So, I've had a server PC running CentOS 6.something for a few years. I restarted it just now, and now I'm getting a ton of:

[68495.610863] ata3.00: status: { ERR }
[68495.610865] ata3.00: error: { UNC }

and then kernel panic.

I doubt the drive is failing because I was just using it like an hour before and I wasn't really doing much, I didn't even run an executable or something, just vim some files.

But the odd thing is- I get to the blue CentOS screen. And then it switches to the running feed as linux does.

So why would I get to the blue graphical CentOS screen? I mean even if the drive is failing..... which it wasn't an hour ago....

Doesn't make sense, right.

rw

Hard drives sometimes fail catastrophically and suddenly. Why not boot a live distribution cd and if it boots, you can use tools like smartctl to review the status of the hard drive.

Thanks, is there something like a "safe mode" when the blue centos screen comes on? You know, like a key command like windows does?

Or- I have in runlevel 5 right now, maybe could I switch it to runlevel 3 with a key command or something?

Anyway, either one would help, thanks,

you can switch runlevel as root by: init <runlevel>

Replace SATA cables and clean disk contacts.