Bad Sector Count

  • Thread starter Thread starter Keith
  • Start date Start date
K

Keith

My Win XP Pro PC suffered a BSOD yesterday telling me that part of the
registry was corrupted. I restored the OS from my Acronis True Image
backup but the bad sector count has increased from 3 to 5. Not knowing
much about these things, is it time to buy a new HDD?

Here's the SMART report.

Thanks.

Keith.

--------[ SMART
]-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[ SAMSUNG SP2014N (S088J1RYA07005) ]

01 Raw Read Error Rate 51 100 100 0
OK: Value is normal
03 Spin Up Time 25 100 100 6144
OK: Value is normal
04 Start/Stop Count 0 97 97 3394
OK: Always passing
05 Reallocated Sector Count 10 253 253 0
OK: Value is normal
07 Seek Error Rate 51 253 253 0
OK: Value is normal
08 Seek Time Performance 15 253 253 0
OK: Value is normal
09 Power-On Time Count 0 100 100 1738
OK: Always passing
0A Spin Retry Count 51 253 253 0
OK: Value is normal
0B Calibration Retry Count 0 253 2 0
OK: Always passing
0C Power Cycle Count 0 99 99 1756
OK: Always passing
BE <vendor-specific> 0 130 103 36
OK: Always passing
C2 Temperature 0 130 103 36
OK: Always passing
C3 Hardware ECC Recovered 0 100 100 715695
OK: Always passing
C4 Reallocation Event Count 0 253 253 0
OK: Always passing
C5 Current Pending Sector Count 0 100 100 5
OK: Always passing
C6 Off-Line Uncorrectable Sector Count 0 253 253 0
OK: Always passing
C7 Ultra ATA CRC Error Rate 0 200 200 0
OK: Always passing
C8 Write Error Rate 0 100 100 0
OK: Always passing
C9 <vendor-specific> 0 253 100 0
OK: Always passing

[ WDC WD1600BB-98DWA0 (WD-WMAEK1279192) ]

01 Raw Read Error Rate 51 200 200 0
OK: Value is normal
03 Spin Up Time 21 148 145 3116
OK: Value is normal
04 Start/Stop Count 40 96 96 4991
OK: Value is normal
05 Reallocated Sector Count 140 200 200 0
OK: Value is normal
07 Seek Error Rate 51 200 200 0
OK: Value is normal
09 Power-On Time Count 0 94 94 4764
OK: Always passing
0A Spin Retry Count 51 100 100 0
OK: Value is normal
0B Calibration Retry Count 51 100 100 0
OK: Value is normal
0C Power Cycle Count 0 96 96 4990
OK: Always passing
C2 Temperature 0 112 253 38
OK: Always passing
C4 Reallocation Event Count 0 200 200 0
OK: Always passing
C5 Current Pending Sector Count 0 200 200 0
OK: Always passing
C6 Off-Line Uncorrectable Sector Count 0 200 200 0
OK: Always passing
C7 Ultra ATA CRC Error Rate 0 200 253 0
OK: Always passing
C8 Write Error Rate 51 200 155 0
OK: Value is normal
 
Previously Keith said:
My Win XP Pro PC suffered a BSOD yesterday telling me that part of the
registry was corrupted. I restored the OS from my Acronis True Image
backup but the bad sector count has increased from 3 to 5. Not knowing
much about these things, is it time to buy a new HDD?
Click to expand...
Here's the SMART report.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Keith.
Click to expand...

--------[ SMART
]-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Click to expand...
[ SAMSUNG SP2014N (S088J1RYA07005) ]
Click to expand...
01 Raw Read Error Rate 51 100 100 0
OK: Value is normal
Click to expand...

No problems with the heads/amplifiers
03 Spin Up Time 25 100 100 6144
OK: Value is normal
04 Start/Stop Count 0 97 97 3394
OK: Always passing
05 Reallocated Sector Count 10 253 253 0
OK: Value is normal
Click to expand...

No defect sectors....
07 Seek Error Rate 51 253 253 0
OK: Value is normal
Click to expand...

Head positioning is reliable
08 Seek Time Performance 15 253 253 0
OK: Value is normal
09 Power-On Time Count 0 100 100 1738
OK: Always passing
0A Spin Retry Count 51 253 253 0
OK: Value is normal
0B Calibration Retry Count 0 253 2 0
OK: Always passing
0C Power Cycle Count 0 99 99 1756
OK: Always passing
BE <vendor-specific> 0 130 103 36
OK: Always passing
C2 Temperature 0 130 103 36
OK: Always passing
C3 Hardware ECC Recovered 0 100 100 715695
OK: Always passing
Click to expand...

This is typical. It just means that ECC is faster that retry on reads (i.e.
fast, but less acurrate positioning).
C4 Reallocation Event Count 0 253 253 0
OK: Always passing
C5 Current Pending Sector Count 0 100 100 5
OK: Always passing
Click to expand...

