PVCK(8)

📦
version 2.03.44 · 14 versions
, in arch rolling

💖 PVCK — the check-your-physical-volume page (section 8, System Manager's Manual) 💖

okay bestie, so pvck? it's the one you call when your physical volume is giving unwell and you need to check the metadata. let's get into it 💅

✨ NAME ✨

pvck — Check metadata on physical volumes

🎀 SYNOPSIS 🎀

pvck option_args position_args
       [ option_args ]

and the full menu of options, exactly as they come:

  • --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

periodt, that's the whole lineup 💫

🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

pvck checks and repairs LVM metadata on PVs. like, it looks at your physical volume's metadata and goes "bestie... this is fine" or "bestie... we need to talk." 💖

🌸 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.

so here's the little map of where stuff lives, iykyk: 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) immediately following the mda_header sector. and 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, metadata 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. all the versions, no crumbs left behind 🍓

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. this is the detective mode one 🔍

metadata_area

Save the entire text metadata area to a file without processing. zero thoughts, just copy the whole vibe out. ✨

💅 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.

🚨 bestie this part is IMPORTANT. get the PV UUID right. if device names got swapped around since the metadata was last written, you can absolutely end up applying the wrong PV UUID, and that's not a cute look. 😭

If a PV has no metadata areas and the pv_header is damaged, then the repair will not know that no metadata areas should be created. 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 instead 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 label_header.

--repairtype metadata

Repairs the mda_header and metadata text. It requires the headers to be correct (having been undamaged or already repaired). no skipping ahead, the headers gotta be good first 🫶

--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 includes an mda_header and circular metadata text buffer. Setting this forces metadata_search to 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 specified, 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 pv_uuid 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 location of the first physical extent (data), which follows the first metadata area.

🌈 USAGE 🌈

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 ]
       [ --[pv]metadatacopies 0|1|2 ]
       [ --settings String ]
       [ 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 ]

the shared stuff 🫶

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 ]

okay that's part one bestie, and we are not done yet — there's more coming, so don't go anywhere 💖

✨ OPTIONS ✨

okay bestie, this is the big one — every single flag, and yes we're doing all of them 💅

  • --commandprofile String — the command profile to use for command configuration. wanna know more? go read lvm.conf(5) about profiles, it's giving homework but it's good homework 🫶
  • --config String — config settings for the command. these override whatever lvm.conf(5) set, no cap. the String arg uses the same format as lvm.conf(5), or you can use section/field syntax. again, lvm.conf(5) has the deets ✨
  • -d, --debug ... — set debug level. repeat it from 1 to 6 times to make the messages sent to the log file and/or syslog (if configured) more and more detailed. more repeats = more tea 🔥
  • --devices PV — restricts which devices are visible and accessible to the command. anything not listed will look like it's missing, like it ghosted 👻. you can repeat this option, or hand it a comma-separated list of devices. this overrides the devices file.
  • --devicesfile String — a file listing devices that LVM should use. it has to already exist in /etc/lvm/devices/ and you manage it with the lvmdevices(8) command. this overrides the lvm.conf(5) devices/devicesfile and devices/use_devicesfile settings. so many overrides, main character energy honestly 👑
  • --driverloaded y|n — if you set it to no, the command will not even attempt to use device-mapper. strictly for testing and debugging, iykyk 🧚
  • --dump headers|metadata|metadata_all|metadata_search — dump headers and metadata from a PV for debugging and repair, like a little archaeological dig 🔍. the 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, and metadata_area to save an entire text metadata area to a file. so many options fr fr 💀
  • -f, --file String — metadata file to read or write 📄
  • -h, --help — display help text. the classic. we love a helpful icon 🌸
  • --journal String — record information in the systemd journal. this is in addition to whatever the lvm.conf log/journal setting already enables. options are: command: records information about the command, output: records the default command output, debug: records full command debugging. three flavours of receipts 🎀
  • --labelsector Number — by default the PV gets labelled with an LVM2 identifier in its second sector (sector 1). this option lets you use a different sector near the start of the disk (between 0 and 3 inclusive — see LABEL_SCAN_SECTORS in the source). > use with care, bestie, this is not a vibe-forever situation ⚠️
  • --lockopt String — used to pass options for special cases to lvmlockd. go see lvmlockd(8) for more, it knows things 🔐
  • --longhelp — display long help text. it's the extended cut, the director's version, the ✨long✨ help 🍓
  • --nohints — do not use the hints file to locate devices for PVs. without hints, a command may have to read more devices to find PVs. the command will still perform standard hint file invalidation where appropriate, so don't worry, it's not just raw-dogging the disk 🙈
  • --nolocking — disable locking completely. > use with caution: concurrent commands may produce incorrect results. that's a real danger, not a cute one 😭
  • --profile String — an alias for --commandprofile or --metadataprofile, depending on the command. it's the flex option, shapeshifting as needed 🦋
  • --[pv]metadatacopies 0|1|2 — the number of metadata areas to set aside on a PV for storing VG metadata. when 2, one copy of the VG metadata is stored at the front of the PV and a second copy at the end. when 1, one copy is stored at the front of the PV. when 0, no copies of the VG metadata are stored on the given PV. this may be useful in VGs containing many PVs — but heads up, this places limitations on the ability to use vgsplit later 👀
  • -q, --quiet ... — suppress output and log messages. it overrides --debug and --verbose entirely, sorry to those, they've been silenced 💀. repeat it 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 description (that's the DESCRIPTION tea from earlier, bestie).
  • --settings String — specifies command specific settings in "Key = Value" form. combine multiple settings inside quotes, or just repeat the settings option for each one, whichever slays for you ✨
  • -t, --test — run in test mode. commands will not update metadata. technically it does this by disabling all metadata writing but still returning success to the calling function anyway (fake it till you make it 😭). > 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. so like, it lies, and then other tools get confused. drama.
  • -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. the "what are you" question, answered 🎀
  • -y, --yes — do not prompt for confirmation interactively; always assume the answer is yes. > use with extreme caution. (for an automatic no, see -qq.) this is the "yes and I mean it" button and it does not play around 🔥

🌈 VARIABLES 🌈

  • PV — Physical Volume name, a device path under /dev. for commands managing physical extents, a PV positional arg generally 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 the end. here's the syntax, keep it safe:
Start and end range (inclusive): PV[:PE-PE] ...
Start and length range (counting from 0): PV[:PE+PE] ...
  • String — see the option description for info about the string content. like, each option tells you what it wants 💅
  • Size[UNIT] — Size is an input number that accepts an optional unit. > input units are always treated as base two values, regardless of capitalization — so '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. and bestie, please don't confuse this with the output control --units, where capital letters mean multiples of 1000. two different systems, two different vibes, do not mix them 😭

🌸 ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES 🌸

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 — like a little shortcut so you don't gotta type the whole thing every time 🫶

⭐ EXAMPLES ⭐

okay so imagine 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 parameter with a value of 204800 (because 100 * 1024 * 1024 / 512 = 204800, math ate that 💅).

pvck --labelsector 204800 /dev/sda

🦋 SEE ALSO 🦋

the whole found family, go say hi:

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), lvmdbusd(8), fsadm(8),

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

and that's the whole page, bestie!! 🎀 this one's brought to you by Red Hat, Inc., running LVM TOOLS 2.03.44(2), dated 2026-10-27 — go forth and pvck responsibly, ily 💖✨🦋

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