HDD possible failure?

[jamminjay09]

Hello,

I really need some quick help here if at all possible. Now this Gateway NV52

SMART Failure Predicted on Hard Disk 4: ST9320320as-(S1)
WARNING: Immediately back-up your data and replace your hard disk drive. A failure may be imminent.
Press F1 to Continue.

We need to remember that this machine was running great when I uninstalled Norton on it using removal tool and install Avast, SuperAntispyware and ZoneAlarm on it. lightening fast after removing Norton etc... The individual couldn't afford to pay for the Norton anymore.

Then he lent it to his little niece for awhile and something happened, I don't know what she did but they told me over the phone that the operating system couldn't be found now.

Well, some other person acquired it after that and it was then all messed up after what he did, of which I have know idea what it was, then I got it back.

I tried to use a boot/repair CD for Vista someone gave to no avail. Didn't have Vista install CD so opt to install Karmic on it. Well, it took three installs before installation took. Did several HDD scans with Karmic install CD and it said it was fine but the first two installs would stop and tell me HDD messed can't install until the third time it seemed to install just fine.

Then all seemed to be fine until this morning booted it up twice and it is telling me on boot now that HDD might be failing to replace it.

Do you think I can scan this HDD using something in Karmic as in Windows to check this HDD for errors etc... and possibly fix them without replacing HDD and could it possibly be fragmented etc... and can I defrag it using something in Karmic.

Actually, I haven't even been able to figure out how to even find, look at or even know any details concerning a HDD on either one of the machines I installed Kubuntu on Jaunty or Karmic. Wait I think I remember stumbling across it on the other machine with Jaunty on it but can't find it now and don't remember if I actually did ever see it.

If we have to replace the HDD then so be it but really don't want to and it seems real strange that it was running great and all of the sudden they lend it to someone and its failing now, to me that doesn't make sense, seems like it should be fine just something needing to be fixed on it possibly, maybe I wrong.

Someone please help or advise?

[dibl]

Re: HDD possible failure?

That's quite a story. I suppose it is universally true that every hard drive that ever failed was working great the day before it began to die.

If it will boot from a CD, the Parted Magic Live CD has a GUI interface to SMART that would let you run SMART tests on it. Download the Parted Magic ISO from here: http://partedmagic.com/download.html

This one also gets mentioned often: http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/

Good luck with it.

[Telengard]

Re: HDD possible failure?

This drive? Looks like it has a 5 year warranty from Seagate. You may try contacting them for RMA instructions.

At this point I would definitely recommend backing up all your important data to external media (e.g. DVD-R or USB HDD).

You could replace it with a newer, larger drive.

If it were mine, I would buy a new computer.

[wizard10000]

Re: HDD possible failure?

Jay, with only one exception that has to do with monitor timings it's not possible to damage hardware with software. If SMART is reporting an impending failure then the hardware's failing and the guy, his niece or the other person couldn't have damaged the drive unless they dropped the PC - and considering it's a desktop hard drive I figure that's kinda unlikely

Get the data off it and replace the drive.

[jamminjay09]

Re: HDD possible failure?

Hello,

Yep, going to buy a 500gb HDD for the Gateway Laptop in question for $89.99 but won't be until next week sometime.

I have some other posts and would like to dig into them get them hashed out before get HDD as I am going to turn around and reinstall Karmic on it after install of the new HDD.

The posts have to do with video mainly and audio, I think, compatibility situation. The Radeon graphics card on it and audio etc... Turns out it is the Graphics mainly not supported but some box comes up on boot sometimes saying Kubuntu doesn't support something with this Graphics card etc... then said a couple of other devices "cards" not supported or something like that etc... But everything seemed to be working fine.

I also have some package, software and program concerns in other posts that I am asking for assistance on, please.

Thank you all again for everything.

[jamminjay09]

Re: HDD possible failure?

Ok,

I just checked the integrity of the disc with the Karmic install CD and it says the disc is good, and I actually did that twice before trying the first install of which failed, then the second install failed and the third installed.

Then it didn't give me any problems what so ever until about the 6 or 7th booting of the fresh install of the Laptop then all of the sudden it is telling me the HDD is dying, backup and replace F1 to continue.

The results of the scan with the install CD are as sch

Check finished: no errors found

Can anyone explain this to me, please?

Thank you.

[Telengard]

Re: HDD possible failure?

The results of the scan with the install CD are as sch

Check finished: no errors found

Wait a minute, I think I must be confused. I thought that in this thread we were talking about the SMART error on your HDD reported by your BIOS. How does the Kubuntu install disc integrity check relate?

[wizard10000]

Re: HDD possible failure?

Wait a minute, I think I must be confused. I thought that in this thread we were talking about the SMART error on your HDD reported by your BIOS. How does the Kubuntu install disc integrity check relate?

It doesn't

Hard drive failures don't respect sector boundaries. If you've got one bad sector chances are that adjacent sectors are also iffy - when you move bad data to a good sector you really haven't solved the problem as although the bad sector is blocked out adjacent sectors are not so it is possible for SMART to report an impending failure while a diskcheck reports no problems.

If you have to choose, believe SMART

[bobcollard]

Re: HDD possible failure?

Ok,

I just checked the integrity of the disc with the Karmic install CD and it says the disc is good, and I actually did that twice before trying the first install of which failed, then the second install failed and the third installed.

Then it didn't give me any problems what so ever until about the 6 or 7th booting of the fresh install of the Laptop then all of the sudden it is telling me the HDD is dying, backup and replace F1 to continue.

The results of the scan with the install CD are as sch

Check finished: no errors found

Can anyone explain this to me, please?

Thank you.

I'm here, sounds good so far. What do you need help with in Kubuntu?

[Telengard]

Re: HDD possible failure?

Hard drive failures don't respect sector boundaries. If you've got one bad sector chances are that adjacent sectors are also iffy - when you move bad data to a good sector you really haven't solved the problem as although the bad sector is blocked out adjacent sectors are not so it is possible for SMART to report an impending failure while a diskcheck reports no problems.

In the past I have repartitioned a drive to eliminate cylinders with bad sectors from the active (Windows) partition. I figure throwing some cylinders away is preferable to loosing data. I don't recommend doing this though because a bad drive will catch up with you eventually.

[jamminjay09]

Re: HDD possible failure?

Hello,

Thanks for all the input and help in this situation and yes in order to be more safe than sorry we're going to replace the HDD.

As far as the help with Kubuntu I have a post concerning that in the "Software" and the "Install and Boot" sections concerning a little of how I need to tweak it to make it more user friendly for the "Windows" user that is going to be using this machine on a regular basis.

The two are kind of related but not, the post in "Software" is more geared towards audio and video needs and a Better more straight forward Package manager as was given me to use with the Jaunty.

The post in "Install and Boot" is geared more towards packages or what all needs to be done after install for the OS in particular, as in the info obtained when I installed the Jaunty on the other machine.

Now I realize that a lot of all of that was probably added, fixed or overhauled in Karmic so that is what I am asking as to if anything besides just installing Karmic needs to be done.

Oh, I also have another post here in "Hardware" as concerning support for drivers for the ATI Radeon and Audio cards maybe others on this here machine "Gateway Laptop"

Thank you.