Hmmm. Something prevented the HDD from reasing these sectors....
C6 Off-Line Uncorrectable Sector Count 0 253 253 0
OK: Always passing
C7 Ultra ATA CRC Error Rate 0 200 200 0
OK: Always passing
C8 Write Error Rate 0 100 100 0
OK: Always passing
C9 <vendor-specific> 0 253 100 0
OK: Always passing
Click to expand...

This one may completely healty, but the pending sectors are suspicuous.
Best run a long-smart self-test. It will do a comlete surface scan.
Lets see whether the pending sectors turn into bad ones. As it is, the
disk has zero bad sectors and this may be some other problem, e.g.
a driver issue or a controller problem. Post the SMART status of this
disk and the self-test log here, after running the test. This may very
well be a temporary failure, e.g. from a power-spike on writing or the
like. The long SMART self-test should identify that....

[ WDC WD1600BB-98DWA0 (WD-WMAEK1279192) ]
Click to expand...

Ooops, a WD. Ceapest disks on the market. Not a coincidence.
01 Raw Read Error Rate 51 200 200 0
OK: Value is normal
03 Spin Up Time 21 148 145 3116
OK: Value is normal
04 Start/Stop Count 40 96 96 4991
OK: Value is normal
05 Reallocated Sector Count 140 200 200 0
OK: Value is normal
Click to expand...

No defects here either.
07 Seek Error Rate 51 200 200 0
OK: Value is normal
Click to expand...

Mechanics is ok.
09 Power-On Time Count 0 94 94 4764
OK: Always passing
0A Spin Retry Count 51 100 100 0
OK: Value is normal
0B Calibration Retry Count 51 100 100 0
OK: Value is normal
0C Power Cycle Count 0 96 96 4990
OK: Always passing
C2 Temperature 0 112 253 38
OK: Always passing
C4 Reallocation Event Count 0 200 200 0
OK: Always passing
C5 Current Pending Sector Count 0 200 200 0
OK: Always passing
C6 Off-Line Uncorrectable Sector Count 0 200 200 0
OK: Always passing
C7 Ultra ATA CRC Error Rate 0 200 253 0
OK: Always passing
C8 Write Error Rate 51 200 155 0
OK: Value is normal
Click to expand...

The WD is completely healthy.

Arno
 
Arno said:
This one may completely healty, but the pending sectors are suspicuous.
Best run a long-smart self-test. It will do a comlete surface scan.
Lets see whether the pending sectors turn into bad ones. As it is, the
disk has zero bad sectors and this may be some other problem, e.g.
a driver issue or a controller problem. Post the SMART status of this
disk and the self-test log here, after running the test. This may very
well be a temporary failure, e.g. from a power-spike on writing or the
like. The long SMART self-test should identify that....
Click to expand...

Hi Arno and thanks for your reply. Total newbie here, how do I go about
running a "long-smart self-test"? I have EVEREST Home Edition.

Many thanks.

Keith.
 
Arno Wagner wrote:

BTW I just noticed the pending sector count is now up to 7 from 5 two
hours ago.
 
Hi Arno and thanks for your reply. Total newbie here, how do I go about
running a "long-smart self-test"? I have EVEREST Home Edition.
Click to expand...

No idea. I use the smartmontools, there it is just
"smartctl -t long <device>"

Arno
 
No idea. I use the smartmontools, there it is just
"smartctl -t long <device>"

Arno
Click to expand...


Got backup? I think you'll need it soon.

I agree with the testing. I get the make and modek of the disk and
them go to the manufacturer's web site and download their test tool.
It's frequently called "drive fitness dest".

You run it and it makes a bootable floppy or CD. Boot it and you can
run read-only tests if you have data you want to save or run several
passes of the write/read test to see if the drive is worth keeping.

I don't use a disk that's ever shown one bad sector for anything
important after I've swapped it out of service.
 
Keith said:
My Win XP Pro PC suffered a BSOD yesterday telling me that part of the registry was corrupted. I
restored the OS from my Acronis True Image backup but the bad sector count has increased from 3 to
5. Not knowing much about these things, is it time to buy a new HDD?
Click to expand...

Depends on what is producing the bads. If its external to the drive like a
bad power supply, mains surges etc, best to fix that and the drive will be fine.
Here's the SMART report.
Click to expand...
--------[ SMART
]-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[ SAMSUNG SP2014N (S088J1RYA07005) ]

