Are my HDDs dying?

Harunatsumi

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Jul 9, 2010
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Last week, when i turn my computer on i got the following error.

File: Boot\Bcd
Status: 0xc00000e9
Info: An unexpected I/O error has occured.

No matter what i do i cannot get into windows.
When i try to boot to from my vista CD to reinstall new windows, I manage to get through the 1st part, but when my com restart to finish reinstalling, i cant get it to work.

Yesterday, I bought a new 1gb HDD and install Windows vista on it. It work fine and i manage to recover all data from both of my old HDDs.

When i use GSmartcontrol to check my old HDDs (500gb Hitachi Drive with OS on it... and 2TB Western digital Cavia Green)
500gb Hitachi drive (with lifetime hours of 15545) --> I fail both Short and Extended offline test

Num Test_Description Status Remaining LifeTime(hours) LBA_of_first_error
# 1 Extended offline Completed: read failure 90% 15545 558482
# 2 Short offline Completed: read failure 90% 15545 558482
# 3 Short offline Completed: read failure 90% 15545 558482

for my 500gb... the result pretty similar for my 2Tb as well *lba of 1st error is always the same*

2Tb -- (with lifetime hours of 6000)--> pass short test but fail extended offline test. (this one also fail Data Life Guard Dianostic Extended test --> The result say that there is too many bad sectors)

Is my HDD dying?
Will something like Zero-fill or format save my old HDD?
If i do zero-fill, then test for bad sector again and pass.. do i have to worry that it might spontaneously fail again?

Please help me.
Thank you for your response
 
Solution
Try a comprehensive SMART diagnostic. Look for reallocated, pending, or uncorrectable sectors.

HD Sentinel (DOS / Windows / Linux):
http://www.hdsentinel.com/

HDDScan for Windows:
http://hddscan.com/

See this article for SMART info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S.M.A.R.T.

You may find the following tip useful.

Tip: How to determine which file occupies a particular sector:
http://forums.seagate.com/t5/Barracuda-XT-Barracuda-and/Tip-How-to-determine-which-file-occupies-a-particular-sector/m-p/35567

Harunatsumi

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Jul 9, 2010
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Thank you for your reply.

My PSU is EVERgreen silentking4 550W.

My system is about 2.5 years old.

OS: Vista
CPU: Core 2 Quad Q9450 2.66GHZs
RAM: 4GB DDR2
Intel P35 Express

I suspect that only the main hdd give me the real problem (500gb with OS).. since its lifetime usage is about 15545 hours. (my com is on almost all the time)

Is it possible for bad sector to come from bad download?
Currently, I am doing write zero on my 2TB hdd.
After finishing write zero, i will try to do the Extended SMART test again.
Is there some chance that it will recover?

Thank you for your response.
 
Try a comprehensive SMART diagnostic. Look for reallocated, pending, or uncorrectable sectors.

HD Sentinel (DOS / Windows / Linux):
http://www.hdsentinel.com/

HDDScan for Windows:
http://hddscan.com/

See this article for SMART info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S.M.A.R.T.

You may find the following tip useful.

Tip: How to determine which file occupies a particular sector:
http://forums.seagate.com/t5/Barracuda-XT-Barracuda-and/Tip-How-to-determine-which-file-occupies-a-particular-sector/m-p/35567
 
Solution

dEAne

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If you use your computer as a download rig (running at 24/7) make sure the cooling system in your system is good - try to put a cooler fan in your HDD too. I have a torrent rig it runs 24/7 with a UPS. I have 120Gb for OS and 500Gb for storage but I transfer the download files to my 2Tb external drive after download is done. If the computer signal that the SMART fails or any hard disk fails back up immediately.
 
To have two hard disks fail at the same time is not very likely however someone must win the lottery and the odds of two hard drives failing at the same time is much lower. One thing that can decrease the life of a hard drive dramatically is heat. Ensure that you have good air flow over the hard drives; consider fitting a hard drive cooler.
 

Harunatsumi

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Jul 9, 2010
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Thank you for your response.

Now I have finish zero-fill and format my 2TB HDD. Seem like it will pass SMART Extended Test too.
If it pass, then will it be safe to continue using this 2TB HDD?