Is my HDD going to die soon?

[AndriusWild]

My kubuntu 18.04 sometimes behaves like there is no space left on HDD (can't update, errors popping up when open any application, etc.) despite I am using only around 30Gb of a 320Gb drive. After hard reset the machine boots into BusyBox where I have to do 'fsck' and fix multiple errors in order to be able to boot again. After that everything is normal for few months and then it happens again.

Here is the results of short and long tests using smartmontools:

smartctl 6.6 2016-05-31 r4324 [x86_64-linux-4.19.1-041901-generic] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-16, Bruce Allen, Christian Franke, www.smartmontools.org

=== START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION ===
SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1
Num Test_Description Status Remaining LifeTime(hours) LBA_of_first_error
# 1 Extended offline Completed without error 00% 2177 -
# 2 Short offline Completed without error 00% 2176 -
# 3 Short offline Completed without error 00% 0

-

Do you think she is going to kick the bucket soon? 2177 hours is just 90 days if it is on 24/7.

Sent from my SM-N950W using Tapatalk

[oshunluvr]

Yeah, sounds bad. Could be the cable or interface tho. Before trashing the drive, replace the cable and try a different port on the mobo. Maybe just re-seating it will solve it.

Look at the output of

sudo smartctl -a /dev/sda

and look at the raw values for "Reallocated". Obviously, use whatever device your drive is if it's not sda

[AndriusWild]

Yeah, sounds bad. Could be the cable or interface tho. Before trashing the drive, replace the cable and try a different port on the mobo. Maybe just re-seating it will solve it.

Look at the output of

sudo smartctl -a /dev/sda

and look at the raw values for "Reallocated". Obviously, use whatever device your drive is if it's not sda

Thanks. I will try unplugging it and plugging in back. It is a laptop drive. There is no cable, it is more of a rack where you slide the HDD in.

Sent from my SM-N950W using Tapatalk

[woodsmoke]

Yes.

Move or "backup" all of your data and settings now.

Some laptops were built by humans for humans and will allow one to manually replace the drive. A Sony Vaio is not one of those, one has to remove the whole clamshell from the top up to get at the drive.

Toshiba, however, used to actually have a simple cover over the drive on the bottom which was removable with one screw.

If one can easily get at the drive then it will almost certainly be removable by merely "tipping it up" and removing it from a few pins. The reverse procedure, placing a replacement drive on the pins, tilting it down and replacing the cover changes the drive out.

Since you say that there is a "rack" then the drive is, fortunately, replaceable.

Kubuntu will easily install on the device. I have installed it on a Toshiba, drive easily removable, and on a Sony Vaio with the hours long procedure mentioned above.

Otherwise think about the BATTERY.

Batteries for laptops are, by and large, not capable of being repaired.

If the battery runs down very quickly you might consider looking at the cost of a replacement battery.

if the cost of a replacement hard drive AND the cost of a battery are what you consider to be inordinately high compared to the cost of a new lappy then maybe go to a laptop repair place and inquire as to what they might give you for it and use that money in the purchase of a new lappy.

Or...it MIGHT be...that the laptop repair place might do you a BIG FAVOR and switch out both for a reasonable price.

GOOD LUCK and pop back in to tell us the results of your endeavours!

woodsmoke

[JSpeed]

Backup and Backup now.
Maybe also run fsck on it and see if it's just a bad spot.