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Media Scan

The media scan feature sequentially checks each physical drive in a selected logical drive, block by block, for bad blocks. If a bad block is encountered, the controller rebuilds the data from the bad block onto a good block if one is available on the physical drive. If no good blocks are available on the physical drive, the controller designates the physical drive “Bad,” generates an event message, and if a spare drive is available, begins rebuilding data from the bad physical drive onto the spare. It is useful to run a media scan if a drive has failed, if drive errors are encountered, or when a rebuild is required after replacing a drive. A media scan does not start automatically after a logical drive completes initialization.

Starting a Media Scan

  1. Select a logical drive.

  2. Choose Array Administration > Media Scan.

    After a few moments, the Media Scan window is displayed.

  3. To start a media scan on a logical drive, click the Logical Drives tab, and select the logical drive to scan.

    To start a media scan on a physical drive that makes up the logical drive, select the Disks tab, and select the physical drive to scan.

  4. Select a Media Scan Priority:

    • Low – Media scan is not performed until other tasks have been completed.

    • Normal – Media scan is typically performed within three seconds.

    • Improved – Media scan is typically performed within one second.

    • High – Media scan is performed immediately.


  5. Select an Iteration Count to specify whether the physical drives are to be checked one time or continuously. Single Time is the default value.

    NOTE: If a media scan is running, the Run Media Scan button is unavailable.

  6. Click Run Media Scan, and click OK to continue. The scan progress is displayed in the Array Controller Progress window. Depending on the size of the logical drive and the number of physical disks it contains, or the size of the physical drive, the scanning process might take some time to complete.

  7. When the Controller Array Progress window shows 100% completion, check the event log to determine the condition of the physical disks.

Stopping a Media Scan on a Logical Drive or a Physical Drive

  1. Select a logical drive.

  2. Choose Array Administration > Media Scan.

    After a few moments, the Media Scan window is displayed.

  3. To stop a media scan on a logical drive, click the Logical Drives tab, and select the logical drive on which you want to stop the scan.

    To stop a media scan on a physical drive that makes up the logical drive, select the Disks tab, and select the physical drive on which you want to stop the scan.

  4. Click Abort Media Scan.

  5. Click OK to continue.

  6. Click Close on the Starting Array Administration window.

    NOTE: To stop a media scan on a physical drive, you can also select Abort on the Controller Array Progress window.

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