Anyone fluent in GSmartControl?

[sorcerer]

Got a laptop in that's running really slowly and, rightly or wrongly, as hard drives are becoming so unreliable these days, I tend to go there first on my diagnostics run. It's a Seagate drive and Seatools did an extended test which completed without error but, being sceptical, I then ran HDDScan 3.3 which showed some slow responses (screendump attached).

Having gone from 'good' to 'hmm, not sure now' I ran GSmartControl, but having only used it a couple of times, I'm unsure about interpreting the results. The test finished without error but is there anything in the results that jumps out to the more experienced GSmartControl users here - anything that would indicate the impending demise of the drive?

GSmartControl results:

smartctl 5.41 2011-06-09 r3365 [i686-linux-3.0.0-pmagic] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-11 by Bruce Allen, http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net

=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
Model Family: Seagate Momentus 5400.5
Device Model: ST9160310AS
Serial Number: 5SV1A1ZV
LU WWN Device Id: 5 000c50 00e42751b
Firmware Version: DE04
User Capacity: 160,041,885,696 bytes [160 GB]
Sector Size: 512 bytes logical/physical
Device is: In smartctl database [for details use: -P show]
ATA Version is: 8
ATA Standard is: ATA-8-ACS revision 4
Local Time is: Thu Jul 26 14:46:27 2012 UTC
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: (0x00) Offline data collection activity
was never started.
Auto Offline Data Collection: Disabled.
Self-test execution status: ( 0) The previous self-test routine completed
without error or no self-test has ever
been run.
Total time to complete Offline
data collection: ( 0) seconds.
Offline data collection
capabilities: (0x73) SMART execute Offline immediate.
Auto Offline data collection on/off support.
Suspend Offline collection upon new
command.
No 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: ( 1) minutes.
Extended self-test routine
recommended polling time: ( 59) minutes.
Conveyance self-test routine
recommended polling time: ( 2) minutes.
SCT capabilities: (0x103f) SCT Status supported.
SCT Error Recovery Control supported.
SCT Feature Control supported.
SCT Data Table supported.

SMART Attributes Data Structure revision number: 10
Vendor Specific SMART Attributes with Thresholds:
ID# ATTRIBUTE_NAME FLAG VALUE WORST THRESH TYPE UPDATED WHEN_FAILED RAW_VALUE
1 Raw_Read_Error_Rate 0x000f 112 099 006 Pre-fail Always - 45018479
3 Spin_Up_Time 0x0003 099 099 085 Pre-fail Always - 0
4 Start_Stop_Count 0x0032 099 099 020 Old_age Always - 1166
5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct 0x0033 100 100 036 Pre-fail Always - 0
7 Seek_Error_Rate 0x000f 081 060 030 Pre-fail Always - 149935000
9 Power_On_Hours 0x0032 093 093 000 Old_age Always - 6444
10 Spin_Retry_Count 0x0013 100 100 097 Pre-fail Always - 0
12 Power_Cycle_Count 0x0032 099 099 020 Old_age Always - 1105
184 End-to-End_Error 0x0032 100 100 099 Old_age Always - 0
187 Reported_Uncorrect 0x0032 097 097 000 Old_age Always - 3
188 Command_Timeout 0x0032 100 099 000 Old_age Always - 54
189 High_Fly_Writes 0x003a 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 0
190 Airflow_Temperature_Cel 0x0022 057 056 045 Old_age Always - 43 (Min/Max 23/44)
191 G-Sense_Error_Rate 0x0032 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 85
192 Power-Off_Retract_Count 0x0032 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 1145
193 Load_Cycle_Count 0x0032 098 098 000 Old_age Always - 4827
194 Temperature_Celsius 0x0022 043 044 000 Old_age Always - 43 (0 13 0 0)
195 Hardware_ECC_Recovered 0x001a 046 036 000 Old_age Always - 45018479
197 Current_Pending_Sector 0x0012 100 100 000 Old_age Always - 0
198 Offline_Uncorrectable 0x0010 100 100 000 Old_age Offline - 0
199 UDMA_CRC_Error_Count 0x003e 200 200 000 Old_age Always - 0
240 Head_Flying_Hours 0x0000 100 253 000 Old_age Offline - 198113956469002
241 Total_LBAs_Written 0x0000 100 253 000 Old_age Offline - 1705049209
242 Total_LBAs_Read 0x0000 100 253 000 Old_age Offline - 1216407964

SMART Error Log Version: 1
ATA Error Count: 3
CR = Command Register [HEX]
FR = Features Register [HEX]
SC = Sector Count Register [HEX]
SN = Sector Number Register [HEX]
CL = Cylinder Low Register [HEX]
CH = Cylinder High Register [HEX]
DH = Device/Head Register [HEX]
DC = Device Command Register [HEX]
ER = Error register [HEX]
ST = Status register [HEX]
Powered_Up_Time is measured from power on, and printed as
DDd+hh:mm:SS.sss where DD=days, hh=hours, mm=minutes,
SS=sec, and sss=millisec. It "wraps" after 49.710 days.

