2 brand new disks not well packed, 1 showing bad sector

[propergol]

Hello,
I just received 2 WD Green 4Tb HDs. They did arrived not well packed so I did imediatly performed a surface test (reinitialize), and one of the disk is showing 1 bad sector :



Is there any other additional tests I could perform in order to "torture test" both HD in order to expose any hidden defects?

Since I have 30 days to return the product for free, would you personaly return it or keep it? I did paid them only €100 each.

Thanks for your help

PS : running pro version of HDS

[hdsentinel]

Yes, the best is to always diagnose hard disks before filling with important data, exactly to reveal and repair problems before using, as described at http://www.hdsentinel.com/faq.php#tests

Generally, the Read test is useful to reveal problems - and the Reintiialise Disk Surface test you used is designed to be "strong" enough: forces the hard disk to test the status of the damaged / unreadable sectors and reallocate them (if required): replace with a sector from the spare area to prevent later use of the original sector.

In most cases, this happens correctly - but in some rare cases, one testing may not be enough for this - as it seems in this case the sector is still showing errors, after the test.

Personally I'd try to repeat the Reinitialise Disk Surface test many times on this particular block this way:
- open Disk menu -> Surface test
- select the hard disk and the Reinitialise Disk Surface test but before starting, select the Confguration tab
- select "Limit testing to specific data blocks" and specify 508 as first / last block to be tested
- select "Repeat test" and enter a high value, eg. 50 or 100

This would perform specific, intensive stressing and then (hopefully) the sector will be reallocated, repaired.

If this does not happen after several overwrites, then you may
- ask replacament (if possible)
- or use the hard disk with slightly limited capacity: for example creating two partitions (before-and-after the problematic area) to isolate the problem and make sure that the hard disk will not use the problematic sector(s) for storage.

[propergol]

Thanks a lot for your help!
I did the "repeat test" with 50 repeat and the block wasn't flagged anymore as "bad block".
So I guess it has been realocated during the first pass I made.
I don't know if it is normal or not but the SMART values of the disk are all OK, and there is no evidence of realocated sector :

1,Raw Read Error Rate,0,200,200,Ok (51),0,0,Enabled
3,Spin Up Time,0,180,179,Ok (21),7975,0,Enabled
4,Start/Stop Count,0,100,100,OK (Always passing),8,0,Enabled
5,Reallocated Sectors Count,0,200,200,Ok (140),0,0,Enabled
7,Seek Error Rate,0,100,253,OK (Always passing),0,0,Enabled
9,Power On Time Count,0,100,100,OK (Always passing),51,0,Enabled
10,Spin Retry Count,0,100,253,OK (Always passing),0,0,Enabled
11,Drive Calibration Retry Count,0,100,253,OK (Always passing),0,0,Enabled
12,Drive Power Cycle Count,0,100,100,OK (Always passing),6,0,Enabled
192,Power off Retract Cycle Count,0,200,200,OK (Always passing),4,0,Enabled
193,Load/Unload Cycle Count,0,200,200,OK (Always passing),35,0,Enabled
194,Disk Temperature,0,120,112,OK (Always passing),32,0,Enabled
196,Reallocation Event Count,0,200,200,OK (Always passing),0,0,Enabled
197,Current Pending Sector Count,0,200,200,OK (Always passing),0,0,Enabled
198,Off-Line Uncorrectable Sector Count,0,100,253,OK (Always passing),0,0,Enabled
199,Ultra ATA CRC Error Count,0,200,200,OK (Always passing),0,0,Enabled
200,Write Error Rate,0,100,253,OK (Always passing),0,0,Enabled

[hdsentinel]

Thanks, glad to hear that the sector is really corrected as should, during one of the Reinitialise Disk Surface test passes performed.

Usually this happens if the original sector does not need reallocation, but its status could be repaired by the multiple test passes, without the need of reallocation. Not sure about the original status (the S.M.A.R.T. information and/or the text description) but this is common if originally "weak" sectors reported, which may not indicate problem with the hard disk itself, but more likely caused by a power loss, power failure, accidental disconnect and so. These are repaired and then the status is perfect.
Such situation described at http://www.hdsentinel.com/hard_disk_cas ... ectors.php

Personally (just to be sure) I'd perform the other tests described at http://www.hdsentinel.com/faq.php#tests :

1) Disk -> Short self test
2) Disk -> Extended self test
3) Disk -> Surface test -> Read test

This way you can be sure that the sector is repaired and if it does not reported again as bad / damaged / weak, then the hard disk is really perfect and can be used.