Seagate Hard disks

Ray · Mar 10, 2009, 13:56:58

I think I've got another failing Seagate drive in my Server

I've been seeing an error message in event viewer about Hard disk 0 having a bad block. I am now running a Seatools for DOS long test on the drive, it's now done 10% of the test and found 76 errors already,

methinks I shall be buying another Samsung drive before very long, and sod's law it's the system disk as well.

Simon · Mar 10, 2009, 14:00:15

That's bad luck, Ray.

Rik · Mar 10, 2009, 14:27:19

Very bad luck. Touching wood, the pair of Seagate's on this machine have been fine, but the system drive is a Samsung (how's that for hedge betting?

)

Ray · Mar 10, 2009, 15:10:56

Well it's b*gg*red now it wont boot, gets so far then throws a BSOD complaining about a registry fault and it can't load one of the hive files because it's missing or corrupt.

looks like a reinstall onto one of the other disks.

Rik · Mar 10, 2009, 15:11:45

Now that is annoying, although I suspect your language of choice is more colourful, Ray.

Ray · Mar 10, 2009, 15:16:55

Quote from: Rik on Mar 10, 2009, 15:11:45
Now that is annoying, although I suspect your language of choice is more colourful, Ray.

It was indeed, Rik, I'm going to play safe this time and install it on the Samsung HD though and then replace the Seagate with another Samsung at a later date, fortunately the Seagate is still under warranty. It's annoying though because every time you do a reinstall of WHS you have to mess about re activating it, you can't do the trick of saving the activation files like you can with XP.

Rik · Mar 10, 2009, 15:19:50

The joys of computing, eh.

Ray · Mar 10, 2009, 15:31:16

Quote from: Rik on Mar 10, 2009, 15:19:50
The joys of computing, eh.

You can say that again, Rik, I think it must have taken notice at what was calling it before my last post I left it trying to boot into safe mode command prompt as nothing seemed to be happening I decided to go make a cup of tea, I've just gone back to it and found it has started up normally and now seems to be running OK.

Rik · Mar 10, 2009, 15:39:51

Don't you just hate it when that happens and you have no idea why?

Ray · Mar 10, 2009, 15:44:14

Quote from: Rik on Mar 10, 2009, 15:39:51
Don't you just hate it when that happens and you have no idea why?

I do, Rik, most strange because it had rebooted itself about 4 times prior to this each time coming up with the error screen, doing a memory dump and then a reboot.

Rik · Mar 10, 2009, 15:52:23

Somedays, I just long for a quill and a bottle of Quink.

Ray · Mar 10, 2009, 15:54:09

Quote from: Rik on Mar 10, 2009, 15:52:23
Somedays, I just long for a quill and a bottle of Quink.

Ah those were the days, Rik, just ended up with inky fingers and pockets then.

Rik · Mar 10, 2009, 15:55:00

The old leaky fountain pen trick.

Ray · Mar 10, 2009, 15:56:08

Quote from: Rik on Mar 10, 2009, 15:55:00
The old leaky fountain pen trick.

That's it, had few of those in my time.

Rik · Mar 10, 2009, 15:56:47

Remember those magic bottles of ink remover.

Ray · Mar 10, 2009, 16:01:52

Quote from: Rik on Mar 10, 2009, 15:56:47
Remember those magic bottles of ink remover.

Vaguely, Rik.

Rik · Mar 10, 2009, 16:05:13

ISTR using milk at times too...

Ray · Mar 10, 2009, 16:13:33

Quote from: Rik on Mar 10, 2009, 16:05:13
ISTR using milk at times too...

I don't remember that one, Rik.

Rik · Mar 10, 2009, 16:16:39

Maybe that was invisible ink, then?

Ray · Mar 10, 2009, 16:19:38

Quote from: Rik on Mar 10, 2009, 16:16:39
Maybe that was invisible ink, then?

I thought that was Lemon juice and then you warmed it up to see it?

Rik · Mar 10, 2009, 16:20:49

That certainly worked. Why do I have milk in my mind... Google time.

