Troubleshooting Storage Devices Flashcards
What should you check first when troubleshooting boot issues?
Check UEFI/BIOS settings to ensure the boot order prioritizes the internal storage device.
What is a common reason a system won’t boot even if the storage device is recognized?
A corrupted boot sector, often caused by issues with the Master Boot Record (MBR) or GUID Partition Table (GPT).
What is the difference between MBR and GPT?
MBR is an older format that stores boot information in one sector, while GPT is newer and stores boot data across multiple sectors for larger partitions.
What does a ‘Bootable device not found’ error typically indicate?
It often signals issues with the boot sector or an incorrect boot order.
What should you do if you hear unusual clicking or grinding noises from an HDD?
Backup your data immediately, as these noises indicate imminent failure.
How do SSDs differ from HDDs in terms of speed and durability?
SSDs are faster and more durable (no moving parts), but they have limited write/erase cycles compared to HDDs.
What is a common issue with SSDs related to excessive write operations?
Constant writing to the SSD can wear it out prematurely; upgrading RAM can help reduce this issue.
What is SMART used for in storage devices?
SMART monitors drive health and alerts the system to potential failures by tracking metrics like temperature and reallocated sectors.
How does IOPS impact storage performance?
IOPS measures the number of read/write operations a storage device can handle, which is important for assessing performance, especially in virtualized environments.
What problem does fragmentation cause in HDDs?
Fragmentation causes slower read/write speeds as data is spread across different disk locations. Defragmentation tools can help fix this.
What is a major limitation of SSDs regarding performance?
SSDs slow down when they are near full capacity. To maintain performance, keep at least 10% of the SSD free.
What happens if a disk fails in RAID 1 or RAID 5?
Data remains accessible, but performance is degraded until the failed disk is replaced and the RAID is rebuilt.
What is the risk of RAID 0?
RAID 0 offers no redundancy, so a single disk failure results in complete data loss.
What causes full RAID failure?
It can be caused by a failed RAID controller, misconfigurations, or multiple disk failures in the array.
Why is backing up data important in RAID systems?
RAID failure can result in data loss, and recovery often requires rebuilding the array and restoring from backups.
