Hello,

I currently have a ST3500418AS with firmware CC49 (forced update from CC46 stock firmware), and from one day to the next, 10 reallocated sectors have appeared. This drive has less than 1 year usage and I have not any stability problems at all, but I'm worried (I have not run any speed test though).

Here you have the link to the HDDScan SMART check snapshot. Please, examine it and tell me if I should replace the drive with Seagate or if this failure rate may be considered 'normal' for this model (I've read similar problems of many reallocated sectors for this drive and some people say it's okay if the bad sector count doesn't increase on a regular basis (?) ).

It's worth noting that I upgraded the firmware by hand, because the Seagate update tool refused to do that, using command line parameters told by fzabkar in Seagate forums to another user with the same issue (I think this user is registered here too). No problems after that.

Thank you very much for your time in advance.

Regards

Anyone?

Victoria says SMART status is GOOD, but Command Timeouts are increasing (9 right now). Also I've performed a MHDD surface scan (non-destructive) and the tool claimed there were 2 sectors with an access time < 500ms (warning).

In other forum, one user told me that nowadays Seagate has a poor quality check at factory and, as time goes by, it's 'normal' some sectors are moved from the P-List to the G-List... Is it true?

Should I be worried?

Thank you again for your help and patience

That's where your problems started.

Not true. The drive has a physical problem.

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A backup a day keeps DR away.

Prove it.

Not completely true : the overall quality of COMMON drives decreased as the demand for LOW COST and HIGHER CAPACITY increased. All the rest is done by users and their operating environment (and McGyvering).



BULLSHIT "DELUXE"

The failure rate looks pretty normal to me. I wouldn't worry about replacing the drive with another Seagate. Go for it.

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Nationwide data recovery services for RAID servers and laptops - http://www.harddriverecovery.org/

Not regular BS, this is the extra special, holiday discount, unbelievable BS!!!

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On a clear disk you can seek forever.

No it isn't. It is also "probably fixable" . And are you thinking about a RMA by a chance ?!?

The "failure rate" is perfectly normal. I've been watching Seagate's forums over the past few years, and such "reallocated sector" issues are very common. It's particularly prevalent in refurbished drives, so I suggest that the OP stay away from these. Unfortunately a warranty replacement will probably be refurbished. AISI, refurbishing a drive with bad sectors or a bad head is like sweeping dust under the carpet. The exception is when a head is "cut', but this reduces the capacity of the drive.

I would add that data recovery companies generally see dead drives rather than "weak" ones, so their observations regarding reallocated sector counts would not necessarily match typical user experiences.

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A backup a day keeps DR away.

Really? I know a lot of people who refurbish drives. Not sure where this information came from. Seagate forum?

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Iorana Haraharaini

Myth at the borders of BS zone. But this is a serious forum hence some pills of real facts :

0) How did you know that all the drives with "bad block" issues were "particularly prevalent" refurbished ?
Refurbished by SEAGATE and clearly stated on label ? There was a time when , here, you would ONLY find seagate factory refurbished drives so there was no alternative. I have bought hundreds of them and they run monitored 24/7 , some since the end of 2006-2007. ZERO problems. One thing is sure : in MY environments or where I have the control, NO tinkering , patching, updating or tampering of any manner is allowed, less than less firmware tinkering.
1) All the RMAed drives are inspected and reworked and return into market if PROVEN to be within specs. They don't say it anymore on label or they do or don't do it at their pleasure. It can be discovered, anyway....
Heads are deactivated only when necessary as it will decrease also the value of the drive.
Everything that happen has a convenience for the companies otherwise it wouldn't happen.
2) Get some BRAND NEW out of the box drives , every brand, and ask a professional with the real professional tools you don't have (otherwise you would already know certain things) to show you how many servo defects and surface defects (and possibly the kind of them) were detected and healed at factory (they are still there but simply the drive knows where "not to go"). On a 500 GB drive the count can reach even 1000, 1500 and the locked out TRACKS (entire track!) to avoid at every cost can perfectly be 20, 30...
There's enough space for 10 or even 100, 500, 1000 more blocks, in this case they are not even hard errors as you GUESS. They are something else but I won't tell you, sorry.
3) We see weak drives. And with some magic , DATA ! Even without opening the drive. Exactly where all the internet free stuff hang or crash. Knowing what to do does wonders, not knowing it and playing does disasters.

