NOTICE: my disk is still in warranty, but just for few more weeks. So, I need to quickly figure out if the problem I'm experiencing is an actual physical fault on the disk (like bad sectors "flags"), or just something that can be "logically" fixed. Basically, I don't wanna be charged for sending it on warranty service, without an actual reason.
Hope you can help me to figure this out! Thanks in advance to all the people reading and posting here.
All the tests have been performed on Windows 7 (SP1) 64bit.
=============================================

Hello guys,
my Western Digital WD6401AALS-00L3B2 Caviar Black 640GB disk (SATA), few weeks ago started working oddly, with very low speed access to data (like ~2,5MB/s read). Then, after a Scandisk (both quick and accurate) that didn't solved the problem, I decided to check it with the Western Digital Data LifeGuard Diagnostics (WinDlg) tool. This tool analysis, basically consists in three tests: QUICK TEST, EXTENDED TEST and WRITE ZEROS.
The first test (QUICK TEST) it took a while, but eventually was completed with a PASS.
The second step (EXTENDED TEST) was aborted by me, after running like 12hrs and an estimated time left of 170hrs (and counting).
Then, I tried the last test (WRITE ZEROS): again, after a while, I interrupted it since multiple "bad sector" warnings were shown, halting the test each time (with so much % left, and unknown time left).

So, I though to low level format the disk using the "Hard Disk Low Level Format Tool". While performing the LLF, multiple warnings were shown in the log window/box and the process was taking really too much; so I decided to abort it.
After this "partial LLF", I tried again the Western Digital Data LifeGuard Diagnostics and this time I was capable of perform all the three tests in an reasonable time (about 6hrs each, both for the EXTENDED TEST and the WRITE ZEROS test). All the tests ended with an encouraging "PASS!"
So, I decided to initialize the disk and create a primary partition on it... and at that point I noticed the size had become "only" 596,17GB (610478MB), instead of the previous 640GB. I must clarify that I'm aware about Gigabit and Gigabyte conversion (about HD manufacture sizes), but this hard disk size was actually 640GB, since it was previously split in 2 partitions, respectively 322GB and 318GB (I got even a screenshot of that).

So, about 43GB are missing, now... I guess 'cause of the bad sectors detected and flagged as not allocable and therefore excluded in the volume size calculation. But I'm not sure about it.
Is there a way to find this out?

While writing this poem (LOL, sorry about that), HD Tune "Error scan" is running, but - until now - no "Damaged" blocks have been detected. Obviously, I tried the "Quick scan" first, but everything was OK.

Any suggestion?
Really, really thanks for those who have read all this post!
Hope in your help.

I forgot to say that after that, I performed a full LLF of this drive (it took about 7hrs) with "Hard Disk Low Level Format Tool". Then I tried again to initialize it and create a primary partition. And, again, the volume size was "only" 596,17GB (610478MB).

Sounds like a dieing head, might as well send it back... Hopefully you got all your data off.

for the data

Thank you for your reply, Shane.
So, do you agree that I can be quite confident about opening an RMA and send it to WD, 'cause this HD is actually affected by some kind of hardware issue?

PS: before start any of the activities described above, I copied first all the data off to an external drive.
It took quite a while (few days), but I made it!

Lucky, all the data are safe and healthy on an other disk

Happy to hear something like this. Not happening often

Hello guys,
just to update you about the HD tune "Error Test"

Everything looks fine; however at "Position" you can read 610236MB, that doesn't match with the nominal 640GB capacity.
Moreover, in the "Info" tab there's an oddly indication at "capacity".


Any ideas? Somebody?
If the "lack" of about 43GB is due to a defective drive, I'm allowed to send it to the warranty service for replacement (WD support confirmed me by phone).

Thanks, bye.

Waiting for my previous message to be approved by moderators ('cause of the images attached), this is the "textual" result of the HD tune test

HD Tune: HDD Error Scan

Scanned data : 610236 MB
Damaged Blocks : 0.0 %
Elapsed Time : 528:16

HD Tune: HDD Information

Firmware version : 1234
Serial number :
Capacity : 596.2 GB (~640.1 GB)
Buffer size : n/a

The scanned data value 610236MB and capacity 596.2 GB (~640.1 GB), still confirms the lack of ~43GB.
What do you think about it? Any ideas?
RMA is waiting

Thanks!

