistics
                Unrecoverable Read Errors: 0
                Unrecoverable Write Errors: 0
                Number of Reallocated Sectors: 0
                Number of Read Recovery Attempts: 0
                Number of Mechanical Start Failures: 0
                Number of Reallocated Candidate Sectors: 0
                Number of ASR Events: 0
                Number of Interface CRC Errors: 0
                Spin Retry Count: 0
                Spin Retry Count Normalized: 100
                Spin Retry Count Worst: 100
                Number of IOEDC Errors (Raw): 0
                CTO Count Total: 0
                CTO Count Over 5s: 0
                CTO Count Over 7.5s: 0
                Total Flash LED (Assert) Events: 0
                Index of the last Flash LED: 0
                Flash LED Event 0:
                        Event Information: 0x0000000000000000
                        Timestamp of Event 0 (hours): 0
                        Power Cycle Event 0: 0
                Flash LED Event 1:
                        Event Information: 0x0000000000000000
                        Timestamp of Event 1 (hours): 0
                        Power Cycle Event 1: 0
                Flash LED Event 2:
                        Event Information: 0x0000000000000000
                        Timestamp of Event 2 (hours): 0
                        Power Cycle Event 2: 0
                Flash LED Event 3:
                        Event Information: 0x0000000000000000
                        Timestamp of Event 3 (hours): 0
                        Power Cycle Event 3: 0
                Flash LED Event 4:
                        Event Information: 0x0000000000000000
                        Timestamp of Event 4 (hours): 0
                        Power Cycle Event 4: 0
                Flash LED Event 5:
                        Event Information: 0x0000000000000000
                        Timestamp of Event 5 (hours): 0
                        Power Cycle Event 5: 0
                Flash LED Event 6:
                        Event Information: 0x0000000000000000
                        Timestamp of Event 6 (hours): 0
                        Power Cycle Event 6: 0
                Flash LED Event 7:
                        Event Information: 0x0000000000000000
                        Timestamp of Event 7 (hours): 0
                        Power Cycle Event 7: 0
                Uncorrectable errors: 0
                Cumulative Lifetime Unrecoverable Read errors due to ERC: 0
                Cum Lifetime Unrecoverable by head 0:
                        Cumulative Lifetime Unrecoverable Read Repeating: 0
                        Cumulative Lifetime Unrecoverable Read Unique: 0
                Cum Lifetime Unrecoverable by head 1:
                        Cumulative Lifetime Unrecoverable Read Repeating: 0
                        Cumulative Lifetime Unrecoverable Read Unique: 0
                Cum Lifetime Unrecoverable by head 2:
                        Cumulative Lifetime Unrecoverable Read Repeating: 0
                        Cumulative Lifetime Unrecoverable Read Unique: 0
                Cum Lifetime Unrecoverable by head 3:
                        Cumulative Lifetime Unrecoverable Read Repeating: 0
                        Cumulative Lifetime Unrecoverable Read Unique: 0
                Cum Lifetime Unrecoverable by head 4:
                        Cumulative Lifetime Unrecoverable Read Repeating: 0
                        Cumulative Lifetime Unrecoverable Read Unique: 0
                Cum Lifetime Unrecoverable by head 5:
                        Cumulative Lifetime Unrecoverable Read Repeating: 0
                        Cumulative Lifetime Unrecoverable Read Unique: 0
                Cum Lifetime Unrecoverable by head 6:
                        Cumulative Lifetime Unrecoverable Read Repeating: 0
                        Cumulative Lifetime Unrecoverable Read Unique: 0
                Cum Lifetime Unrecoverable by head 7:
                        Cumulative Lifetime Unrecoverable Read Repeating: 0
                        Cumulative Lifetime Unrecoverable Read Unique: 0
                Cum Lifetime Unrecoverable by head 8:
                        Cumulative Lifetime Unrecoverable Read Repeating: 0
                        Cumulative Lifetime Unrecoverable Read Unique: 0
                Cum Lifetime Unrecoverable by head 9:
                        Cumulative Lifetime Unrecoverable Read Repeating: 0
