Seagate SATA 1TB drive failure
I think I am looking more for sympathy than help here. However, I am curious if others have encountered a similar problem... and perhaps ideas on how you solved it.
This Seagate ST31000340AS is about 1 year old now. It has always been in a temperature and vibration controlled environment.
Recently, the drive began displaying odd behaviour by way of files and folders mysteriously disappearing. A re-boot always brought the missing items back. Originally, I suspected the SATA interface (external drive). However, the symptoms have become progressively worse, now that I have the drive connected to a SATA to USB converter.
My first backup attempt (via the SATA to USB), I could move about 420 GB of data in about 7 hours before failure.
By failure, I mean I see I/O errors (see screen caps). At this point, previously viewable files are no longer accessible.
On my second backup (move files actually), I could only move about 65 GB of data before failure.
I have noticed that it has become progressively worse, and now I am lucky to move about 5 GB of data before failure. I still have about 300 GB to transfer.
Please note: This doesn't seem to be a temperature related problem because I have a lot of cooling on this drive now.
Unfortunately, this drive wasn't part of my RAID setup, so I must get everything backed up.
Has anyone ever encountered such a problem? I am really concerned because I have four more of the identical drive (but all are more recent purchases).
31-03-2009-11-42-21-AM.png
31-03-2009-11-46-19-AM.png
This Seagate ST31000340AS is about 1 year old now. It has always been in a temperature and vibration controlled environment.
Recently, the drive began displaying odd behaviour by way of files and folders mysteriously disappearing. A re-boot always brought the missing items back. Originally, I suspected the SATA interface (external drive). However, the symptoms have become progressively worse, now that I have the drive connected to a SATA to USB converter.
My first backup attempt (via the SATA to USB), I could move about 420 GB of data in about 7 hours before failure.
By failure, I mean I see I/O errors (see screen caps). At this point, previously viewable files are no longer accessible.
On my second backup (move files actually), I could only move about 65 GB of data before failure.
I have noticed that it has become progressively worse, and now I am lucky to move about 5 GB of data before failure. I still have about 300 GB to transfer.
Please note: This doesn't seem to be a temperature related problem because I have a lot of cooling on this drive now.
Unfortunately, this drive wasn't part of my RAID setup, so I must get everything backed up.
Has anyone ever encountered such a problem? I am really concerned because I have four more of the identical drive (but all are more recent purchases).
31-03-2009-11-42-21-AM.png
31-03-2009-11-46-19-AM.png
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Sir, have you gotten into Linux and attempted a backup yet? I highly suggest you do before trying anything else. A Live CD is very kind to a failing hard disk. Please consider doing this, should you desire getting the data. You will want to launch a SMART test on the drive as soon as you can.
Root Shell (Penguin Icon)
At the prompt, Type:
smartctl -d ata -a /dev/sda | grep Error
Look for errors. If you have any errors show, I highly suggest that you get to backing up ASAP.
Root Shell (Penguin Icon)
At the prompt, Type:
smartctl -d ata -a /dev/sda | grep Error
Look for errors. If you have any errors show, I highly suggest that you get to backing up ASAP.
ASKER
Thank you everyone for your help! Ultimately dbrunton was the most correct, however, I gave everyone points for their useful input.
I ended up backing up as much data as possible (using traditional methods - which required powering cycling the drive several times). Non-critical data (about 1/2 GB) was left on the drive while I flashed it using the latest firmware update from Seagate. Everything worked and the drive is now operating normally.
Thanks again!
I ended up backing up as much data as possible (using traditional methods - which required powering cycling the drive several times). Non-critical data (about 1/2 GB) was left on the drive while I flashed it using the latest firmware update from Seagate. Everything worked and the drive is now operating normally.
Thanks again!
Hmmm, this was in my linked answer:
Here a link to HDD makers Hard Drive Diagnostics Tools and Utilities
http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=287#samsung
& you say
"I flashed it using the latest firmware update from Seagate. Everything worked and the drive is now operating normally."
Which is what HDD makers Hard Drive Diagnostics Tools and Utilities would have told you.
Water under the bridge.
good for you.
Here a link to HDD makers Hard Drive Diagnostics Tools and Utilities
http://www.tacktech.com/display.cfm?ttid=287#samsung
& you say
"I flashed it using the latest firmware update from Seagate. Everything worked and the drive is now operating normally."
Which is what HDD makers Hard Drive Diagnostics Tools and Utilities would have told you.
Water under the bridge.
good for you.
ASKER
Michael-Best: Thanks but software alone cannot help in this situation. The problem is that once the drive's firmware executes a BSY, it shuts down. Nothing short of a power cycle will clear the BSY.
MrMintanet: That might work, since I have heard reports that Linux is immune to the hard drive's problem.
Another solution is listed here: http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?s=68e0bd1a5d91ee17aa1b403f58a13eec&showtopic=128807
Has anyone heard of the phantom hard drive problem? I cannot get rid of the problem drive's volume in File Explorer. Drive O: (the problem drive letter assignment) will not go away, after I unplug the drive. I also cannot access Computer Management / Disk Management. The volume listing never appears, rather I see a message (on the bottom of window) that states, "Loading disk configuration information..." The only solution seems to be rebooting Vista! How darn annoying!!