1PVCK(8) System Manager's Manual PVCK(8)
2
6 pvck — Check metadata on physical volumes
7
9 pvck option_args position_args
10 [ option_args ]
11 --commandprofile String
13 --config String
14 -d|--debug
15 --devices PV
16 --devicesfile String
17 --driverloaded y|n
18 --dump headers|metadata|metadata_all|metadata_search
19 -f|--file String
20 -h|--help
21 --journal String
22 --labelsector Number
23 --lockopt String
24 --longhelp
25 --nohints
26 --nolocking
27 --profile String
28 --[pv]metadatacopies 0|1|2
29 -q|--quiet
30 --repair
31 --repairtype pv_header|metadata|label_header
32 --settings String
33 -t|--test
34 -v|--verbose
35 --version
36 -y|--yes
37
39 pvck checks and repairs LVM metadata on PVs.
40 Dump options
42 headers
43 Print LVM on-disk headers and structures: label_header, pv_header,
44 mda_header(s), and metadata text. Warnings are printed if any values
45 are incorrect. The label_header and pv_header both exist in a 512 byte
46 sector, usually the second sector of the device. An mda_header exists
47 in a 512 byte sector at offset 4096 bytes. A second mda_header can op‐
48 tionally exist near the end of the device. The metadata text exists in
49 an area (about 1MiB by default) immediately following the mda_header
50 sector. The metadata text is checked but not printed (see other op‐
51 tions).
52 metadata
54 Print the current LVM VG metadata text (or save to a file), using head‐
55 ers to locate the latest copy of metadata. If headers are damaged,
56 metadata may not be found (see metadata_search). Use --settings
57 "mda_num=2" to look in mda2 (the second mda at the end of the device,
58 if used). The metadata text is printed to stdout or saved to a file
59 with --file.
60 metadata_all
62 List all versions of VG metadata found in the metadata area, using
63 headers to locate metadata. Full copies of all metadata are saved to a
64 file with the --file option. If headers are damaged, metadata may not
65 be found (see metadata_search). Use --settings "mda_num=2" as above.
66 Use -v to include descriptions and dates when listing metadata ver‐
67 sions.
68 metadata_search
70 List all versions of VG metadata found in the metadata area, searching
71 common locations so metadata can be found if headers are damaged. Full
72 copies of all metadata are saved to a file with the --file option. To
73 save one specific version of metadata, use --settings "metadata_off‐
74 set=<offset>", where the offset is taken from the list of versions
75 found. Use -v to include descriptions and dates when listing metadata
76 versions.
77 metadata_area
79 Save the entire text metadata area to a file without processing.
80 Repair options
82 --repair
83 Repair headers and metadata on a PV. This uses a metadata input file
84 that was extracted by --dump, or a backup file (from /etc/lvm/backup).
85 When possible, use metadata saved by --dump from another PV in the same
86 VG (or from a second metadata area on the PV).
87 There are cases where the PV UUID needs to be specified for the PV be‐
89 ing repaired. It is specified using --settings "pv_uuid=<UUID>". In
90 particular, if the device name for the PV being repaired does not match
91 the previous device name of the PV, then LVM may not be able to deter‐
92 mine the correct PV UUID. When headers are damaged on more than one PV
93 in a VG, it is important for the user to determine the correct PV UUID
94 and specify it in --settings. Otherwise, the wrong PV UUID could be
95 used if device names have been swapped since the metadata was last
96 written.
97 If a PV has no metadata areas and the pv_header is damaged, then the
99 repair will not know to create no metadata areas during repair. It
100 will by default repair metadata in mda1. To repair with no metadata
101 areas, use --settings "mda_offset=0 mda_size=0".
102 There are cases where repair should be run on all PVs in the VG (using
104 the same metadata file): if all PVs in the VG are damaged, if using an
105 old metadata version, or if a backup file is used instead of raw meta‐
106 data (taken from pvck dump.)
107 Using --repair is equivalent to running --repairtype pv_header followed
109 by --repairtype metadata.
110 --repairtype pv_header
112 Repairs the header sector, containing the pv_header and label_header.
113 --repairtype metadata
115 Repairs the mda_header and metadata text. It requires the headers to
116 be correct (having been undamaged or already repaired).
117 --repairtype label_header
119 Repairs label_header fields, leaving the pv_header (in the same sector)
120 unchanged. (repairtype pv_header should usually be used instead.)
121 Settings
123 The --settings option controls or overrides certain dump or repair be‐
124 haviors. All offset and size values in settings are in bytes (units
125 are not recognized.) These settings are subject to change.
126 mda_num=1|2
128 Select which metadata area should be used. By default the first meta‐
129 data area (1) is used. mda1 is always located at offset 4096. mda2,
130 at the end of the device, often does not exist (it's not created by de‐
131 fault.) If mda1 is erased, mda2, if it exists, will often still have
132 metadata.
133 metadata_offset=bytes
135 Select metadata text at this offset. Use with metadata_search to
136 print/save one instance of metadata text.