Error 3 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 5500 hours (229 days + 4 hours)
When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

After command completion occurred, registers were:
ER ST SC SN CL CH DH
-- -- -- -- -- -- --
40 51 00 97 26 a9 0c Error: UNC at LBA = 0x0ca92697 = 212412055

Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC Powered_Up_Time Command/Feature_Name
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- ---------------- --------------------
60 00 00 00 26 a9 4c 00 00:02:41.889 READ FPDMA QUEUED
60 00 00 00 25 a9 4c 00 00:02:41.889 READ FPDMA QUEUED
60 00 80 70 f5 a3 4e 00 00:02:41.868 READ FPDMA QUEUED
60 00 08 c0 e4 a4 4e 00 00:02:41.847 READ FPDMA QUEUED
60 00 08 48 b3 a4 4e 00 00:02:41.846 READ FPDMA QUEUED

Error 2 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 312 hours (13 days + 0 hours)
When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

After command completion occurred, registers were:
ER ST SC SN CL CH DH
-- -- -- -- -- -- --
40 51 00 8d 61 0f 03 Error: UNC at LBA = 0x030f618d = 51339661

Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC Powered_Up_Time Command/Feature_Name
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- ---------------- --------------------
29 ff 78 30 61 0f e3 00 00:00:22.840 READ MULTIPLE EXT
25 ff 78 c8 83 09 e3 00 00:00:14.837 READ DMA EXT
25 ff 78 50 83 09 e3 00 00:00:14.571 READ DMA EXT
25 ff 78 d8 82 09 e3 00 00:00:14.568 READ DMA EXT
25 ff 78 60 82 09 e3 00 00:00:14.565 READ DMA EXT

Error 1 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: 312 hours (13 days + 0 hours)
When the command that caused the error occurred, the device was active or idle.

After command completion occurred, registers were:
ER ST SC SN CL CH DH
-- -- -- -- -- -- --
40 51 00 8d 61 0f 03 Error: UNC at LBA = 0x030f618d = 51339661

Commands leading to the command that caused the error were:
CR FR SC SN CL CH DH DC Powered_Up_Time Command/Feature_Name
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- ---------------- --------------------
25 ff 78 c8 83 09 e3 00 00:00:14.837 READ DMA EXT
25 ff 78 50 83 09 e3 00 00:00:14.571 READ DMA EXT
25 ff 78 d8 82 09 e3 00 00:00:14.568 READ DMA EXT
25 ff 78 60 82 09 e3 00 00:00:14.565 READ DMA EXT
25 ff 78 e8 81 09 e3 00 00:00:14.562 READ DMA EXT

SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1
Num Test_Description Status Remaining LifeTime(hours) LBA_of_first_error
# 1 Extended offline Completed without error 00% 6444 -
# 2 Short offline Completed without error 00% 6439 -
# 3 Short offline Completed without error 00% 2 -
# 4 Short offline Completed without error 00% 0 -
# 5 Short offline Completed without error 00% 0 -

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.

Thanks folks

 

[PCX]

Normally I would say this is an issue

7 Seek_Error_Rate 0x000f 081 060 030 Pre-fail Always - 149935000

But that may be a normal for Seagates. For instance, the Raw Read Error Rate is usually high for Seagates, but that is a false possitive. This may also be the case here. Also, HDD scan may be indicating a possible read error in the future. If you tested it with the Seagate diagnostics and nothing popped in the diagnostics, then its probably fine for now, but it may be borderline. Personally, I wouldn't take the chance and I would suggest a hard drive replacement. Also, test the memory and make sure there are not issues there.

One final note, especially if there are issues with the memory as well, check for overheating. Overheating causes read errors in HDDs and also causes memory to fail and ultimately causes computers to run like crap.

 

[Ccomp5950]

That's not GSmartControl that is smartctl a SMART tool for linux.

Edit: Google searched it, GSmartControl is a GUI front end for smartctl

The drive had some read errors a while back but looks to no longer be a problem.

Error 3 occurred at disk power-on lifetime: [B]5500 hours[/B] (229 days + 4 hours)

The other two errors are early on in it's life (322 hours)

The drive had been on 6444 hours

9 Power_On_Hours 0x0032 093 093 000 Old_age Always - [B]6444[/B]

It looks like you ran a smart check that passed just fine.

SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1
Num Test_Description Status Remaining LifeTime(hours) LBA_of_first_error
# 1 Extended offline Completed without error 00% 6444

The read errors can probably be explained by it being a laptop drive and being jostled around (going by model number listed at the top).

I would check to make sure the drive isn't in PIO mode in windows but beyond that there is no problem with the report.

 

[sorcerer]

Thanks very much guys, I appreciate your input. It's currently running Memtest86+ on the RAM so we'll see what happens. Cheers

 

[Rob_NNCC]

What I do in a situation like this is:
Write down seek errors and raw read errors. Run a speed test in HDTune. Look at disk performance. Check Gsmartcontrol again for the seek errors and raw read errors. If the numbers went up substantualy or the speed test is slow in HDTune I replace the drive.

EDIT: I do this in UBCD4WIN so that I know that hdtune is getting an accurate speed test not slowed down by crap running.

 

[sorcerer]

That's a good idea Rob, thanks.