How can I reformat a (very) damaged hard disk ?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Castor Nageur
  • Start date Start date
I did not want to fraud or being immoral : the drive only fell from
vertical to horizontal position and I just expected that it was not
the cause of the problem.

* Is there a way to access the g-sensors so I am sure about this ?

* Does my SMART data (cf. my first post) tends to prove that my HDD
was damaged by a g-shock ?

If the sensors are OK, I think I could return my disk back to WD.

Thanks in advance for your help.
Click to expand...
Send it back, quit listening to some of the high and mighty pontification
going on and just RMA the drive.


If it wasnt able to handle the simple few G shock that it suffered then it
failed the design specs. It should have been able to handle 10 times that many
G's in a parked head situation.


RMA it.
 
I did not want to fraud or being immoral.
Click to expand...

This is not about morality. Handling damage is just not covered by this
sort of limited warranty. This is the reason, why it is called
"limited". :-)
The unit just fell from
vertical to horizontal position so I am not sure this is the consequence
of my problems.
Click to expand...

WD specifies a maximum of 250 G / 2 ms shock non-operating, which is
rather low. The standard spec for desktop drives is 350 G and up to 1000
G/ms for notebook drives (all non-operating). So it's quite possible to
damage a delicate desktop drive fatally by tipping it over on a hard
surface.
* Is there a way to access to the g-sensors data ?

* Does my SMART data reflect a damage due to a g-shock ?

If the sensors are OK, I suppose I can send the HDD back to WD. Thanks
in advance for helping me.
Click to expand...

The sensors may be accessible over the serial port (RS232, not SATA) of
the drive. The problem is: Operating a handling damaged drive does more
damage inside the drive over time, which is visible to the expert eye
after opening.

Joseph
 
The sensors may be accessible over the serial port (RS232, not SATA) of
the drive. The problem is: Operating a handling damaged drive does more
damage inside the drive over time, which is visible to the expert eye
after opening.
Click to expand...

Thanks for all this technical information.
As I said in my previous post, my recent Seagate Barracuda Green
(ST2000DL003-9VT166) has the "g-sense error rate" sensor accessible
through the SMART data. According to the sensor name, I suppose it
detects read errors due to g-shocks so it won't work when the unit is
off.

Because I can not be sure of what damaged my drive unit and because it
is true that I shocked it, I will not return it. The last reason is I
am unable to wipe all my personal data and I do not want to send it to
unknown people.
I will just go to the shop and buy another disk. Moreover, it seems
that HDD prices began decreasing since early December ;-)
 
The sensors may be accessible over the serial port (RS232, not SATA) of
the drive. The problem is: Operating a handling damaged drive does more
damage inside the drive over time, which is visible to the expert eye
after opening.
Click to expand...

Thanks for all this technical information.
As I said in my previous post, my recent Seagate Barracuda Green
(ST2000DL003-9VT166) has the "g-sense error rate" sensor accessible
through the SMART data. According to the sensor name, I suppose it
detects read errors due to g-shocks so it won't work when the unit is
off.

Because I can not be sure of what damaged my drive unit and because it
is true that I shocked it, I will not return it. The last reason is I
am unable to wipe all my personal data and I do not want to send it to
unknown people.
I will just go to the shop and buy another disk. Moreover, it seems
that HDD prices began decreasing since early December ;-)
 
Joseph Terner wrote
Castor Nageur wrote
Click to expand...
This is not about morality. Handling damage is
just not covered by this sort of limited warranty.
Click to expand...

Thats just plain wrong.
This is the reason, why it is called "limited". :-)
Click to expand...

Wrong again.
WD specifies a maximum of 250 G / 2 ms shock non-operating,
which is rather low. The standard spec for desktop drives is 350 G
and up to 1000 G/ms for notebook drives (all non-operating). So it's
quite possible to damage a delicate desktop drive fatally by tipping it
over on a hard surface.
Click to expand...

Doesnt meet the fit for purpose test.
The sensors may be accessible over the serial port (RS232, not SATA)
of the drive. The problem is: Operating a handling damaged drive does
more damage inside the drive over time, which is visible to the
expert eye after opening.
Click to expand...

Irrelevant to whether its covered by the warranty.
 
I did not want to fraud or being immoral : the drive only fell from
vertical to horizontal position and I just expected that it was not
the cause of the problem.
Click to expand...

On a hard surface, a few centimeters is quite enough. 300G is not
that much.

