strange pattern in surface scan

[vrekman64]

Hello everyone

my computer started acting lately and I took it to the shop. It returned later with the report of a bad disk (there are 3 disks installed). The technician included a screenshot he took with your program, which I send you.

strangest error I have ever seen

20110829_R_WDC_WD3200AAKS-00VYA0_WD-WCARW0779002_12.01B02-surface-full.jpg (601.97 KiB) Viewed 7281 times

What in the world would produce a pattern like this? the disks are like cylinders and the graphic representation is something like an unwrapped cylinder right? (or is it a disk?) Is it a straight line accross the height of surface of the disk, or across the top or ...what?
What do you make of it?

For the record, the other disks are totaly green (some darker squares now and then they are more than 5 year old disks so this is normal I guess), and the "short self self test" cannot be concluded (something 'like self test error by read element' -- I don't have it written). Strangely, the disk seems to work OK (!!) but lags all the time (games and movies stutter and sometime the system freezes for a few seconds). I can still copy files from and to the disk in question.

I bought a new one, should I just copy files on the new one, or use something like a utility (norton ghost-like utility)?

Thank you in advance

[hdsentinel]

Thanks for the image.

According the test, it seems the disk surface periodically encounters issues and the sectors can be accessed only very slowly (the current transfer rate displayed on the right (0,40 MB/s) is far from normal).

Some such darker green blocks are acceptable and cause no problems but this is really too much.
Because of the periodic issues, I'd say there is a problem with one of the hard disk heads, causing that the complete surface of one platter is hardly accessible. The red and yellow blocks also confirm as they are both found in these problematic darker areas.

Personally I'd not recommend the use of this disk in the future as any information stored on the problematic areas may quickly become unaccessible at all (would result in more red blocks).
I'd begin to copy files (starting with the most important files) to the new hard disk. Cloning the complete disk may be also a good idea - just it is possible that it would begin with unwanted/non important files and (upon failure) the more important files would not be saved.

Ps. if possible, please use Report -> Send test report to developer option as then I can check the status of both this drive and the other you experiencing issues. The lags/freezes may be related to possible sector-reallocations and thus health degradation, which are also signs of possible future problems.

[vrekman64]

Thanks,

I only have this image. Your program must have been uninstalled after its use, because I can't find it any where. I'll try with the free version when I'm done with the new disk.

thanks again.


[
feel free to use the picture in the "What-happens-when-you-don't-monitor-your-HDD" section of your site. That will make them think twice about disk monitoring
]

[hdsentinel]

I'd be so curious to see the complete status of the drive
Will wait the report if you're done.

Thanks