Barracuda XT, Barracuda, Barracuda Green, DiamondMax and other desktop SATA and IDE drives

[witcherOlaf]

Hi!

I would like some advice on the following.

A few days ago I filed a RMA  for my ST3500320AS HD as it had developed a lot of bad sectors (616) and failed the Seagate seatools SDST. I then proceeded to back up all my data and then did a zero fill after which I ran seatools again and this time it passed the SDST. Hence I put on hold the RMA.

Since then the Reallocated Sector Count has kept on increasing and as of now is at 1096. Here's a pic :  

The drive stills passes the SDST in seatools. I have yet again backed up all my data.

What do I do now since as long as the drive passes the SDST in seatools I cannot RMA the drive or can I?

Please advice.

Thank You. 

[dta]

I'm experiencing something close to your situation, just not as serious as yours.

Drive in question is a Seagate 7200.12 ST31000528AS  (1Tb) internal SATA hard drive.

Here's the logfile:

--------------- SeaTools for Windows v1.2.0.4 ---------------
6/28/2011 9:48:14 PM
Model: ST31000528AS
Serial Number: 5VP6xxxx
Firmware Revision: CC38
SMART - Pass 6/28/2011 9:48:16 PM
Short DST - Started 6/28/2011 9:48:57 PM
Short DST - Pass 6/28/2011 9:51:05 PM
Short Generic - Started 6/28/2011 9:57:02 PM
Short Generic - Pass 6/28/2011 9:59:41 PM
Identify - Started 6/28/2011 10:01:21 PM
Long Generic - Started 6/29/2011 8:36:02 PM
Long Generic - Pass 6/30/2011 1:03:08 AM
Long DST - Started 6/30/2011 6:26:57 AM
Long DST - FAIL 6/30/2011 10:00:50 AM
SeaTools Test Code: A2E9D5F8
Long DST - Started 6/30/2011 4:02:19 PM
Long DST - FAIL 6/30/2011 6:09:05 PM
SeaTools Test Code: A2E9D5F8
Long DST - Started 7/2/2011 6:20:39 AM
Long DST - FAIL 7/2/2011 9:20:58 AM
SeaTools Test Code: A2E9D5F8
SMART - Pass 7/5/2011 9:45:09 PM
Short DST - Started 7/5/2011 9:46:09 PM
Short DST - Pass 7/5/2011 9:47:10 PM
Long DST - Started 7/6/2011 2:21:12 AM
Long DST - Pass 7/6/2011 6:36:54 AM
SMART - Pass 7/6/2011 4:23:19 PM
Short DST - Started 7/6/2011 4:23:54 PM
Short DST - Pass 7/6/2011 4:24:55 PM
Short Generic - Started 7/6/2011 4:25:33 PM
Short Generic - Pass 7/6/2011 4:27:07 PM
Identify - Started 7/6/2011 4:27:16 PM
SMART: Supported and enabled
48-bit Address feature set supported: True
Max LBA: 1953523055
Host Protected Area features: Supported and enabled
Mandatory Power Management: Supported and enabled
Security Mode: Supported not enabled
SET MAX security extension: Supported not enabled
Advanced Power Managment: Not Supported
Download Firmware: False
SMART self-test supported: True
SMART error logging supported: True
Drive Temperature(C/F): 43/109
Power-On Hours: 685
==============================

The reallocated sectors count also keeps on increasing.

In a span of about 1 hour+, I experienced Windows slowing down and sort of hanging up.

I remember there were about 54 reallocated sectors, but after restarting Windows and checking the reallocated sector count, it increased to 73 reallocated sectors now. (and incremented again to 74 sectors after I finished another LONG DST test).

Since this drive is used as a boot system drive, I'm now afraid the hard drive may suddenly not boot due to corrupted system files (it had already experienced that twice before, prior to getting 54 reallocated sector count) -- I had to repair Windows to make it bootable.

SEATOOLS gave 3 LONG DST - FAIL results with the same Seatools Fail Test Code, but on the 4th try, LONG DST passed.

I'd rather have some peace of mind than worrying about when the boot system drive may suddenly fail..

[fzabkar]

The SeaTools test code is uniquely generated for each drive. It is an encoded number that is generated from the drive's serial number and the number of the failing test. Once you have this test code, then your drive will be accepted for RMA, regardless of whether the problem has corrected itself. Problems may go away if they are intermittent, or if a particular weak sector is reallocated.

About SeaTools Test Codes:
http://www.seagate.com/ww/v/index.jsp?locale=en-US&name=wvc&vgnextoid=573797f40cce3210VgnVCM1000001a...

My understanding is that the second last digit identifies the failing test, as follows:

xxxxxx4x - SMART Fail
xxxxxx5x - Long Test, long LBA test
xxxxxx6x - Short Test, short LBA test
xxxxxxAx - Self-Service SeaTools Test Code
xxxxxxCx - Short Generic
xxxxxxDx - Long Generic
xxxxxxEx - Short DST
xxxxxxFx - Long DST

[witcherOlaf]

Here's an update : 

The Reallocated Sector Count has been stable for around 24hrs now, should I be happy..?

Here's something that totally crushes out every bit of happiness from me.. 

Estimated remaining lifetime "8 days"...

Please advice.

Thank You. 

[fzabkar]

If it were my drive, I would replace it ASAP. I have a 13GB Seagate drive which I took out of service after it exceeded 120 reallocated sectors. In the end it was growing new defects on a weekly basis.

[dta]

fzabkar,

Thanks for your informative reply. I'll try to file an RMA for this drive then.

What I was worried about is that I file an RMA, and then Seagate receives the drive and says that the drive is still "healthy" and since I gave them a healthy drive, I would have to pay for the shipping back to my place (in my case, that is shipping to another country, although they have a drop-off point in our country, there's no pickup point for RMA'd items -- thus, if I had to pay for shipping back to my country, the shipping cost would very like be more than half the cost of a new drive already...)

In witcherolaf's case, I think he mentioned doing the SeaTools Short DST tests only, but not the Long DST tests (which take several hours to complete). My guess is that his drive (having a LOT more reallocated sectors than why my drive is experiencing), would likely generate a Seatools Fail code quicker than in my case.  (BTW, what's that program screenshot you're using that shows the "estimated remaining lifetime: 8 days"?)

[witcherOlaf]

Here's a final update... Guess its time to RMA the HD.

Btw, dta the above program is 'Hard Disk Sentinel'.

Thanks for all the help. 

[Cantbecanit]

Time to kiss that one goodbye, nothing is going to save that at that stage, make sure you have all your data off it right now and if it qualifies rma it, I notice your temps are quite high on all your drives, two things cost allowing I would recommend you do in future are to invest in a good quality front fan bay equiped case and also if you are running multiple drives a man sized PSU, these two things help shorten the life of a HDD if they aren't up to spec, virtually every drive I've had that has deteriorated in health has been one that has run hot, hth.