If CRC errors are increasing, what is the likely root cause?

• A. Bad/loose SATA/SAS cable
• B. Overheating CPU
• C. Faulty RAM
• D. Power supply ripple

Answer: (A)

CRC errors show up when data transferred over the storage link is detected as corrupted by the CRC check. On SATA/SAS, this check happens on the path between the host controller and the drive, so a rising number of CRC errors almost always points to a physical layer problem in that connection. The most common cause is a bad or loose cable or a faulty connector, so reseating or replacing the SATA/SAS cable and inspecting the connectors typically resolves it.

Other options don’t fit the pattern as well. Overheating the CPU mainly affects performance or stability, not the integrity checks on the storage bus. Faulty RAM can cause data corruption in memory, but CRC errors observed on the disk link are a storage-path issue rather than a symptom of bad memory. Power supply ripple can cause broader instability, but it’s the storage link’s wiring and connectors that most directly drive CRC errors on data transfers.