137 mda_offset=bytes mda_size=bytes
139 Refers to a metadata area (mda) location and size. An mda includes an
140 mda_header and circular metadata text buffer. Setting this forces
141 metadata_search look for metadata in the given area instead of the
142 standard locations. When set to zero with repair, it indicates no
143 metadata areas should exist.
144 mda2_offset=bytes mda2_size=bytes
146 When repairing a pv_header, this forces a specific offset and size for
147 mda2 that should be recorded in the pv_header.
148 pv_uuid=uuid
150 Specify the PV UUID of the device being repaired. When not specified,
151 repair will attempt to determine the correct PV UUID by matching a de‐
152 vice name in the metadata.
153 device_size=bytes
155 data_offset=bytes
156 When repairing a pv_header, the device_size, data_offset, and pvid can
157 all be specified directly, in which case these values are not taken
158 from a metadata file (where they usually come from), and the metadata
159 file can be omitted. data_offset is the starting location of the first
160 physical extent (data), which follows the first metadata area.
161
163 Check for metadata on a device
164 pvck PV ...
166 [ COMMON_OPTIONS ]
167 —
169 Check and print LVM headers and metadata on a device
171 pvck --dump headers|metadata|metadata_all|metadata_search PV
173 [ -f|--file String ]
174 [ --settings String ]
175 [ --[pv]metadatacopies 0|1|2 ]
176 [ COMMON_OPTIONS ]
177 —
179 Repair LVM headers or metadata on a device
181 pvck --repairtype pv_header|metadata|label_header PV
183 [ -f|--file String ]
184 [ --settings String ]
185 [ COMMON_OPTIONS ]
186 —
188 Repair LVM headers and metadata on a device
190 pvck --repair -f|--file String PV
192 [ --settings String ]
193 [ COMMON_OPTIONS ]
194 —
196 Common options for command:
198 [ --labelsector Number ]
199 Common options for lvm:
201 [ -d|--debug ]
202 [ -h|--help ]
203 [ -q|--quiet ]
204 [ -t|--test ]
205 [ -v|--verbose ]
206 [ -y|--yes ]
207 [ --commandprofile String ]
208 [ --config String ]
209 [ --devices PV ]
210 [ --devicesfile String ]
211 [ --driverloaded y|n ]
212 [ --journal String ]
213 [ --lockopt String ]
214 [ --longhelp ]
215 [ --nohints ]
216 [ --nolocking ]
217 [ --profile String ]
218 [ --version ]
219
221 --commandprofile String
222 The command profile to use for command configuration. See
223 lvm.conf(5) for more information about profiles.
224 --config String
226 Config settings for the command. These override lvm.conf(5) set‐
227 tings. The String arg uses the same format as lvm.conf(5), or
228 may use section/field syntax. See lvm.conf(5) for more informa‐
229 tion about config.
230 -d|--debug ...
232 Set debug level. Repeat from 1 to 6 times to increase the detail
233 of messages sent to the log file and/or syslog (if configured).
234 --devices PV
236 Restricts the devices that are visible and accessible to the
237 command. Devices not listed will appear to be missing. This op‐
238 tion can be repeated, or accepts a comma separated list of de‐
239 vices. This overrides the devices file.
240 --devicesfile String
242 A file listing devices that LVM should use. The file must exist
243 in /etc/lvm/devices/ and is managed with the lvmdevices(8) com‐
244 mand. This overrides the lvm.conf(5) devices/devicesfile and
245 devices/use_devicesfile settings.
246 --driverloaded y|n
248 If set to no, the command will not attempt to use device-mapper.
249 For testing and debugging.
250 --dump headers|metadata|metadata_all|metadata_search
252 Dump headers and metadata from a PV for debugging and repair.
253 Option values include: headers to print and check LVM headers,
254 metadata to print or save the current text metadata, metada‐
255 ta_all to list or save all versions of metadata, metadata_search
256 to list or save all versions of metadata, searching standard lo‐
257 cations in case of damaged headers, metadata_area to save an en‐
258 tire text metadata area to a file.
259 -f|--file String
261 Metadata file to read or write.
262 -h|--help
264 Display help text.
265 --journal String
267 Record information in the systemd journal. This information is
268 in addition to information enabled by the lvm.conf log/journal
269 setting. command: record information about the command. out‐
270 put: record the default command output. debug: record full com‐
271 mand debugging.
272 --labelsector Number
274 By default the PV is labelled with an LVM2 identifier in its
275 second sector (sector 1). This lets you use a different sector
276 near the start of the disk (between 0 and 3 inclusive - see LA‐
277 BEL_SCAN_SECTORS in the source). Use with care.
278 --lockopt String
280 Used to pass options for special cases to lvmlockd. See lvm‐
281 lockd(8) for more information.
282 --longhelp
284 Display long help text.
285 --nohints
287 Do not use the hints file to locate devices for PVs. A command
288 may read more devices to find PVs when hints are not used. The
289 command will still perform standard hint file invalidation where
290 appropriate.
