Help: Need program to disable/edit S.M.A.R.T. monitoring

[007]

Hi all,

Can anyone suggest a program that can disable the S.M.A.R.T.
monitoring on a hard disk?

I would also like to edit/write the S.M.A.R.T.values on a failing
Seagate HD. ie. back the values away from the fail threshold to
"trick" it into thinking the drive is healthy, long enough to recover
a couple of corrupted partitions.

Any links to sites on understanding S.M.A.R.T. paramaters would also
be welcome.

Thanks in advance,

Tim

E-mail if necessary: (e-mail address removed)
Delete NOSPAM. from the addresse.

 

[007]

Nonsense.

8.41.1 SMART DISABLE OPERATIONS

This command disables all SMART capabilities within the device including any and all timer and event count
functions related exclusively to this feature. After receipt of this command the device shall disable all
SMART operations. SMART data shall no longer be monitored or saved by the device. The state of SMART
(either enabled or disabled) shall be preserved by the device across power cycles.
After receipt of this command by the device, all other SMART commands (including SMART DISABLE
OPERATIONS commands), with the exception of SMART ENABLE OPERATIONS, are disabled and invalid
and shall be command aborted by the device.


But obviously you never bothered to look at them yourself, babblemouth.

If someone could suggest a program that could do this, it would help
immensely. Also any links to docs that can explain the details.

I googled "Smart ATA specification version 3", but there are a alot
of deadends to sort out.

The reason I asked in the first place, is that a friend who had
researched this a couple of years ago, told me that SMART can act as a
sort of "programmed planned obsolescence" and can hasten the failure
of a hard disk.

He said he was able save the data from a HD by backing off the SMART
values from the threshold. He also advised the disabling of the SMART
function.

This may create a polemique on the group, but I'd be interested in
getting your opinions.

I've got a new Seagate 160 GB that failed after 5 months, so I'm
willing to explore all leads to recover the lost data.

Thanks in advance,


Tim

Reply to (e-mail address removed)
delete NOSPAM. from the address

 

[Rod Speed]

(e-mail address removed) wrote

Can anyone suggest a program that can disable
the S.M.A.R.T. monitoring on a hard disk?

That can be done with some drives, the drive allows that.

I would also like to edit/write the S.M.A.R.T.
values on a failing Seagate HD. ie. back the
values away from the fail threshold

Pointless, that wont achieve anything.

to "trick" it into thinking the drive is healthy, long
enough to recover a couple of corrupted partitions.

The SMART system in the drive doesnt prevent access,
it just REPORTS what has happened in simple terms.

Any links to sites on understanding S.M.A.R.T.
paramaters would also be welcome.

That area is one hell of a can of worms. Essentially
because much of the detail isnt formalised in the
ATA standard and is vendor specific.

 

[Arno Wagner]

Hi all,

Can anyone suggest a program that can disable the S.M.A.R.T.
monitoring on a hard disk?

Not possible.

I would also like to edit/write the S.M.A.R.T.values on a failing
Seagate HD. ie. back the values away from the fail threshold to
"trick" it into thinking the drive is healthy, long enough to recover
a couple of corrupted partitions.

That is completely unnecessary. The smart values do not influence
drive behaviour, they merely reflect it.

Any links to sites on understanding S.M.A.R.T. paramaters would also
be welcome.

Have a look into the ATA specification version 3 or later.
The drafts (almost as good as the finel specs) are on the web
for free.

Arno

 

[Folkert Rienstra]

Not possible.

Nonsense.

8.41.1 SMART DISABLE OPERATIONS

This command disables all SMART capabilities within the device including any and all timer and event count
functions related exclusively to this feature. After receipt of this command the device shall disable all
SMART operations. SMART data shall no longer be monitored or saved by the device. The state of SMART
(either enabled or disabled) shall be preserved by the device across power cycles.
After receipt of this command by the device, all other SMART commands (including SMART DISABLE
OPERATIONS commands), with the exception of SMART ENABLE OPERATIONS, are disabled and invalid
and shall be command aborted by the device.

That is completely unnecessary. The smart values do not influence
drive behaviour, they merely reflect it.


Have a look into the ATA specification version 3 or later.
The drafts (almost as good as the finel specs) are on the web
for free.

But obviously you never bothered to look at them yourself, babblemouth.

 

[Rod Speed]

(e-mail address removed) wrote

If someone could suggest a program that
could do this, it would help immensely.

It wont achieve anything in your situation.

Also any links to docs that can explain the details.

I googled "Smart ATA specification version 3",
but there are a alot of deadends to sort out.

The reason I asked in the first place, is that a friend who
had researched this a couple of years ago, told me that
SMART can act as a sort of "programmed planned
obsolescence" and can hasten the failure of a hard disk.

Its pure unmitigated pig ignorant drivel.

He said he was able save the data from a HD by
backing off the SMART values from the threshold.

Its pure unmitigated pig ignorant drivel.

He also advised the disabling of the SMART function.

He's a pig ignorant fool.

This may create a polemique on the group,
but I'd be interested in getting your opinions.

I've got a new Seagate 160 GB that failed after 5 months,
so I'm willing to explore all leads to recover the lost data.

Just clone the drive and attempt recovery with the clone.

 

[Folkert Rienstra]

If someone could suggest a program that could do this, it would help
immensely. Also any links to docs that can explain the details.

I googled "Smart ATA specification version 3", but there are a alot
of deadends to sort out.

They are at t13, the ATA home: www.t13.org

The reason I asked in the first place, is that a friend who had
researched this a couple of years ago, told me that SMART can act as a
sort of "programmed planned obsolescence" and can hasten the failure
of a hard disk.

Can see that.

He said he was able save the data from a HD by backing off the SMART
values from the threshold.

There was one report that a firmware change might do that.
Can't see how that helps any. Except maybe to avoid SMART alert
messages coming but shutting it off should have a similar effect.

He also advised the disabling of the SMART function.

Makes somewhat sense.
The drive logs the events on the platters so if the platters are failing the
drive's logging may fail it earlier, either physically or the firmware shut-
ting it down in some way or other because of internal housekeeping errors.