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    my external hdd dying?? help

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by Kossel, Jan 20, 2009.

  1. Kossel

    Kossel Notebook Evangelist

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    I have a 2 years old, 160gb WD passport external hdd. but now whenever write/read is very slow, like 8 mb/s and sometimes with an "I/O error" or "cannot read xxxx file error"

    I tried
    scandisk - no error
    hd tune error scan - a red block (damaged)
    hd tune benchmark - cannot complete due to error of drive
    hdd regenerator - extremely slow, every 1mb take 3 mins
    quick format - successful but problem still

    is it dying?? 2 years is still young for a hdd :D

    si there any software can fix this?
     
    Kossel, Jan 20, 2009
    #1
  2. Ch28Kid

    Ch28Kid Notebook Deity

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    Yes there is software that can fix your problem. Your HDD manufacturers Western Digital should have a diagnostics program can could help fix the hard drive.

    http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?level1=2&lang=en

    If that doesn't know, you can always use the windows command and go into "ChkDsk" or check disk and it will run its diagnostics test. Press Start, Run and type in "cmd" and press "OK". It will scan for bad sector and windows will learn to "skip" those sector when its writing on the hard drive.

    BEFORE YOU DO THAT, PLEASE BACKUP EVERYTHING FIRST.

    I hope that helps.

    Ch28Kid
     
    Ch28Kid, Jan 20, 2009
    #2
  3. Kossel

    Kossel Notebook Evangelist

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    I ran WD diagnostic software and it says SMART FAIL, and cannot continue scan :S

    06-Quick Test on drive 3 did not complete! Status code = 04 (Unknown failed test element), Failure Checkpoint = 64 (SMART Attribute Test) SMART self-test did not complete on drive 3!

    Reallocated Sectors Count fail
     
    Kossel, Jan 20, 2009
    #3
  4. DetlevCM

    DetlevCM Notebook Nobel Laureate

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    If its physical damage then software won't be able to fix it.
    If SMART failed - get a new drive.
     
    DetlevCM, Jan 20, 2009
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