Is my external HDD dying?

[synce]

I've got this 1.5TB WD I've had for a couple years, it's had 21 unstable sectors for as long as I can remember but it always functioned fine. Recently though I've been having a strange problem with it. When copying ANY file from the problem drive to another external, the transfer rate will slow down from 20MB/s to less than 2MB/s before eventually crawling back up to 20MB/s. If I write to the problem drive, however, the transfer rate is consistently fast as usual.

I've tried using different USB ports and restarting Windows but the problem persists with only this single drive. Why's it suddenly reading so slow but writing at the usual speed? Can I expect total failure soon?

 

[scout_03]

use wd data lifeguard diagnostic to find it

 

[synce]

^ It says my drive passed but it seems the program just looks at the same SMART data I already have access to

I've now reinstalled the HDD's drivers but the problems persist. I'm (very slowly) pulling my data off the drive tonight and I'll be ordering a replacement tomorrow, unless anyone has ideas

 

[scout_03]

did you try the short and long test on it

 

[synce]

Well I think my drive is finished. When I woke up this morning to check on the progress all my files made it safely off the drive but the bad sector count had increased from 21 to 32, and there's probably plenty more. I remember with another Elements it ballooned up to like 1500 in a single day. My next drive will be a Seagate

 

[scout_03]

if this one still under warranty ask rma and save the most precious data