Removable Hard Drive Formatting

[55Jay]

I have a WD "My Book" 500g external hard drive, approx 2 years old.

When I start windows, often wants to do a chk dsk on it. Once I run that, it's good for a couple days before chk dsk comes up again.

Crystal Disk shows the disk is hot, and 3 line items have yellow caution dots:

Reallocated Sector Count

Current Pending Sector Count

Uncorrectable Sector Count

My question is, if I copy everything off it, then reformat it, will this correct any of the errors and extend the life of the hard drive?

I keep a fan blowing into the vents now, and that drops the temp down a lot.

Last one - if I do reformat, any issue with selecting NTFS vs. the current FAT32 file system?

Tx,

J

[dieter1]

- reformat does not extend live of harddrive

- but defraging does - but something people forget esp. with external drives

if there a errors,

- 1 explanation is, the hard drive is defect

- other explanation: for some reason, the datatransfer is interrupted , causing errors - f.e. disconnecting usb connection, interruption of power- supply ....

just my 2 cents ...

to test drive:

Data Lifeguard Diagnostic for Windows:

http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?groupid=303&sid=3〈=en

[55Jay]

- reformat does not extend live of harddrive - but defraging does - but something people forget esp. with external drives if there a errors, - 1 explanation is, the hard drive is defect - other explanation: for some reason, the datatransfer is interrupted , causing errors - f.e. disconnecting usb connection, interruption of power- supply .... just my 2 cents ... to test drive: Data Lifeguard Diagnostic for Windows: http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?groupid=303&sid=3〈=en

Yes, the check disk function started after we were suffering repeated electric power cuts at our house. Need to invest in a UPS, at least for my computer room.

I think "extending life" of the drive was wrong term to use. I was thinking reformatting would basically wipe the drive clean including file system errors and unrecoverable sectors so at minimum, the check disk function would not come up so often when starting Windows.

You are right, I've never defragged my external drive(s) but do my internal CPU drives from time to time.

Thank you for response and link, I will try it.

Regards,

J

[aarn]

Copy everything asap. Then attempt to format. Be prepared to fork out for more storage.

However, all is not lost. Check to see if there is a guarantee - usually a small, circular sticker with the month/year punched out.

You probably will have to open the enclosure (google is your friend here, if unfamiliar).

If within guarantee period, take it back to the shop where it was purchased, should replace within a week.

If cannot go to shop where purchased, any larger IT store should organise the replacement for you, charging you 100-200B.

In Trat, I bought a 320Gb that karaked it with 6 months. Replacement organised in Uttaradit, charged me 100B. Good luck, AA

[55Jay]

Copy everything asap. Then attempt to format. Be prepared to fork out for more storage.

However, all is not lost. Check to see if there is a guarantee - usually a small, circular sticker with the month/year punched out.

You probably will have to open the enclosure (google is your friend here, if unfamiliar).

If within guarantee period, take it back to the shop where it was purchased, should replace within a week.

If cannot go to shop where purchased, any larger IT store should organise the replacement for you, charging you 100-200B.

In Trat, I bought a 320Gb that karaked it with 6 months. Replacement organised in Uttaradit, charged me 100B. Good luck, AA

Thanks. I copied everything yesterday to C: for now, will push a copy to another Toshiba external I've got. Was waiting for a few responses here today to see if reformatting the WD external would be useful or not. Is there any problem using NTFS instead of FAT32, which is what this WD drive is currently?

Fortunately/unfortunately all my computers and peripherals are from the US, brought in by shipment when we moved here 6 mos ago, and this particular external is at least 2 years old, maybe a bit more. I'll just get a new one here, or wait and get one in farang land later on and bring it back.

[BB1950]

Is there any problem using NTFS instead of FAT32, which is what this WD drive is currently?

External drives usually use FAT32 because it more compatible with other systems and devices. There's advantages and disavantages to both systems.

Here's a YouTube that basicly descibes both systems:

Edited July 3, 2013 by BB1950

[55Jay]

Is there any problem using NTFS instead of FAT32, which is what this WD drive is currently?

External drives usually use FAT32 because it more compatible with other systems and devices. There's advantages and disavantages to both systems.

Here's a YouTube that basicly descibes both systems:

Very nice, thanks.

[aarn]

I had a 640Gb non-name (thus no guarantee) HD that died recently, after plenty of warning.

I exerted the digit and copied all, then tried to format as F32, NTFS, and some linux options (ext12/3/4). But rigor had set in.

If you can format as whatever, run chkdsk see what the report is.

Someone on TV may be able to post a link to a disk repair/exile bad sector tool for windows,

years ago there was 'disk doctor' or somesuch.

I think windows has a built-in disk repair function (navigate to the exHD, Rclick, might be an option under 'Tools' in dialogue box).

Good luck, AA

[Pib]

Over the years when I had a hard drive that would start intermittently reporting errors, doing all the checkdisk, defraging, reformatting (low level and high level), etc., would sometimes only make the problem go away for a few days or weeks...then the problem would come back. And even if just doing a checkdisk which somehow made the error go away for a while, with all the thousands of files on the typical hard drive you don't know if one or more of those files was damaged/lost until you happen to have to access that particular file. Now, say 10-15 years ago with earlier operating system versions and less advanced hard drives getting an occasional checkdisk error was not a big issue...but nowdays I can't remember the last time I got a checkdisk error...maybe 10-15 years ago.

