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Hi guys, I was hoping you could help me with a solution to this problem.
I bought a new computer roughly 3 weeks ago, and all was working beautifully until last night when while on the computer as normal, a message appeared:
Windows detected a hard disk problem. Back up your files immediately to prevent information loss and then contact the computer manufacturer to determine if you need to repair or replace the disk.
Logic tells me that this means the hard disk is failing, although there were no signs of this until that message. I restarted the computer, and during bootup it gave a message saying that the hard drive was BAD or similar. Anyway, I was able to get into Windows after pressing F2 and the popup appeared on the screen after bootup there.
I am worried because it is a new computer, so I would not expect this problem.
I am not familiar with the general solution to this problem, is this something that generally means the hard disk is failing, or is this curable by some other means?
I called up Cube, and they said to go to Disk Check via tools, and do that - which I will do when I get home from work.
The disk name is ST3750840AS ATA Device if that helps at all.
Thanks very much.
If the computer is under warranty ..
If disk check finds bad sectors....
If there is a "Do Not break"
seal on back of the computer....Then....Let the seller fix it.
or send you a new hard drive.The message your getting is usually
correct and just a matter of time before the HD fails.
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That's a Seagate hard drive - it probably has a 5 year warranty.
Links to Seagate's own drive diagnostics here:
http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm...Seagate, and most if not all drive manufactuers, will only accept the results of it's own diagnostics as valid in order for you to be able to go to their web site and get a RMA (Return of Merchandise Authorization) for the drive. You must package the drive properly and ship it to them - they will replace the drive and ship it back to you free.
Since your system is relatively new, you may be able to exchange your system for another one of the same if you contact the seller, rather than you having to fuss with replacing the hard drive yourself, or if they have a technician on staff, you may be able to get them to replace the harddrive for you as part of your warranty support, and have them re-load the original software on it.
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Actually the drive is a SATAII not an ATA, not that it makes much difference at this stage.
The Seagate diagnostics is the first thing to try. I will give you the definitive answer.
Normally Seagate drive as very reliable. Sounds to me like SMART is being a little overcautious which it often is.
http://www.seagate.com/www/en-us/su...
Stuart
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I agree with Stuart. If that's a SMART message I wouldn't take it for Gospel. I would go by what the Seagate diagnostics say.
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Thanks very much guys for your replies.
I downloaded and ran the Seagate Seatools mentioned, and it failed on the SMART check and the Short Drive Self Test. It passed on the Short Generic test, and the identify test. As of yet I have not tested it for any other one so far.
What I am in the process of as I type is a scandisk check - this is taking its time but I shall post up any progress when it has finished.
Regarding the results of those tests, do we take it that there is a major problem with the disk?
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After doing some analysis using SMART tools, it seems that the error lies with the "Spin Retry Count". I am not familiar with what this is - is this a repairable/ignorable error, or is this serious enough to warrant a replacement hard drive?
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Spin retry count indicates that the disk spindle is having problems starting and getting up to speed and indicates a worn spindle. Until the drive spindle is spinning at 7000 rpm nothing happens. It is not repairable.
This condition could persist for a while or it could fail to-morrow. Time to contact Seagate for an RMA and get a new disk if it is less than five years old. The Seagate Diagnostic software will tell you how to do that.
In the meantime make sure you have a backup of any critical data because when it does fail data recover will be almost impossible.
http://www.siguardian.com/products/...
Stuart
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Thank you very much for your suggestions - I called up Cube, sent off for a replacement hard drive on Saturday, and it has been received today - very promptly may I add from Cube!
I am yet to try this out yet, but just as a general case, when a problem like this occurs, is this mainly due to a problem with the HDD itself, or could it be due to a problem elsewhere in the computer? Essentially, I am wondering whether this is an unlikely event to happen again.
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Its a mechanical problem not an electronic one. It is usually mechanical problems that end the life of most hard disks.
When you have a spindle spinning at 7000 rpm things are bound to go wrong occasionally. There is a school of thought that says that hard disk should not be allowed to spin down during power saving mode as it is during the spin up that most wear occures.
Stuart
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To have the problem you had with a near new hard drive is quite rare these days, so it may never happen to you again.
Seagate increased their warranty period back to 5 years for most models after it had been 3 years for a long time a few years back because they found the vast majority of their drives last at least that long.
I've experienced maybe 8 hard drive failures since I started fiddling with computers, mostly on other people's systems, all but one long after the warranty period for the drive had expired. At least half of them had chips on the logic board that were obviously getting way too hot, only two made thrashing sounds, and none of them had stopped spinning and all were spinning their full speed, so I think it's much more common for the failure to be caused by the failure of the electronics.
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