Bad blocks at regular intervals

S

skeksis268

n00b
Joined
Jul 22, 2009
Messages
3
Hi all,

I have a western digital scorpio (WD2500BEVS) drive that when scanned, reports bad blocks at regular intervals of 1170 block 6 times, then there is a gap of 2522 blocks, then 7 gaps of 1170 blocks, then 2522 blocks, then 6 gaps of 1170, then 2522 etc..... across large parts of the disk

Does anyone have a clue what would cause such regular damage?

any advice or information would be greatly appreciated
 
First, I would ask what you were using the drive for.

Most likely either it's a fab defect, shock damage from the heads hitting the platters, who knows.

On another note, I do have that exact drive. I just pulled mine out (it's a 5400 RPM Scorpio Blue) from the WD Passport enclosure, because I found that the Initio SATA-to-USB2.0 adapter that it uses is throwing the drive in to an endless power management cycle. It disappears from Windows and continues to make clicking noises after being idle for an hour.

So far here at work I've been letting it sit idle through a real SATA connection/SATA power (not off USB) and the drive has been fine. I haven't checked SMART or sector problems yet, but I have sneaky suspicion that the Initio 1606L chip is the culprit :| or something.
 
I was using the drive for general purpose windows boot and storage of files etc..
it's got quite a bit of important data on it, some seems easily recoverable simply by copying, some less so
 
I ran a SMART check, and got these results:
smartctl version 5.38 [i486-slackware-linux-gnu] Copyright (C) 2002-8 Bruce Allen
Home page is http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net/

=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
Model Family: Western Digital Scorpio family
Device Model: WDC WD2500BEVS-75UST0
Serial Number: WD-WXC708A52824
Firmware Version: 01.01A01
User Capacity: 250,059,350,016 bytes
Device is: In smartctl database [for details use: -P show]
ATA Version is: 8
ATA Standard is: Exact ATA specification draft version not indicated
Local Time is: Fri Aug 14 17:56:25 2009 UTC
SMART support is: Available - device has SMART capability.
SMART support is: Enabled

=== START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION ===
SMART overall-health self-assessment test result: PASSED

General SMART Values:
Offline data collection status: (0x00) Offline data collection activity
was never started.
Auto Offline Data Collection: Disabled.
Self-test execution status: ( 121) The previous self-test completed having
the read element of the test failed.
Total time to complete Offline
data collection: (9600) seconds.
Offline data collection
capabilities: (0x7b) SMART execute Offline immediate.
Auto Offline data collection on/off support.
Suspend Offline collection upon new
command.
Offline surface scan supported.
Self-test supported.
Conveyance Self-test supported.
Selective Self-test supported.
SMART capabilities: (0x0003) Saves SMART data before entering
power-saving mode.
Supports SMART auto save timer.
Error logging capability: (0x01) Error logging supported.
General Purpose Logging supported.
Short self-test routine
recommended polling time: ( 2) minutes.
Extended self-test routine
recommended polling time: ( 115) minutes.
Conveyance self-test routine
recommended polling time: ( 5) minutes.
SCT capabilities: (0x303f) SCT Status supported.
SCT Feature Control supported.
SCT Data Table supported.

SMART Attributes Data Structure revision number: 16
Vendor Specific SMART Attributes with Thresholds:
ID# ATTRIBUTE_NAME FLAG VALUE WORST THRESH TYPE UPDATED WHEN_FAILED RAW_VALUE
1 Raw_Read_Error_Rate 0x000f 195 195 051 Pre-fail Always - 22780
3 Spin_Up_Time 0x0003 186 186 021 Pre-fail Always - 1675
4 Start_Stop_Count 0x0032 099 099 000 Old_age Always - 1617
5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct 0x0033 158 158 140 Pre-fail Always - 331
7 Seek_Error_Rate 0x000e 200 200 051 Old_age Always - 0
9 Power_On_Hours 0x0032 096 096 000 Old_age Always - 3403
10 Spin_Retry_Count 0x0012 100 098 051 Old_age Always - 1
11 Calibration_Retry_Count 0x0012 100 100 051 Old_age Always - 0
12 Power_Cycle_Count 0x0032 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 813
192 Power-Off_Retract_Count 0x0032 200 200 000 Old_age Always - 119
193 Load_Cycle_Count 0x0032 190 190 000 Old_age Always - 31773
194 Temperature_Celsius 0x0022 109 094 000 Old_age Always - 38
196 Reallocated_Event_Count 0x0032 001 001 000 Old_age Always - 243
197 Current_Pending_Sector 0x0012 192 184 000 Old_age Always - 330
198 Offline_Uncorrectable 0x0010 100 253 000 Old_age Offline - 0
199 UDMA_CRC_Error_Count 0x003e 200 200 000 Old_age Always - 0
200 Multi_Zone_Error_Rate 0x0008 100 253 051 Old_age Offline - 0
240 Head_Flying_Hours 0x0032 082 082 000 Old_age Always - 13198
241 Unknown_Attribute 0x0032 125 125 000 Old_age Always - 75303848162530
242 Unknown_Attribute 0x0032 200 200 000 Old_age Always - 13276747170

