HD Tune Test Shows Problem with a Drive

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by Denise_M, Jul 5, 2009.

  1. Denise_M

    Denise_M MajorGeek

    Hi,

    I have Windows XP Pro x64. My case hold 12 SATA hdds. I ran the HD Tune test to check my hdds. Drive N seems to have a few problems and I don't know what the results mean. I'm concerned because the drive has a 0 buffer, which I didn't think was possible (but what do I know) and the results of the other tests don't look very good either, even though HD Tune says that things are "Ok." :confused

    Can someone take a look at the attachments (which are snapshots of each HD Tune test) and give me a brief (or otherwise) opinion about what might be going on with the drive? Thanks in advance :)
     

    Attached Files:

  2. dlb

    dlb MajorGeek

    You can use the Test Results page at the HDTune web site to compare your drive against other makes/models, and compare it to the same make/model to see how things line up; you'll need to scroll down a ways to get to the Seagate section. You should also check out the HDTune Manual and possibly the HDTune FAQs also.... IIRC the yellow bars signify that something is borderline but is still OK, for now. Kind of like a yellow stoplight means it's OK to keep moving forward, for now. I haven't used HDTune in a while, I generally prefer to use the diagnostics from the drive manufacturer's web sites since they are geared toward specific products. Use this link to access the Seagate site and to download SeaTools, the diagnostic for your hard drive shown in the screen shots. They have a bootable version (SeaTools for DOS) and SeaTools for Windows which runs from your desktop....

    Good luck!!!!!!!!!!

    [dlb]
     
  3. Denise_M

    Denise_M MajorGeek

    Hi dlb . . . thanks for responding.

    I downloaded the Seatools for Windows Test. The drive immediately failed the Short Drive Self Test and the SMART Test.

    I then downloaded Seatools for DOS onto a floppy and I'll be running that as soon as I finish processing some files and can reboot. I'll let you know what the results are. From what I read at the site, it can repair damaged blocks, so the drive may be salvagable. It's a 1Gb drive so I'd hate to lose it. I have all the files on the drive backed up onto another drive, just in case.
     
  4. thesmokingun

    thesmokingun MajorGeek

    i agree with dlb that using the seatools is your best bet. seagate has a pretty decent warranty too, so if you need to, you can get another one. they will even replace OEM drives.
     
  5. satrow

    satrow Major Geek Extraordinaire

    Last time I checked, Seagate only replaced with a refurb drive.

    This may be common practice with all HDD makers, I don't know.
     
  6. Denise_M

    Denise_M MajorGeek

    A few days agao, I ran the SeaTools Short Test for Windows Short Test and SMART test and they failed. The drive also shows problems in the results of the HD Tune Test and it showed that it has a 0 (zero) buffer.

    Today, I ran the SeaTools Short Test and Long Test for DOS and it passed, so I don't know what's going on with the drive.

    When I first purchased Maxtor One Touch II ext hdds, when they failed, I was sent reburbished drives. After they failed a second time, I received new drives, so I think you're right, satrow, when you said that manufacturers replace failed drives with refurbished drives.

    The odd thing is, is that I don't see any problems with this particular drive. It runs fine. As I said in my first post, my tower holds 12 drives. Some are for my original files and the others hold backups. This drive that the tests show have problems is a drive that holds my originals, so I use it quite often and I've never had a problem with it. It's not slow, I can move files onto and off of it, and it doesn't freeze. Since the SeaTools for DOS Long Test showed no problems, could it be that the other tests are wrong? Can a drive have a 0 buffer?
     

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