$ Linux Command

Disk

pvck

Check LVM physical volume metadata for consistency.

lvmphysical volumecheckrepairmetadatarecovery

Additional Notes

pvck checks the consistency of LVM (Logical Volume Manager) metadata on physical volumes. It reads and validates the LVM label and metadata area at the beginning of the disk, reporting any corruption, inconsistencies, or structural problems.

pvck is a diagnostic and recovery tool. When an LVM physical volume fails, is damaged, or has corrupted metadata, pvck can detect the issues and potentially repair them. In severe cases, pvck --repair can restore metadata from backup areas if available.

Syntax

pvck [options] [physical-volume...]

Parameters

  • physical-volume: Device path such as /dev/sda1 or /dev/nvme0n1p2.

Common Options

  • -v, --verbose: Show detailed metadata information.
  • -vv: Very verbose, showing all metadata locations.
  • --labelsector sector: Specify the sector containing the LVM label (default 1).
  • --metadatatype type: Specify the metadata type (1 or 2).
  • --repair: Attempt to repair the physical volume metadata.
  • --dump: Dump metadata to standard output.
  • --dump N: Dump metadata from a specific metadata area.
  • -f file: Use a specific metadata file for repair operations.
  • -y, --yes: Answer yes to all prompts (for scripting).
  • --help: Show help.
  • --version: Show version.

Examples

pvck /dev/sdb1

Check the LVM metadata on /dev/sdb1 for consistency.

pvck -v /dev/sdb1

Check with verbose output showing metadata details.

pvck --dump /dev/sdc1

Dump LVM metadata from the physical volume to stdout.

pvck --repair /dev/sdb1

Attempt to repair damaged metadata on the physical volume.

pvck --labelsector 0 /dev/sda1

Check the LVM label at sector 0 instead of the default sector 1.

Practical Notes

  • pvck is a specialized recovery tool. For routine LVM diagnostics, use pvdisplay, pvscan, or pvs.
  • The --repair option should be used cautiously and ideally on a backup image or after snapshotting the volume.
  • pvck cannot repair data on the disk, only the LVM metadata headers.
  • Multiple metadata areas may exist on a PV. Version 2 metadata stores copies at the beginning and end of the device.
  • If pvck fails to find valid metadata, the physical volume may need to be recreated (with data loss).
  • Always back up PV metadata with pvdisplay --maps > pv_backup.txt before making changes to LVM configuration.