SMART Error Log Version: 1
ATA Error Count: 56483 (device log contains only the most recent five errors)
CR = Command Register [HEX]
FR = Features Register [HEX]
SC = Sector Count Register [HEX]
SN = Sector Number Register [HEX]
CL = Cylinder Low Register [HEX]
CH = Cylinder High Register [HEX]
DH = Device/Head Register [HEX]
DC = Device Command Register [HEX]
ER = Error register [HEX]
ST = Status register [HEX]
Powered_Up_Time is measured from power on, and printed as
DDd+hh:mm:SS.sss where DD=days, hh=hours, mm=minutes,
SS=sec, and sss=millisec. It "wraps" after 49.710 days.

Error 56483 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 3403 hours (141 days + 19 hours)
When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

After command completion occurred, registers were:
ER ST SC SN CL CH DH
-- -- -- -- -- -- --
01 51 00 f0 ec 03 e0 Error: AMNF at LBA = 0x0003ecf0 = 257264

Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC Powered_Up_Time Command/Feature_Name
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- ---------------- --------------------
c8 00 a8 70 ec 03 00 00 00:02:34.439 READ DMA
27 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00:02:34.438 READ NATIVE MAX ADDRESS EXT
ec 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00:02:34.438 IDENTIFY DEVICE
ef 03 45 00 00 00 00 00 00:02:34.438 SET FEATURES [Set transfer mode]
27 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00:02:34.438 READ NATIVE MAX ADDRESS EXT

Error 56482 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 3403 hours (141 days + 19 hours)
When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

After command completion occurred, registers were:
ER ST SC SN CL CH DH
-- -- -- -- -- -- --
01 51 00 f0 ec 03 e0 Error: AMNF at LBA = 0x0003ecf0 = 257264

Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC Powered_Up_Time Command/Feature_Name
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- ---------------- --------------------
c8 00 a8 70 ec 03 00 00 00:02:30.500 READ DMA
27 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00:02:30.499 READ NATIVE MAX ADDRESS EXT
ec 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00:02:30.499 IDENTIFY DEVICE
ef 03 45 00 00 00 00 00 00:02:30.499 SET FEATURES [Set transfer mode]
27 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00:02:30.499 READ NATIVE MAX ADDRESS EXT

Error 56481 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 3403 hours (141 days + 19 hours)
When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

After command completion occurred, registers were:
ER ST SC SN CL CH DH
-- -- -- -- -- -- --
01 51 00 f0 ec 03 e0 Error: AMNF at LBA = 0x0003ecf0 = 257264

Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC Powered_Up_Time Command/Feature_Name
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- ---------------- --------------------
c8 00 a8 70 ec 03 00 00 00:02:26.549 READ DMA
27 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00:02:26.548 READ NATIVE MAX ADDRESS EXT
ec 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00:02:26.548 IDENTIFY DEVICE
ef 03 45 00 00 00 00 00 00:02:26.548 SET FEATURES [Set transfer mode]
27 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00:02:26.548 READ NATIVE MAX ADDRESS EXT

Error 56480 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 3403 hours (141 days + 19 hours)
When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

After command completion occurred, registers were:
ER ST SC SN CL CH DH
-- -- -- -- -- -- --
01 51 00 f0 ec 03 e0 Error: AMNF at LBA = 0x0003ecf0 = 257264

Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC Powered_Up_Time Command/Feature_Name
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- ---------------- --------------------
c8 00 a8 70 ec 03 00 00 00:02:22.599 READ DMA
27 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00:02:22.598 READ NATIVE MAX ADDRESS EXT
ec 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00:02:22.598 IDENTIFY DEVICE
ef 03 45 00 00 00 00 00 00:02:22.598 SET FEATURES [Set transfer mode]
27 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00:02:22.598 READ NATIVE MAX ADDRESS EXT

Error 56479 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 3403 hours (141 days + 19 hours)
When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

After command completion occurred, registers were:
ER ST SC SN CL CH DH
-- -- -- -- -- -- --
01 51 00 f0 ec 03 e0 Error: AMNF at LBA = 0x0003ecf0 = 257264

Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC Powered_Up_Time Command/Feature_Name
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- ---------------- --------------------
c8 00 a8 70 ec 03 00 00 00:02:18.616 READ DMA
27 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00:02:18.615 READ NATIVE MAX ADDRESS EXT
ec 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00:02:18.615 IDENTIFY DEVICE
ef 03 45 00 00 00 00 00 00:02:18.615 SET FEATURES [Set transfer mode]
27 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00:02:18.615 READ NATIVE MAX ADDRESS EXT

SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1
Num Test_Description Status Remaining LifeTime(hours) LBA_of_first_error
# 1 Short offline Completed: read failure 90% 3403 3586667
# 2 Conveyance offline Completed: read failure 90% 3403 3586667
# 3 Short offline Completed: read failure 90% 3403 3586667
# 4 Extended offline Completed: read failure 90% 3240 257264
# 5 Short offline Completed: read failure 90% 3240 257264
# 6 Short offline Completed: read failure 70% 3164 257264
# 7 Short offline Completed: read failure 90% 3164 257264
# 8 Short offline Completed: read failure 90% 3142 257264
# 9 Extended offline Completed: read failure 90% 3135 257264
#10 Conveyance offline Completed: read failure 90% 3135 257264
#11 Short offline Completed: read failure 90% 3135 257264
#12 Conveyance offline Completed: read failure 90% 3135 257264
#13 Conveyance offline Completed: read failure 90% 3135 257264
#14 Short offline Completed: read failure 20% 3135 257264
#15 Short offline Completed: read failure 50% 3135 257264
#16 Short offline Completed without error 00% 2298 -
#17 Short offline Completed without error 00% 3 -
#18 Short offline Completed without error 00% 2 -
#19 Short offline Completed without error 00% 0 -
#20 Short offline Interrupted (host reset) 80% 0 -

SMART Selective self-test log data structure revision number 1
SPAN MIN_LBA MAX_LBA CURRENT_TEST_STATUS
1 0 0 Not_testing
2 0 0 Not_testing
3 0 0 Not_testing
4 0 0 Not_testing
5 0 0 Not_testing
Selective self-test flags (0x0):
After scanning selected spans, do NOT read-scan remainder of disk.
If Selective self-test is pending on power-up, resume after 0 minute delay.
Click to expand...

that's all a bit beyond me, does this shed any more light on my problem?
 
reallocated_sector_count, last value above zero, replace drive.
..........
I read that yesterday *somewhere*. Freezer trick? (I posted it
here one or more times)
 
veritas7 said:
On another note, I do have that exact drive. I just pulled mine out (it's a 5400 RPM Scorpio Blue) from the WD Passport enclosure, because I found that the Initio SATA-to-USB2.0 adapter that it uses is throwing the drive in to an endless power management cycle. It disappears from Windows and continues to make clicking noises after being idle for an hour.

So far here at work I've been letting it sit idle through a real SATA connection/SATA power (not off USB) and the drive has been fine. I haven't checked SMART or sector problems yet, but I have sneaky suspicion that the Initio 1606L chip is the culprit :| or something.
Click to expand...

I've had this happen before too. My mother had a 160GB external hard disk that she used for backups at work and one day it decided that it would just do the "click of death" over and over and refuse to show up in the OS. I thought for sure it was toast, but on a whim I took the drive out of the enclosure and hooked it up via SATA. It worked fine. And it's still working fine about a year later.

EDIT: that was a bit off topic, though. If SMART is reporting errors like that then its dead.
 
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