O/S Windows XP Pro, upon booting I receive Pri Master Hard Disk S.M.A.R.T. status BAD, Backup and Replace press F1 to resume. The Amibios is American Megatrends Inc., the Hard Disk is: Maxtor 60GB. I found the tools to download to the flopy drive, and it stated that I had no problem with the hard drive. The amibios still gives 2 beeps prior to booting, and still gives the message status BAD. All help is greatly appreciated. DiamondMax 60 Model Maxtor 96147U8. Capacity 61.47GB.
Tek-Tips is the largest IT community on the Internet today!
Members share and learn making Tek-Tips Forums the best source of peer-reviewed technical information on the Internet!
-
Congratulations Mike Lewis on being selected by the Tek-Tips community for having the most helpful posts in the forums last week. Way to Go!
S.M.A.R.T. status BAD 7
- Thread starter Macaroni7
- Start date
-
1
- #2
'I found the tools to download to the flopy drive, and it stated that I had no problem with the hard drive' - do you mean you downloaded maxtor's diagnostic tools? (this would be my first suggestion if you haven't done). If maxtor diagnostics ok - I'd try them again in another machine (if possible).
-
1
- #3
Return the drive.
You can try with the Maxtor utilites the last level prior to a destructive test, the "recertification" test, but even when I could get a Diamond Max to pass this test it would fail within a month.
Call Maxtor. Give the Tech Support guys the error codes from a level 1 or level 2 test, agree to a cross-shipped in-place upgrade. Get the new drive, image your old, and return the old drive back to them.
I have tried several ways around this, but a SMART error to me anymore means: "swap the drive immediately, so that you can do an image of old to new drive."
Trust me on this one.
You can try with the Maxtor utilites the last level prior to a destructive test, the "recertification" test, but even when I could get a Diamond Max to pass this test it would fail within a month.
Call Maxtor. Give the Tech Support guys the error codes from a level 1 or level 2 test, agree to a cross-shipped in-place upgrade. Get the new drive, image your old, and return the old drive back to them.
I have tried several ways around this, but a SMART error to me anymore means: "swap the drive immediately, so that you can do an image of old to new drive."
Trust me on this one.
- Thread starter
- #4
First: I would like to thank every one for their prompt response to my request for technical support. Here's one that no one will believe. The hard drive obviously repaired itself. Seriously, the amibios only beeps one time, and S.M.A.R.T. indicates OK, and the o/s boot s fine. I did contact Maxtor, and was ready to act as everyone indicated I should, i.e., image the new drive, and replace. How did it repair itself???
Does anyone know of a free download to scan disk, and defragment, that, does better than the one on my Windows Xp??? Would my bootvis indicate why the hard drive indicate pri master BAD, and now, work better than it ever has. I have always suspected that I needed to tweak the bios. Allow me to thank every body in advance for all responses.
Does anyone know of a free download to scan disk, and defragment, that, does better than the one on my Windows Xp??? Would my bootvis indicate why the hard drive indicate pri master BAD, and now, work better than it ever has. I have always suspected that I needed to tweak the bios. Allow me to thank every body in advance for all responses.
Download the trial version of ActiveSMART:
SMART drives to not repair themselves in my experience, the SMART table will soon fill again with entries that will cause a SMART enabled system BIOS to complain every time you start the machine.
Watch the parameters with the utility above. I honestly think you would be happiest doing an in-place cross shipped replacement of the drive. Copying the contents of the old drive to replacement drive is quite easy with the free Maxtor utilities available on their web site.
SMART drives to not repair themselves in my experience, the SMART table will soon fill again with entries that will cause a SMART enabled system BIOS to complain every time you start the machine.
Watch the parameters with the utility above. I honestly think you would be happiest doing an in-place cross shipped replacement of the drive. Copying the contents of the old drive to replacement drive is quite easy with the free Maxtor utilities available on their web site.
-
1
- #6
I just had a Maxtor 80 Gig crash on me... The PC is over a year old and I received no SMART warning until the actual crash. When I say crash, I mean the pc would not boot up at all. Press F2 to boot would never get anywhere. So much for an advanced warning ala SMART!
I didn't have much on the PC that couldn't be re-installed, so i tinkered around for a few hours trying to get a new format on it. Cant even do that. CHKDSK would stop at 10%. For fun I just left it running while we went out for a few hours. Upon return, still at 10%.
