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[pwntpants]

So my computers been acting up a lot lately. I'm thinking it's the harddrive, but I'm not 100% sure.

A couple days ago, I went to record with Dxtory. I noticed low recording frames (playing fine, recording slow). So I fiddled with some stuff, and then ran the benchmark test for write speed; it was very slow (~19 MB/s) The write speed, since then, has varied between about 15 MB/s and 32 MB/s. My harddrive is pretty low end, it's regular write speed was only around 50 MB/s, but this is just ridiculous. I also noticed, in the benchmark test, that it was running very choppily. It shows how much has been transferred, and usually it's running at a steady pace. But when I do it now, it writes for a second, stops for a second, writes for a second, stops for a second, etc.

Since then, I've gotten 5 bluescreens (over the course of about 4 or 5 days)

I can still play video games relatively fine. My frame rate is a bit lower, but for example, I can still play BF3 between 30 and 45 FPS. However, it does take even longer than usual to load the maps. Speaking of load times, firefox tends to freeze up a lot now, and take up to a minute or so to even start up. In general, it takes a lot longer for programs to start up.

All of this has led me to believe that something is wrong with my harddrive. Like how games can still run, but load times are very slow (load times being attributed to hard drive speed). But I just need confirmation before I go out and get a new harddrive and end up finding out that wasn't the case.

OH and, if I were to get a 1TB HDD and 2TB HDD to replace it, do I have to worry about
1.) Conflicting components? This may seem like a stupid question, but I'm not very knowledgeable with harddrives.
2.) Power issues? I believe I have a 650 W PSU. I have a GTX 460 and AMD Phenom II X4 840. I don't want to end up getting 2 more hard drives only to find out that I also need a new PSU.


To sum it up:

• Bluescreens
  
• Low Write Speeds
  
• Games run relatively fine, but load times are much longer
  
• Browsers tend to freeze up/take long to load up as well.
  
• Generally everything takes long to load up.

[eftj]

Looks like it, to make sure, run an HDD SMART test.

[pwntpants]

eftj, on 21 November 2012 - 11:11 PM, said:

Looks like it, to make sure, run an HDD SMART test.

I tried doing the self test but it says that it is not a SMART disk, so I can't.

Pretty much all I can do with that program is look at device info, haha.

[Bond4141]

if you think your HDD may be failing, then it probably is,

[Penguin236]

It seems like its failing, but either way, make a backup ASAP.

[pwntpants]

Penguin236, on 21 November 2012 - 11:36 PM, said:

It seems like its failing, but either way, make a backup ASAP.

I don't really have anything to back it up onto.
But either way, when I get a new HDD I'm doing a clean install.

[Penguin236]

pwntpants, on 22 November 2012 - 12:39 AM, said:

I don't really have anything to back it up onto.
But either way, when I get a new HDD I'm doing a clean install.

Do you live in America? If so, black Fridays coming up, and you should really buy a new drive.

[SeaWry]

Sounds like bad sectors are taking over. If the drive appears normal, yet it isn't, then more less it is dying. When the write speeds are slowing down, but no reason why, then the drive platters are failing in magnetec. Since the 3D balance system would surely flag if the arm was moving slower then the platters cycle. Since all of it is timed using 3D algorithms. Doubt its fragmented massively also, since thats not going to cause problems like this.

If it is a seagate HDD, get their tools for testing the drive. If it is a WD then get their tools. Then do a extended test.

Or get HDtune and do a cluster check, a slow one and not the quick one. If you get more then 3% of the drive in bad clusters, then its getting pretty bad and indeed needs replaced.

However I should note, there is Hard and Soft bad sectors.

[fm87]

pwntpants, on 21 November 2012 - 11:24 PM, said:

I tried doing the self test but it says that it is not a SMART disk, so I can't.

Pretty much all I can do with that program is look at device info, haha.

What do you mean it isn't a SMART disk?

Most HDDs made in the past 9+ish years have had SMART support.

What does HDTune say? How old is it?

[pwntpants]

Penguin236, on 22 November 2012 - 01:16 AM, said:

Do you live in America? If so, black Fridays coming up, and you should really buy a new drive.

That's my plan. I believe they have 1 TB 7200 RPM HDDs on sale for 60 bucks at Microcenter on black friday. If I can get in there before they sell out, I'll for sure get one.

SeaWry, on 22 November 2012 - 01:25 AM, said:

Sounds like bad sectors are taking over. If the drive appears normal, yet it isn't, then more less it is dying. When the write speeds are slowing down, but no reason why, then the drive platters are failing in magnetec. Since the 3D balance system would surely flag if the arm was moving slower then the platters cycle. Since all of it is timed using 3D algorithms. Doubt its fragmented massively also, since thats not going to cause problems like this.

