sg_scan - does a scan of sg devices (or given SCSI/ATAPI/ATA devices) and prints the results

sg_scan [-a] [-i] [-n] [-w] [-x] [<sam_dev>]*

If no <sam_dev> device names are given, sg_scan does a scan of the sg devices and outputs a line of information for each sg device that is currently bound to a SCSI device. Once any <sam_dev> is given only the given <sam_dev>s are scanned. Devices are opened with the O_NONBLOCK flag so that the scan will not "hang" on any device that another process holds an O_EXCL lock on.

Any given <sam_devs> device names are expected to comply with (to some extent) the Storage Architecture Model (SAM see www.t10.org). Any device names associated with the Linux SCSI subsystem (e.g. /dev/sda and /dev/st0m) are suitable. Devices names associated with ATAPI devices (e.g. most CD/DVD drives and ATAPI tape drives) are also suitable. If the device does not fall into the above categories then an ATA IDENTIFY command is tried.

-a

do alphabetical scan (i.e. sga, sgb, sgc)

-i

do a SCSI INQUIRY, output results in a second (indented) line. If the device is an ATA disk then output information from an ATA IDENTIFY command

-n

do numeric scan (i.e. sg0, sg1...) [default]

-w

use a read/write flag when opening sg device (default is read-only)

-x

extra information output about queuing

Written by D. Gilbert and F. Jansen

Copyright © 1999-2004 Douglas Gilbert

This software is distributed under the GPL version 2. There is NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.