| Author | Thread |
|
|
04/26/2012 10:46:41 AM · #1 |
My system started crashing recently and I went through the process of elimination that I normally go through to figure stuff out. In the end, it ended up being my 1.5TB hard-drive was acting all funky. It's a Western Digital. I downloaded their diagnostic software and ran it on all 3 of my WD drives. The one drive wouldn't even pass the S.M.A.R.T scan (Fails after 10 seconds). When the drive is unplugged my system works fast and fine.
So, I started an RMA (return merchandise authorization) to have the drive replaced (Still under warranty). I hooked up the drive to try and get as much (And in the end all) of the data off it. I ran the test again and it still failed. I decided to use the same software to write zeros and format the drive. It took 7 hours and I was surprised that the system actually managed 7 hours.
After, I decided for the heck of it to run the scan again. This time it passed. I ran a 'long scan' and after a couple hours it returned as a pass. So now, according to the diagnostic tools, the drive is working. The drive is now not showing up in my Windows explorer as I think I have to re-format NTSF the thing like a new HD. Still, I'm wondering if something else could've caused things to make the drive bad and now things are actually OK...but I don't know, and I don't really know whether to trust asking Western Digital.
So, anyone familiar with the technicals of HD stuff? |
|
|
|
04/26/2012 10:56:26 AM · #2 |
Can't help much, but I had a problem with a portable Western Digital Passport that was universal (Windows and Mac). One night it just decided that half of my photos would no longer show up and none of the windows stuff could be accessed. It still sits because I don't know what I do/don't have and how (if at all) to retrieve.
Let us know if you DO call Western Digital. Next suggestion, get a Seagate (I've now got 2 and I love them!) Sorry! Hoping Fritz weighs in as he's really good at 'puter stuff...so is  Yospiff. Good luck! |
|
|
|
04/26/2012 11:29:18 AM · #3 |
I've sent a couple drives back to WD over the years, and have never had a problem at all. They've always been fairly quick to send me a new one with no question. I've even had them upgrade the drives. They upgraded a 500GB to a 750GB. Recently I had a 1T go bad under warranty, and they sent me a 1.5T. Can't complain one bit about their RMA process.
Take the information below this line with a grain of salt, because I'm no pro...
From everything I've read once you start getting bad sectors on a drive it's all down hill. I guess there's a few programs out there that claim to fix bad sectors, but I don't know if I trust'em. Perhaps the format flagged some bad sectors and the HD software scanner is now ignoring them? I would imagine that it'll just be a matter of short time that you start seeing problems again. |
|
|
|
04/26/2012 11:30:09 AM · #4 |
Kind of depends on why it was failing the SMART diagnostics. It may be passing now because all of the (currently) bad sectors have been mapped out, but if it still has a problem that is causing sectors to go bad, the SMART failures will crop back up. It might be that some of the failures were within the area used by the MFT (Master File table).
I would never trust a drive that had failed per the SMART diagnostics, unless I could completely satisfy myself that the failure was not a risk for recurrence. I would RMA the drive. Provide them the report detailing the original SMART failures.
|
|
|
|
04/26/2012 11:39:29 AM · #5 |
I agree with Kirbic. I wouldn't trust the drive now. I've had two 1TB drives fail on me. The first one was a Maxtor that failed suddenly with about 8 months of use. Fortunately, I had a recent data backup. They replaced it with a Seagate (Seagate acquired Maxtor a few years ago). The seagate started giving me smart errors a few more months down the road. I backed up the data and did have a few sectors it could not read. I replaced it with a 2TB Hitachi or Toshiba that has been running fine. Seagate replaced the failed replacement drive and I placed it in my wife's computer. No problems after over a year.
|
|
|
|
04/26/2012 11:53:35 AM · #6 |
| I guess I will go through with the RMA. The only thing that sucks (Compared to other parts of the world) is that I have to wait 3 weeks to get my new drive. According to WD, if you are in the states or EU you can get a drive first and send the bad one in later (Within a month). That would've been much nicer. Also, I'm paying shipping to Singapore...don't know why they don't have anything in Japan. |
|
|
|
04/26/2012 12:40:02 PM · #7 |
Originally posted by kirbic:
I would never trust a drive that had failed per the SMART diagnostics |
Originally posted by Yo_Spiff:
I wouldn't trust the drive now. |
I triple concur.
Even if it seems to be working now, I wouldn't trust my data on it. It's just a matter of time before it's totally kaput (i.e. it's a lot shorter amount of time now). |
|
Home -
Challenges -
Community -
League -
Photos -
Cameras -
Lenses -
Learn -
Help -
Terms of Use -
Privacy -
Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2025 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 11/03/2025 01:13:27 AM EST.
