How long does HDDErase run?

[Jackrnl]

I have a Seagate ST3120022A and quite suddenly it got problems SOMETIMES while booting. Quite rapidly more problems with files occured (like CRC checks wrong while cloning adrive using XXClone) and I discovered it has problems with the disk itself. Fortunally I didn't suffer from 'important data losses' (backup, data not on C-partition).
First I tried the easy things and after that I tried several programs (most from latest UBCD) to analyse and revive the disk as I want to increase my knowledge instead of buying a new one.

Seatools DST failed and the long test provided 99 errors after showing LBA 5299780 and stopped with read scan failed.

Hitachi Testdisk doesn't find problems.

MHDD does access the drive and shows a lot of orange sectors and after those it shows green sectors while performing a SCAN.

ZeroFill didn't work (several programs)
so I thought 'OK let's use HDD LLFtool (v2.2.1 build 1108) and HDD Wipe Tool (downloaded from HDDguru) show 'Error accessing device: Incorrect function' when I start them followed by a second message 'Cannot change Visible in OnShow or OnHide' on my system containing a ST360020A drive (with or without the damaged disk connected; Seatools DLT doesn't show any errors for my 'good' drive). The page 'device details' remains empty and 'Get SMART attributes' provides 'SMART is unavailable because the device is not a native IDE or SATA device'

HDDErase to see if it will revive the disk because it will access all sectors and I suppose if some can't be accessed reliable it will exclude them'.
So I started it (from UBCD) and I get to the point it tells it can take a few hours. So i suppose it is running but i don't see ANYTHING written on screen nor (after over 6 hours running on a system with 524 Mb DDRram and Athlon XP 2700+ processor running Windows 2000 SP4 +updates at 2000 MHz).

My questions:
a) what time can be expected HDDErase will run on a 120 Gb harddisk on my system with 524 Mb DDRram and Athlon XP 2700+ processor? [just a rough estimate would be adequate for me]
b) is it normal HDDErase won't write ANYTHING to screen while running?
c) will HDDErase be able to revive my harddisk (if anyway possible) and exclude bad sectors? (Before running HDDErase I tested I still could read/write to it but not boot)
d) what other things can I do to try to revive my harddisk?
e) is it normal HDD LLFtool doesn't work and provide those messages?
(oops : i now see threat http://forum.hddguru.com/hdd-llf-proble ... t6009.html but didn't see a solution yet)

Thanks for answers in advance

[dencee]

Jackrnl,

a) The secure erase procedure should take approx. 60-90 min for the drive you specified. If the process takes longer than 180 min then there is an error with your drive or drive connectors. If you interrupt the process your drive may be partially erased (beginning from LBA0), but no audit trail will be written to LBA 0 confirming the secure erase completion.

b) It is normal for HDDerase to not write anything to the screen while running. As far as I know there is no drive command that will return the percentage completed during a secure erase for ATA drives (although this can be done for SCSI). When the command completes there will be text written immediately to the screen reporting if it failed or completed.

c) HDDerase attempts to overwrite all blocks in its physical CHS mapping, which will include "bad" sectors. It will not overwrite a block with a defect in its servo field. Boot errors are commonly caused by corrupt MBR/partitions, but it sounds like your drive may have some hardware problems instead. HDDErase will not repair your hardware errors, although it can erase your corrupt MBR/partitions for reinstallation of a new MBR/partition.

d) I am not quite sure

e) As far as I know LLF is done nowadays only in factories and software utilities can only LLF very old drives. This software sounds interesting though. Sorry I can't help you in this area either.

[Jackrnl]

Thanks for useful reply dencee

Usng another PC (Pentium-II 300) I ran HDDerase for about 7 hours and eventually it provided a message telling me it failed.

I think it would be a good idea to write SOMETHING so the screen every X minutes like "HDDErase running for 15 - 30 - 45 minutes pls sector xxxxxxxx" (etc) just to show it's still busy and not hanging

Could well be there is a hardware failure (likely IMO) but some programs (like MHDD) still are able to access the drive so there's still some hope......
Just like someone who's barely alive in a hospital (allthough I'm just comparable to a nurse and not to a docter )

As my main goal with it to LEARN I will still keep trying (of course the pc's i'm working on now have GOOD harddisks)

[dencee]

"I think it would be a good idea to write SOMETHING so the screen every X minutes like "HDDErase running for 15 - 30 - 45 minutes pls sector xxxxxxxx" (etc) just to show it's still busy and not hanging "

I will consider adding something like this in my next revision of HDDErase. Thank you for your suggestion.

[meteors]

my computer is only 2gb and if it took more than 2hrs...something is wrong rite?