Rik · Mar 10, 2009, 16:21:39

Here you go:

http://www.tipking.co.uk/tip/2842.html

Ray · Mar 10, 2009, 16:23:29

Quote from: Rik on Mar 10, 2009, 16:20:49
That certainly worked. Why do I have milk in my mind... Google time.

Coffee and biscuits time?

Rik · Mar 10, 2009, 16:47:30

Biscuits maybe, coffe, never.

Sebby · Mar 10, 2009, 17:30:14

Is it just me or are Seagate drives not what they once were?

Rik · Mar 10, 2009, 17:33:06

Recent ones, at least.

Ray · Mar 10, 2009, 19:20:31

I think you could be right, Sebby this is the second one I've had problems with in the last few months.

Rik · Mar 10, 2009, 19:23:44

We can't do without them, but when they are a pain, they are a real pain. Am I talking about computers or women?

Ray · Mar 10, 2009, 19:26:33

Quote from: Rik on Mar 10, 2009, 19:23:44
We can't do without them, but when they are a pain, they are a real pain. Am I talking about computers or women?

Both?

Rik · Mar 10, 2009, 19:29:36

Make room for me, Ray.

Ray · Mar 10, 2009, 19:32:20

Quote from: Rik on Mar 10, 2009, 19:29:36
Make room for me, Ray.

NP, Rik.

BrianM · Mar 10, 2009, 19:40:04

I'll bring you both

every Sunday,

Glenn · Mar 10, 2009, 19:44:05

I've had no issues so far with my 2 750Gb Samsung drives fitted into my WHS Ray, hopefully Samsung will do the same for you.

Steve · Mar 10, 2009, 19:48:23

Quote from: Rik on Mar 10, 2009, 19:23:44
We can't do without them, but when they are a pain, they are a real pain. Am I talking about computers or women?

At least you can re-format a hard drive

Sebby · Mar 10, 2009, 22:11:30

Ray · Mar 10, 2009, 22:33:36

Steve.

Steve · Mar 11, 2009, 08:22:54

Alas my fingers have been broken on both hands. Not that it will help you this time Ray but have you installed system restore on the WHS. I have it enabled for the system partition but not had to use it yet.

Ray · Mar 11, 2009, 08:46:45

Quote from: stevethegas on Mar 11, 2009, 08:22:54
Alas my fingers have been broken on both hands. Not that it will help you this time Ray but have you installed system restore on the WHS. I have it enabled for the system partition but not had to use it yet.

I haven't yet, Steve, but I am just looking at doing so while the disk is still working, I am currently removing the recently purchased Samsung 1TB disk from the storage pool with a view to using it as the system disk if/when the Seagate one fails.

Steve · Mar 11, 2009, 09:59:17

The WHS has a habit of leaving the disk with the system partition on alone for data purposes so you could be wasting a lot of disk space. There is an addin somewhere that enables you to manually balance the data across the drive pool. Not sure how effective it is as I would expect the whs disk migrator to do the opposite again.

Ray · Mar 11, 2009, 11:01:31

Quote from: stevethegas on Mar 11, 2009, 09:59:17
The WHS has a habit of leaving the disk with the system partition on alone for data purposes so you could be wasting a lot of disk space. There is an addin somewhere that enables you to manually balance the data across the drive pool. Not sure how effective it is as I would expect the whs disk migrator to do the opposite again.

Good point, Steve, I think I'm going to get a 250GB Samsung for the system disk now and order another 1TB drive later, then I can ditch another one of the Seagate drives and that would leave me with only 1 Seagate drive in the server.

Edit: 250GB Samsung Spinpoint now on order from Novatech.

esh · Mar 11, 2009, 17:02:16

Well I've not had any problems with Seagate drives of recent, but I don't own many.

I've had 5 Western Digital drives die, a Samsung, 2 Maxtors, an IBM, and a Quantum (they were bought out by someone, I forget who). All the WDC drives that died were the motors though, not the actual media themselves curiously. One of the motors in a 5 year old WDC drive started grinding on start the other day -- putting it in the fridge for 20 minutes let it boot up to do one last backup at least.

Don't ask why that works. But it has done repeatedly for me now. I RAID every system I build now anyway.

