[datarunner]

Hi All

I have a friends HP laptop which warns on boot "back up data and replace HDD as failure is expected".

Its a Western Digital 2.5 SATA 2 and I have tried WD's zero fill utility but this keeps failing too.

Is there any way to low level format / zero fill this HDD or should I just advise him to get a new one?

I have loads of boot CDs like UBCD, UBCD4WIN, BartPE but I am not really sure how to use the advanced HDD tools.

Any info appreciated.

Regards

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It sounds like the HDD is being flagged as dying by the S.M.A.R.T check and will need to be replaced. You can boot to the UBCD and run the WD diagnostics on the hard drive to view the S.M.A.R.T data and run a drive check. That will tell you for sure. Either way, I would seriously suggest he back up his data right away.

Additionally, Windows will sometimes log HDD read / write failures in the Event log. If I remember correctly, they show up as an error under the System tab as "Disk".

Edited by Spyderturbo007, 01 December 2009 - 10:53 AM.

[Spyderturbo007]

It sounds like the HDD is being flagged as dying by the S.M.A.R.T check and will need to be replaced. You can boot to the UBCD and run the WD diagnostics on the hard drive to view the S.M.A.R.T data and run a drive check. That will tell you for sure. Either way, I would seriously suggest he back up his data right away.

Additionally, Windows will sometimes log HDD read / write failures in the Event log. If I remember correctly, they show up as an error under the System tab as "Disk".

Edited by Spyderturbo007, 01 December 2009 - 10:53 AM.

[datarunner]

It sounds like the HDD is being flagged as dying by the S.M.A.R.T check and will need to be replaced. You can boot to the UBCD and run the WD diagnostics on the hard drive to view the S.M.A.R.T data and run a drive check. That will tell you for sure. Either way, I would seriously suggest he back up his data right away.

Additionally, Windows will sometimes log HDD read / write failures in the Event log.

Hi There

Already did that and tried the zero fill option but it keeps stopping due to errors.

Thanks anyway.

Regards

[Spyderturbo007]

Oh, I just saw that you tried the low level format option in your initial post. Sorry about that.

The UBCD4Win contains utilities that will allow you to read the SMART data as well if you want to give that a try. If I remember correctly, it's under disk tools and then diagnostics.

Edited by Spyderturbo007, 01 December 2009 - 03:03 PM.

[datarunner]

The UBCD4Win contains utilities that will allow you to read the SMART data as well if you want to give that a try. If I remember correctly, it's under disk tools and then diagnostics.

Hi There

And what can reading the SMART data do for me or tell me?

Regards

[Spyderturbo007]

SMART monitors different HDD physical attributes, such as spin up time, reallocated sector count, seek time, etc. Basically it's going to let you know if the drive is physically damaged based on the manufacturers' attribute thresholds.

[datarunner]

SMART monitors different HDD physical attributes, such as spin up time, reallocated sector count, seek time, etc. Basically it's going to let you know if the drive is physically damaged based on the manufacturers' attribute thresholds.

Hi There

So if its failing the SMART test its on the road out?

Regards

[123Runner]

Failing the SMART generally means the drive is done for. replace it. I personally would not trust the drive.

Running the tests and looking at the logs could possibly give you a better feeling and justification that it is on its way out.

123runner