Multiple Hard Drive failures.. Don't know why

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Onetimeuse

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Jun 11, 2013
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My computer had a backup HD fail and I removed it recently. Four days after removing the old faulty one, my primary failed. Is there some issue that may be causing my Hard drives to fail? If you need more information please ask, I'll be monitoring this closely.
 
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If it is the PSU it's likely sending out intermittent spikes of high voltage. You would need to monitor multiple outputs with an oscilloscope probably for days to catch any spikes. You can check the voltages under load with a voltmeter but I doubt you'll find a problem.
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ram1009

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Jun 28, 2007
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If it is the PSU it's likely sending out intermittent spikes of high voltage. You would need to monitor multiple outputs with an oscilloscope probably for days to catch any spikes. You can check the voltages under load with a voltmeter but I doubt you'll find a problem.
 
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Solution
ssddx

ssddx

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May 27, 2009
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what size hard drives are you using?

i've had replacement 1.5tb wd caviar black drives die on me in as little as 3 days...

what wattage, make and model psu are you using?
list your system specs as well so we know what kind of load you are pulling.

if you bought a high end psu i dont see why you would have any problems (not saying it couldnt happen) but if you bought a cheap low grade psu then its definitely a possibility.

list some information for us to have a look at.
 
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fzabkar

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Sep 22, 2010
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No. If the drive sustained an overvoltage, then one of its TVS diodes will be shorted, in which case the usual fix is to snip it. That's all. In some cases you may need an additional blob of solder, but that's not too hard, either.

Just Google "TVS diode" and you'll see that hundreds, if not thousands, of novices have done the same.
 
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ssddx

ssddx

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May 27, 2009
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of course this is assuming its the diode.

in any case what if the drive is under warranty?

what the op wants to know is WHY everything seems to be failing.

we dont know for sure yet.

while your post is definitely HELPFUL and APPRECIATED i dont think its come down to that yet.
 
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fzabkar

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Sep 22, 2010
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I'm not assuming anything. Most replies to this thread are blaming voltage spikes from the PSU. My response was intended to address this possibility.

If you read my FAQ, then you will understand that HDDs manufactured since 2005 have TVS diodes. The function of these Transient Voltage Suppression diodes is to suppress transient voltages, such as those from a failing PSU. If these overvoltages persist for more than a few microseconds, then they result in the failure of the associated TVS diode, usually via a short circuit. Some HDDs also have series protection devices (eg fuses, zero-ohm resistors, polyswitches), which is also explained in my FAQ.

In fact I am currently answering 4 TVS diode related questions in two other storage forums, and I have been doing so about 3 times per week, on average, over the past 4 years. My FAQ answers those questions which have been posed to me, either publicly or privately, perhaps 500 times during those 4 years. I have intentionally dumbed it down so that even a complete novice, who has never seen a multimeter or a diode, would be able to recover their own data. So I cannot accept that my FAQ is complex. In fact if I had dumbed it down any further, I would probably have offended people. However, I do accept that my FAQ is verbose (is that what you mean by "complex"?), but that's the nature of all FAQs.
 
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