Final note : I am curious to know if you or someone you like (or someone who likes you, who knows?) would offer pro refurb service, would you be advertising and suggesting his website at every given post where there is a problem of bad blocks. Would in this case not be "sweeping dust under the carpet" but "a professional service that saves money and also is good for environment" or what else ?
This only because your behaviour - at least to me - is strange : since when you came in 2009 every now and then you had something to say (and not kind words) against the DR community, suddenly NOW you are suggesting or better advertising... DR SERVICES. No more DIY ? No more suggestions about buying a tool then try to resell it later when the job is done ? Would you mind explain what or who did you change your mind "180 degrees" ?

P.S. Your last ban (the 3rd on this forum) was because of the n-th insult and attack to THIS DR community, not for any other reason.

Yeah, that's what I wrote.

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A backup a day keeps DR away.

Just curious what proof you have that a refurbished drive is no good. You are simi correct that we see dead drives but we see a lot of other drives too and some of them can be refurbished for the client and they are happy to have this service. The price of drives here on the islands is so expensive that a refurbished one is excellent for them to use now. Egypt refurbishes drives all the time becasue of the cost. There are more places that perform this service now than before.

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Iorana Haraharaini

Ann, it is a pointless discussion.

I wrote:

Final note : I am curious to know if you or someone you like (or someone who likes you, who knows?) would offer pro refurb service, would you be advertising and suggesting his website at every given post where there is a problem of bad blocks. Would in this case not be "sweeping dust under the carpet" but "a professional service that saves money and also is good for environment" or what else ?
This only because your behaviour - at least to me - is strange : since when you came in 2009 every now and then you had something to say (and not kind words) against the DR community, suddenly NOW you are suggesting or better advertising... DR SERVICES. No more DIY ? No more suggestions about buying a tool then try to resell it later when the job is done ? Would you mind explain what or who did you change your mind "180 degrees" ?

There will be no answer .

All I'm saying is that I wouldn't trust them. I have seen numerous reports from users in various forums where replacement drives have developed bad sectors within a very short time. In fact I've seen war stories at Seagate's forum where a user has received three replacements in a row with the same outcome. I personally have RMA-ed a dozen drives to Maxtor in the past, in the one shipment. I'm still using two of the replacements, but 4 of them failed soon after.

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A backup a day keeps DR away.

The OP didn't say it was a refurbished drive. Would you mind explain how the entire thread went to the refurb drives ? Original problem : non original neither seems approved firmware as the FW updater refused it - forcefully installed , drive developed problems.

Please answer to this :

Final note : I am curious to know if you or someone you like (or someone who likes you, who knows?) would offer pro refurb service, would you be advertising and suggesting his website at every given post where there is a problem of bad blocks. Would in this case not be "sweeping dust under the carpet" but "a professional service that saves money and also is good for environment" or what else ?
This only because your behaviour - at least to me - is strange : since when you came in 2009 every now and then you had something to say (and not kind words) against the DR community, suddenly NOW you are suggesting or better advertising... DR SERVICES. No more DIY ? No more suggestions about buying a tool then try to resell it later when the job is done ? Would you mind explain what or who did you change your mind "180 degrees" ?

Wow, too many responses. But I'm puzzled with mixed up opinions. I think to make clear:

- The drive is NEW.
- The drive has less than 1 year usage.
- I cannot RMA it because SeaTools passes all tests.

Also I don't understand why forcing a firmware update may produce these failures. I did this update following the instructions provided by the mate fzabkar in the Seagate forums (booting a CD and using the command line). The link is HERE. I've used the correct file to update (according to fzabkar) and I've had no stability problems. I forced the update because of the all horror stories about the previous 7200.11 series.

It's worth noting another user in another forum has the same drive and he also has 10 reallocated sectors (and yes, he has not forced any update).

Please, I appreciate your answers but focus on my problem: if my drive is healthy and I can ignore those warning messages. I repeat that Victoria says SMART status is good (10 reallocated sectors are below the thresold, 54).

Thank you again

Agree and think there will never be an answer only a game of cat and mouse on this one. A way to get out of answering your question on this one.

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Iorana Haraharaini

Well i agree with you there, neither do I.