bhc.sh - Block Device Health Check

HDD/SSD Acceptance Test Script for comprehensive drive validation and health checking.

Overview

bhc.sh is a comprehensive bash script designed to perform thorough acceptance testing on HDDs and SSDs. It combines multiple diagnostic tools to validate drive health, detect counterfeit drives, and ensure data integrity.

Key Features

SMART Diagnostics: Executes short and long self-tests
Full Sector Write Test: Uses badblocks to verify every sector
Counterfeit Detection: Checks for known Seagate firmware issues
Failure Statistics: Monitors critical SMART attributes
Resume Support: Can resume interrupted tests
Detailed Logging: All operations logged with JSON output
Progress Tracking: Real-time progress display with ETA

Requirements

System Requirements

Linux operating system
Root privileges (sudo)
tmux session (required for long-running tests)

Software Dependencies

The following packages must be installed:

smartmontools (version 7.0+ with JSON support)
e2fsprogs (for badblocks)
util-linux (for lsblk, blockdev)
jq (for JSON parsing)
bc (for calculations)

Installation

On Debian/Ubuntu:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y smartmontools e2fsprogs util-linux jq bc

Usage

Basic Usage (Interactive Mode)

# Start a tmux session
tmux new-session -s bhc

# Run the script
sudo bash bhc.sh

The script will:

Display available block devices
Prompt you to select a device
Show warnings and ask for confirmation
Execute the test sequence

Non-Interactive Mode

For automated testing, use the -d and -y options:

sudo bash bhc.sh -d sdg -y

Command-Line Options

Options:
  -d DEVICE    Device name to test (e.g., sda, sdb)
  -y           Auto-confirm (skip all confirmation prompts)
  -h           Show help message

Examples:
  ./bhc.sh                    # Interactive mode
  ./bhc.sh -d sdg -y          # Non-interactive mode with device sdg

Test Sequence

The script performs the following tests in order:

1. SMART Short Test (~2 minutes)

Quick self-test to detect obvious issues
Checks drive's built-in diagnostics
Validates basic functionality

2. Badblocks Full Sector Write Test (several hours)

WARNING: DESTRUCTIVE - Erases all data
Writes and verifies every sector on the drive
Tests with multiple patterns (0xaa, 0x55, 0xff, 0x00)
Detects bad blocks and write/read errors

3. SMART Long Test (several hours)

Comprehensive self-test covering entire drive
Deeper diagnostics than short test
Validates drive health after stress testing

4. SMART Value Comparison

Compares critical attributes before and after testing
Detects any degradation during testing
Monitors: Raw_Read_Error_Rate, Reallocated_Sector_Ct, Current_Pending_Sector, Offline_Uncorrectable

Critical Warnings

Data Destruction

Running this test will COMPLETELY ERASE all data on the target device. Ensure you have:

Selected the correct device
Backed up any important data
Unmounted the device

Time Requirements

Small drives (< 500GB): 2-4 hours
Medium drives (1-2TB): 4-10 hours
Large drives (> 4TB): 10-24+ hours

Session Protection

The script must be run inside a tmux session because:

Tests take several hours to complete
SSH disconnection would abort the test
tmux allows reconnecting to the session

Output and Logs

Log Directory Structure

Logs are saved to /var/log/bhc/ with the following structure:

/var/log/bhc/
└── ata_TOSHIBA_MG08ACA16TE_<serial>_<timestamp>/
    ├── console.log           # All output and progress
    ├── smartctl_start.json   # Initial SMART data (JSON)
    ├── smartctl_end.json     # Final SMART data (JSON)
    ├── smartctl_current.json # Current SMART data during tests
    └── state.json            # Test state for resume support

Viewing Results

After completion, view the results:

# View full log
cat /var/log/bhc/ata_*_<timestamp>/console.log
less /var/log/bhc/ata_*_<timestamp>/console.log

# View JSON SMART data
jq . /var/log/bhc/ata_*_<timestamp>/smartctl_start.json
jq . /var/log/bhc/ata_*_<timestamp>/smartctl_end.json

Resume Support

If a test is interrupted (power loss, disconnection), the script can resume:

Run the script again with the same device
The script will detect the incomplete test
Choose to resume or start fresh
The script continues from the last completed phase

Phases:

init - Initialization complete
smart_short_test - SMART short test phase
badblocks - Badblocks test phase
smart_long_test - SMART long test phase
compare - Comparison phase
completed - All tests completed

Screenshots

Script Execution Start

Script Start

The script displays:

Banner and description
Available block devices with model and serial
Device selection prompt
Initial SMART information and warnings
Test confirmation prompt

Test Execution and Completion

Test Completion

Shows:

SMART short test progress and completion
Badblocks test execution with pattern testing
SMART long test with progress and ETA
SMART value comparison (before/after)
Final test completion message

Monitored SMART Attributes

The script monitors these critical attributes:

| ID | Attribute | Description | |-----|----------------------------|--------------------------------------| | 1 | Raw_Read_Error_Rate | Read errors during normal operation | | 5 | Reallocated_Sector_Ct | Count of reallocated sectors | | 9 | Power_On_Hours | Total powered-on time | | 194 | Temperature_Celsius | Current drive temperature | | 197 | Current_Pending_Sector | Sectors waiting for reallocation | | 198 | Offline_Uncorrectable | Uncorrectable sectors |

Any changes in attributes 1, 5, 197, or 198 indicate potential drive issues.

Counterfeit Detection

The script includes checks for known Seagate counterfeit firmware issues:

Detects Seagate/Barracuda drives
Logs firmware version
Warns if verification is needed

Exit Codes

0 - All tests passed successfully
1 - Error occurred (test failure, invalid device, missing dependencies)

Troubleshooting

"Must be run as root"

sudo bash bhc.sh

"Must be run inside a tmux session"

tmux new-session -s bhc
sudo bash bhc.sh

"Device is currently mounted"

sudo umount /dev/sdX
sudo bash bhc.sh -d sdX

"smartctl does not support -j (JSON output)"

Update smartmontools:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install --only-upgrade smartmontools

Test appears stuck

Tests can take many hours for large drives
Use Ctrl+B, D to detach from tmux session
Reconnect with: tmux attach-session -t bhc
Progress is saved and can be viewed in the log file

Safety Features

Root check: Ensures script has necessary privileges
tmux check: Prevents accidental session loss
Mount check: Refuses to test mounted devices
Multiple confirmations: Warns before destructive operations
State tracking: Allows safe resume after interruption
Detailed logging: All operations are logged for audit

License

This script is provided as-is for drive testing and validation purposes.

Author

Created for HDD/SSD acceptance testing and counterfeit detection.

Version History

Initial release: Comprehensive acceptance testing with SMART and badblocks
Added: JSON-based SMART parsing
Added: Resume support for interrupted tests
Added: Progress tracking with ETA display

Bhc

Install / Use

README