pvck(8) — Linux manual page

NAME | SYNOPSIS | DESCRIPTION | USAGE | OPTIONS | VARIABLES | ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES | EXAMPLES | SEE ALSO | COLOPHON

PVCK(8)                  System Manager's Manual                  PVCK(8)

NAME         top

       pvck — Check metadata on physical volumes

SYNOPSIS         top

       pvck option_args position_args
           [ option_args ]

           --commandprofile String
           --config String
        -d|--debug
           --devices PV
           --devicesfile String
           --driverloaded y|n
           --dump headers|metadata|metadata_all|metadata_search
        -f|--file String
        -h|--help
           --journal String
           --labelsector Number
           --lockopt String
           --longhelp
           --nohints
           --nolocking
           --profile String
           --[pv]metadatacopies 0|1|2
        -q|--quiet
           --repair
           --repairtype pv_header|metadata|label_header
           --settings String
        -t|--test
        -v|--verbose
           --version
        -y|--yes

DESCRIPTION         top

       pvck checks and repairs LVM metadata on PVs.

   Dump options
       headers
       Print LVM on-disk headers and structures: label_header, pv_header,
       mda_header(s),  and  metadata  text.   Warnings are printed if any
       values are incorrect.  The label_header and pv_header  both  exist
       in a 512 byte sector, usually the second sector of the device.  An
       mda_header  exists  in  a 512 byte sector at offset 4096 bytes.  A
       second mda_header can optionally exist near the end of the device.
       The metadata text exists in an area (about 1MiB by default)  imme‐
       diately  following  the  mda_header  sector.  The metadata text is
       checked but not printed (see other options).

       metadata
       Print the current LVM VG metadata text (or save to a file),  using
       headers  to  locate  the  latest copy of metadata.  If headers are
       damaged, metadata may not be  found  (see  metadata_search).   Use
       --settings  "mda_num=2" to look in mda2 (the second mda at the end
       of the device, if used).  The metadata text is printed  to  stdout
       or saved to a file with --file.

       metadata_all
       List all versions of VG metadata found in the metadata area, using
       headers to locate metadata.  Full copies of all metadata are saved
       to a file with the --file option.  If headers are damaged, metada‐
       ta  may  not  be  found  (see  metadata_search).   Use  --settings
       "mda_num=2" as above.  Use -v to include  descriptions  and  dates
       when listing metadata versions.

       metadata_search
       List  all  versions  of  VG  metadata  found in the metadata area,
       searching common locations so metadata can be found if headers are
       damaged.  Full copies of all metadata are saved to a file with the
       --file option.  To save one  specific  version  of  metadata,  use
       --settings  "metadata_offset=<offset>",  where the offset is taken
       from the list of versions found.  Use -v to  include  descriptions
       and dates when listing metadata versions.

       metadata_area
       Save the entire text metadata area to a file without processing.

   Repair options
       --repair
       Repair  headers  and metadata on a PV.  This uses a metadata input
       file that  was  extracted  by  --dump,  or  a  backup  file  (from
       /etc/lvm/backup).   When  possible,  use  metadata saved by --dump
       from another PV in the same VG (or from a second metadata area  on
       the PV).

       There are cases where the PV UUID needs to be specified for the PV
       being    repaired.     It    is    specified    using   --settings
       "pv_uuid=<UUID>".  In particular, if the device name  for  the  PV
       being  repaired does not match the previous device name of the PV,
       then LVM may not be able to determine the correct PV  UUID.   When
       headers  are  damaged on more than one PV in a VG, it is important
       for the user to determine the correct PV UUID and  specify  it  in
       --settings.   Otherwise, the wrong PV UUID could be used if device
       names have been swapped since the metadata was last written.

       If a PV has no metadata areas and the pv_header is  damaged,  then
       the  repair  will  not know to create no metadata areas during re‐
       pair.  It will by default repair metadata in mda1.  To repair with
       no metadata areas, use --settings "mda_offset=0 mda_size=0".

       There are cases where repair should be run on all PVs  in  the  VG
       (using the same metadata file):  if all PVs in the VG are damaged,
       if  using an old metadata version, or if a backup file is used in‐
       stead of raw metadata (taken from pvck dump.)

