SMART HDD Warnings...

[indolikaa]

About six months ago, I booted up my computer to find my BIOS was giving me the dreaded 'SMART Failure' warning on my hard drive.


I did a low-level format, which didn't solve the problem, so I cloned the drive and decided to keep using it to see how long it would go...

And six months later, it still runs fine. Once in a great while, the BIOS won't see the HDD during POST, but all I have to do is press the reset button and everything is fine the second time around.

Interesting...

[rallynavvie]

This was happening on one of my 80GB drives because Motherboard Monitor was going nuts on it. You could also disable SMART in the BIOS settings so that the system stops attempting to start the SMART function on the drive. I wonder if that makes them last longer...

[DVD_Ripper]

This was happening on one of my 80GB drives because Motherboard Monitor was going nuts on it. You could also disable SMART in the BIOS settings so that the system stops attempting to start the SMART function on the drive. I wonder if that makes them last longer...

Do you think you get any better 'performance' having smart enabled?

[rallynavvie]

I thought the only thing it did was let your motherboard know its operations such as drive access, temps, and such. I don't know if it actually improves performance. My guess is it doesn't, but if it does there is hardly a noticeable effect.

[indolikaa]

I don't think I've seen any performance increase or decrease. No increase in noise, either.

I did disable the SMART system once it went 'tits up' since it wouldn't boot past POST unless you instructed it to do so. With 4 computers on a KVM switch, I could see myself forgetting I turned the damn thing on, and then wonder why it never booted up.

I did a thorough Scandisk last night. No surface anomolies, either.

[Capmaster]

This was happening on one of my 80GB drives because Motherboard Monitor was going nuts on it. You could also disable SMART in the BIOS settings so that the system stops attempting to start the SMART function on the drive. I wonder if that makes them last longer...

Do you think you get any better 'performance' having smart enabled?

SMART doesn't do anything for performance. It's only an early warning system for the hard drives. It gives you time to backup your files, and maybe get online and order that nice new 1.5 TB drive array you've been wanting, but were waiting for an excuse

[offline]

don't think I've seen any performance increase or decrease. No increase in noise, either.

S.M.A.R.T enabled reduces sync data transfer rates
over time although a large cache (8 meg) can almost cover
its effects. I always leave it disabled and do my own pattern
test every few months.

[handyguy]

You should put in a new cable.

[indolikaa]

You should put in a new cable.

Been there, done that. It SMART'd out on two different motherboards.

[Shard92]

don't think I've seen any performance increase or decrease. No increase in noise, either.

S.M.A.R.T enabled reduces sync data transfer rates
over time although a large cache (8 meg) can almost cover
its effects. I always leave it disabled and do my own pattern
test every few months.

Same here I never use smart.....