01 Raw Read Error Rate 51 100 100 0
OK: Value is normal
03 Spin Up Time 25 100 100 6144
OK: Value is normal
04 Start/Stop Count 0 97 97 3394
OK: Always passing
05 Reallocated Sector Count 10 253 253 0
OK: Value is normal
07 Seek Error Rate 51 253 253 0
OK: Value is normal
08 Seek Time Performance 15 253 253 0
OK: Value is normal
09 Power-On Time Count 0 100 100 1738
OK: Always passing
0A Spin Retry Count 51 253 253 0
OK: Value is normal
0B Calibration Retry Count 0 253 2 0
OK: Always passing
0C Power Cycle Count 0 99 99 1756
OK: Always passing
BE <vendor-specific> 0 130 103 36
OK: Always passing
C2 Temperature 0 130 103 36
OK: Always passing
C3 Hardware ECC Recovered 0 100 100 715695
OK: Always passing
C4 Reallocation Event Count 0 253 253 0
OK: Always passing
C5 Current Pending Sector Count 0 100 100 5
OK: Always passing
C6 Off-Line Uncorrectable Sector Count 0 253 253 0
OK: Always passing
C7 Ultra ATA CRC Error Rate 0 200 200 0
OK: Always passing
C8 Write Error Rate 0 100 100 0
OK: Always passing
C9 <vendor-specific> 0 253 100 0
OK: Always passing

[ WDC WD1600BB-98DWA0 (WD-WMAEK1279192) ]

01 Raw Read Error Rate 51 200 200 0
OK: Value is normal
03 Spin Up Time 21 148 145 3116
OK: Value is normal
04 Start/Stop Count 40 96 96 4991
OK: Value is normal
05 Reallocated Sector Count 140 200 200 0
OK: Value is normal
07 Seek Error Rate 51 200 200 0
OK: Value is normal
09 Power-On Time Count 0 94 94 4764
OK: Always passing
0A Spin Retry Count 51 100 100 0
OK: Value is normal
0B Calibration Retry Count 51 100 100 0
OK: Value is normal
0C Power Cycle Count 0 96 96 4990
OK: Always passing
C2 Temperature 0 112 253 38
OK: Always passing
C4 Reallocation Event Count 0 200 200 0
OK: Always passing
C5 Current Pending Sector Count 0 200 200 0
OK: Always passing
C6 Off-Line Uncorrectable Sector Count 0 200 200 0
OK: Always passing
C7 Ultra ATA CRC Error Rate 0 200 253 0
OK: Always passing
C8 Write Error Rate 51 200 155 0
OK: Value is normal
Click to expand...
 
Keith said:
BTW I just noticed the pending sector count is now up to 7 from 5 two hours ago.
Click to expand...

Either the drive is dying or its a flakey power supply
if you didnt get any mains surges during that time.
 
Arno said:
Hmm. Not good. Do you have backup?
Click to expand...

Oh dear god yes ;-) Chkdsk ran this morning and corrected a whole host
of errors so I think it's time to replace it. Thank to all who responded.

Keith.
 
Rod said:
Depends on what is producing the bads. If its external to the drive like a
bad power supply, mains surges etc, best to fix that and the drive will be fine.
Click to expand...

Thanks Rod. It's a "store bought" Sony VAIO desktop PC and the other HDD
is fine. Would you happen to know if Sony's power supplies were prone
to being flaky? I have so much surge protection on everything I don't
think it's that.

Regards,
Keith.
 
Previously Al Dykes said:
Got backup? I think you'll need it soon.
Click to expand...
I agree with the testing. I get the make and modek of the disk and
them go to the manufacturer's web site and download their test tool.
It's frequently called "drive fitness dest".
Click to expand...
You run it and it makes a bootable floppy or CD. Boot it and you can
run read-only tests if you have data you want to save or run several
passes of the write/read test to see if the drive is worth keeping.
Click to expand...
I don't use a disk that's ever shown one bad sector for anything
important after I've swapped it out of service.
Click to expand...

Agreed. But so far the disk has no bad sectors. Might
be something else entirely...

Arno
 
Oh dear god yes ;-) Chkdsk ran this morning and corrected a whole host
of errors so I think it's time to replace it. Thank to all who responded.
Click to expand...

Might be premature. So far the disk has no defective sectors,
just some it has trouble reading. This may have other reasons,
which could influence a new disk just the same way. You can of
course get a new disk and try, but it is possible that it will
show similar symptoms.

Arno
 
Arno said:
Might be premature. So far the disk has no defective sectors,
just some it has trouble reading. This may have other reasons,
which could influence a new disk just the same way. You can of
course get a new disk and try, but it is possible that it will
show similar symptoms.
Click to expand...


Thanks Arno. Not sure what to do now, probably will try a new one and
see how it goes.

Regards,
Keith.
 
Previously Keith said:
Thanks Arno. Not sure what to do now, probably will try a new one and
see how it goes.
Click to expand...

It is ok as a next step, if you do not mind the cost for the new
drive.

Arno
 
Keith said:
Rod Speed wrote
Click to expand...
Thanks Rod. It's a "store bought" Sony VAIO desktop PC and the other HDD is fine.
Click to expand...

Same model or different ?
Would you happen to know if Sony's power supplies were prone to being flaky?
Click to expand...

They arent anything specially on that.
I have so much surge protection on everything I don't think it's that.
Click to expand...

And you had more show up when you would presumably have noticed a surge too.

Most likely the drive is dying.
 
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