How to tell if I have bad hard drive?

[4ghz]

I have a 2TB Toshiba hard drive which had been in near continuous use for about 3 years. Then out of the blue Windows warned me there was problem and suggested I start backing up. Since I already do backups there wasn't anything new important so I downloaded the test software. Toshiba software didn't find any issues but it won't show me SMART data. When I restart the computer, I get SMART error at BIOS so something is wrong. HD Tune doesn't show data either. It's like the hard drive has SMART support but won't share it for some reason.

(I also found a problem with EVGA SR-2 mobo, it tells me to press F1 to continue but USB keyboard does not work at all because it hasn't loaded the driver for the error! I had to dig up PS/2 keyboard to get past that screen)

Is there software I can use to read SMART data? Or should I pull it and nuke it?

 

[satindemon4u]

Is the hard drive making any odd noises? Does the computer run EXTREMELY slow? I mean like...can't even stand to use it slow.

 

[Jetster]

Crystal Disk info. ***Is an internal drive right?

http://crystalmark.info/redirect.php?product=CrystalDiskInfoInstaller-en

 

[satindemon4u]

Could also check out the "Ultimate Boot CD". LOTS of useful tools in there.

 

[4ghz]

No noise at all, scandisk (full) didn't find any error, and file transfer speed seems about the same. The 2TB drive is used for data and not for booting or OS so I wouldn't have noticed slow computer unless it's playing video or running large games.

 

[Jetster]

Is it connected to a SATA port as in an internal drive or USB?

And did you try Crystal Disk info

 

[Solaris17]

I run tests on all my HDDs using crystal disk info. I do however need to tell you to watch the installer. I dont know if it was my source or what but it wanted to install conduit search. which is the #1 problem in my shop.

BUT

CDI is what I use and trust the most.

 

[4ghz]

CDI did want to install extra stuff and toolbar but it can be skipped with custom install. The hard drive in question is internal SATA connected to mobo's internal SATA 3G port set as IDE. CDI was able to get the SMART data:

-- S.M.A.R.T. --------------------------------------------------------------
ID Cur Wor Thr RawValues(6) Attribute Name
01 _94 _94 _16 00000000001D Read Error Rate
02 127 127 _54 00000000007C Throughput Performance
03 115 115 _24 00090275026E Spin-Up Time
04 100 100 __0 00000000090A Start/Stop Count
05 _64 _64 __5 00000000027A Reallocated Sectors Count
07 100 100 _67 000000000000 Seek Error Rate
08 112 112 _20 000000000027 Seek Time Performance
09 _98 _98 __0 0000000046D2 Power-On Hours
0A 100 100 _60 000000000000 Spin Retry Count
0C 100 100 __0 000000000423 Power Cycle Count
C0 _99 _99 __0 00000000091C Power-off Retract Count
C1 _99 _99 __0 00000000091C Load/Unload Cycle Count
C2 206 206 __0 0035000F001D Temperature
C4 _70 _70 __0 0000000002CD Reallocation Event Count
C5 _98 _98 __0 0000000000CF Current Pending Sector Count
C6 100 100 __0 000000000000 Uncorrectable Sector Count
C7 200 200 __0 000000000003 UltraDMA CRC Error Count

The 2 bolded lines were highlighted with yellow dot in CDI. Looks like the problem is bad sectors? I'll try a full format and see what happens. The only gripe is a full format of 2TB is all night job and since I'm heading to bed anyway so timing's fine.

 

[Solaris17]

It is pending before it becomes relocated

Reallocated meaning the sectors were not recoverable and needed to be moved

Pending are the sectors not yet reallocated and the HDD is still attempting to repair.

Meaning at the worst those 98 wont pass + the 64 = 162 bad sectors.

Best case scenerio those 98 pass and no more come =64 bad
]
Either way this signifies HDD failure since windows noticed and prompted you its probably because that number jumped ALOT in a short amount of time. Not to mention you are far above threshhold.

 

[larrymoencurly]

MHDD or the Windows version, HDDscan.com, because they're the only programs that show slow sectors, not just completely bad sectors.

HDAT2 for refreshing sectors and relocating bad ones without losing the data. It's sort of like SpinRite.

 

[4ghz]

Just woke up (dang cat wanted to play) so I checked. It was just done formatting so I started HDDscan and I checked its SMART, it showed one new error that I didn't get with CID:
199 UltraDMA CRC Errors 200 200 0000000000-0003 000

Running scan.

 

[satindemon4u]

With an error after a full format I think it would be safe to say the drive is going. Good thing it's caught now though.

 

[larrymoencurly]

I'd try another SATA data cable.