640,1GB/1,0737 = 596,2Gibibyte.

This is absolutely correct. There is no decrease in the volume nor lack of data.

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BTW, you can use Google's calculator for unit conversions.

http://www.google.com/search?q=610236+MiB+in+GB

610 236 mebibytes = 639.878824 gigabytes

Note the difference between GB and GiB, and MiB and MB.

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Well, basically the question is why they use the same acronym/abbreviations to indicate different things... moreover given that the correct notation exists. I was aware about manufactures indicating "ambiguous" size information on HDs, but not in the diagnostic software tools! IMHO, it doesn't make any sense and leads only to misunderstandings.
MB stands for Megabyte = 1024Kbyte (1024*1024byte)
GB stands for Gigabyte = 1024MByte (1024*1024*1024byte)

If they're referring to Mebibyte e Gibibyte, then MiB e GiB should be used. Not MB and GB.

Alright, then basing on the diagnostic results above and the problem I experienced, what do you suggest to do (considering that warranty will expire in less than 2 months).

Please post a Benchmark and Health Screen from HDTune.
If the Health shows nothing, try CrystalDiskInfo for a health check and post it here.

Attached below the test screenshots.
Here follows the test logs

HD Tune: WDC WD6401AALS-00L3B2 Health

ID Current Worst ThresholdData Status
(01) Raw Read Error Rate 200 200 51 0 Ok
(03) Spin Up Time 162 159 21 4891 Ok
(04) Start/Stop Count 93 93 0 7347 Ok
(05) Reallocated Sector Count 200 200 140 0 Ok
(07) Seek Error Rate 100 253 0 0 Ok
(09) Power On Hours Count 62 62 0 28065 Ok
(0A) Spin Retry Count 100 100 0 0 Ok
(0B) Calibration Retry Count 100 100 0 0 Ok
(0C) Power Cycle Count 99 99 0 1104 Ok
(C0) Power Off Retract Count 200 200 0 84 Ok
(C1) Load Cycle Count 198 198 0 7347 Ok
(C2) Temperature 118 99 0 29 Ok
(C4) Reallocated Event Count 200 200 0 0 Ok
(C5) Current Pending Sector 200 200 0 0 Ok
(C6) Offline Uncorrectable 200 200 0 0 Ok
(C7) Ultra DMA CRC Error Count 200 189 0 2797007 Ok
(C8) Write Error Rate 200 200 0 0 Ok

Power On Time : 28065
Health Status : Ok


HD Tune: WDC WD6401AALS-00L3B2 Benchmark

Transfer Rate Minimum : 55.7 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 113.7 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 92.3 MB/sec
Access Time : 11.9 ms
Burst Rate : 146.1 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 9.0%

One more benchmark

HD Tune: WDC WD6401AALS-00L3B2 Benchmark

Transfer Rate Minimum : 55.0 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Maximum : 113.9 MB/sec
Transfer Rate Average : 92.4 MB/sec
Access Time : 11.9 ms
Burst Rate : 145.3 MB/sec
CPU Usage : 7.2%

Everything looks fine to me... any clue?

No, it sounds absolutely nothing like a bad head.

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Nor does it seem like there is anything wrong with your drive. Benchmarks look normal, size is perfectly normal, SMART data is normal. I think you're just getting worked up over nothing. If your computer is getting slow it's far more likely that the issue is just some crappy software slowing down your system.

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The drive seems to be 100% OK!

You should check your SATA cable, you have a high 'Ultra DMA CRC Error Count'. Maybe because of this your SATA controller set down the speed to a minimum.

But now this seems to be ok again (nice benchmark). If you have another SATA cable, use it instead of the old one.

Another thing the OP could try would be to install the drive's OPT1 jumper. This will reduce the SATA link rate to 1.5Gbps. It could be that a 3Gbps link rate is error prone whereas 1.5Gbps may be error free.

ISTR that some SATA chipsets had problems in this regard. For example, Intel's H67/P67 had a bug that was subject to a recall.

_________________
A backup a day keeps DR away.