       Using --repair is equivalent  to  running  --repairtype  pv_header
       followed by --repairtype metadata.

       --repairtype pv_header
       Repairs  the  header  sector,  containing  the  pv_header  and la‐
       bel_header.

       --repairtype metadata
       Repairs the mda_header and metadata text.  It requires the headers
       to be correct (having been undamaged or already repaired).

       --repairtype label_header
       Repairs label_header fields, leaving the pv_header  (in  the  same
       sector)  unchanged.   (repairtype pv_header should usually be used
       instead.)

   Settings
       The --settings option controls or overrides certain dump or repair
       behaviors.  All offset and size values in settings  are  in  bytes
       (units are not recognized.)  These settings are subject to change.

       mda_num=1|2
       Select  which  metadata area should be used.  By default the first
       metadata area (1) is used.  mda1 is always located at offset 4096.
       mda2, at the end of the device, often does  not  exist  (it's  not
       created  by  default.) If mda1 is erased, mda2, if it exists, will
       often still have metadata.

       metadata_offset=bytes
       Select metadata text at this offset.  Use with metadata_search  to
       print/save one instance of metadata text.

       mda_offset=bytes mda_size=bytes
       Refers  to  a  metadata  area (mda) location and size.  An mda in‐
       cludes an mda_header and circular metadata text  buffer.   Setting
       this  forces  metadata_search  look for metadata in the given area
       instead of the standard locations.  When set to zero with  repair,
       it indicates no metadata areas should exist.

       mda2_offset=bytes mda2_size=bytes
       When repairing a pv_header, this forces a specific offset and size
       for mda2 that should be recorded in the pv_header.

       pv_uuid=uuid
       Specify the PV UUID of the device being repaired.  When not speci‐
       fied,  repair  will  attempt  to  determine the correct PV UUID by
       matching a device name in the metadata.

       device_size=bytes
       data_offset=bytes
       When repairing a pv_header, the device_size, data_offset, and pvid
       can all be specified directly, in which case these values are  not
       taken from a metadata file (where they usually come from), and the
       metadata  file  can be omitted.  data_offset is the starting loca‐
       tion of the first physical extent (data), which follows the  first
       metadata area.

USAGE         top

       Check for metadata on a device

       pvck PV ...
           [ COMMON_OPTIONS ]

       —

       Check and print LVM headers and metadata on a device

       pvck --dump headers|metadata|metadata_all|metadata_search PV
           [ -f|--file String ]
           [    --settings String ]
           [    --[pv]metadatacopies 0|1|2 ]
           [ COMMON_OPTIONS ]

       —

       Repair LVM headers or metadata on a device

       pvck --repairtype pv_header|metadata|label_header PV
           [ -f|--file String ]
           [    --settings String ]
           [ COMMON_OPTIONS ]

       —

       Repair LVM headers and metadata on a device

       pvck --repair -f|--file String PV
           [    --settings String ]
           [ COMMON_OPTIONS ]

       —

       Common options for command:
           [    --labelsector Number ]

       Common options for lvm:
           [ -d|--debug ]
           [ -h|--help ]
           [ -q|--quiet ]
           [ -t|--test ]
           [ -v|--verbose ]
           [ -y|--yes ]
           [    --commandprofile String ]
           [    --config String ]
           [    --devices PV ]
           [    --devicesfile String ]
           [    --driverloaded y|n ]
           [    --journal String ]
           [    --lockopt String ]
           [    --longhelp ]
           [    --nohints ]
           [    --nolocking ]
           [    --profile String ]
           [    --version ]

OPTIONS         top


       --commandprofile String
              The  command profile to use for command configuration.  See
              lvm.conf(5) for more information about profiles.

       --config String
              Config settings for the command. These override lvm.conf(5)
              settings.   The  String  arg  uses  the  same   format   as
              lvm.conf(5),   or   may   use  section/field  syntax.   See
              lvm.conf(5) for more information about config.

       -d|--debug ...
              Set debug level. Repeat from 1 to 6 times to  increase  the
              detail  of  messages sent to the log file and/or syslog (if
              configured).

       --devices PV
              Devices that the command can use. This option  can  be  re‐
              peated  or  accepts a comma separated list of devices. This
              overrides the devices file.