Don't know if the problem was caused by a head crash on the platter(s) or just an electronics components on the control board going bad. Best to save your data and get another hard drive. And even if you are like me and maybe buy a new hard drive, you'll probably continue to play with the old drive hoping it will magically fix itself with some reformatting (and you might get lucky) and maybe use it for a while for low priority or backup to the backup storage since if its out of warranty there is not much you can do with the drive other than throw it away or play with it. Good luck.

[55Jay]

Over the years when I had a hard drive that would start intermittently reporting errors, doing all the checkdisk, defraging, reformatting (low level and high level), etc., would sometimes only make the problem go away for a few days or weeks...then the problem would come back. And even if just doing a checkdisk which somehow made the error go away for a while, with all the thousands of files on the typical hard drive you don't know if one or more of those files was damaged/lost until you happen to have to access that particular file. Now, say 10-15 years ago with earlier operating system versions and less advanced hard drives getting an occasional checkdisk error was not a big issue...but nowdays I can't remember the last time I got a checkdisk error...maybe 10-15 years ago.

Don't know if the problem was caused by a head crash on the platter(s) or just an electronics components on the control board going bad. Best to save your data and get another hard drive. And even if you are like me and maybe buy a new hard drive, you'll probably continue to play with the old drive hoping it will magically fix itself with some reformatting (and you might get lucky) and maybe use it for a while for low priority or backup to the backup storage since if its out of warranty there is not much you can do with the drive other than throw it away or play with it. Good luck.

Thanks, Pib. Started playing up with the frequent power drops discussed in other thread, I really need to get an UPS for the man cave equip. Major field day today as we are getting guests tomorrow, so haven't gotten into the electrical meter yet. My guest knows way more than I do, so reckon I'll ask him to have a look with me.

[Jdietz]

The "S.M.A.R.T." errors you are getting (re-allocated sectors etc.) are hard errors, fixed by the disk's firmware. (On manufacture they reserve a few tracks for this that are invisible to the operating system. When a sector on the disk fails permanently, it will be copied to one of the spares and permanently remapped there.

Formatting the disk will not get rid of these (the remapping is invisible from the operating system), and basically once you start to get a few of these, the disk is ready for replacement.

The software that you use to display the number of reallocated sectors etc. directly queries S.M.A.R.T. for the information, but it's query only, there are no provisions to undo re-allocations.

[kkerry]

For anyone who hasn't looked lately, external drives in Thailand are very cheap. WD Passport USB 3.0, 1600bt for 500Gb or 2200bt for 1TB. I was surprised to see how much more expensive they were in Australia recently. I purchased a couple of the 500GB passports earlier this year to do some work for a friend and using USB 3.0 they are pretty speedy. I normally make up my own external drives but hardly worth it with the current pricing. Rather than playing around with what might be a failing drive, I'd be buying a new one instead.

[pattayadingo]

If you do throw it away, remember to destroy it first if there is liable to be any sensitive date on the drive. Formatting does not delete the data. And overwriting will take too long.

A hammer can work wonders though

[55Jay]

For anyone who hasn't looked lately, external drives in Thailand are very cheap. WD Passport USB 3.0, 1600bt for 500Gb or 2200bt for 1TB. I was surprised to see how much more expensive they were in Australia recently. I purchased a couple of the 500GB passports earlier this year to do some work for a friend and using USB 3.0 they are pretty speedy. I normally make up my own external drives but hardly worth it with the current pricing. Rather than playing around with what might be a failing drive, I'd be buying a new one instead.

Seems that's tthe way I'm headed, thanks.

[55Jay]

If you do throw it away, remember to destroy it first if there is liable to be any sensitive date on the drive. Formatting does not delete the data. And overwriting will take too long.

A hammer can work wonders though

Good point. Hammer then burn the inside on my daily pile of leaves and palm fronds.

[Daffy D]

HDD Regenerator will scan your drive and fix bad sectors without any data loss.

http://www.dposoft.net/hdd.html

It's not free but there is a trail version you can try to see if it solves you particular problem.

Full versions are available if you know where to look

[sustento]

If you're getting an increase in the uncorrectable sector count your drive is on the way out. You should get all your data off it and replace it. Try and get a replacement with a fan built into the case.

[rakman]

Go to your "My Computer" (Windows Explorer) select the "computer" so you can see the hard drives. Right click on your usb drive, go to properties, then go to tools, click on the "Check Now.." button and check on both of the boxes.

Let it run and it should report what it finds. Also, you can check the windows system log for additional info if errors are found.

[55Jay]

Aside from a few thumb drives over the years, this was the first big ext hard drive I ever purchased, and the first time I had this kind of problem.

The overwhelming majority above indicates the writing is on the wall, and pretty sure the dirty power, heat, and frequent, repeatative power cuts didn't help things.

I'll buy a new external and retire this one as a back up³. Thanks for all your responses.

Regards,

J

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