Is this HD on its way out...?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Kenneth
  • Start date Start date
K

Kenneth

Howdy,

About three weeks ago, when I tried to open a file on a 250
gig WD drive, I got the error "The file or directory is
corrupted and unreadable."

Based on what I read about that error, I decided that my
best bet was to re-format the drive.

After the format, I put it back into service, and all was
fine until today.

Today, I got the error again.

This time, I ran the Western Digital Diagnostics and chose
the most rigorous test method.

The disk passed...

Is it likely that this disk is on its way out, or could
there be another explanation for these errors?

Sincere thanks,
 
Kenneth said:
Howdy,

About three weeks ago, when I tried to open a file on a 250
gig WD drive, I got the error "The file or directory is
corrupted and unreadable."

Based on what I read about that error, I decided that my
best bet was to re-format the drive.

After the format, I put it back into service, and all was
fine until today.

Today, I got the error again.

This time, I ran the Western Digital Diagnostics and chose
the most rigorous test method.

The disk passed...

Is it likely that this disk is on its way out, or could
there be another explanation for these errors?

Sincere thanks,
Click to expand...

Before condemning the HD, I would run a thorough test of your RAM. The
HD is most likely the problem, but data is read and stored in RAM before
being used.
 
Check/Replace IDE/SATA cable?

In the event you have dodgy Ram you would probably be getting blue screens
of death or some other error message constantly.

Steve
 
Check/Replace IDE/SATA cable?

In the event you have dodgy Ram you would probably be getting blue screens
of death or some other error message constantly.

Steve
Click to expand...

Hello again,

The RAM possibility is remote as (for unrelated reasons) I
ran a test for about 10 hours just prior to the first time I
got the disk error and it looked fine.

I can check, or even replace the cable, but it does seem
unlikely to me that it would get flaky "on its own", that
is, without my so much as opening the case in many months.

Based upon my description, could it be that the disk itself
is getting flaky?

Thanks again,
 
Kenneth said:
This time, I ran the Western Digital Diagnostics and chose
the most rigorous test method.

The disk passed...

Is it likely that this disk is on its way out, or could
there be another explanation for these errors?
Click to expand...

Run CHKDSK (or scandisk) if windows OS

If errors are found they will be placed in a directory FOUND,
Check the files for corruption, find the application responsible.

A file name with higher ascii will give the same error if in a
directory (the file name will have small squares)
you can enter the directory with CMD.

You can also use HDD Health http://www.panterasoft.com/
it uses SMART info, and a day and time it will die :)
 
Kenneth said:
Hello again,

The RAM possibility is remote as (for unrelated reasons) I
ran a test for about 10 hours just prior to the first time I
got the disk error and it looked fine.

I can check, or even replace the cable, but it does seem
unlikely to me that it would get flaky "on its own", that
is, without my so much as opening the case in many months.

Based upon my description, could it be that the disk itself
is getting flaky?

Thanks again,
Click to expand...

If you have tested the RAM like you said, then I would guess the HD is
suspect. I trust you have scanned for viruses so you are not fighting
one? As for the cable, it is unlikely to be the problem since it does
not show up more frequently.
 
Run CHKDSK (or scandisk) if windows OS

If errors are found they will be placed in a directory FOUND,
Check the files for corruption, find the application responsible.

A file name with higher ascii will give the same error if in a
directory (the file name will have small squares)
you can enter the directory with CMD.

You can also use HDD Health http://www.panterasoft.com/
it uses SMART info, and a day and time it will die :)
Click to expand...

Howdy,

I will try the Pantera product, but have difficulties with
your other suggestion:

If I try to run CHKDSK from Windows, I get the error "Cannot
open volume for direct access" followed by the suggestion
that I run CHKDSK...<g>

If I try the same from a command prompt, I get the same
error (without the follow up suggestion.

If I boot off a PE CD and try I get "The disk structure is
corrupted and unreadable."

It was at a similar point several weeks ago that I decided
to re-format.

I should also add that the WD Diagnostics (and I have run
the extended version of the tests twice passing both times)
also includes the SMART measurements, and those pass as
well.

Thanks for any further thoughts,



Thanks,
 
If you have tested the RAM like you said, then I would guess the HD is
suspect. I trust you have scanned for viruses so you are not fighting
one? As for the cable, it is unlikely to be the problem since it does
not show up more frequently.
Click to expand...

Hi again,

Yes, I ran extended RAM tests (12 hours or so) and had no
errors perhaps a month ago.

The box is protected by Kaspersky AV, and it is up to date.

It certainly does seem to me that the disk itself is getting
flaky.