                        Cumulative Lifetime Unrecoverable Read Unique: 0
                Cum Lifetime Unrecoverable by head 10:
                        Cumulative Lifetime Unrecoverable Read Repeating: 0
                        Cumulative Lifetime Unrecoverable Read Unique: 0
                Cum Lifetime Unrecoverable by head 11:
                        Cumulative Lifetime Unrecoverable Read Repeating: 0
                        Cumulative Lifetime Unrecoverable Read Unique: 0
        FARM Log Page 4: Environment Statistics
                Current Temperature (Celsius): 40
                Highest Temperature: 45
                Lowest Temperature: 38
                Average Short Term Temperature: 0
                Average Long Term Temperature: 0
                Highest Average Short Term Temperature: 0
                Lowest Average Short Term Temperature: 0
                Highest Average Long Term Temperature: 0
                Lowest Average Long Term Temperature: 0
                Time In Over Temperature (minutes): 0
                Time In Under Temperature (minutes): 0
                Specified Max Operating Temperature: 70
                Specified Min Operating Temperature: 5
                Current Relative Humidity: 0
                Current Motor Power: 1803
                Current 12 volts: 12.190
                Minimum 12 volts: 12.190
                Maximum 12 volts: 12.206
                Current 5 volts: 5.072
                Minimum 5 volts: 5.040
                Maximum 5 volts: 5.078
                12V Power Average: 0.000
                12V Power Minimum: 0.000
                12V Power Maximum: 0.000
                5V Power Average: 0.000
                5V Power Minimum: 0.000
                5V Power Maximum: 0.000
        FARM Log Page 5: Reliability Statistics
                Error Rate (SMART Attribute 1 Raw): 0x0000000000029790
                Error Rate (SMART Attribute 1 Normalized): 100
                Error Rate (SMART Attribute 1 Worst): 100
                Seek Error Rate (SMART Attr 7 Raw): 0x000000000061980f
                Seek Error Rate (SMART Attr 7 Normalized): 68
                Seek Error Rate (SMART Attr 7 Worst): 60
                High Priority Unload Events: 1
                Helium Pressure Threshold Tripped: 0
                LBAs Corrected By Parity Sector: 0
                DVGA Skip Write Detect by Head 0: 0
                DVGA Skip Write Detect by Head 1: 0
                DVGA Skip Write Detect by Head 2: 0
                DVGA Skip Write Detect by Head 3: 0
                DVGA Skip Write Detect by Head 4: 0
                DVGA Skip Write Detect by Head 5: 0
                DVGA Skip Write Detect by Head 6: 0
                DVGA Skip Write Detect by Head 7: 0
                DVGA Skip Write Detect by Head 8: 0
                DVGA Skip Write Detect by Head 9: 0
                DVGA Skip Write Detect by Head 10: 0
                DVGA Skip Write Detect by Head 11: 0
                RVGA Skip Write Detect by Head 0: 0
                RVGA Skip Write Detect by Head 1: 0
                RVGA Skip Write Detect by Head 2: 0
                RVGA Skip Write Detect by Head 3: 0
                RVGA Skip Write Detect by Head 4: 0
                RVGA Skip Write Detect by Head 5: 0
                RVGA Skip Write Detect by Head 6: 0
                RVGA Skip Write Detect by Head 7: 0
                RVGA Skip Write Detect by Head 8: 0
                RVGA Skip Write Detect by Head 9: 0
                RVGA Skip Write Detect by Head 10: 0
                RVGA Skip Write Detect by Head 11: 0
                FVGA Skip Write Detect by Head 0: 0
                FVGA Skip Write Detect by Head 1: 0
                FVGA Skip Write Detect by Head 2: 0
                FVGA Skip Write Detect by Head 3: 0
                FVGA Skip Write Detect by Head 4: 0
                FVGA Skip Write Detect by Head 5: 0
                FVGA Skip Write Detect by Head 6: 0
                FVGA Skip Write Detect by Head 7: 0
                FVGA Skip Write Detect by Head 8: 0
                FVGA Skip Write Detect by Head 9: 0
                FVGA Skip Write Detect by Head 10: 0
                FVGA Skip Write Detect by Head 11: 0
                Skip Write Detect Threshold Exceeded by Head 0: 0
                Skip Write Detect Threshold Exceeded by Head 1: 0
                Skip Write Detect Threshold Exceeded by Head 2: 0