Arno
 
GMAN said:
Send it back, quit listening to some of the high and mighty pontification
going on and just RMA the drive.
Click to expand...

"High an mighty"? This increases prices for those that do not
kill their disks. Nothing "high and mighty" about that.
If it wasnt able to handle the simple few G shock that it suffered then it
failed the design specs. It should have been able to handle 10 times that many
G's in a parked head situation.
Click to expand...

300G is not much when falling on a hard surface. A few cm are
already too much.

Arno
 
I found that my new Seagate drive has a "g-sense error rate" SMART
property so I suppose this is the sensor you were talking about. I
deduce that my faulty drive does not have the property so it has no g-
sensor.
Click to expand...

Or none that shows up in the SMART data. It may still have one.
I have seen g-force sensors on drives without that SMART attibute.

Arno
 
Salam said:
For the hard drive manufacturer, yes.
Click to expand...
Its the hard drive manufacturer that has to do the showing, not the consumer.
Click to expand...

Typically the HDD vendor can demonstrate improper handling so
the customer has no claim against them and the burden of proof
is reversed.

The customer can make a claim against the vendor, but that is
difficult.

Arno
 
GMAN said:
You only have to give a credit card number if you are expecting them to cross
ship or advance ship a replacement to you. If you are just sending it in and
then they are sending out a replacement, you do not need a credit card number
on file. Dont let people scare you, get a replacement from WD.
Click to expand...

And possibly a fat bill later. I have seen it happen. However
they may still not bill you in the interest of public relations.
With the current HDD shortage it is a bit risky speculating on that.

Arno
 
GMAN said:
Is you meant a permamnant marker, then a small amount of rubbing alchohol will
remove the ink. I wouldnt worry about it though, they would most likely not
care if its written on. I have put a large X on my drives when damaged and
they never minded.
Click to expand...

They replace the label anyways if the drive can be refurbished.
(About 2/3 of the drives sent in are fine, apparently.)

Arno
 
Send it back, quit listening to some of the high and mighty pontification
going on and just RMA the drive.
Click to expand...

"High an mighty"? This increases prices for those that do not
kill their disks. Nothing "high and mighty" about that.
[/QUOTE]

You are the one who put the religious guilt trip on him.


300G is not much when falling on a hard surface. A few cm are
already too much.

Arno
Click to expand...

Still, if it suffered damaged when it stated a higher G shock spec, then it
failed and should be covered under warranty, period.
 
Is you meant a permamnant marker, then a small amount of rubbing alchohol will
remove the ink. I wouldnt worry about it though, they would most likely not
care if its written on. I have put a large X on my drives when damaged and
they never minded.
Click to expand...

They replace the label anyways if the drive can be refurbished.
(About 2/3 of the drives sent in are fine, apparently.)

Arno[/QUOTE]
And THAT is what costs the rest of us in HIGHER drive costs. Not making a
warranty claim on a known defective drive.
 
GMAN said:
You are the one who put the religious guilt trip on him.
Click to expand...


I most certainly did not do anything "religious". Moral and
ethics are coopted by religion frequently, but they are
not religious concepts. Guilt was also not my intention or
aim. If you belive that religion is required for wanting to
behave altruistic, moral or ethical than you _have_ a problem.

Still, if it suffered damaged when it stated a higher G shock spec, then it
failed and should be covered under warranty, period.
Click to expand...

It most likely suffered significantly in excess of what it stated.
Quit the consumer apologist line already. The user broke it.

Arno
Click to expand...
 
I most certainly did not do anything "religious". Moral and
ethics are coopted by religion frequently, but they are
not religious concepts. Guilt was also not my intention or
aim. If you belive that religion is required for wanting to
behave altruistic, moral or ethical than you _have_ a problem.
Click to expand...

It is a problem when you put such a trip on someone here looking for help that
they dont return a drive that is FULLY under warranty.
 
It is a problem when you put such a trip on someone here looking for help that
they dont return a drive that is FULLY under warranty.
Click to expand...

And there you are wrong. A raw HDD is a component. There is no
"expected normal use" for that, if you violate what is in
the datasheet then your warranty is gone. And they can basically
put anything in the datasheet that is technologically somewhat
justified, as this is not a device intended for end-users.

Ans since you still have no idea how little a fall it takes
to exceed 300G (or 500G) for 2ms, I suggest you stop commenting
on the technical facts.

Arno
 
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