Thanks for your help on this,
 
Kenneth said:
Howdy,

About three weeks ago, when I tried to open a file on a 250
gig WD drive, I got the error "The file or directory is
corrupted and unreadable."

Based on what I read about that error, I decided that my
best bet was to re-format the drive.

After the format, I put it back into service, and all was
fine until today.

Today, I got the error again.

This time, I ran the Western Digital Diagnostics and chose
the most rigorous test method.

The disk passed...

Is it likely that this disk is on its way out, or could
there be another explanation for these errors?

Sincere thanks,
Click to expand...

If this is a drive that can be saved Spin Rite will do it.
http://www.grc.com/sr/spinrite.htm

The smartdrive info is about useless. I have used spin rite to bring back a
few drives that would not even boot. It also can be used about 3 times a
year to condition your drive to prevent the disk from going bad over time.
 
If this is a drive that can be saved Spin Rite will do it.
http://www.grc.com/sr/spinrite.htm

The smartdrive info is about useless. I have used spin rite to bring back a
few drives that would not even boot. It also can be used about 3 times a
year to condition your drive to prevent the disk from going bad over time.
Click to expand...

Howdy,

I am not trying to save the drive...

Everything on it is well backed up elsewhere.

It is just that I did not want to replace it if there were
something other than its impending failure at work.

Sincere thanks,
 
Kenneth said:
If I try to run CHKDSK from Windows, I get the error "Cannot
open volume for direct access" followed by the suggestion
that I run CHKDSK...<g>

If I try the same from a command prompt, I get the same
error (without the follow up suggestion.
Click to expand...

Start | Run <type in>
CMD /K CHKDSK /?
<enter>

You might try CHKDSK /X
 
Next time do a low level format when you format the hard drive. Get a hard drive
with a guarantee longer than one year maybe seagate.
 
Kenneth said:
Hello again,

The RAM possibility is remote as (for unrelated reasons) I
ran a test for about 10 hours just prior to the first time I
got the disk error and it looked fine.

I can check, or even replace the cable, but it does seem
unlikely to me that it would get flaky "on its own", that
is, without my so much as opening the case in many months.

Based upon my description, could it be that the disk itself
is getting flaky?
Click to expand...

Could be. Could also be the power supply. Or RAM. Or power/IDE
cables to the drive.

I've had several drives fail (all Western Digital) but I have also had
drives *appear* to fail (become unreadable) when the PSU got flaky.


--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico
 
Start | Run <type in>
CMD /K CHKDSK /?
<enter>

You might try CHKDSK /X
Click to expand...

Howdy,

With that command, I get:

"Corrupt Master File Table."

Thanks for any further thoughts,
 
Next time do a low level format when you format the hard drive. Get a hard drive
with a guarantee longer than one year maybe seagate.
Click to expand...

Howdy,

The switch of brands may be a fine idea, but it is my
understanding that modern disks cannot be "low level
formatted" by the end user.

Am I wrong about that?

Thanks,
 
Just wondering has drive been exposed to high levels of heat?

Sorry if its allready been asked but i havent the time the moment to look at
all the other posts.


Steve
 
Just wondering has drive been exposed to high levels of heat?

Sorry if its allready been asked but i havent the time the moment to look at
all the other posts.
Click to expand...

Hi Steve,

Nobody has asked, and, as it turns out, you might be onto
something...

The system is in an enclosed cabinet that is double vented,
and has an exhaust fan.

Despite, that, the space is typically around 95F.

That always seemed warm to me, but certainly within the
range of safe use.

Please tell me more about why you asked...

Sincere thanks,
 
Kenneth said:
Howdy,

The switch of brands may be a fine idea, but it is my
understanding that modern disks cannot be "low level
formatted" by the end user.

Am I wrong about that?
Click to expand...

Yes. But for all practical purposes, no.

"Low level formatting" involves writing track/sector data to the drive
along with other data and a byte pattern. It was normally done (via
DOS) with 5 1/4" floppies, maybe with the little floppies too, but
took a long time even when disk capacity was 80 KB. Given the size of
hard drives it would take bloody forever now even allowing for the
vastly greater CPU and drive speed.

However, it *could* be done if one knew what one was doing, had a
program to do so (or could write one directly accessing the disk drive
controller) and had eons to wait.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico
 
Kenneth said:
Hi Steve,

Nobody has asked, and, as it turns out, you might be onto
something...

The system is in an enclosed cabinet that is double vented,
and has an exhaust fan.

Despite, that, the space is typically around 95F.

That always seemed warm to me, but certainly within the
range of safe use.
Click to expand...

95 degrees is nothing.


--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico
 
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