291 --nolocking
293 Disable locking. Use with caution, concurrent commands may pro‐
294 duce incorrect results.
295 --profile String
297 An alias for --commandprofile or --metadataprofile, depending on
298 the command.
299 --[pv]metadatacopies 0|1|2
301 The number of metadata areas to set aside on a PV for storing VG
302 metadata. When 2, one copy of the VG metadata is stored at the
303 front of the PV and a second copy is stored at the end. When 1,
304 one copy of the VG metadata is stored at the front of the PV.
305 When 0, no copies of the VG metadata are stored on the given PV.
306 This may be useful in VGs containing many PVs (this places limi‐
307 tations on the ability to use vgsplit later.)
308 -q|--quiet ...
310 Suppress output and log messages. Overrides --debug and --ver‐
311 bose. Repeat once to also suppress any prompts with answer
312 'no'.
313 --repair
315 Repair headers and metadata on a PV.
316 --repairtype pv_header|metadata|label_header
318 Repair headers and metadata on a PV. See command description.
319 --settings String
321 Specifies command specific settings in "Key = Value" form. Com‐
322 bine multiple settings in quotes, or repeat the settings option
323 for each.
324 -t|--test
326 Run in test mode. Commands will not update metadata. This is
327 implemented by disabling all metadata writing but nevertheless
328 returning success to the calling function. This may lead to un‐
329 usual error messages in multi-stage operations if a tool relies
330 on reading back metadata it believes has changed but hasn't.
331 -v|--verbose ...
333 Set verbose level. Repeat from 1 to 4 times to increase the de‐
334 tail of messages sent to stdout and stderr.
335 --version
337 Display version information.
338 -y|--yes
340 Do not prompt for confirmation interactively but always assume
341 the answer yes. Use with extreme caution. (For automatic no,
342 see -qq.)
343
345 PV Physical Volume name, a device path under /dev. For commands
346 managing physical extents, a PV positional arg generally accepts
347 a suffix indicating a range (or multiple ranges) of physical ex‐
348 tents (PEs). When the first PE is omitted, it defaults to the
349 start of the device, and when the last PE is omitted it defaults
350 to end. Start and end range (inclusive): PV[:PE-PE]... Start
351 and length range (counting from 0): PV[:PE+PE]...
352 String See the option description for information about the string con‐
354 tent.
355 Size[UNIT]
357 Size is an input number that accepts an optional unit. Input
358 units are always treated as base two values, regardless of capi‐
359 talization, e.g. 'k' and 'K' both refer to 1024. The default
360 input unit is specified by letter, followed by |UNIT. UNIT rep‐
361 resents other possible input units: b|B is bytes, s|S is sectors
362 of 512 bytes, k|K is KiB, m|M is MiB, g|G is GiB, t|T is TiB,
363 p|P is PiB, e|E is EiB. (This should not be confused with the
364 output control --units, where capital letters mean multiple of
365 1000.)
366
368 See lvm(8) for information about environment variables used by lvm.
369 For example, LVM_VG_NAME can generally be substituted for a required VG
370 parameter.
371
373 If the partition table is corrupted or lost on /dev/sda, and you sus‐
374 pect there was an LVM partition at approximately 100 MiB, then this
375 area of the disk can be scanned using the --labelsector parameter with
376 a value of 204800 (100 * 1024 * 1024 / 512 = 204800).
377 pvck --labelsector 204800 /dev/sda
378
380 lvm(8), lvm.conf(5), lvmconfig(8), lvmdevices(8),
381 pvchange(8), pvck(8), pvcreate(8), pvdisplay(8), pvmove(8),
383 pvremove(8), pvresize(8), pvs(8), pvscan(8),
384 vgcfgbackup(8), vgcfgrestore(8), vgchange(8), vgck(8), vgcreate(8),
386 vgconvert(8), vgdisplay(8), vgexport(8), vgextend(8), vgimport(8),
387 vgimportclone(8), vgimportdevices(8), vgmerge(8), vgmknodes(8),
388 vgreduce(8), vgremove(8), vgrename(8), vgs(8), vgscan(8), vgsplit(8),
389 lvcreate(8), lvchange(8), lvconvert(8), lvdisplay(8), lvextend(8),
391 lvreduce(8), lvremove(8), lvrename(8), lvresize(8), lvs(8), lvscan(8),
392 lvm-fullreport(8), lvm-lvpoll(8), blkdeactivate(8), lvmdump(8),
394 dmeventd(8), lvmpolld(8), lvmlockd(8), lvmlockctl(8), cmirrord(8),
396 lvmdbusd(8), fsadm(8),
397 lvmsystemid(7), lvmreport(7), lvmcache(7), lvmraid(7), lvmthin(7),
399 lvmvdo(7), lvmautoactivation(7)
400Red Hat, Inc. LVM TOOLS 2.03.22(2) (2023-08-02) PVCK(8)