2

I have bought a new computer 2 months ago. Computer performance has continuously gone down until a point that Windows7 freezes a lot with the light that indicates the disk usage fixed and turned on. I have another partition with Ubuntu. Ubuntu works fine except when transferring big files from a place to another. Although I have guarantee for my hard-drive and my computer, I do not know if I should use it. I do not know how to read the results of the SMART test:

martctl 6.2 2013-07-26 r3841 [x86_64-linux-3.13.0-37-generic] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-13, Bruce Allen, Christian Franke, www.smartmontools.org

=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
Model Family:     Western Digital Caviar Blue (SATA 6Gb/s)
Device Model:     WDC WD10EZEX-00KUWA0
Serial Number:    WD-WCC1S4859529
LU WWN Device Id: 5 0014ee 2b35d3217
Firmware Version: 15.01H15
User Capacity:    1.000.204.886.016 bytes [1,00 TB]
Sector Sizes:     512 bytes logical, 4096 bytes physical
Device is:        In smartctl database [for details use: -P show]
ATA Version is:   ATA8-ACS (minor revision not indicated)
SATA Version is:  SATA 3.0, 6.0 Gb/s (current: 3.0 Gb/s)
Local Time is:    Sun Oct 19 14:43:48 2014 CEST
SMART support is: Available - device has SMART capability.
SMART support is: Enabled

=== START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION ===
SMART overall-health self-assessment test result: PASSED

General SMART Values:
Offline data collection status:  (0x85) Offline data collection activity
                    was aborted by an interrupting command from host.
                    Auto Offline Data Collection: Enabled.
Self-test execution status:      ( 118) The previous self-test completed having
                    the read element of the test failed.
Total time to complete Offline 
data collection:        (11280) seconds.
Offline data collection
capabilities:            (0x7b) SMART execute Offline immediate.
                    Auto Offline data collection on/off support.
                    Suspend Offline collection upon new
                    command.
                    Offline surface scan supported.
                    Self-test supported.
                    Conveyance Self-test supported.
                    Selective Self-test supported.
SMART capabilities:            (0x0003) Saves SMART data before entering
                    power-saving mode.
                    Supports SMART auto save timer.
Error logging capability:        (0x01) Error logging supported.
                    General Purpose Logging supported.
Short self-test routine 
recommended polling time:    (   2) minutes.
Extended self-test routine
recommended polling time:    ( 124) minutes.
Conveyance self-test routine
recommended polling time:    (   5) minutes.
SCT capabilities:          (0x30b5) SCT Status supported.
                    SCT Feature Control supported.
                    SCT Data Table supported.

SMART Attributes Data Structure revision number: 16
Vendor Specific SMART Attributes with Thresholds:
ID# ATTRIBUTE_NAME          FLAG     VALUE WORST THRESH TYPE      UPDATED  WHEN_FAILED RAW_VALUE
  1 Raw_Read_Error_Rate     0x002f   197   197   051    Pre-fail  Always       -       7949
  3 Spin_Up_Time            0x0027   184   175   021    Pre-fail  Always       -       1766
  4 Start_Stop_Count        0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       207
  5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct   0x0033   200   200   140    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
  7 Seek_Error_Rate         0x002e   200   200   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
  9 Power_On_Hours          0x0032   099   099   000    Old_age   Always       -       825
 10 Spin_Retry_Count        0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
 11 Calibration_Retry_Count 0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
 12 Power_Cycle_Count       0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       207
192 Power-Off_Retract_Count 0x0032   200   200   000    Old_age   Always       -       25
193 Load_Cycle_Count        0x0032   200   200   000    Old_age   Always       -       181
194 Temperature_Celsius     0x0022   109   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       34
196 Reallocated_Event_Count 0x0032   200   200   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
197 Current_Pending_Sector  0x0032   200   200   000    Old_age   Always       -       19
198 Offline_Uncorrectable   0x0030   200   200   000    Old_age   Offline      -       8
199 UDMA_CRC_Error_Count    0x0032   200   200   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
200 Multi_Zone_Error_Rate   0x0008   200   200   000    Old_age   Offline      -       8

SMART Error Log Version: 1
No Errors Logged

SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1
Num  Test_Description    Status                  Remaining  LifeTime(hours)  LBA_of_first_error
# 1  Short offline       Completed: read failure       60%       825         50304
# 2  Short offline       Completed: read failure       60%       824         50304

SMART Selective self-test log data structure revision number 1
 SPAN  MIN_LBA  MAX_LBA  CURRENT_TEST_STATUS
    1        0        0  Not_testing
    2        0        0  Not_testing
    3        0        0  Not_testing
    4        0        0  Not_testing
    5        0        0  Not_testing
Selective self-test flags (0x0):
  After scanning selected spans, do NOT read-scan remainder of disk.
If Selective self-test is pending on power-up, resume after 0 minute delay.

