What to repair a HDD?

[Pen]

Hi All,

I am looking for a program like HDD Regenerator,
i.e. a program to repair physiacl bad sectors on
a hard disk surface which could be used also
with unformatted or unpartitioned disks.

The program should run under Windows OS
and be able to create a bootable regenerating
diskette or CD or could be started directly
also in Windows NT/2000/XP environment.

The mentioned above HDD Regenerator allows me to
repair the first bad sector only (I have a demo version).

I'd very grateful if someone colud help me.

Regards
Pen

 

[Rod Speed]

I am looking for a program like HDD Regenerator,
i.e. a program to repair physiacl bad sectors on
a hard disk surface which could be used also
with unformatted or unpartitioned disks.

The program should run under Windows OS
and be able to create a bootable regenerating
diskette or CD or could be started directly
also in Windows NT/2000/XP environment.

The mentioned above HDD Regenerator allows me to
repair the first bad sector only (I have a demo version).

I'd very grateful if someone colud help me.

The normal thing with modern drives is to write zeros thru the
drive and that allows the drive itself to map bad sectors away.

 

[Ken]

Hi All,

I am looking for a program like HDD Regenerator,
i.e. a program to repair physiacl bad sectors on
a hard disk surface which could be used also
with unformatted or unpartitioned disks.

The program should run under Windows OS
and be able to create a bootable regenerating
diskette or CD or could be started directly
also in Windows NT/2000/XP environment.

The mentioned above HDD Regenerator allows me to
repair the first bad sector only (I have a demo version).

I'd very grateful if someone colud help me.

Regards
Pen

You might look into Spinrite.

 

[Pen]

Thanks for your reply.

The normal thing with modern drives is to write zeros thru the
drive and that allows the drive itself to map bad sectors away.

I found the program WinDLG but it didn't write zeros thru the drive.
It said:
Sector #............Write Zeros error! Continue?
When I replied Yes it shown more and more such sectors.

The SMART disk info shows:
Raw Read Error Rate (z czerwonym krzy¿ykiem)
ID=1, Value=1 (na czerono), Threshold=51, Worst=1, Warranty=1
Start/Stop Count (z zielonym haczykiem)
ID=4, Value=99, Threshold=40, Worst=99, Warranty=0
Re-allocated Sector Count (z zielonym haczykiem)
ID=5, Value=101, Threshold=0, Worst=101, Warranty=0
Spin Retry Count (z zielonym haczykiem)
ID=A, Value=100, Threshold=51, Worst=100, Warranty=1
Drive Callibration Retry Count (z zielonym haczykiem)
ID=B, Value=100, Threshold=51, Worst=100, Warranty=1
Multi Zone Error Rate (z zielonym haczykiem)
ID=C8, Value=100, Threshold=51, Worst=253, Warranty=1

Is there anything else that I could do?

Regards
Pen

 

[Pen]

Thanks for your reply.

The normal thing with modern drives is to write zeros thru the
drive and that allows the drive itself to map bad sectors away.

I found the program WinDLG but it didn't write zeros thru the drive.
It said:
Sector #............Write Zeros error! Continue?
When I replied Yes it shown more and more such sectors.

The SMART disk info shows:
Raw Read Error Rate (with red cross)
ID=1, Value=1 (na czerono), Threshold=51, Worst=1, Warranty=1
Start/Stop Count (with green check)
ID=4, Value=99, Threshold=40, Worst=99, Warranty=0
Re-allocated Sector Count (with green check)
ID=5, Value=101, Threshold=0, Worst=101, Warranty=0
Spin Retry Count (with green check)
ID=A, Value=100, Threshold=51, Worst=100, Warranty=1
Drive Callibration Retry Count (with green check)
ID=B, Value=100, Threshold=51, Worst=100, Warranty=1
Multi Zone Error Rate (with green check)
ID=C8, Value=100, Threshold=51, Worst=253, Warranty=1

Is there anything else that I could do?

Regards
Pen

 

[Rod Speed]

Thanks for your reply.



I found the program WinDLG but it didn't write zeros thru the drive.
It said:
Sector #............Write Zeros error! Continue?
When I replied Yes it shown more and more such sectors.

The SMART disk info shows:
Raw Read Error Rate (with red cross)
ID=1, Value=1 (na czerono), Threshold=51, Worst=1, Warranty=1
Start/Stop Count (with green check)
ID=4, Value=99, Threshold=40, Worst=99, Warranty=0
Re-allocated Sector Count (with green check)
ID=5, Value=101, Threshold=0, Worst=101, Warranty=0
Spin Retry Count (with green check)
ID=A, Value=100, Threshold=51, Worst=100, Warranty=1
Drive Callibration Retry Count (with green check)
ID=B, Value=100, Threshold=51, Worst=100, Warranty=1
Multi Zone Error Rate (with green check)
ID=C8, Value=100, Threshold=51, Worst=253, Warranty=1

Post the Everest SMART report.
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=4181

Is there anything else that I could do?

Probably, but it depends on what the Everest SMART report says.

 

[Pen]

Post the Everest SMART report.
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=4181


Probably, but it depends on what the Everest SMART report says.

Thanks again.

This is the everest SMART report about the disk:

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

[ WDC AC33200L (WD-WT3721199161) ]

01 Raw Read Error Rate 51 1 1 45633 Pre-Failure: Imminent loss of data is being predicted
04 Start/Stop Count 40 99 99 1352 OK: Value is normal
05 Reallocated Sector Count 0 101 101 198 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
C8 Write Error Rate 51 100 253 0 OK: Value is normal



Regards
Pen

 

[Rod Speed]

This is the everest SMART report about the disk:

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

[ WDC AC33200L (WD-WT3721199161) ]

01 Raw Read Error Rate 51 1 1 45633 Pre-Failure: Imminent loss
of data is being predicted

Urk, thats one VERY sick drive.

04 Start/Stop Count 40 99 99 1352 OK: Value is normal
05 Reallocated Sector Count 0 101 101 198 OK: Always passing

And that indicates its very sick too, thats a huge number of reallocated sectors.

0A Spin Retry Count 51 100 100 0 OK: Value is normal
0B Calibration Retry Count 51 100 100 0 OK: Value is normal
C8 Write Error Rate 51 100 253 0 OK: Value is normal

The drive is dying, I'd bin it if it was mine.

It may well have run out of spare sectors so cant reallocate anymore.

 

[Pen]

I am looking for a program like HDD Regenerator,

This is the everest SMART report about the disk:

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

[ WDC AC33200L (WD-WT3721199161) ]

01 Raw Read Error Rate 51 1 1 45633 Pre-Failure: Imminent loss
of data is being predicted

Urk, thats one VERY sick drive.

04 Start/Stop Count 40 99 99 1352 OK: Value is normal
05 Reallocated Sector Count 0 101 101 198 OK: Always passing

And that indicates its very sick too, thats a huge number of reallocated sectors.

0A Spin Retry Count 51 100 100 0 OK: Value is normal
0B Calibration Retry Count 51 100 100 0 OK: Value is normal
C8 Write Error Rate 51 100 253 0 OK: Value is normal

The drive is dying, I'd bin it if it was mine.

It may well have run out of spare sectors so cant reallocate anymore.

That's not a good news. :-(.

Thanks a lot.

Regards
Pen

 

[meow2222]

Thanks for your reply.



I found the program WinDLG but it didn't write zeros thru the drive.
It said:
Sector #............Write Zeros error! Continue?
When I replied Yes it shown more and more such sectors.

The SMART disk info shows:
Raw Read Error Rate (z czerwonym krzy¿ykiem)
ID=1, Value=1 (na czerono), Threshold=51, Worst=1, Warranty=1
Start/Stop Count (z zielonym haczykiem)
ID=4, Value=99, Threshold=40, Worst=99, Warranty=0
Re-allocated Sector Count (z zielonym haczykiem)
ID=5, Value=101, Threshold=0, Worst=101, Warranty=0
Spin Retry Count (z zielonym haczykiem)
ID=A, Value=100, Threshold=51, Worst=100, Warranty=1
Drive Callibration Retry Count (z zielonym haczykiem)
ID=B, Value=100, Threshold=51, Worst=100, Warranty=1
Multi Zone Error Rate (z zielonym haczykiem)
ID=C8, Value=100, Threshold=51, Worst=253, Warranty=1

Is there anything else that I could do?

Regards
Pen

I wouldnt spend time on a hdd in such bad condition. Copy the data off
it while you know you can. If youre determined to use it, the only
thing dying drives are good for is putting in public access machines
that will be wiped regularly, where no data keepage is desired..

Consider the value of your data - you'd do better to put the old 4G
drive in there than use a moribund 100G one.


NT

 

[paulmd]

Post the Everest SMART report.
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=4181


Probably, but it depends on what the Everest SMART report says.

Thanks again.

This is the everest SMART report about the disk:

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

[ WDC AC33200L (WD-WT3721199161) ]

01 Raw Read Error Rate 51 1 1 45633 Pre-Failure: Imminent loss of data is being predicted

That there seals the coffin on that drive. One or 2 bad sectors does
not always a bad hard drive make. But that there does. SMART is seldom
wrong.

 

[Pen]

I am looking for a program like HDD Regenerator,
i.e. a program to repair physiacl bad sectors on
a hard disk surface which could be used also
with unformatted or unpartitioned disks.

The program should run under Windows OS
and be able to create a bootable regenerating
diskette or CD or could be started directly
also in Windows NT/2000/XP environment.

The mentioned above HDD Regenerator allows me to
repair the first bad sector only (I have a demo version).

The normal thing with modern drives is to write zeros thru the
drive and that allows the drive itself to map bad sectors away.

I found the program WinDLG but it didn't write zeros thru the drive.
It said:
Sector #............Write Zeros error! Continue?
When I replied Yes it shown more and more such sectors.

