What are the signs of a HD failing?

Westcoast

Westcoast

Westcoast

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22 Jan 2005
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I have a Maxtor HD (not sure if that matters or not). It was fine at first, but after a couple of months it's become very noisy - almost like it is struggling to read the data - yes it is a little slower in reading data too.

Is this a sign that it is about to fail, or should noise not matter?
 
Noise can be a sign as can clicking, slowness to read data or failures to read data. I'd suggest you download Maxblast from Maxtors website and run the tests in that but before you do I'd backup your data just in case, the testing may just push the drive over the edge :)
 
Westcoast said:
I have a Maxtor HD (not sure if that matters or not). It was fine at first, but after a couple of months it's become very noisy - almost like it is struggling to read the data - yes it is a little slower in reading data too.

Is this a sign that it is about to fail, or should noise not matter?
Click to expand...

Check your Windows event log for read/write errors. Dowload Powermax from Maxtor create boot Disk and it will test your Drive. If you do find errors you can check online at Maxtors site if its under warranty. Maxtor Support in Ireland is v good.
 
FrankJH said:
Is there a certain amount of "blocks" that have to be unusable before a (maxtor) hdd can be returned as faulty?
Click to expand...

They go by Powermax findings. When you run it. It comes back with an error code according to the severity of the failure.

Ive had lots of faulyy Drives replaced over the years. You just ring their support with the error code and they give you with an RMA No. They never quibble, I remember a failure of a 40GB about year ago only had 2 months left of its 3 year warranty it was an OEM Drive as well. Sent it back and sent me a brand new 60GB replacement!

Maxtor=crap drives but great support.
 
Just a another word of warning as stated in the second post :) , ensure you back it up prior to running the tools, we ran it once and the drive died 1/2 way through the test, were very lucky that there was nothing on the drive of any importance.
 
SpeedFan's got a very good S.M.A.R.T. feature & can 'Perform an in-depth online analysis of this hard disk'...

speedfansmart9sa.jpg


More info here: http://www.almico.com/speedfan.php :cool:
 
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