Hard drive fails SMART status.

January 23, 2009 6:33 PM

What to do about a hard drive failure? Disk Utility says my SMART status is failing.

So I upgraded the hard drive on my 15" MacBook Pro. I installed a Samsung HM251JJ, 250GB/7200rpm SATA drive. When I went to Disk Utility after booting up it wouldn't let me partition the drive because the SMART status read: "failing". I downloaded SMART Utility for OSX and the specific problem is a high "Reallocated Bad Sectors" count. (1068, threshold is 10.) What should I do? I purchased the HD from Micro Computer Center.

1. Do I need to worry about this? Obviously it's telling me I have to replace the drive but it's working fine.
2. Is this my fault (something happened during installation, it was my first time opening up the MBP) or a preexisting problem with the drive? Will Samsung replace it for me or do I need to take it back to the store. I'd like to avoid taking it back simply because the store is in Michigan and I am in New York.

Thanks in advance.

posted by ofthestrait to computers & internet (6 comments total)

1. By the time SMART reports anything, the drive has already failed. In this case, by adapting to use undamaged portions of the disk surface. Once a disk surface starts to go, you generally see further deterioration. Yes, you should replace it right away.

2. The manufacturer will replace the drive if it is still in warranty. It's only your fault if you mishandled the disk, which I'd imagine as a careful first-timer you didn't.
posted by majick at 6:50 PM on January 23, 2009

Reallocated Bad Sectors" count. (1068, threshold is 10.)

That means 1,068 blocks on that drive are bad. Thats a pretty large amount. As drives fail this number increases because the drive can no longer read from the surface of the disk in these areas. This is a sign of a dying drive.

You should just return it to the store and tell them this. If the store gives you any trouble then the manufacturer will definitely do a replacement.
posted by damn dirty ape at 7:00 PM on January 23, 2009

Speaking from years of experience, here:

1. DO NOT use this drive for anything that you're not OK with losing forever. If there's anything important on it, get it off NOW.

2. Samsung will RMA the drive for you with almost no hassle, but you'll probably get a refurb as your replacement. If you're not OK with that, you'll have to return it to the store. Otherwise you can probably manage the entire process online (I've never done it with Samsung, but I have with Western Digital and Maxtor.)
posted by CrayDrygu at 10:00 PM on January 23, 2009

Get your data off immediately, while you can still access the drive.

I'm looking at over a grand in data recovery bills because I thought "Hmm. That's strange - I guess the drive could be dying, but it's a fairly young disk..."
posted by eclectist at 11:33 PM on January 23, 2009

My hard drive has died (I think) just not recognised by the pc.

Daft question but is it possible to just transfer the disks into another case?
posted by Getextra at 7:05 AM on January 25, 2009

When SMART gets involved, it's a terminal case. Backup your stuff on another drive NOW, then see about getting a refund/replacement. It may work fine for weeks to come, or it could lock up forever in the next five minutes.
posted by zardoz at 8:27 PM on January 25, 2009