Odd error: write delay error on drive C:

[Impmon]

I have seen write delayed error before but always on external drives,
never an internal drive. Until today about 30 minutes ago...

80GB Seagate drive, at the end of updating antivirus program while I
was running Everquest when Windows reported error on C drive. Since
then nothing would run and when I tried to do a shut down, I got an
empty shut down/restart box (outline of box with outline of buttons,
nothing filled in).

After I got the PC restarted, it did an automatic check of C: drive
and didn't find any error. Everything seems to be running fine now.

No SMART status, I can't get it enabled so it's probably not
supported.

Windows XP home edition, SP2 pack installed, using onboard IDE ports
on Gigabyte GA-8S648FX-L mobo with 2.4GHz P4 and has 1.5GB RAM
installed. The 80 GB hard drive has Windows XP and most of the apps,
the swap file are on E drive (200GB) Everquest was running off D
drive. All hard drives are NTFS formatted. The 4th drive is a DVD
burner that wasn't in use at all (no disk inserted)

Any idea why would I get write delayed error on a simple anti virus
update on an *internal* hard drive? The 80GB hard drive has been in
use for about 2 years now.

 

[Rod Speed]

I have seen write delayed error before but always on external
drives, never an internal drive. Until today about 30 minutes ago...

Yeah, tho you can get that with a dying internal drive.

Most dont have a drive die slowly, so its not seen that often.

80GB Seagate drive, at the end of updating antivirus program
while I was running Everquest when Windows reported error
on C drive. Since then nothing would run and when I tried to
do a shut down, I got an empty shut down/restart box (outline
of box with outline of buttons, nothing filled in).

After I got the PC restarted, it did an automatic check of C: drive
and didn't find any error. Everything seems to be running fine now.

No SMART status, I can't get it enabled

Enabled where ?

so it's probably not supported.

Very unlikely with an 80G Seagate drive.

What does Everest show SMART stats wise ?
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=4181

If that cant see the drive, smartctl from a Knoppix live CD will be able to.

Windows XP home edition, SP2 pack installed, using onboard IDE ports
on Gigabyte GA-8S648FX-L mobo with 2.4GHz P4 and has 1.5GB RAM
installed. The 80 GB hard drive has Windows XP and most of the apps,
the swap file are on E drive (200GB) Everquest was running off D
drive. All hard drives are NTFS formatted. The 4th drive is a DVD
burner that wasn't in use at all (no disk inserted)

Any idea why would I get write delayed error on a
simple anti virus update on an *internal* hard drive?

You can get that with a dying drive, and with an OS level glitch.

 

[Arno Wagner]

I have seen write delayed error before but always on external drives,
never an internal drive. Until today about 30 minutes ago...

80GB Seagate drive, at the end of updating antivirus program while I
was running Everquest when Windows reported error on C drive. Since
then nothing would run and when I tried to do a shut down, I got an
empty shut down/restart box (outline of box with outline of buttons,
nothing filled in).

After I got the PC restarted, it did an automatic check of C: drive
and didn't find any error. Everything seems to be running fine now.

No SMART status, I can't get it enabled so it's probably not
supported.

Windows XP home edition, SP2 pack installed, using onboard IDE ports
on Gigabyte GA-8S648FX-L mobo with 2.4GHz P4 and has 1.5GB RAM
installed. The 80 GB hard drive has Windows XP and most of the apps,
the swap file are on E drive (200GB) Everquest was running off D
drive. All hard drives are NTFS formatted. The 4th drive is a DVD
burner that wasn't in use at all (no disk inserted)

Any idea why would I get write delayed error on a simple anti virus
update on an *internal* hard drive? The 80GB hard drive has been in
use for about 2 years now.

If the drive is ~2 years old, then it has SMART. You should
check that. The error sounds like a low-level write or interface
error and you should find out what it was. If it was a disk
error, it should be in the disk's SMART error log (unless that
is disabled by default...). Also you should run a long SMART
selftest.

Try the smartmontools.

Arno

 

[Impmon]

You can get that with a dying drive, and with an OS level glitch.

It may have been a glitch then. The tool you provided from the link
shows SMART to be healthy and within tolerance. I did manage to get
the log out and it showed multiple errors occuring at the some time
ending with ABORT but I'm not sure if the time is of any good since it
rolled over.