       --devicesfile String
              A file listing devices that LVM should use.  The file  must
              exist   in   /etc/lvm/devices/  and  is  managed  with  the
              lvmdevices(8) command.  This overrides the lvm.conf(5)  de‐
              vices/devicesfile and devices/use_devicesfile settings.

       --driverloaded y|n
              If  set  to no, the command will not attempt to use device-
              mapper.  For testing and debugging.

       --dump headers|metadata|metadata_all|metadata_search
              Dump headers and metadata from a PV for debugging  and  re‐
              pair.   Option  values  include: headers to print and check
              LVM headers, metadata to print or  save  the  current  text
              metadata,  metadata_all  to  list  or  save all versions of
              metadata, metadata_search to list or save all  versions  of
              metadata,  searching  standard locations in case of damaged
              headers, metadata_area to save an entire text metadata area
              to a file.

       -f|--file String
              Metadata file to read or write.

       -h|--help
              Display help text.

       --journal String
              Record information in the systemd journal.   This  informa‐
              tion  is in addition to information enabled by the lvm.conf
              log/journal setting.  command: record information about the
              command.  output: record the default command  output.   de‐
              bug: record full command debugging.

       --labelsector Number
              By  default  the  PV is labelled with an LVM2 identifier in
              its second sector (sector 1). This lets you use a different
              sector near the start of the disk (between 0 and  3  inclu‐
              sive  -  see  LABEL_SCAN_SECTORS  in  the source). Use with
              care.

       --lockopt String
              Used to pass options for special cases  to  lvmlockd.   See
              lvmlockd(8) for more information.

       --longhelp
              Display long help text.

       --nohints
              Do not use the hints file to locate devices for PVs. A com‐
              mand  may  read more devices to find PVs when hints are not
              used. The command will still perform standard hint file in‐
              validation where appropriate.

       --nolocking
              Disable locking.

       --profile String
              An alias for --commandprofile or --metadataprofile, depend‐
              ing on the command.

       --[pv]metadatacopies 0|1|2
              The number of metadata areas to set aside on a PV for stor‐
              ing VG metadata.  When 2, one copy of the  VG  metadata  is
              stored  at  the front of the PV and a second copy is stored
              at the end.  When 1, one copy of the VG metadata is  stored
              at  the front of the PV.  When 0, no copies of the VG meta‐
              data are stored on the given PV.  This may be useful in VGs
              containing many PVs (this places limitations on the ability
              to use vgsplit later.)

       -q|--quiet ...
              Suppress output and log  messages.  Overrides  --debug  and
              --verbose.   Repeat  once to also suppress any prompts with
              answer 'no'.

       --repair
              Repair headers and metadata on a PV.

       --repairtype pv_header|metadata|label_header
              Repair headers and metadata on a PV. See  command  descrip‐
              tion.

       --settings String
              Specifies  command specific settings in "Key = Value" form.
              Combine multiple settings in quotes, or repeat the settings
              option for each.

       -t|--test
              Run in test mode. Commands will not update metadata.   This
              is implemented by disabling all metadata writing but never‐
              theless returning success to the calling function. This may
              lead to unusual error messages in multi-stage operations if
              a  tool  relies  on  reading  back metadata it believes has
              changed but hasn't.

       -v|--verbose ...
              Set verbose level. Repeat from 1 to 4 times to increase the
              detail of messages sent to stdout and stderr.

       --version
              Display version information.

       -y|--yes
              Do not prompt for confirmation interactively but always as‐
              sume the answer yes. Use with extreme caution.  (For  auto‐
              matic no, see -qq.)

VARIABLES         top

       PV     Physical Volume name, a device path under /dev.  For com‐
              mands managing physical extents, a PV positional arg gener‐
              ally accepts a suffix indicating a range (or multiple
              ranges) of physical extents (PEs). When the first PE is
              omitted, it defaults to the start of the device, and when
              the last PE is omitted it defaults to end.  Start and end
              range (inclusive): PV[:PE-PE]...  Start and length range
              (counting from 0): PV[:PE+PE]...

       String See the option description for information about the string
              content.