Is the hard-disk damaged? Or Windows freezes because of another problem?

Improve this question
5
  • 1
    Its not a software problem. So that means its a hardware problem. When you say you purchased a "new computer" was it a used computer that is simply new to you or an actual new computer? Because the data you have provided indicates the HDD was NOT NEW. Infact based on the model number its not possible it was a new hdd because the hdd isn't even supported by West Digital.
    – Ramhound
    Commented Oct 19, 2014 at 12:51
  • 1
    It was a new computer with a "recertified hard-drive".
    – user2979409
    Commented Oct 19, 2014 at 12:53
  • 1
    You have just answered your own question. Replace the HDD.
    – Ramhound
    Commented Oct 19, 2014 at 12:54
  • I must be missing something. From the report: SMART overall-health self-assessment test result: PASSED. The system slowing down and Windows freezing is not something that would point me to the hard disk. There are all kinds of more likely explanations, starting with corruption or malware.
    – fixer1234
    Commented Oct 19, 2014 at 16:58
  • 1
    WD recertified drives only have a six-month warranty. WD will repair or replace your drive with a warranty of the same expiration date (date not length). Get an RMA number and send in your drive with a printout of the SMART output (a long/extended test is best).
    – sawdust
    Commented Oct 20, 2014 at 0:28

4 Answers 4

Reset to default
1

The hard drive is failing. The SMART report values are out of norms for a healthy hard drive. I recommend replacing the hard drive immediately.

A hard drive with read / write problems can make any operating system very sluggish.

Improve this answer
2

Your #197 attribute of 19 pending sectors indicates that the drive has a hardware problem that is has been unable to resolve. The standard HDAT2 Read and repair bad sectors should fix that. However any number >2 is grim. These unhandled errors are usually disk surface related. I suggest that Ubuntu is OK because it is in a clear (healthy) area of the disk. You may have a spyware problem as well but you definitely have a hardware problem. Change the disk.

A new PC with a recertified HDD is like a new car with retreads!

Improve this answer
0

Unfortunately, it looks like your hard drive is failing. My advice will be to run the WD's Data Lifeguard Diagnostics to see if the same results appear: http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?groupid=810&sid=3&lang=en

In case it shows that the drive test failed, then back-up the information from the drive and if it's still under warranty - RMA it. Here's a link where you can do this: http://support.wdc.com/warranty/index.asp?wdc_lang=en

Hope this helps and best of luck!

Improve this answer
-1

Step Zero: Where are you that a store is allowed to sell a 'new' computer' with a 'recertified' drive?

Well, if Ubuntu runs OK (except for the file transfer issue), but Windows 7 halts, I would suggest you do consider it as a Windows problem. However, I would first suggest rebooting, pressing {F8} to enter Safe Mode, and run the SMART test again, and post those results here after another reboot.

If the result of that Safe Mode SMART test show no failures or errors, downloading and installing BleachBit, a free and reliable Open Source program. Don't click everything: just Firefox and Chrome caches, the Temp Files, and cookies.

OTHER FOLKS, PLEASE SKIP THIS IF YOUR PC HAS AN SSD: Download and install MyDefrag another free and reliable app. Run the Monthly Defrag overnight.

Next:

Start | Control Panel | System | Advanced | Setting | Advanced | Virtual Memory - Change | Uncheck "Automatically Manage" | click on Custom Size | set the Minimum and Maximum size to 1.5x the size of your RAM, measured in megabytes | click on Set and then restart your system.

Then, advise if you still have problems.

Could you please also amend your original question to add what happens in Ubuntu when you do large file transfers? What size files are problematic? Where are you transferring from, and to? Which version of Ubuntu do you have?

Improve this answer
2
  • 1
    Windows might be accessing the bad blocks and freezing/laging because of that (I experienced such behaviour on faulty drive), while Ubuntu just sits there without touching those blocks. Also, how defragging can alter current situation and why on earth are you suggesting to change paging file size?
    – Little Helper
    Commented Oct 19, 2014 at 19:18
  • 1
    It does not matter, Windows handles that. If the swap file is corrupted, then yes, but defragmentation shouldn't halt the system.
    – Little Helper
    Commented Oct 21, 2014 at 5:58

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .