Testing Disks Remotely using IPMI and Device Redirection

Diagnosing hard disk issues typically requires booting into DOS and using IDE mode in the bios. This is challenging when you don't have a DOS floppy disk or the server is at a remote location.

Seagate's SeaTools for DOS is a useful utility for hard disk testing. Using IPMI, I can download the ISO image to my local workstation and redirect it to boot a remote server.

It was necessary to change the SATA mode to "IDE" to allow the SeaTools utility to locate the disks.

Remote Hard Disk Drive Testing

Running SeaTools on a remote server using an ISO located on my local workstation.

Running SeaTools on a remote server using an ISO located on my local workstation.

Testing Results

Unfortunate, but good to know.

Remote disk diagnostics show failure.

Remote disk diagnostics show failure.

November 25th, 2013 Posted by Jon Jaroker Filed in: Hardware