Failing disc and file copying
Not sure if this should be in here, Hardware, Mac?Linux Software or Chit Chat...
As mentioned in another thread I have a failing 1TB drive which contains some 950+GB of files some large some small.
I have a new 1TB and set about copying all the files in stages rather than all at once. Windows Explorer (W7 32) occasionally threw an error telling me a certain file couldn't be read (occasionally allowing me to Skip) but, more than often, it just appeared to wait with no further file transfers even though WE never actually crashed. After waiting at times in excess of 20 minutes clicking Cancel then caused crashes and often only pressing the Resent button on the case would resolve it.
I even tried rebooting into safe mode (with networking) but still the same problems.
I then inserted an Ubuntu Live CD and set about copying the files. So far it has reported a few errors and allowed me to skip those files. It hasn't hung and it seems to be copying so much faster
I'm not going to convert to Linux but just wanted to say how grateful I am for all the previous advice given here which has enabled me to save tons of data via the Ubuntu CD.
As mentioned in another thread I have a failing 1TB drive which contains some 950+GB of files some large some small.
I have a new 1TB and set about copying all the files in stages rather than all at once. Windows Explorer (W7 32) occasionally threw an error telling me a certain file couldn't be read (occasionally allowing me to Skip) but, more than often, it just appeared to wait with no further file transfers even though WE never actually crashed. After waiting at times in excess of 20 minutes clicking Cancel then caused crashes and often only pressing the Resent button on the case would resolve it.
I even tried rebooting into safe mode (with networking) but still the same problems.
I then inserted an Ubuntu Live CD and set about copying the files. So far it has reported a few errors and allowed me to skip those files. It hasn't hung and it seems to be copying so much faster
I'm not going to convert to Linux but just wanted to say how grateful I am for all the previous advice given here which has enabled me to save tons of data via the Ubuntu CD.
Once you have moved as many of the files as you can, then using your Ubuntu CD, go to the "Synaptic Package Manager" and search for "recovery ntfs" and that will list a number of tools for recovering the remaining files from corrupted NTFS folders. You might still be able to retrieve those last remaining 'skipped' files !
OK, I just ran up Western Digital "Data Lifeguard Diagnostics" V5.04f for DOS and I happen to have a WD 160GB SATA2 7200rpm drive fitted for testing.
Running the "Extended Test" says it will take 33m 11s.
So assuming you have a similarly spec'ed drive, then I reckon a 1TB drive should take 3h 27m 24s.
If your drive is 5400rpm then that that time would increase to 4h 36m 32s.
If you have SATA-1 then it would take longer.
If it were USB then it might be slower still.
If you are running the diagnostics under Windows, then I have no experience of the effect of that version.
There may also be the effect of what speed you PC is, my test machine happens to be a Pentium-4 3.2GHz.
So I would be a bit surprised if it really does take ten hours, but your test has already been running four hours so you might as well let it run to completion.
Running the "Extended Test" says it will take 33m 11s.
So assuming you have a similarly spec'ed drive, then I reckon a 1TB drive should take 3h 27m 24s.
If your drive is 5400rpm then that that time would increase to 4h 36m 32s.
If you have SATA-1 then it would take longer.
If it were USB then it might be slower still.
If you are running the diagnostics under Windows, then I have no experience of the effect of that version.
There may also be the effect of what speed you PC is, my test machine happens to be a Pentium-4 3.2GHz.
So I would be a bit surprised if it really does take ten hours, but your test has already been running four hours so you might as well let it run to completion.
I left it running when I went out and it was indicating around 8 hours left after an hour's use.
When I got back it had failed with 'Too many bad sectors'. It had been running for just over 5 hours and still said 8:37:47 remaining
I can only assume that the high sector errors was causing the check to be slow as it did with normal disc access.
I was running the diagnostics from within Windows 7.
When I got back it had failed with 'Too many bad sectors'. It had been running for just over 5 hours and still said 8:37:47 remaining
I can only assume that the high sector errors was causing the check to be slow as it did with normal disc access.
I was running the diagnostics from within Windows 7.
Yes I forgot to mention that the program does run VERY slowly when there are a lot of errors detected 
Because it has failed with bad sectors, what you should try next is -
1) Ensure that you are happy that you have copied everything you wanted to another drive.
2) Run the "Write Zeros To Drive" and then select "Full Erase", this will wipe the drive clean and MIGHT (if you are very lucky) cause the errored sectors to be remapped, which (if it works) would leave you with a working drive.
3) If step 2 works - and runs to completion without an error message, then try running the "Extended Test" again.
I wouldn't be too hopeful of a successful outcome, as 'Too many bad sectors' might be beyond recovery, whereas when a few sectors have gone then this procedure is often effective and the drive will often work faultlessly for years.
Obviously if it can be recovered, you still don't actually know what previously failed to cause the bad sectors, so I would be a bit cautious about putting any valuable data on the drive until you have used it long enough that the likelihood of further lost sectors seems to have passed.
If the drive can't be recovered by the writing zeros action, you should find the serial number of the drive and enter it into this page http://websupport.wdc.com/warranty/serialinput.asp?aspsid=545143976&custtype=end&requesttype=warrant... and that will tell you if you are entitled to receive a replacement drive. For a 1TB drive which would have been manuafctured in the last couple of years, then there is a good chance the WD will send you a replacement if you go through their RMA procedure here http://support.wdc.com/warranty/index_end.asp?lang=en.
Because it has failed with bad sectors, what you should try next is -
1) Ensure that you are happy that you have copied everything you wanted to another drive.
2) Run the "Write Zeros To Drive" and then select "Full Erase", this will wipe the drive clean and MIGHT (if you are very lucky) cause the errored sectors to be remapped, which (if it works) would leave you with a working drive.
3) If step 2 works - and runs to completion without an error message, then try running the "Extended Test" again.
I wouldn't be too hopeful of a successful outcome, as 'Too many bad sectors' might be beyond recovery, whereas when a few sectors have gone then this procedure is often effective and the drive will often work faultlessly for years.
Obviously if it can be recovered, you still don't actually know what previously failed to cause the bad sectors, so I would be a bit cautious about putting any valuable data on the drive until you have used it long enough that the likelihood of further lost sectors seems to have passed.
If the drive can't be recovered by the writing zeros action, you should find the serial number of the drive and enter it into this page http://websupport.wdc.com/warranty/serialinput.asp?aspsid=545143976&custtype=end&requesttype=warrant... and that will tell you if you are entitled to receive a replacement drive. For a 1TB drive which would have been manuafctured in the last couple of years, then there is a good chance the WD will send you a replacement if you go through their RMA procedure here http://support.wdc.com/warranty/index_end.asp?lang=en.
Thanks, purleigh.
I checked its warranty status when I first noticed problems last week and it's still covered
So I'll just RMA it although as it did contain some private info I'll write zeros a couple of times first.
Edit it's suggesting over 13 hours to write zeros to the entire drive - I reckon it'll fail well before that
I checked its warranty status when I first noticed problems last week and it's still covered
So I'll just RMA it although as it did contain some private info I'll write zeros a couple of times first.
Edit it's suggesting over 13 hours to write zeros to the entire drive - I reckon it'll fail well before that
After over 12 hours of writing it completed with a green tick but also a message informing it 'Failed to update the disc properly'???
Will RMA it this weekend
Will RMA it this weekend