The hard drive however shows to be made in July 1 of 2001 so it's a
lot older than I thought.

I'll probably replace it shortly anyway since it's old.

 

[Rod Speed]

It may have been a glitch then. The tool you provided from
the link shows SMART to be healthy and within tolerance.

Post the actual report. You cant just use the
OKs at the end of the lines for a fault like this.

I did manage to get the log out and it showed multiple
errors occuring at the some time ending with ABORT

That may well just be the write delay error itself.
Post that too.

but I'm not sure if the time is of any good since it rolled over.

What ?

The hard drive however shows to be made in
July 1 of 2001 so it's a lot older than I thought.

Should still be working fine tho.

I'll probably replace it shortly anyway since it's old.

Thats mad.

 

[Impmon]

Post the actual report. You cant just use the
OKs at the end of the lines for a fault like this.

Device Description
SAMSUNG SV0602H (0521J1FW100092)
[ SAMSUNG SV0602H (0521J1FW100092) ]

01 Raw Read Error Rate 0 100 100 317
OK: Always passing
04 Start/Stop Count 0 99 99 1924
OK: Always passing
05 Reallocated Sector Count 9 253 253 0
OK: Value is normal
07 Seek Error Rate 51 253 253 0
OK: Value is normal
08 Seek Time Performance 0 253 253 0
OK: Always passing
09 Power-On Time Count 0 96 96 2675997
OK: Always passing
0C Power Cycle Count 0 99 99 1053
OK: Always passing
C2 Temperature 0 171 85 27.4
OK: Always passing
C5 Current Pending Sector Count 9 253 253 0
OK: Value is normal
C6 Off-Line Uncorrectable Sector Count 9 60 60 189
OK: Value is normal
C7 Ultra ATA CRC Error Rate 0 100 100 0
OK: Always passing
C8 Write Error Rate 51 100 100 0
OK: Value is normal
C9 <vendor-specific> 51 100 100 13
OK: Value is normal

That may well just be the write delay error itself.
Post that too.

Rather than to post the entire 5k worth, here's the link to error log:
http://personalpages.tds.net/~wilykat/smartlog.txt

What?

Information I got indicated time rolls over at just under 50 days.

Unless I misunderstand the power on time explaination, even a simple
restart won't reset the time, only hard power off would. My PC have
run for a few months without powering down before.

 

[Rod Speed]

Device Description
SAMSUNG SV0602H (0521J1FW100092)
[ SAMSUNG SV0602H (0521J1FW100092) ]

01 Raw Read Error Rate 0 100 100 317
OK: Always passing
04 Start/Stop Count 0 99 99 1924
OK: Always passing
05 Reallocated Sector Count 9 253 253 0
OK: Value is normal
07 Seek Error Rate 51 253 253 0
OK: Value is normal
08 Seek Time Performance 0 253 253 0
OK: Always passing
09 Power-On Time Count 0 96 96 2675997
OK: Always passing
0C Power Cycle Count 0 99 99 1053
OK: Always passing
C2 Temperature 0 171 85 27.4
OK: Always passing
C5 Current Pending Sector Count 9 253 253 0
OK: Value is normal
C6 Off-Line Uncorrectable Sector Count 9 60 60 189
OK: Value is normal

Likely thats the one that produced the write delay error.
That would have a value of 0 instead of 189 with a good samsung drive.

C7 Ultra ATA CRC Error Rate 0 100 100 0
OK: Always passing
C8 Write Error Rate 51 100 100 0
OK: Value is normal
C9 <vendor-specific> 51 100 100 13
OK: Value is normal

Rather than to post the entire 5k worth, here's the link to error log:
http://personalpages.tds.net/~wilykat/smartlog.txt

Information I got indicated time rolls over at just under 50 days.

OK, I assumed you were talking about the XP error log and that doesnt
roll over. Its now clear you actually meant the SMART error log instead.

Unless I misunderstand the power on time explaination, even
a simple restart won't reset the time, only hard power off would.

In practice that doesnt ever get reset, it just rolls over.

My PC have run for a few months without powering down before.

Yeah, mine generally do too.

I'd certainly replace the drive now that its producing those C6 errors.