hard disk smart data error

[olarwummy]

i have a problem with my hard disk smart data error, how can i solved the problem, although i have already scan the hard disck utility

[patio]

The drive is getting ready to fail...you may have 12 hours...or 12 days ...no way of telling.
Backup your important data and replace it.
P.S.  The more you use it the closer it gets to stopping completely.

[camerongray]

I second patio - Backup your data and replace the drive straightaway.  Don't risk it.

[patio]

Howdy Cameron...

[olarwummy]

cant i repair the hard disk.. is the only solution is to replace it?

[patio]

Yes...there is no repair for a HDD showing the SMART warning error...period.

[olarwummy]

thanks,,,
i also have another HDD, but when i try to install windows 7, it fail and show some error while intalling,, pls what can i do

[Geek-9pm]

cant i repair the hard disk.. is the only solution is to replace it?

No. There are logs of other solutions.
Like donate the hard drive to a charity.
Pick a charity you don't like much.

[patio]

Bad attemt at humor...and it'll just deflect his understanding of the issue.

[Geek-9pm]

You think that is bad? Try to explain how the S.M.A.R.T.  feature of the HDD works. That is a real bad attempt at humor.  It is a disaster. Half the time it will warn of failure. And half the time there is a failure. No joke. Documented elsewhere.
Two  of many references:
 http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/253094-32-false-positives
http://superuser.com/questions/549547/failing-hard-drive-false-positive
Now, if he wants to... here the the 'solution.'
A. Divide   the HDD into a number of partitions.  Maybe e 8 or even 10.
B. Test each partition for errors. Expect one partition have errors.
C. Mark the  bad partition.
D. Merge the other partitions.

If this works, you will have a 'doughnut'  hard drive. It will  have a hole in the middle, so to speak. That bad partition should never be used again.

I have used this to make use of hard drive that has a media defect in a specific area of the platter. This method works only if indeed it was just a media error  and not anything else. In this context, media error  means a weak spot in the oxide layer on platter surface. Other kinds of error can not be 'fixed' by this trick.

I have done this, but am reluctant to recommend it. Such a drive should be used for jobs that are not critical. 

[patio]

***sigh***

[BC_Programmer]

Half the time it will warn of failure. And half the time there is a failure. No joke. Documented elsewhere.

According to this study A drive where S.M.A.R.T monitored values exceed their threshold was 39 times more likely to fail within 60 days then an equivalent drive within the tolerance.

[Geek-9pm]

Thanks for the Link, BC

Our analysis identifies several parameters from the drive’s self  monitoring  facility  (SMART)  that  correlate  highly  with failures.  Despite this high correlation, we conclude that models based on SMART parameters alone are unlikely to be useful for predicting individual drive failure

[Lisa_maree]

You don't say what smart table parameter is causing the smart failure. Several errors when  exceeded don't indicate a drive failure. Can you post a copy of a smart data from either of the 2 drives ?
Speccy is one program that collects smart tables as part of the report.
Other components that cause smart errors are poor power supply, overheating due to poor ventilation, failing sata controller on the motherboard, failing sata cable to name but a few.
You also said that another drive in the same computer was displaying smart errors.
That's why further information is required before saying that it is the drives failing.

[Lisa_maree]

Sorry I just read you can't install windows, if you can't test the drives in another machine there is boot cd's that will test the drives and display smart table info.

Parted Magic is one such program.