# FreeBSD 9rc3 gpt error while booting



## blimy (Dec 15, 2011)

Hello, I recently decided to test FreeBSD 9rc3 and while the system is booting I see: 


```
gptboot: error 66 lba 293046767
gptboot: unable to read backup GPT header
```

I installed through sysinstall using auto for the hard drive and wasn't seeing this error on Freebsd FreeBSD 8.2. Should I worry about this problem? The system still boots fine after, just wondering if I should be concerned about those errors.

Using a Badaxe 2 motherboard with a Q6600.

Thanks.


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## jem (Dec 15, 2011)

What's currently on the disk?  Were you using gmirror or anything like that with a previous freebsd installation?


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## blimy (Dec 15, 2011)

Hi, before I was using FreeBSD 8.2 with auto options on the partitioning. I also deleted the current partitions before installing FreeBSD 9.0.

Haven't manually messed with any of the gparted or gmirror.

Thanks for the help.


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## wblock@ (Dec 15, 2011)

The error message suggests a disk hardware read error on the last block.  gptboot will still work with just the primary GPT table, but I'd be concerned about what caused that error.  Check the SMART data with sysutils/smartmontools.


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## blimy (Dec 15, 2011)

Thanks for the suggestion, I'm going to try it.

Now that I think about it is a first generation Velociraptor so it's possible it's not at 100%. Going to try with another drive as well just to make sure.

Cheers.


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## blimy (Dec 15, 2011)

So I pulled the drive out and placed it on my HP Micro Server and no errors. Even installed FreeBSD again and still no errors. Placed it back on my Bad Axe 2 and gave the same error.

I'm connecting the drive to the Marvell SATA connectors. The chipset is 88SE6145 on the Bad Axe 2. On FreeBSD 8.2 I wouldn't get this error.

Tomorrow morning will plug another drive to the Marvell port and see just to be 100% sure. Kind of worries me seeing that error, even though I probably will not use a Marvell port to boot when I finish the server. It makes me wonder if it's even good to place a zfs pool there. Hopefully it's just some problem with the driver in FreeBSD 9 that hopefully can be fixed by release. If needs be I can provide more information.

Thanks.


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## jem (Dec 16, 2011)

Ensure the Marvell controller isn't in RAID mode.  Firmware-based RAID often likes to store its own metadata in the last sector of disks.


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## blimy (Dec 17, 2011)

Thanks jem, it's in ahci mode right now. Only thing I found odd is that it started happening with the current beta.

Then again it still boots fine and it's a headless server, but it still worries me knowing that there is an error, it's only happening on the Marvell ports, tested in different pc's and even hard drives and all the same.

Cheers


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## wblock@ (Dec 17, 2011)

That's a regression that ought to be reported with a PR.  Did you try earlier release candidates of 9.0?


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## blimy (Dec 18, 2011)

I started with FreeBSD 9 RC 3, going to see if I can try another if it still keeps happening then I can do what it takes to report this correctly.

Thanks.


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