# Fix: unable to kmem_alloc enough memory for scatter/gather list in ZFS Solaris 10.5

https://blog.cynexia.com/fix-unable-to-kmem_alloc-enough-memory-for-scatter-gather-list-in-zfs-solaris-10-5

Author: [Rob Aleck](https://blog.cynexia.com/pages/about) · https://github.com/mnbf9rca · https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertaleck/ · https://family-foqos.app/

Published: 2019-12-19
Categories: Fix


The ZFS Pool on my server was showing degraded state. After checking the SMART status of the constituent drives and finding no problem, I discovered that there's a [bug in Solaris 10.5](<https://support.huawei.com/enterprise/en/knowledge/EKB1000005808>) where the system reports a growing number of errors and eventually fails the pool. `dmesg` shows an error `unable to kmem_alloc enough memory for scatter/gather list`, however, there is actually nothing wrong with the pool. Running zpool status shows degraded state:

```
root@fs:~# zpool status
  pool: rpool
 state: ONLINE
  scan: none requested
config:

        NAME        STATE     READ WRITE CKSUM      CAP            Product /Disks     IOstat mess          SN/LUN
        rpool       ONLINE       0     0     0
          c1t0d0    ONLINE       0     0     0      32.2 GB        VMware Virtual S   S:5 H:25 T:0         000000000000000

errors: No known data errors

  pool: tank
 state: DEGRADED
status: One or more devices has experienced an unrecoverable error.  An
        attempt was made to correct the error.  Applications are unaffected.
action: Determine if the device needs to be replaced, and clear the errors
        using 'zpool clear' or replace the device with 'zpool replace'.
   see: http://illumos.org/msg/ZFS-8000-9P
  scan: scrub repaired 0 in 12h15m with 0 errors on Fri Dec 21 00:08:43 2020
config:

        NAME                       STATE     READ WRITE CKSUM      CAP            Product /Disks     IOstat mess          SN/LUN
        tank                       DEGRADED     0     0     0
          raidz1-0                 DEGRADED     0     0     0
            c0t50014EE20BF0750Dd0  ONLINE       0     0     0      4 TB           WDC WD40EFRX-68W   S:0 H:0 T:0          WDWCC4E6NAXVAS
            c0t50014EE263348A3Ed0  ONLINE       0     0     0      4 TB           WDC WD40EFRX-68W   S:0 H:0 T:0          WDWCC4E0FRRRRP
            c0t50014EE2B69D2D68d0  DEGRADED     0     0    20  too many errors      4 TB           WDC WD40EFRX-68W   S:0 H:0 T:0          WDWCC4E3AN2Y99

errors: No known data errors
```

Running `zpool clear` recovers the pool:

```
root@fs:~# zpool clear
root@fs:~# zpool status    
  pool: rpool
 state: ONLINE
  scan: none requested
config:

        NAME        STATE     READ WRITE CKSUM
        rpool       ONLINE       0     0     0
          c1t0d0    ONLINE       0     0     0

errors: No known data errors

  pool: tank
 state: ONLINE
status: One or more devices has experienced an unrecoverable error.  An
        attempt was made to correct the error.  Applications are unaffected.
action: Determine if the device needs to be replaced, and clear the errors
        using 'zpool clear' or replace the device with 'zpool replace'.
   see: http://illumos.org/msg/ZFS-8000-9P
  scan: none requested
config:

        NAME                       STATE     READ WRITE CKSUM
        tank                       ONLINE       0     0     0
          raidz1-0                 ONLINE       0     0     0
            c0t50014EE20BF0750Dd0  ONLINE       0     0     2
            c0t50014EE263348A3Ed0  ONLINE       0     0     0
            c0t50014EE2B69D2D68d0  ONLINE       0     0     0
```