Storage Solutions Seagate with health warning on HD tune but pass the long generic test in seatool,What should I do?

uyenho

Recruit
Hi All,

I have seagate 1.5TB out of warranty a couple months ago(have it for 2 years). Today, I just checked HD tune, it shows health: warning because of reallocated sector count and spin retry count. So I just do the seatools test: I ran short driver self test:pass, short generic: pass. I ran Long generic:pass. Could someone tell me that should I worry or do something about it?Thanks for any helps!

This is warning from HD tune:

Reallocated sector count: current:100; worst:100; threshold:36;data:1; status:warning.

Spin retry count: current:100;worst:100;threshold:97;data:16;status:warning.

Health status:warning.

P.S: some reasons I can't copy the screen shot in this forum, it keeps saying that:"you must enter the post."
 
Even my Seagate 1tb was passing all tests in Seatools. But all other SMART utilities were reporting errors. I went ahead and RMA'ed my drive. Got a 'certified repaired' drive back. But your drive is already out of warranty so that option is not available to you. So backup your data ASAP.
 
i think seatools can detect errors only if the hdd error reaches some threshold. Minor errors unlike in hd tune would go undetected. This is a trick adopted by the seagate guys to avoid rma..

However i am not sure on this part. Let the others comment..
 
Seatools will only confirm that a drive has failed.

SMART tools will use stats to alert you that a drive may be failing.

Your spin retry count indicates a failing hard drive motor, or trouble with your power supply. So start backing up. Keep an eye on the count.

Reallocated sector count is ok unless it is growing at a rapid pace.

i think seatools can detect errors only if the hdd error reaches some threshold.  Minor errors unlike in hd tune would go undetected. This is a trick adopted by the seagate guys to avoid rma..

Its not a trick. All hard disks have a spare sector area. When a sector is weak or bad, it is marked bad and a spare sector takes its place.

This is normal behaviour to compensate for disk platter wear. But if the number of reallocated sector counts grows at a fast rate, then it indicates a problem with the disk head and you need to be worried.
 
#[member='uyenho'], sorry to hear that mate.

Its really a point to worry about as both the SMART parameter are bit critical. I suggest you to keep backup of the data in another HDD.

As for the image attachment, you can contact #[member='Renegade'] . Else you can upload the image in image hosting sites like tinypic, and post the url here
 
Thank you for all of your suggestions, so I think I should start backing up my data and looking for another hard drive. Just one more question: if I buy a new HD right now, what is the best software to check HD? because I remember when I bought this HD, I just checked seatools, and I did all test, alls pass, until couple days ago I find out with the HD tune software, I checked and my HD ready to fail(I think my HD may be fail at the begining). As Jarod said above:"Seatools will only confirm that a drive has failed". If I do error check with HD tune for 2TB it can take about 15 hours or so? so you alls normally do error check or what do you do when you buy a new HD? Thanks all!
 
#[member='uyenho'], you can use HDtune, its reliable.

Error scan on a 2TB HDD will surely take time, as the no of sectors to be scanned is high
 
Its really a point to worry about as both the SMART parameter are bit critical.

Reallocated sector count is 1. Its not critical at all. There are remapped sectors even when your hard disk leaves the factory.

Spin retry count is a definite issue. But this can be due to the PSU also.

if I buy a new HD right now, what is the best software to check HD? because I remember when I bought this HD, I just checked seatools, and I did all test, alls pass, until couple days ago I find out with the HD tune software, I checked and my HD ready to fail(I think my HD may be fail at the begining).

When you buy a new HDD, you can do a full disk format or a full error scan. If you do not have bad sectors at the end of this, your hard disk is fine.

After this you should install a realtime SMART monitoring tool like Crystaldiskinfo, HD Sentinel, etc to monitor it over day to day use. It will alert you if there are any changes in vital SMART parameters.

HD Tune free does not have realtime SMART monitoring, so its no use.
 
I got a Seagate HDD RMAed due to SMART errors recently. Infact, the errors were being reported by the machine itself while booting up and i had to manually press F1 to continue booting up.

so be aware that the disk is at risk and your data is on a high risk for now. start backing up before it dies on you.
 
Thanks Jarod and CA50, for PSU: this 1.5TB seagate beginning was a bare drive, and I had an extra 500GB WD element, so I pull the 500GB out and put this seagate HDD in the WD element enclosure, I think I go out and buy another enclosure to test if might be something wrong with PSU of WD element enclosure or not, since my HDD already out of warranty. thanks all.
 
#[member='Jarod'], thought the current value is one, yes it is a point to worry since the HDD is not in warranty
 
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