So, I'm planning to replace the drive, but this time, forget maxtor. I've seen way too many of them do this. My brother's 60 gig did it 2 months ago, as did 2 previous maxtor drives I've had in the past a while back. Of course, I've lost WD's and Seagates as well over the years. But more Maxtors than anything.
Who's got a recommendation for the best 80 - 120 gig drive to replace this one with?
![[fish]](/data/assets/smilies/fish.gif "[fish] [fish]")
No Dolphins were harmed in the posting of this message... Dolphin Friendly Tuna!
I didn't have much on the PC that couldn't be re-installed, so i tinkered around for a few hours trying to get a new format on it. Cant even do that. CHKDSK would stop at 10%. For fun I just left it running while we went out for a few hours. Upon return, still at 10%.
So, I'm planning to replace the drive, but this time, forget maxtor. I've seen way too many of them do this. My brother's 60 gig did it 2 months ago, as did 2 previous maxtor drives I've had in the past a while back. Of course, I've lost WD's and Seagates as well over the years. But more Maxtors than anything.
Who's got a recommendation for the best 80 - 120 gig drive to replace this one with?
No Dolphins were harmed in the posting of this message... Dolphin Friendly Tuna!TheTuna,
I have had issues with Maxtor, and all the others mentioned. A dead or dying hard disk drive is a huge issue, and my sympathies.
I hope I did not give the impression above the Maxtor is any better or worse than other Drive manufacturers. I have found them one of the easier companies to deal with.
Please download the Maxtor "DriveMax" utility and follow my earlier advice about using a cross-shipment option. If you do the last non-destructive "Stage 3 - recertification process" you should be able to then use the Maxtor utilities to copy the image to your replacement drive.
S.M.A.R.T is not that smart, but as you discovered a hard error would completely fill the SMART table and have the BIOS then complain about the drive.
It is though better than nothing; the Ayiolic SMART monitor software is a reasonable thing to use, as your BIOS and Windows does not monitor SMART parameters over time until an exception is thrown. Please see my links above.
I have had issues with Maxtor, and all the others mentioned. A dead or dying hard disk drive is a huge issue, and my sympathies.
I hope I did not give the impression above the Maxtor is any better or worse than other Drive manufacturers. I have found them one of the easier companies to deal with.
Please download the Maxtor "DriveMax" utility and follow my earlier advice about using a cross-shipment option. If you do the last non-destructive "Stage 3 - recertification process" you should be able to then use the Maxtor utilities to copy the image to your replacement drive.
S.M.A.R.T is not that smart, but as you discovered a hard error would completely fill the SMART table and have the BIOS then complain about the drive.
It is though better than nothing; the Ayiolic SMART monitor software is a reasonable thing to use, as your BIOS and Windows does not monitor SMART parameters over time until an exception is thrown. Please see my links above.
Hey BCastner, no, I didn't think you were implying maxtor was better or any other brand for that matter. I've already received a six digit code from Maxtor's PowerMax software. Maxtor lumps all six digit codes into the category of "it's busted, get a new one". I had failed to mention that before. Yes, I agree that having SMART monitor the drive is better than nothing.
No Dolphins were harmed in the posting of this message... Dolphin Friendly Tuna!
No Dolphins were harmed in the posting of this message... Dolphin Friendly Tuna!- Thread starter
- #9
After downloading the tool mentioned [Active Smart] basically, it confirmed that the Maxtor hard drive is working allright! Initially, Maxtor Powermax 406, done approximately one hour diagnosing the hard drive, and indicated it had no problems. After that, I used the computed for nearly 48 hours, and it would beep numerous times attempting to boot up, then, advise me to hit F2, and continue. I done so, and continued using the computer.
Then, I used it one day, and no beep, other than the first one, then, boot up beautifully. I have been able to boot up beautifully ever since. How could the hard drive fix itself??? Even though the Maxtor Powermax 406 indicated it was good, for approximately 48 hours, the S.M.A.R.T. indicated pri master BAD. I'm like most people the hard drive will not fix itself. I'll still contact Maxtor, and have them to replace it!
Then, I used it one day, and no beep, other than the first one, then, boot up beautifully. I have been able to boot up beautifully ever since. How could the hard drive fix itself??? Even though the Maxtor Powermax 406 indicated it was good, for approximately 48 hours, the S.M.A.R.T. indicated pri master BAD. I'm like most people the hard drive will not fix itself. I'll still contact Maxtor, and have them to replace it!
