S.M.A.R.T. status bad on my 160GB Maxtor HDD

[logannsan]

The problem im having is this drive came up with the SMART status bad while booting and I keep getting "delayed write failed" messages when I try to write new data to it.

I was using this drive by itself for over a year now with XP installed on it and never had any problems with it, but I had never upgraded to SP1 and so the XP only saw about 120gb or so.

I installed a 80gb with XP on it as primary and the 160gb as secondary (for data) and updated to SP1 and the drive still was only like 120gb(I think it was like 127gb to be exact).I used partition magic and then it saw the full amount. I used about 40gb of it and then started to get the "delayed write failed" errors. Upon reboot the SMART status was bad!!?

I checked maxtors site and made sure the ribbon cable is set up correctly, which it was, and also installed the 48 bit update. I partioned it again with Xp's disk management and thought it was fine.

I had shut off the SMART check upon boot up, so I dont know if that error still existed or not, but began to use again and I only got about 15Gb into it and im getting the "delayed write failed" errors again.

I really dont know if the drive is bad or not, because I have no idea what the SMART check is for???
Any info or links to other sites and such is appreciated...Thanks

[redwudz]

Try this site for an explanation:http://www.anandtech.com/guides/viewfaq.html?i=120

[Ripper2860]

Seems to be a problem for some. Here's what Microsoft has to say about it ...
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=330174 (useless)

Here is a problem supposedly related to ATI video drivers and HDD drives / Large System Cache settings in WinXP giving "Delayed Write Errors"...
http://www.hardwareanalysis.com/content/topic/22061/

Try downloading the Beta SP2 for WinXP and try it. Certainly cannot hurt.



Good Luck !!

[logannsan]

Thanks for the info and links... I visited the anatech and read up on the SMART info. I looked at the one forum link for hardwareanalysis and it reminded me of an update on windows that I went ahead and did for the video driver of my ATI card. After that I used DVD decrypter again to decrypt a movie to that drive and it locked up still.

After that I went ahead and unchecked the box for cache settings and such that the windows link pointed to and so far its not coming up with any errors..although I think im just humoring myself at this point(useless LOL). I'll report back im sure when it errors out again! Thanks for the help!

[RabidDog]

scandisk.. smart errors normally indicate a problem with the drive..bad news.

[logannsan]

Hi, LOL I have not done a error-checking(scandisk) because the disk management keeps reporting that it is "healty". I will do that just to make sure but so far, I have decrypted, and transcoded a movie on that drive and now am burning it and so far no problems..Thanks.

[Ripper2860]

Logannsan,

The term "useless" referred to the UDMA BIOS settings and 40 pin cable scenario. The disabling of Write Cache has eliminated the error for many, but alas does not really fix it. Instead of fixing the problem they recommend disabling it -- at the expense of performance.

... Patient says: "Dr -- my elbow hurts when I bend it like this".
Dr. Bill says: "Hmmm. Then I suggest you do not bend it like that". "That'll be $199.00, please".

I surely hope this is fixed in SP2, as it seems to rear its' head up in lot's of different scenarios -- VIA, Intel, NVidia, USB Drives, Firewire. PATA and SATA. All across the board with the common thread being the Windows OS (2000 and XP) and large capacity drives, typically w/ 8MB of cache.

You might try ghosting your drive and applying XP SP2 Beta. It is available on the internet and certainly worth a try. If it hoses other things up (likely) -- just ghost back. It might just allow you to enable cache and get it to working a t full performance.

[gmatov]

A silly question, here. Why would you think telling the Self Monitoring And
Reporting Technology should be disabled in the BIOS?

If the MoBo mfg thinks it is important enough for it to be incorporated and the drive mfgs have done so too, do you not think you should take advantage of it?

If SMART says the drive is bad, backup and replace, believe me, and it, it is.

Try all the cooldown, etc, tricks, to recover your files, but DO get it replaced. 160 should still be under the 1 year warranty, if it doesn't have a 3 year.
Cheers,

Gorge

Sorry, S mart M onitoring A nd R eporting T echnology

[logannsan]

Ripper2860,
I see what you say, that is why I said humoring myself at this point. The
drive acts fine for now at reduced performance,(scandisk did not show any problems) and the bandaid will eventually fall off....I have to look into ghosting. I have never done it before, but sounds like the ultimate backup.

gmatov > Just a silly response, It halts my BIOS. I have to press the F1 key to resume booting. It seems to be simple to me, but there should be checks for each drive that can be turned on and off, no updates seem to support that feature.

I'll look into the warranty..I never even thought about that.
Thanks for the responses.

[gmatov]

Log,

Go to your drive maker's site. You should be able to type in your S/N and check the warranty status.

It may also be printed on the drive's lable.

No dated receipt required unless you actually did buy it new so far into the warranty period after mfg date. It could have sat on the shelf for 3 years before you buy it, you still have 1 or 3 years of warranty life.

SMART is actually locking up your 'puter, or it is telling you it is bad, if you wish to ignore, push a key? A difference, there.

Cheers,

George

[808smokey]

Maxtors I think are 1 year, used to be 3 but can't remember Yeah if SMART says it's bad, it's dying, BACKUP ASAP, then send it back for RMA