The SMART disk info shows:
Raw Read Error Rate (with red cross)
ID=1, Value=1 (na czerono), Threshold=51, Worst=1, Warranty=1
Start/Stop Count (with green check)
ID=4, Value=99, Threshold=40, Worst=99, Warranty=0
Re-allocated Sector Count (with green check)
ID=5, Value=101, Threshold=0, Worst=101, Warranty=0
Spin Retry Count (with green check)
ID=A, Value=100, Threshold=51, Worst=100, Warranty=1
Drive Callibration Retry Count (with green check)
ID=B, Value=100, Threshold=51, Worst=100, Warranty=1
Multi Zone Error Rate (with green check)
ID=C8, Value=100, Threshold=51, Worst=253, Warranty=1

Post the Everest SMART report.
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=4181

Is there anything else that I could do?

Probably, but it depends on what the Everest SMART report says.

Thanks again.

This is the everest SMART report about the disk:

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

[ WDC AC33200L (WD-WT3721199161) ]

01 Raw Read Error Rate 51 1 1 45633 Pre-Failure: Imminent loss of data is being predicted

That there seals the coffin on that drive. One or 2 bad sectors does
not always a bad hard drive make. But that there does. SMART is seldom
wrong.

What do you think of performing a low level format,
using the LLFsetup.2.36.1181.exe, for example?
The disk is an old one but I don't know how old it is.

Regards
Pen

 

[paulmd]

What do you think of performing a low level format,
using the LLFsetup.2.36.1181.exe, for example?
The disk is an old one but I don't know how old it is.

You may suceed in rendering the drive usable, at least temporarily.
However I would still consider that drive *untrustworthy* as I would
expect bad sectors to continue to crop up. I wouln't trust it with
anything important. Maybe as secondary storage, NOT an OS, unless you
care to have crashes as bad sectors may crop up in programs/important
system files. I would consider twice weekly surface scans for that
drive for a month or two thereafter. And once a month after THAT.

You can find out roughly how old it is by googling it's model number.
In many cases, you can type the serial number into the manufacturor's
web site and get a manufacture date (Buried in the RMA section).
Sometimes it's printed on the label.

SMART has passed a death sentance on that drive, You may succeed in
getting a Pardon from the Gov'ner, but I wouldn't bet on it.

Homever, if you have backup, there is no harm in a revival project, as
long as you are aware of the risks involved, and take steps to mitagate
those risks.

 

[paulmd]

You may suceed in rendering the drive usable, at least temporarily.
However I would still consider that drive *untrustworthy* as I would
expect bad sectors to continue to crop up. I wouln't trust it with
anything important. Maybe as secondary storage, NOT an OS, unless you
care to have crashes as bad sectors may crop up in programs/important
system files. I would consider twice weekly surface scans for that
drive for a month or two thereafter. And once a month after THAT.

You can find out roughly how old it is by googling it's model number.
In many cases, you can type the serial number into the manufacturor's
web site and get a manufacture date (Buried in the RMA section).
Sometimes it's printed on the label.

SMART has passed a death sentance on that drive, You may succeed in
getting a Pardon from the Gov'ner, but I wouldn't bet on it.

Homever, if you have backup, there is no harm in a revival project, as
long as you are aware of the risks involved, and take steps to mitagate
those risks.

PS: Just tried this util on an 5GB Fujitsu with a zillion bad sectors.
Many bad sectors still there.

 

[Pen]

PS: Just tried this util on an 5GB Fujitsu with a zillion bad sectors.
Many bad sectors still there.

:-(
I can'd find how old it is. But anyway it must be old.
As for the LLF, in fact at the moment I have nothing to lose.
Should I partition the disk before the LLF or not?
I can do it using Partition Magic but I can't format it, neither as a NTFS nor FAT/FAT32.
If I am able to use the disk, it'll be a secondary storage, nothing more.

Regards
Pen

 

[Rod Speed]

I can'd find how old it is. But anyway it must be old.
As for the LLF, in fact at the moment I have nothing to lose.
True.

Should I partition the disk before the LLF or not?

No point, the LLF will wipe the partition structures.

I can do it using Partition Magic but I can't format it, neither as a NTFS nor FAT/FAT32.

If I am able to use the disk, it'll be a secondary storage, nothing more.

I wouldnt even use it for that myself, its a very sick drive.

 

[meow2222]

I wouldnt even use it for that myself, its a very sick drive.

I cant see any point in messing with it, beyond curiosity, its going to
lose everything you put onto it sooner or later, probably sooner. What
use is that? All it'll do is waste you more time when it dies.


NT

 

[kony]

I can'd find how old it is. But anyway it must be old.
As for the LLF, in fact at the moment I have nothing to lose.
Should I partition the disk before the LLF or not?
I can do it using Partition Magic but I can't format it, neither as a NTFS nor FAT/FAT32.
If I am able to use the disk, it'll be a secondary storage, nothing more.

The drive is now best used as a paperweight.

 

[Pen]

Hi,

I am giving up. :-(
The disk is old and small so I think it is
not sensible to spend more time on it.

I'd like to thank very much all of you
who replied to my request.

Best regards
Pen