Ray · Mar 11, 2009, 19:19:03

I would have agreed with you, Esh, until recently I've not had any problems with them but this is the second one of this particular model that has failed or had problems in the last 3 or 4 months. I think Seagate have had some quality control problems with some of their recent models over the last year or so (both my faulty ones are around a year old) together with the buggy firmware. The only other make that I've ever had fail on me was one of the IBM now Hitachi Deathstars (sorry Deskstars), never had a problem with Maxtor, Samsung or WDs either.

Simon · Mar 11, 2009, 22:01:36

I've got an IBM in my old machine, which had been going strong for about 5 years, so, personally, I would have recommended them.

Ray · Mar 11, 2009, 22:46:24

Quote from: Simon on Mar 11, 2009, 22:01:36
I've got an IBM in my old machine, which had been going strong for about 5 years, so, personally, I would have recommended them.

You must have been lucky and got a good one, Simon, the Deskstar range had a quite a reputation for failure see here for more details.

Simon · Mar 11, 2009, 22:55:38

I don't know whether it was an original IBM, or a Hitachi, but as you say, I guess I must have been lucky, Ray.

Sebby · Mar 11, 2009, 22:56:09

Indeed. They are referred to as Deathstars!

Rik · Mar 11, 2009, 23:10:55

TBH, I've heard bad stories about WDs and Maxtors too - I guess every manufacturer hits bad patches.

Lance · Mar 11, 2009, 23:12:00

Or even bad sectors!

Rik · Mar 11, 2009, 23:13:49

zappaDPJ · Mar 11, 2009, 23:14:15

I remember the IBM 'Deathstar' all too well. I built and sold rather a large number of PCs most of which contained up to four of those devices running as RAID Arrays. The failure rate was horrendous, approaching 50% and I had to recall the lot and fit alternative drives.

I've never had a single Seagate drive fail, they were what we used before the IBM drives but I've not bought any for a number of years now.

These days I tend to buy Samsung as they are fast, cool, quiet and have proved reliable so far.

Sebby · Mar 12, 2009, 13:13:08

I think Western Digital are good. Maxtor used to be pretty poor; are they owned by Seagate now?

Rik · Mar 12, 2009, 13:14:44

I think they might be.

Sebby · Mar 12, 2009, 13:22:28

Still poor then...

Actually, I shouldn't be saying that as I currently have Seagate hard drives!

Rik · Mar 12, 2009, 13:29:41

I've got quite a few Seagates, and they've all been fine so far. The only failure I've had in recent years was a Maxtor.

Sebby · Mar 12, 2009, 13:40:02

I still rate them highly, and their warranty makes me feel safe.

Ray · Mar 12, 2009, 13:51:51

Quote from: Sebby on Mar 12, 2009, 13:22:28
Still poor then...

Actually, I shouldn't be saying that as I currently have Seagate hard drives!

If you've bought them within the last 12 mionths be afraid, Sebby.

Sebby · Mar 12, 2009, 14:20:59

I haven't.

Ray · Mar 12, 2009, 14:26:50

Quote from: Sebby on Mar 12, 2009, 14:20:59
I haven't.

You should be OK then.

Ray · Mar 13, 2009, 15:12:24

My new 250GB Samsung disk arrived this morning and not before time the Seagate one in my Server is showing more signs of failing, bad S.M.A.R.T error in the BIOS on boot up and more bad sectors showing up on chkdsk, well it is Friday the 13th.

The Seagate has been removed and is under going a long error scan with HDTune at the moment, looking like it will be on it's way back to Seagate next week, the new disk is in the Server which is now half way through a Server reinstall.

I hate Computers sometimes.

Rik · Mar 13, 2009, 15:12:56

Only sometimes, Ray?

Ray · Mar 13, 2009, 15:15:21

Quote from: Rik on Mar 13, 2009, 15:12:56
Only sometimes, Ray?

Yes, Rik, mainly when they're going wrong or causing problems.

at least it's putting my Hard disk caddy to some use.

