Seagate hdd CHKDSK problems - all data corrupt now

[psychomagnet]

Hi, I seem to have endless problems with this Seagate hdd (120 GB 7200 rpm)
i purchased a little less than a year ago. Around a month ago most of my
files on that hard drive were crosslinked. I reformatted. Then a week ago I
start getting continuous indexing errors on the drive. chkdsk reported file
system errors. Each time I ran chkdsk it reported something new: deleating
indexes, freeing space, problems with file system. I noticed programs
vanishing and reappearing each time I ran chkdsk. Now this second lot of
data is gone as even the recovered files from chkdsk rendered useless. I am
rather reluctant to put anymore data on this drive. I ran Seagate's SeaTools
and found no problems with the drive. I dont know what to do. All my other
drives have no problems (3 x quantum, 1 x maxtor).

I ask the following questions:

Are the above problems a cause of a faulty hard drive, or something wrong
with the operating system (using windows 2000 Server)?

Are there other tools on the web that can check my hdd?

What options do i have? I prefer to get a replacement hdd, but cant do if
seatools doesnt report a fault. I get sick to the stomach whenever i place
files on that drive.

Cheers,
PS

 

[Rod Speed]

Hi, I seem to have endless problems with this Seagate hdd (120 GB 7200 rpm)
i purchased a little less than a year ago. Around a month ago most of my
files on that hard drive were crosslinked. I reformatted. Then a week ago I
start getting continuous indexing errors on the drive. chkdsk reported file
system errors. Each time I ran chkdsk it reported something new: deleating
indexes, freeing space, problems with file system. I noticed programs
vanishing and reappearing each time I ran chkdsk. Now this second lot of
data is gone as even the recovered files from chkdsk rendered useless. I am
rather reluctant to put anymore data on this drive. I ran Seagate's SeaTools
and found no problems with the drive. I dont know what to do. All my other
drives have no problems (3 x quantum, 1 x maxtor).

I ask the following questions:

Are the above problems a cause of a faulty hard drive,

It can be, particularly an intermittent fault that SeaTools doesnt see.

Run DiskCheckup from http://www.passmark.com/products/diskcheckup.htm
and see what it says about the SMART data for that drive.

Win2KServer should be reporting faults with the
drive tho, have you checked the fault logs ?

or something wrong with the operating system

Thats possible too. Should be something in the fault logs tho.

(using windows 2000 Server)?

Are there other tools on the web that can check my hdd?

See above.

What options do i have?

One thing you can do is replace the drive and
see if the problem goes away. Not the cheapest
approach, but that is a useful thing to try.

I prefer to get a replacement hdd, but
cant do if seatools doesnt report a fault.

Some people deliberately kill a drive in that situation.

Non trivial to kill a drive without it being obvious thats what you have done tho.

I get sick to the stomach whenever i place files on that drive.

Yeah, thats why many just choose to replace the drive with a
different brand and model and see if the problem goes away.

It can be something as basic as a faulty power supply
or motherboard that periodically scrambles the data on
just that drive for various complicated reasons. It may
just be more sensitive to the supply voltage than the
other drives or even something as trivial as a bad
power connector to just that drive.

There's only one way to resolve problems like that,
change things and see what makes it go away.

Unfortunately thats not a very practical
approach when the failure rate is so low.

Some just change the obvious stuff like the hard drive and the
power supply and ribbon cable and see how it goes failure wise.
If the fault recurs, swap the motherboard. If it still recurs, put
a stake thru its heart at midnight and buy a whole new system.

And when the fault recurs again, kill yourself.

 

[J. Clarke]

Hi, I seem to have endless problems with this Seagate hdd (120 GB 7200
rpm) i purchased a little less than a year ago. Around a month ago most of
my files on that hard drive were crosslinked. I reformatted. Then a week
ago I start getting continuous indexing errors on the drive. chkdsk
reported file system errors. Each time I ran chkdsk it reported something
new: deleating indexes, freeing space, problems with file system. I
noticed programs vanishing and reappearing each time I ran chkdsk. Now
this second lot of data is gone as even the recovered files from chkdsk
rendered useless. I am rather reluctant to put anymore data on this drive.
I ran Seagate's SeaTools and found no problems with the drive. I dont know
what to do. All my other drives have no problems (3 x quantum, 1 x
maxtor).

I ask the following questions:

Are the above problems a cause of a faulty hard drive, or something wrong
with the operating system (using windows 2000 Server)?

Are there other tools on the web that can check my hdd?

What options do i have? I prefer to get a replacement hdd, but cant do if
seatools doesnt report a fault. I get sick to the stomach whenever i place
files on that drive.

Long shot--is there another IDE device plugged into the same cable that is
not powered up? If so, either power it up or disconnect it completely.

Check the power supply voltages with a meter--if you don't have one get a
Fluke from Sears or Home Depot. Don't trust the voltage monitors on the
motherboard until you've confirmed that they are accurate.