I had an 85 Pontiac Firebird that fixed itself all the time. A/C died, two weeks later it worked again. Altenator quit, next day it was good again.
I guess you got lucky, but I wouldn't trust it, just as I never really trusted the firebird back in the 80's! ;-)
No Dolphins were harmed in the posting of this message... Dolphin Friendly Tuna!
I guess you got lucky, but I wouldn't trust it, just as I never really trusted the firebird back in the 80's! ;-)
No Dolphins were harmed in the posting of this message... Dolphin Friendly Tuna!-
1
- #11
I,ve been using an 80Gb Maxtor drive for nearly a year with S.M.A.R.T enabled, and I've had no problem with it at all, my advice is, when a new hard drive is purchased, DO NOT use the software that comes with it, unless the drive is being used in an older machine that doesn't detect the drive params (why waste it in an older machine), instead, just hook up the drive and install the o/s, (format it, if it hasn't already been formatted).
I agree... I've never done it any other way. none of my posts where ever meant to imply that SMART was the cause, but for me, SMART didn't give any advanced warning that there was a problem. The drive in question for my part lasted about 1.3 years. My brothers maxtor 60 gig had about the same duration.
No Dolphins were harmed in the posting of this message... Dolphin Friendly Tuna!
No Dolphins were harmed in the posting of this message... Dolphin Friendly Tuna!-
1
- #13
mattjurado
MIS
I rarely get an advanced notice on a drive about to fail from SMART, but when I do, time to ghost it. Drives can crash without warning. These days, I've found no single brand better than another. Personally I prefer IBM drives. I used to frain from Maxtor, because they were so cheap, but I've had so many Fujitsu, Western Digital (a lot of WDs), and a couple other brands fail over the past couple of years, I figure why not save a few bucks and go with Maxtors. Ironically, since we started using Maxtors, our drive failure rate has gone down significantly. Just thought I'd throw out my experiences.
Matt J.
Matt J.
That's interesting Matt. I've been so fickle about drives for the exact reason. They've all pretty much died on me at one time or another. I've pretty much resigned myself to knowing that with this technology, as many others, often it's just a roll of the dice.
I think i'll be getting a WD this time. 89 bucks for 80 gigs is a deal I can't pass up this week.
Thanks for all the input!
No Dolphins were harmed in the posting of this message... Dolphin Friendly Tuna!
Ever feel like you're banging your head against a tree? I did, so I cut down the tree.
I think i'll be getting a WD this time. 89 bucks for 80 gigs is a deal I can't pass up this week.
Thanks for all the input!
No Dolphins were harmed in the posting of this message... Dolphin Friendly Tuna! Ever feel like you're banging your head against a tree? I did, so I cut down the tree.
-
1
- #15
1quickdraw
Technical User
- Jan 15, 2003
- 111
- 0
- 0
TheTuna:
If you are looking for a good deal on hard drives, check these out. 1 is a seagate 80 gig for $75.00 the other a WD 120 gig for $106.00
Just thought you might be interested.
Regards,
Steve
If you are looking for a good deal on hard drives, check these out. 1 is a seagate 80 gig for $75.00 the other a WD 120 gig for $106.00
Just thought you might be interested.
Regards,
Steve
1quickdraw
Technical User
- Jan 15, 2003
- 111
- 0
- 0
p.s. the 1st link should have been
Sorry for the confussion, if any.
S
Sorry for the confussion, if any.
S
-
1
- #17
- Thread starter
- #19
First: I would like to thank everyone for their advise; however, very respectfully I would like to advise everyone the hard drive is still 'working fine'. The S.M.A.R.T now indicates OK! I recently had to disenable cisvc. The hard drive would continously click, and sometimes would not boot; however, it eventually would. I went through the start button into run, and disabled the cisvc. I believe that was my problem all the time.
Again, very respectfully I wish to thank everyone for their advise. However, the purpose of posting to this site is 'knowledge'.
Again, very respectfully I wish to thank everyone for their advise. However, the purpose of posting to this site is 'knowledge'.
I messed with a SMART error, including using low-level utilities to reset the SMART parameter table.
After getting seemingly "clean" results for two weeks from the drive, I thought I was done.
15 days later, I lost everything.
Best,
Bill Castner
After getting seemingly "clean" results for two weeks from the drive, I thought I was done.
15 days later, I lost everything.
Best,
Bill Castner
- Status
Similar threads