                Skip Write Detect Threshold Exceeded by Head 3: 0
                Skip Write Detect Threshold Exceeded by Head 4: 0
                Skip Write Detect Threshold Exceeded by Head 5: 0
                Skip Write Detect Threshold Exceeded by Head 6: 0
                Skip Write Detect Threshold Exceeded by Head 7: 0
                Skip Write Detect Threshold Exceeded by Head 8: 0
                Skip Write Detect Threshold Exceeded by Head 9: 0
                Skip Write Detect Threshold Exceeded by Head 10: 0
                Skip Write Detect Threshold Exceeded by Head 11: 0
                Write Power On (hrs) by Head 0: 0
                Write Power On (hrs) by Head 1: 0
                Write Power On (hrs) by Head 2: 0
                Write Power On (hrs) by Head 3: 0
                Write Power On (hrs) by Head 4: 0
                Write Power On (hrs) by Head 5: 0
                Write Power On (hrs) by Head 6: 0
                Write Power On (hrs) by Head 7: 0
                Write Power On (hrs) by Head 8: 0
                Write Power On (hrs) by Head 9: 0
                Write Power On (hrs) by Head 10: 0
                Write Power On (hrs) by Head 11: 0
                MR Head Resistance from Head 0: 0
                MR Head Resistance from Head 1: 0
                MR Head Resistance from Head 2: 0
                MR Head Resistance from Head 3: 0
                MR Head Resistance from Head 4: 0
                MR Head Resistance from Head 5: 0
                MR Head Resistance from Head 6: 0
                MR Head Resistance from Head 7: 0
                MR Head Resistance from Head 8: 0
                MR Head Resistance from Head 9: 0
                MR Head Resistance from Head 10: 0
                MR Head Resistance from Head 11: 0
                Second MR Head Resistance by Head 0: 0
                Second MR Head Resistance by Head 1: 0
                Second MR Head Resistance by Head 2: 0
                Second MR Head Resistance by Head 3: 0
                Second MR Head Resistance by Head 4: 0
                Second MR Head Resistance by Head 5: 0
                Second MR Head Resistance by Head 6: 0
                Second MR Head Resistance by Head 7: 0
                Second MR Head Resistance by Head 8: 0
                Second MR Head Resistance by Head 9: 0
                Second MR Head Resistance by Head 10: 0
                Second MR Head Resistance by Head 11: 0
                Number of Reallocated Sectors by Head 0: 0
                Number of Reallocated Sectors by Head 1: 0
                Number of Reallocated Sectors by Head 2: 0
                Number of Reallocated Sectors by Head 3: 0
                Number of Reallocated Sectors by Head 4: 0
                Number of Reallocated Sectors by Head 5: 0
                Number of Reallocated Sectors by Head 6: 0
                Number of Reallocated Sectors by Head 7: 0
                Number of Reallocated Sectors by Head 8: 0
                Number of Reallocated Sectors by Head 9: 0
                Number of Reallocated Sectors by Head 10: 0
                Number of Reallocated Sectors by Head 11: 0
                Number of Reallocation Candidate Sectors by Head 0: 0
                Number of Reallocation Candidate Sectors by Head 1: 0
                Number of Reallocation Candidate Sectors by Head 2: 0
                Number of Reallocation Candidate Sectors by Head 3: 0
                Number of Reallocation Candidate Sectors by Head 4: 0
                Number of Reallocation Candidate Sectors by Head 5: 0
                Number of Reallocation Candidate Sectors by Head 6: 0
                Number of Reallocation Candidate Sectors by Head 7: 0
                Number of Reallocation Candidate Sectors by Head 8: 0
                Number of Reallocation Candidate Sectors by Head 9: 0
                Number of Reallocation Candidate Sectors by Head 10: 0
                Number of Reallocation Candidate Sectors by Head 11: 0

admin@oscar:~$

When comparing the following values between FARM and SMART, you are looking for a match, or close to a match.

Serial Number
Power On Hours
Spindle Power Hours
Head Flight Hours
Written LBAs
Read LBAs

If you have a significant discrepancy then the drive may have been used. This really factors in if you thought you purchased a new drive.

Your drive looks correct for a new drive.

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