If it is a seagate HDD, get their tools for testing the drive. If it is a WD then get their tools. Then do a extended test.

Or get HDtune and do a cluster check, a slow one and not the quick one. If you get more then 3% of the drive in bad clusters, then its getting pretty bad and indeed needs replaced.

However I should note, there is Hard and Soft bad sectors.

Thanks, I'll give HDtune a go.

fm87, on 22 November 2012 - 02:40 AM, said:

What do you mean it isn't a SMART disk?

Most HDDs made in the past 9+ish years have had SMART support.

What does HDTune say? How old is it?

I don't think it's THAT old. I just built this computer 1 or 2 years ago, and bought parts from Microcenter. I didn't know much about HDDs at the time, so I just picked the cheapest 500GB one available, and this was it. As far as I'm aware, Microcenter doesn't sell parts that are nearly 10 years old...

But I'll get HDTune and give you guys an update.

EDIT: What exactly do you guys want me to run on HDTune? Benchmarks, etc?

EDIT 2: According to HDTune, S.M.A.R.T. is a supported feature. I have no idea what's going on.

[fm87]

pwntpants, on 22 November 2012 - 03:38 AM, said:

I don't think it's THAT old. I just built this computer 1 or 2 years ago, and bought parts from Microcenter. I didn't know much about HDDs at the time, so I just picked the cheapest 500GB one available, and this was it. As far as I'm aware, Microcenter doesn't sell parts that are nearly 10 years old...

But I'll get HDTune and give you guys an update.

EDIT: What exactly do you guys want me to run on HDTune? Benchmarks, etc?

EDIT 2: According to HDTune, S.M.A.R.T. is a supported feature. I have no idea what's going on.

What is the SMART status? It should have either OK, a red X, or a yellow !.

Also click on each individual thing, is anything coming up with an error? Anything highlighted in yellow/red?

[pwntpants]

fm87, on 22 November 2012 - 04:09 AM, said:

What is the SMART status? It should have either OK, a red X, or a yellow !.

Also click on each individual thing, is anything coming up with an error? Anything highlighted in yellow/red?

Here's what I'm looking at right now


I'll run all the tests and get back to you.

[fm87]

Under the "health" tab is what I meant. Click on each thing to see if something specific failed, or if anything is highlighted in red/yellow.

eg:

[pwntpants]

fm87, on 22 November 2012 - 05:08 AM, said:

Under the "health" tab is what I meant. Click on each thing to see if something specific failed, or if anything is highlighted in red/yellow.

eg:

-snip-

Health tab:


It appears we have a problem

[fm87]

It also doesn't show a temperature reading.

I'd say the board on the drive is dying. It doesn't seem like a mechanical issue.

[SeaWry]

fm87, on 22 November 2012 - 07:18 PM, said:

I'd say the board on the drive is dying. It doesn't seem like a mechanical issue.

Just to say, it is a Deskstar series model.
Those did not obtain the name DeathStar for no reason.
Most likely it is one of the latter Deskstars and showing their true name they are known for now a days.

[eftj]

SeaWry, on 22 November 2012 - 10:01 PM, said:

Just to say, it is a Deskstar series model.
Those did not obtain the name DeathStar for no reason.
Most likely it is one of the latter Deskstars and showing their true name they are known for now a days.

Seems so.

OP, grab a new HDD as quickly as you can. (And you might want to back up the MC saves to a memory stick, that might screw with your Youtube channel slightly)

[pwntpants]

eftj, on 22 November 2012 - 10:06 PM, said:

Seems so.

OP, grab a new HDD as quickly as you can. (And you might want to back up the MC saves to a memory stick, that might screw with your Youtube channel slightly)

I wanted to pick one up today, but I think I'm too late for the good deals :'(

And I really don't have anything to back up onto.. I'm just hoping it doesn't completely die before I get a new one, haha.

@fm87: What does "the board on the drive is failing" mean?

[Satharis]

pwntpants, on 23 November 2012 - 06:10 PM, said:

@fm87: What does "the board on the drive is failing" mean?

The circuit board that controls the hard drive, visible on some models, hidden on others.

[pwntpants]

Okay, I know I'm bumping a (somewhat old) topic, but I have a question pertaining to this that I thought isn't really worth starting a new thread for.

If I get a new hard drive, should I do a clean install of everything? Because I'm not quite sure where the Windows 7 disc is, so if it won't cause issues, I'd prefer to be able to literally just copy and paste windows over to the new harddrive. (that is possible, right?) That way I don't have to do a brand new install and I can keep all my games and such.