maxtor 6e04olo problems

[Andreib]

Hello there! this is my first post here.My problems are with a hdd maxtor 6e04olo firmware:NAR61EA0 AND serial: E1RM6EKE.The problem is that my hdd is running constant with 3.5mb/s maxxium ,and in mode ultra dma mode 5 .All software tools for diacnostic was clear,on hd tune on health tab are 2 big warnings reallocated sector count (11) and ultra dma crc error count.What should I do ? Is any software that can unlock the speed of my hdd?
Another question is if i want to change that hdd can I buy a raid controller with sata ports and put sata hdds?my mbo is pretty old and doesen't have s-ata ports.Thanks in advance!

[labtech]

The maxtor drive is dying. Strongly suggest you back up your important data to a new healthy drive while the maxtor is still accessible. If you are having problems backing up, then do not force the maxtor by running it for hours. It will get worse.

For the second question: seems like your proposal is cost oriented. If you don't care about cost I would say get a new machine. Be careful about what raid option you choose to implement.

[Andreib]

this hdd is like that for about 1 year ,i think he's relative with Chuck Norris this is my second computer so I wanna keep it for work ,can I reflash him ?or something to unlock his speed? so about my 2nd question ..if I buy raid controller with sata ports ,it will work on this mobo ?thanks!

[pad15]

as labtech said BACKUP YOU DATA UNTIL IS POSSIBLE, then play with your drive.

After this I suggest you to look for pending sector in smart and full scan your
drive with mhdd with erase delay on. Or better full erase the drive.
This may solve some "soft" bad sector, then rescan your drive and check
if it's clean.
Be careful, I had many of these drives running good for some days after zeroed
and then slowly degraded and became unusable.

The speed issue may be caused by OS switching to PIO mode. Check the read
speed using a live CD to boot or via MHDD or Victoria for dos.

[Vulcan]

The speed issue may be caused by OS switching to PIO mode. Check the read
speed using a live CD to boot or via MHDD or Victoria for dos.

Agreed, especially since the OP reports the SMART data has non-zero Ultra DMD CRC Error Count value (attribute 199 / 0xC7). If this was my drive, I would be investigating a potential interface-related problem, which might or might not be due to the drive itself, as well as the concern about the reallocated sectors.

[Andreib]

potential interface-related problem> can u detail?If u reffer to cables,the cables are asus cables ,brand new.(I'm sorry for delay but was no network doe the bad weather)

[Andreib]

LE: Also ..I was wondering how to make read test with mhdd? the cx command?

[Vulcan]

potential interface-related problem> can u detail?

No, I cannot accurately guess what your problem(s) is/are, from here. All I can say is that there is (or was) an interface-related problem. New cables can also be faulty; there can be interference, poor grounding or other power issues which cause interface errors, or faults with the drive's interface or motherboard port. Your problem(s) is/are not caused by software, so do not look for a software fix (which you were originally asking about).

The SMART Ultra DMA CRC counter is usually persistent on a drive, so even after the problem affecting the interface has been fixed, that counter will then stay at the latest value - it will just not increase any more. Finding the cause of that type of problem can be difficult, especially if it is intermittent. The point is that interface problems can cause Windows to reduce the interface speed as part of its error handling. I am not saying that this is definitely part of your problem - just that this is an area which may be worth you considering.

Remember the other advice from members, to backup your drive while it is still readable (if you have important data on it), in case it fails catastrophically or continues to degrade.

[BlackST]

$0,02 :

N40P series were not brilliant in terms of performance, nevertheless it is too slow. The problem can be in cabling, interface or the drive itself (most likely....). SMART is not reliable as failure indicator in this case.
Usually I can give these drives a 2nd or 3rd life, maybe in some case the drive ends downsized (i.e. 40GB to 30GB) and they get back to life at full speed / performance and clean SMART, but the procedure requires tooling and know how.

[Andreib]

In this night I'll zero the hdd ,then os ,then will see what's happen.

[Vulcan]

In this night I'll zero the hdd ,then os ,then will see what's happen.

That won't (can't) genuinely fix any of the possible underlying causes for what you have reported - it might act as a "sticking plaster" and force reallocation of already-recognised unreadable sectors.

If I was going to do that plan, I would gather the full raw SMART data before & after, for comparison (even with the limitations of what SMART can show). Then I would do a full read scan of the drive and collect the SMART data again.

Depending on what other hardware you already have and what money / time you want to spend, there are several options for how to proceed.

[BlackST]

In this night I'll zero the hdd ,then os ,then will see what's happen.

Better than nothing - at least it will sanitize some mild soft errors.

[Vulcan]

it will sanitize some mild soft errors.

Indeed. I still cannot see how that will genuinely fix any possible underlying cause for such soft errors (nor have any effect on the other reported issue), but you may have a different view.

[BlackST]

There is no "underlying" cause on N40P... they are "inherently unstable" .

Luckily they are easy (for me ! ) to fix

[Andreib]

If u can help me I would appreciate,can u tell me some steps to follow?Another problem is with 82801ba ultra atta st. controller. If i install antic intel application acc. and then update the controller driver from installation folder after reboot my computer hangs on windows loading screen,then I have to select most config. that works to be able to boot.Thanks in advance!

[Vulcan]

There is no "underlying" cause on N40P... they are "inherently unstable"

We're obviously having some communication problem because by my interpretation even "inherently unstable" will have an underlying cause (design / manufacturing process / materials etc.). Anyway, thanks for confirming what we were discussing earlier, that anything the user can do would not be a genuine fix for the drive's problem(s).

[RJARRRPCGP]

There is no "underlying" cause on N40P... they are "inherently unstable" .

QFT!

[RJARRRPCGP]

The problem is that my hdd is running constant with 3.5mb/s maxxium

Get another IDE cable and try again. That's not a classic 6E040L0-on-the-fritz symptom.

A classic 6E0xxL0 symptom is noticing stuttering and lagging when loading a boot loader, including a lag when Windows is booting.

It will feel slow, but not that slow. It instead feels slow like it's 100+ ms!

[BlackST]

There is no "underlying" cause on N40P... they are "inherently unstable"

We're obviously having some communication problem because by my interpretation even "inherently unstable" will have an underlying cause (design / manufacturing process / materials etc.). Anyway, thanks for confirming what we were discussing earlier, that anything the user can do would not be a genuine fix for the drive's problem(s).

Of course the "underlying cause" in this very case is known (and I think you know...) but a deep explanation HERE would be useless regarding the solution to the problem and also dangerous.

"This device is unstable, has a flaw on design, the part XYZ is poorly manufactured and the software has a bug on HJK and FQKT , and it works when it wants to" etc. etc. - politically correct, Google and Wiki friendly BUT LONGER version of "This thing is crap"