DiskInfo showing Sector Problem, but not WD Life

[welkins974]

What should I do? I have all the contents on my hard drive backed up and am contemplating whether I should zero fill it (first time doing that) or not.

Is DiskInfo more accurate than WD Lifeguard Diagnostic Tools?

 

[SuperSoph_WD]

Hey there, @welkins974!

Great job with the immediate backup of your files. This is how you usually avoid the potential data loss. I'd recommend you edit the pics you have uploaded via Imgur because your Serial number is visible and this is sensitive information which shouldn't be shared. According to the third-party benchmark tool, your WD My Passport external drive (I suppose, judging by the model number) has one pending sector. The RAW VALUE of this SMART attribute indicates the current count of unstable sectors. These sectors could be remapped as bad sectors, but if they are read successfully the raw value should decrease.
I'd definitely proceed with a FULL Erase (Writing zeros) via the Data LifeGuard Diagnostics, since you have already backed up the files. Afterwards, make sure you use both tools to check up on the SMART attributes again.

Keep me posted if you encounter further issues.
SuperSoph_WD

 

[welkins974]

Thanks will do (probably overnight when i get more time). Thank you for letting me know about the sensitive information part~

Will be my first time, hopefully the bad sector count goes away.
Either way, had this harddrive and many others for years now. Most definitely pleased. WIll keep you updated.


Actually, quick question, do I need to backup files like "Extras, Locale, User Manuals, and WD Apps for Windows?" Not sure if that's essential for hard drive function.

 

[SuperSoph_WD]

Hey there again, @welkins974!

All the brand-specific software tools that came with your external WD HDD, you can find here on our Software download page. To be even clearer on what exactly you should download, you can click on Filter by product and see all the tools and utilities for the WD My Passport. The user manual, though should be accessible through the official product page.

If you have any important personal data that you have manually put onto the external drive, this is what you need to backup prior to the full erase as it will make the old files unrecoverable due to the WRITING ZEROS procedure!

Hope this helps you. Let me know if you have other questions!
Good luck!
SuperSoph_WD

 

[welkins974]

Hi, I am finished with the zero fill, but it shows up as "Disk 5" instead of a letter. I have restarted my computer, but I can't seem to access it anymore? Do I need to do anything after the zero fill?

On the good note, DiskInfo and LifeGuard Diagnostics both say it's back to "0 sector error pending count". Does this mean it's safe to trust again?


Edit: I allocated and "simple created a volume for it"
YAY, it now has ZERO sector errors from both LifeGuard and DiskInfo (both good condition statuses). This means it is safe now right? Of course, I always backup any data I refuse to lose.

 

[SuperSoph_WD]

I'm sorry I didn't mention that earlier, @welkins974! Indeed, the writing zeros /full erase procedure writes zeros to the entire drive and completely wipes it by getting it back to its default out-of-the-box condition. This basically requires you to re-initialize it and then re-partition & format the drive in order to be able to access it through the file explorer again.

I'd definitely consider it safe now, however, always remember to do regular backups. Making duplicates is definitely what will save you from any potential data loss in the future.

Best of luck!
Cheers,
SuperSoph_WD