Rik · Mar 13, 2009, 15:16:59

I know how you feel. When they are working, they're a great tool, but when things go wrong and you spend a day or two getting it all back together, you start to wonder why you ever put away and quill.

Ray · Mar 13, 2009, 15:18:17

Quote from: Rik on Mar 13, 2009, 15:16:59
I know how you feel. When they are working, they're a great tool, but when things go wrong and you spend a day or two getting it all back together, you start to wonder why you ever put away and quill.

This is true, where have I put mine.

Rik · Mar 13, 2009, 15:18:56

Time to order another goose, methinks.

Ray · Mar 14, 2009, 14:12:00

Well the Server is purring along nicely with it's new Samsung system drive

no more bad block errors in event viewer.
I've tried the old Seagate drive in another PC and got the same bad S.M.A.R.T error from the BIOS, it fails all the Seatools tests and HDTune has found 7 190MB blocks with errors on the disk, it'll be in the post back to Seagate for replacement on Monday.

Rik · Mar 14, 2009, 14:13:51

A result of sorts, Ray, but this shouldn't be happening to you.

Ray · Mar 14, 2009, 14:18:56

Quote from: Rik on Mar 14, 2009, 14:13:51
A result of sorts, Ray, but this shouldn't be happening to you.

It does seem as though the problem ones have been produced within the last 10 months or so, Rik, both my faulty ones have only been around 9 months or less old. I've got other Seagates that have been in use for 4 - 5 years with no problem.

Rik · Mar 14, 2009, 14:25:31

Same here. I wonder what's in the netbook?

Sebby · Mar 14, 2009, 14:49:45

Call up Device Manager.

Rik · Mar 14, 2009, 14:51:56

I was being disingenuous, Seb, given it's a Samsung netbook.

Sebby · Mar 14, 2009, 14:52:45

I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't Samsung...

Rik · Mar 14, 2009, 14:55:51

Next time I turn it on I'll check.

Sebby · Mar 14, 2009, 14:56:43

It would be funny if it wasn't a Samsung.

Rik · Mar 14, 2009, 14:58:15

It would.

Glenn · Mar 14, 2009, 15:10:47

Just run SIW no need to reboot

Ray · Mar 19, 2009, 14:55:01

Well Seagate have certainly speeded up their returns system, I posted my faulty drive back to them last Monday and I've just received an email from them advising that my replacement drive has been despatched today.

Rik · Mar 19, 2009, 14:58:39

Getting better, Ray, they must be up to speed now from the sound of it.

Ray · Mar 19, 2009, 15:00:42

Quote from: Rik on Mar 19, 2009, 14:58:39
Getting better, Ray, they must be up to speed now from the sound of it.

Looks like it, Rik, the last one took over 2 weeks before I received the replacement.

Rik · Mar 19, 2009, 15:03:05

Sadly, practice probably makes perfect.

Ray · Mar 19, 2009, 15:05:03

Quote from: Rik on Mar 19, 2009, 15:03:05
Sadly, practice probably makes perfect.

They're certainly getting plenty of practice of late.

Sebby · Mar 20, 2009, 09:08:40

Indeed.

Ray · Mar 24, 2009, 15:35:06

Thumbs up to Seagate my replacement drive arrived today, now installed as a second drive in my main desktop PC, and all checks out fine with the disk.

Lance · Mar 24, 2009, 15:37:40

Give it a month or two though...

Ray · Mar 24, 2009, 15:45:27

Quote from: Lance on Mar 24, 2009, 15:37:40
Give it a month or two though...

Cynic.

Lance · Mar 24, 2009, 19:36:06

Nah, I'm an optimistic

Sebby · Mar 24, 2009, 21:08:26

VaderDSL · Mar 24, 2009, 23:50:54

I took a risk and bought a 7200.12, the new 16mb cache 500gb single platter, it;s a pretty fine card, heavily optimised for transfer speeds, so access time is pretty poor sadly, and it is extremely quiet, I cannot hear it at all even when seekeing, where I could most definitely hear my 500Gb Western Digital AAKS.

The problem Seagate have had is with their 7200.11 they were pretty catastrophic, it reminded me of the IBM deathstar.