       Size[UNIT]
              Size is an input number that accepts an optional unit.  In‐
              put units are always treated as base two values, regardless
              of capitalization, e.g. 'k' and 'K' both refer to 1024.
              The default input unit is specified by letter, followed by
              |UNIT.  UNIT represents other possible input units: b|B is
              bytes, s|S is sectors of 512 bytes, k|K is KiB, m|M is MiB,
              g|G is GiB, t|T is TiB, p|P is PiB, e|E is EiB.  (This
              should not be confused with the output control --units,
              where capital letters mean multiple of 1000.)

ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES         top

       See lvm(8) for information about environment variables used by
       lvm.  For example, LVM_VG_NAME can generally be substituted for a
       required VG parameter.

EXAMPLES         top

       If the partition table is corrupted or lost on /dev/sda, and you
       suspect there was an LVM partition at approximately 100 MiB, then
       this area of the disk can be scanned using the --labelsector para‐
       meter with a value of 204800 (100 * 1024 * 1024 / 512 = 204800).
       pvck --labelsector 204800 /dev/sda

SEE ALSO         top

       lvm(8), lvm.conf(5), lvmconfig(8), lvmdevices(8),

       pvchange(8), pvck(8), pvcreate(8), pvdisplay(8), pvmove(8),
       pvremove(8), pvresize(8), pvs(8), pvscan(8),

       vgcfgbackup(8), vgcfgrestore(8), vgchange(8), vgck(8),
       vgcreate(8), vgconvert(8), vgdisplay(8), vgexport(8), vgextend(8),
       vgimport(8), vgimportclone(8), vgimportdevices(8), vgmerge(8),
       vgmknodes(8), vgreduce(8), vgremove(8), vgrename(8), vgs(8),
       vgscan(8), vgsplit(8),

       lvcreate(8), lvchange(8), lvconvert(8), lvdisplay(8), lvextend(8),
       lvreduce(8), lvremove(8), lvrename(8), lvresize(8), lvs(8),
       lvscan(8),

       lvm-fullreport(8), lvm-lvpoll(8), blkdeactivate(8), lvmdump(8),

       dmeventd(8), lvmpolld(8), lvmlockd(8), lvmlockctl(8), cmirrord(8),
       lvmdbusd(8), fsadm(8),

       lvmsystemid(7), lvmreport(7), lvmcache(7), lvmraid(7), lvmthin(7),
       lvmvdo(7), lvmautoactivation(7)

COLOPHON         top

       This page is part of the lvm2 (Logical Volume Manager 2) project.
       Information about the project can be found at 
       ⟨http://www.sourceware.org/lvm2/⟩.  If you have a bug report for
       this manual page, see ⟨https://github.com/lvmteam/lvm2/issues⟩.
       This page was obtained from the project's upstream Git repository
       ⟨git://sourceware.org/git/lvm2.git⟩ on 2025-02-02.  (At that time,
       the date of the most recent commit that was found in the
       repository was 2025-01-31.)  If you discover any rendering
       problems in this HTML version of the page, or you believe there is
       a better or more up-to-date source for the page, or you have
       corrections or improvements to the information in this COLOPHON
       (which is not part of the original manual page), send a mail to
       man-pages@man7.org

Red Hat, Inc.     LVM TOOLS 2.03.31(2)-git (2025-01-14)           PVCK(8)

Pages that refer to this page: lvchange(8)lvconvert(8)lvcreate(8)lvdisplay(8)lvextend(8)lvm(8)lvmconfig(8)lvmdevices(8)lvmdiskscan(8)lvm-fullreport(8)lvm-lvpoll(8)lvreduce(8)lvremove(8)lvrename(8)lvresize(8)lvs(8)lvscan(8)pvchange(8)pvck(8)pvcreate(8)pvdisplay(8)pvmove(8)pvremove(8)pvresize(8)pvs(8)pvscan(8)vgcfgbackup(8)vgcfgrestore(8)vgchange(8)vgck(8)vgconvert(8)vgcreate(8)vgdisplay(8)vgexport(8)vgextend(8)vgimport(8)vgimportclone(8)vgimportdevices(8)vgmerge(8)vgmknodes(8)vgreduce(8)vgremove(8)vgrename(8)vgs(8)vgscan(8)vgsplit(8)