SMART error message

[NiceButDim]

Hi, I am encountering a problem with the hard disk in a 6 month old PC. When I boot up I am getting the following error message;

3rd Master Hard Disk: S.M.A.R.T. Status BAD, Backup and Replace
Press F1 to Resume.

From what I’ve read this message is very bad and indicates that the disk is close to dying.

What I’m finding strange though, is that after you press F1, the system proceeds with the normal startup except that it takes as much as 5 minutes instead of the usual 45 seconds. Eventually however the machine does start to work completely normally. Yesterday I used it for several hours (backing up various things to DVD). However when you come to execute a shutdown, it again goes very slowly.

If it wasn’t for the SMART error message, I would think that the problem is software rather than hardware. Does this kind of behaviour make any sense to anyone?

Thanks,


john.

 

[Freestone]

Different hard drive failures exhibit different symptoms, slowness being one of them. If you are in doubt of your hard drive failing, download the drive manufacturer's hard drive diagostics and run them. Perhaps they will confirm SMART's failure prediction.

 

[wahnula]

Status BAD, Backup and Replace

Data is priceless, hard drives are cheap. Follow the directions above. I would check the drive out AFTER I had pulled all important data from it. Good luck.

Tony