Disk Hung Errors

What is a “disk hung” error?

When a disk “hangs,” it means SoftRAID sent an I/O request to the disk and the disk failed to respond within the timeout period.

Most common cause: Connection or communication issues between the computer and the drive.

Troubleshooting by Drive Type

HDDs (rotating media)

HDDs rarely hang due to drive failure. A hang is usually a communication or connection error, though it can be an early sign of drive failure.

Steps to troubleshoot:

• Check all connections: Ensure all cables are firmly connected
• Replace the cable: Swap the Thunderbolt or USB cable with a known good cable
• Certify the disk: Run SoftRAID disk certification to ensure the drive is reliable and identify any failing sectors

If SoftRAID Disk tiles, or the SoftRAID log do not show any disk I/O errors on the drive itself, the issue is usually upstream (cable, enclosure, or interface).

SSDs/NVMe (flash media)

Flash media can hang due to:

• Heat - Thermal throttling or overheating during intensive use
• Early failure - Early stages of drive failure

If the hang occurred during intensive disk usage, it may be heat-related. Check if your enclosure has adequate cooling or if the drive is in a sealed/fanless enclosure.

Note: Do not certify SSDs with less than 10% remaining life, as intensive write operations may accelerate failure.

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When to Contact Support

If you continue to get disk hung errors after:

• Checking/replacing cables
• Verifying connections
• Testing in different enclosures or ports

If you are still getting disk Hung errors, contact OWC support.